Best Nerf Guns | Top 5 Blasters By Age & Budget

Finding the perfect Nerf gun can be a daunting task. There are an abundance of Nerf blasters out there that are so varied and it can be difficult to choose just one.

Instead of going out to your local toy store and buying the first one that you see, use the extensive buyer’s guide and the comprehensive list of some of the best Nerf guns below.

Best Nerf Guns - Quick Look: Our Top Blaster Picks

The type of ammunition that you choose is important only if you intend on using your Nerf gun frequently or if you already have a collection of Nerf guns. For example, let’s assume that you would like to purchase a crossbow blaster that uses arrows.

While it may be cool to shoot arrows at your enemies, it is very impractical and will most likely ruin your chances of winning since you will have to retrieve your arrows constantly.

It’s also impractical to purchase a Nerf gun that uses different ammo than your other guns. This will cost you money down the road because you will have to purchase two types of ammo for your battles and you will have to have both on hand when you are battling as well.

7. Collecting Vs. Purchasing

Some people are only interested in using their Nerf guns while others may be interested in purchasing Nerf guns as a means to start a collection. If you are someone who simply wants to collect Nerf guns, you should purchase Nerf guns that have a unique design as how the Nerf gun functions will not matter.

If you intend on using your Nerf gun, most of the points listed above and below will matter.

8. Range and Power

Although it seems like no one would have any use for a Nerf blaster that shoots softly and has a short range, there are uses for these types of blasters.

For example, let’s revisit the age factor mentioned above. You wouldn’t want to purchase a Nerf blaster that uses high-impact rounds and can shoot foam balls up to 100 feet per second for a toddler, would you? The answer would be no and this is the type of situation that calls for a Nerf gun that is known to have low power and a short range.

However, strong power and far range is necessary for adults and teens or who are playing intense Nerf games that require their blasters to reach enemies at far distances. Keep this in mind as well when you are shopping for a Nerf gun.

9. Rate of Fire

Both rapid fire guns and guns that use cocking mechanisms have their uses. Rapid fire guns can generally hold more ammo, are highly-customizable, and work well for Nerf battles that are fast-paced. Nerf Guns that use traditional cocking mechanisms typically function much better than rapid fire guns, allow you to keep track of your ammo and conserve it better, and tend to have better accuracy.

This does not mean that one is better than the other. It simply means that you need to carefully weigh both the advantages and disadvantages before you purchase a blaster that has either one of the firing methods mentioned above.

The Top 3 - Best Nerf Guns in Each Category

Below we have listed some common categories of Nerf guns as well as our top 3 picks for each category to help you make a more educated decision on the type of blaster that you want.

Long Range Blasters

Long Range Blasters are typically characterized by their long bodies and their ability to fire further than the usual 90 feet that the Nerf Gun Elite series is capable of. Here are the top 3 picks for this category:

1. Nerf N-Strike Elite Centurion Blaster

The Nerf N-Strike Mega Centurion Blaster is probably one of the best Nerf guns that you will encounter in your quest for a long range Nerf Blaster.

This long range blaster can fire its mega darts up to 100 feet, comes with a removable bipod and two ammo clips that are capable of holding six foam mega darts each, and has 18 mega darts that come with the gun. 

Despite the range, some say that the accuracy of the gun is lacking, which may be a problem if you are trying to shoot enemies from a farther distance but can’t seem to hit them.

It should also be mentioned that some people have reported that they have had a problem with the gun jamming, although this isn’t typical and may just be how they are cocking the gun.

Overall, if you want a powerful, long range Nerf blaster, the Nerf N-Strike Mega Centurion Blaster is one of the blasters that you should consider.

Things We Like:

• Fires Up to 100 Feet
• Comes With Removable Bipod for Better Accuracy
• Uses Ammo Clips Which Helps You Reload Quicker
• Comes With More Ammo Than Needed
• Affordable Price

Things We Don’t Like As Much:

• Reported As Fairly Inaccurate
• Reported to Jam
• Can Be Difficult to Carry in Battle
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If you want a blaster that is known for its accuracy as well as its long range, you should consider purchasing the Nerf N-Strike Elite AccuStrike RaptorStrike Blaster.

The Nerf N-Strike Elite AccuStrike RaptorStrike Blaster is similar to the Mega Centurion but instead uses custom AccuStrike darts, comes with two clips that can hold six darts each as well as 18 darts to use for the gun, and has a bipod attached to the body along with a sight that you can flip up at the top for better accuracy. This Nerf gun can be found online for around $50.

