The Best Nerf Guns Come With More Than Just Darts and Spring-Action Firing
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For boy and girls, a toy blaster can be the ultimate gift for fun and games. Even us adults can have nostalgia-tinged fun with one. It’s a unique kind of excitement, running around firing darts, turning any living room or backyard into a makeshift battlefield. When it comes to toy blasters, the first brand that comes to mind is Nerf, naturally. Like Kleenex is to tissues or Jacuzzi is to hot tubs, Nerf has become synonymous with dart- and gel-firing toys.
And the brand has expanded beyond just solo pistols to include everything from long-range rifles that can fire a dart over 100 feet to automatic and semi-automatic options. This means making the final decision on which one to add to your arsenal or choose as a gift is all the more difficult. We extensively research (and called up some childhood memories), to determine the best Nerf toys no matter what type of blaster you’re looking for. Check out these top Nerf blasters that will add a bit of run and gun to you and your kids’ backyard play time.
The Best Nerf Guns
Best Overall: Nerf Pro Stryfe X Dart Semi-Auto Blaster Gun
Best Value: Nerf Disruptor Elite Blaster Gun
Best Semi-Automatic: Nerf Elite 2.0 Phoenix CS-6 Motorized Blaster Gun
Best Long Range: Nerf Longstrike Modulus Toy Blaster Gun with Barrel Extension
What to Consider
Style of Gun
Nerf boasts a wide variety of guns, ranging from one-shot pistols to large blasters that hold more than 50 darts in a single magazine. The pistols and small blasters (like the Pro Stryfe X) are great for mobility and one-handed use. Larger options require two hands but typically boast bigger magazines to hold more darts. These also open up the possibilities for added attachments and unique features, like scope sights and tactical flashlights. Other large options like the appropriately named Longstrike Modulus have longer barrels and more powerful shooting mechanisms, which facilitate long-range firing.
As for the look, Nerf has several lines of themed toys. These include popular video-game-inspired guns from Fortnite and Minecraft, as well as the DinoSquad line.
Rate of Fire
Long gone are the days of loading one dart into a single spring mechanism. Yes, there are still plenty of Nerf guns that fire darts one by one. But the game has changed. The brand now offers battery-operated models that can fire at both automatic and semi-automatic rates. Some even swap between modes via a switch. These Nerf guns typically use an internal motor to fire darts instead of the traditional pump action springs. This increases the speed at which each dart travels, though may result in less power per shot than a manual-loading long-distance Nerf gun.
Most motorized Nerf guns now come with internal batteries you can plug in and recharge, so despite the many commercials we watched growing up, batteries are included.
Type of Ammo
Alongside darts, the company now offers guns that shoot “Hyper” balls: small foam spheres that fire rapidly and are a bit more durable. Unlike the lighter, squishier foam darts, the Hyper balls won’t tear or rip apart when stepped on and will hold up well if they get wet. So, if you accidentally forget a few on the lawn after a battle, they won’t be lost to the sprinklers or rain.
Nerf also has a line of “Gelfire” guns, which shoot soft gel balls that explode on contact—think paintball lite. This gel ammo is disposable and shows up dehydrated for more efficient packaging. When you’re actually ready to use them, soak them in water, and they’ll balloon up to size.
How We Selected
We made our final selections after evaluating each Nerf gun based on its design, unique capabilities, and price. Our list includes Nerf guns at differing price points across several different lines. We also took into account our own personal experience with Nerf guns growing up, which, alongside a bit of nostalgia, gave us some hands-on insight into the minor details we liked and disliked from the blasters we had. For example, we didn’t choose to add many single-shot weapons that didn’t have extra dart holders on the gun because of how tedious it actually was to constantly reload and carry darts with you.
We also considered expert opinions from Nerf enthusiasts on Reddit and at other trusted publications such as Good Housekeeping, USA Today, and CNET. After building a rough list, we whittled down our final selections based on customer reviews from online retailers (such as Amazon and Walmart) that verify if the reviewer actually bought the toy they’re commenting on.
Pro Stryfe X Dart Semi-Auto Blaster Gun
A Nerf gun built for performance, this Pro Stryfe X has the speed and versatility for use in legitimate foam dart leagues, whether you or your recipient likes to play in tournaments or not. With a motorized, semi-automatic design and a 15-dart magazine, this gun is great for firing rounds fast without constant reloads.
The half-dart ammo also cuts down on the size of the magazine and blaster, making this a a small, portable choice in comparison to the full-sized dart guns. It also comes with protective glasses and 30 half-dart rounds.