There doesn’t appear to be any problems with the gun’s functionality but many people are unhappy that the gun doesn’t come with a tactical rail on top. They would prefer to have the rail so that they could attach the scope instead of using the flip up sight that is already attached to the gun. If you can overlook this, however, you will be adding one of the better long range weapons to your arsenal.

The Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 Blaster is different from the other long range weapons on this list because it doesn’t have the typical size and design as a typical long range Nerf blaster.

The Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 Blaster is about the size of a typical assault rifle, has a magazine that is capable of holding 7 high-impact, foam ball rounds, uses a simple trigger lock mechanism to prepare the gun for launching the foam balls, and can launch the rounds at a speed of 100 feet per second. The best part about this gun is that you can purchase it at a much lower cost than most long range blasters for about $20.

The Nerf gun doesn’t appear to have any issues functioning but it has been reported that there are some problems with jamming. This may be attributed to the cocking mechanism as it is difficult to cock back for younger children.

Don’t let this deter you from considering this gun, however. It is one of the most powerful Nerf blasters that are currently offered and should you find that this model isn’t enough for you, they have plenty more blasters in this line that work just as well, if not better.

Things We Like:

• Speed and Range Work Well for Indoor and Outdoor Use
• Foam Balls Allow for Faster Travel and More Power
• Affordable Price

Things We Don’t Like As Much:

• Cocking Mechanism Can Be Difficult to Pull
• Known to Jam
• Not Suitable for All Ages
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If your child or toddler is new to Nerf, we recommend that you purchase the Nerf N-Strike Jolt Blaster. This Nerf gun is easy to use. 

The Nerf N-Strike Jolt Blaster is a mini-blaster that is capable of shooting one bullet at a time, uses a simple cocking mechanism at the bottom of the gun that you have to pull down to use, and it comes with two bullets so your child will not have to retrieve their bullet after each shot. This gun can be found for around $8 online.

No one seems to have any problem with how it functions so if you want a great Nerf gun that is safe for your child, this is definitely one that you should consider purchasing for your child.

Things We Like:

• Small Size Makes It Perfect for Young Children
• Cocking Mechanism Is Easy to Pull Down
• Comes With Two Bullets
• Extremely Affordable Price

Things We Don’t Like As Much:

• Nothing!
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If you’re looking for a blaster that will have a little more firepower for your child, the Nerf Zombie Strike Doublestrike Blaster may be the gun for you.

This blaster has a cool zombie-related design, houses two darts in the barrels located at the front of the gun and is able to shoot one at a time, and uses a hammer cocking mechanism which will allow your child to comfortably use the gun with one hand. This model is a little more expensive and can be found online for around $16.

Despite the price increase, this gun still functions very well and may be the one that you will want to get for your child.

Things We Like:

• Better Ammo Capacity
• Small Size Makes It Great for Children
• Cool Design
• Hammer Cocking Mechanism Makes it Easier for Child to Prepare and Use

Things We Don’t Like As Much:

• A Bit More Expensive Than Other Kid-Friendly Models
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If your child wants the most firepower that a kid-friendly blaster can provide, look no farther than the Nerf N-Strike Elite Triad EX-3 Blaster.

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Triad EX-3 Blaster is capable of holding up to 3 bullets in the front of the gun and shooting them one at a time, has an easy cocking mechanism at the bottom that pulls down to prepare the gun to launch the bullets, and has the same range as some of the other Elite blasters, which is about 90 feet. You can find this blaster online for around $8.

Much like the other blasters on this list, this one has no flaws in its functionality and is a great choice for children.

Things We Like:

• Small Size Makes It Great for Children
• Affordable Price
• Best Ammo Capacity Out of All Kid-Friendly Blasters
• Easy Cocking Mechanism
• Great Range Works Well for Indoor and Outdoor Use

Things We Don’t Like As Much:

• Nothing!
  BUY THIS ONE

If you’re serious about Nerf battles and you need a rapid fire weapon that is reliable, you should definitely consider purchasing the Nerf Modulus Regulator Blaster.

The Nerf Modulus Regulator Blaster gives you the ability to choose from three different firing methods: continuous-fire, burst-fire, and single-fire.

Along with this feature, the indicator on the top of the gun alerts you when you have run out of ammo and the gun comes with two ammo clips that are capable of holding up to 12 darts each as well as two detachable scopes, a swivel handle, and a storage stock that can hold one of the two ammo clips. You can find this gun for about $60.