Disruptor Elite Blaster Gun
With a classic, simple design, this Disruptor Elite is the ideal option for a blaster stripped of all the bells and whistles. The pump action loading and revolving six-dart barrel are easy to operate and good for a healthy dose of nostalgia for the old-school Nerf guns we used when we were kids.
Despite the simple design, this Nerf gun has a relatively powerful blast, launching darts up to 90 feet.
Elite 2.0 Phoenix CS-6 Motorized Blaster
Match your mobility with a quick-firing Nerf gun like the Elite 2.0 Phoenix CS-6. Another semi-automatic option, this one has an acceleration button to prime the motor for rapid shots without slowing down or jamming. Essentially, by setting the motor in motion with the priming button, it can be ready to fire at speed before you feed it darts.
This blaster also comes with a detachable scope for more accuracy. Nerf sells a variety of attachments so you can extend the length and modify the design to your liking.
Longstrike Modulus Toy Blaster with Barrel Extension
For nailing targets from a distance, consider the Longstrike Modulus. At over 24 inches long, this blaster is ideal for a patient, accurate shot. Alongside the longer barrel, this Nerf gun comes with two legs as a steady base and a detachable scope to increase accuracy.
If you don’t lie down to take your shot, this Nerf gun comes with a shoulder butt to keep your barrel steady as you stand. It also comes with two additional magazines you can swap in for easier reloading once you run out of ammo in the first one.
Pro Gelfire Mythic Full Auto Blaster & 10,000 Gelfire Rounds
If you’re not interested in the classic dart Nerf guns, consider this Pro Gelfire Mythic blaster instead. With a top hopper that holds up to 800 rounds and a fully automatic rate of fire, this is built for fast-paced shooting.
The Gelfire line from Nerf offers a quick, frenetic pace to battles more similar to paintball but without the bruises and welts at the end. The gel balls are hydrated with water and explode upon impact a lot more easily than paintballs.
This Nerf gun also comes with 10,000 rounds of ammo and protective glasses. While the expendable ammo means more purchases in the future, you can nab 15,000 gel balls for less than 10 bucks on Amazon.
Elite 2.0 Double Punch Blaster
If you’ve got a penchant for some smooth rapid fire, this Elite 2.0 Double Punch is for you. With two magazines (one for each barrel), the blaster fires alternating shots for faster speed without increasing the likelihood of a jam.
Between the two magazines, you can fire up to 20 darts in a row before needing to reload, providing a key advantage in any kind of Nerf battle.
Rival Kronos XVIII-500 Blaster
Instead of firing darts or one-off gel capsules, this Rival Kronos XVIII-500 uses the third type of ammo: Hyper balls. These balls are light, durable, and quick to fire.
While simple in design, this Nerf gun’s classic pistol structure is great for taking aim and firing from one hand without extra bulk weighing you down. Bonus points for the face painted on the side reminiscent of old-school fighter planes.
With just a five-ball capacity, we recommend this Nerf gun as more of a side weapon than your main blaster on the battlefield.
Modulus Recon MKIII Blaster
Who needs multiple blasters when you can customize this one? The Modulus Recon MKIII lives up to its name, as the modular design allows for easy attaching and detaching of different portions of the gun. The stock and barrel extension are both removable so you can have anything from a full blaster to a quick-draw pistol without ever changing guns.
The Modulus also comes with a unique dart shield attachment to protect yourself in the heat of a backyard battle.
Fortnite Pump SG Blaster
Combine your Nerf enthusiasm with direct designs from the popular video game Fortnite. This Pump SG blaster is a replica of the pump shotgun from the game, but it comes in bright blue, red, and black as opposed to the more muted grays and browns of the weapon in-game.
While this Nerf gun only comes with four darts, they are not the average kind. These darts, or “Mega darts,” are noticeably larger than traditional ammo in Nerf guns to replicate the bigger blast of a pump shotgun in Fortnite.
DinoSquad Dino-Clash Blaster Pack
If you like having options, buy two Nerf guns for less than the price of some other single blasters. This duo is part of the DinoSquad line, Nerf’s original themed blaster collection. The larger of the two blasters is the triceratops, which comes with dart storage in the butt of the gun and a full horned head on the body.
The smaller Nerf gun has the classic pullback priming mechanism and iconic stegosaurus plates lining the top. This blaster also comes with dart storage built in.
Minecraft Stormlander Dart-Blasting Hammer
As much a Nerf gun as it is a Minecraft tool brought to life, this Stormlander Dart-Blasting Hammer is an unconventional option designed for the fans of the PC game sensation. It comes with three silver-and-blue darts that launch one at a time from the head of the hammer.
Prime the blaster by pulling on the handle, take aim, and fire dart lightening bolts upon your enemies. This hammer even comes with a pixelated design to better replicate the exact look of its Minecraft contemporary.
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