This gun requires 4 C batteries to operate, which can cost you money if you use it frequently, and is known to jam if you accidentally use it wrong. However, this is one of the best rapid fire blasters that Nerf currently has and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

I'd be remissed if I didn't mention the Nerf Ultra series. Most of the Nerf Guns in the Ultra series are battery powered making them great options for rapid fire fun. 

Learn more about the Nerf gun Ultra Series here. 

2. Nerf Doomlands Impact Zone Desolator Blaster

If you want a simple rapid fire blaster that doesn’t require you to have any special equipment, you should choose the Nerf Doomlands Impact Zone Desolator Blaster.

The Nerf Doomlands Impact Zone Desolator Blaster features a cool arctic design on the exterior of the gun, comes with an ammo clip that fits 10 of the custom arctic darts that also come with the gun, and has a transparent area at the front of the gun that reveals the firing mechanism. You can find this gun for a more affordable price of $30.

This gun has no problems with its functionality and there are no downsides unless you count the 4 AA batteries that are required, which is an improvement compared to other blasters that require larger batteries to operate the gun.

3. Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K Blaster

If you want a truly powerful, unstoppable blaster for your Nerf battles, pick up the Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K Blaster.

This blaster uses high-impact, foam ball rounds in place of foam bullets, can hold up to 100 rounds in its top-loading magazine, and can fire its rounds at a speed of 100 feet per second. This model can be found online for $89.

Much like the other blasters, the only downside to this gun is that it requires batteries to operate it. For this blaster, you will need 6 D batteries. However, if you are going to use this gun for your battles and you don’t mind spending money on batteries to do it, you should purchase the Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K Blaster.

1. Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster is one of the more basic blasters that Nerf has to offer but is also reliable and useful to have during a Nerf battle.

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster has a rotating barrel that can hold up to 6 darts and slides out for easy reloading, can fire darts up to 90 feet, and comes at a price of around $13 online.

The only downside to this gun is that its performance lessens over time. After a while, the springs begin to work poorly and range as well as power decreases. However, for the price of the gun, this type of downside doesn’t matter too much and you will still get much use out of it before the performance begins to decline.

2. Nerf Modulus Recon MKII Blaster

If you were turned off by the manual reloading and the firing method of the previous gun, you might want to consider purchasing the Nerf Modulus Recon MKII Blaster instead. 

The Nerf Modulus Recon MKII Blaster can be built 4 different ways, comes with an ammo clip that is capable of holding up to 6 bullets, and can launch bullets up to 90 feet. This gun can be purchased online for about $18.

This gun has been reported to occasionally jam but doesn’t seem to have too much of an issue. It’s great for war and can easily be modified to fit more bullets or to improve accuracy. You should choose this gun if you want a budget blaster that will work well against opponents. If you like the Modulus line, here the list of the best that includes the Recon MKII

3. Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 Blaster

If you want a high-quality gun at a budget price, you should definitely take a look at the Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 Blaster.

The Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700 Blaster has a magazine that is capable of holding 7 high-impact, foam ball rounds, uses a simple trigger lock mechanism to prepare the gun for launching the foam balls, and can launch the rounds at a speed of 100 feet per second. This gun will take up all of your budget as it is priced around $20.

Some people have reported that this gun occasionally jams. However, this may be due to the user using it wrong rather than the gun itself. Keep this in mind when researching it as this may be one of the very best Nerf guns you will be able to get at a budget price.

Monstrous Blasters

Sometimes, Nerf wars call for over-the-top blasters that are difficult to use but bring huge firepower to the battle. Here are some of the best of these blasters.

1. Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire Blaster

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire Blaster is the god of all guns, despite being discontinued by the manufacturer.

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire Blaster is capable of holding up to 144 darts in 8 different ammo clips, the gun can store each ammo clip in its rotating ammo rack, which allows you to switch between ammo clips so you won’t have to manually reload, and can fire darts up to 75 feet. You can find this model online for around $59.

While this gun does have impressive capabilities, it also has some drawbacks. The first being that all the supplies you will need to get the most out of this gun do not come with the gun. The second drawback is that this gun does take batteries to operate. However, you will only need 4 AA batteries and this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

If you don’t mind investing in a gun that will rain down bullets upon your opponent, buy the Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire Blaster.

2. Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster

In second place comes the Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster.

Here is our full review. 

While this blaster doesn’t have the same capabilities as the first gun, it still functions well and has enough ammo to demolish your opponent. The Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster has two dart drums that can hold up to 25 darts each, has a tripod that it makes it easier to stand up the gun and fire darts at your enemy, and has a small handle at the front of the gun that makes it easier to hold when you are not using the tripod. This gun is a little high-end and costs around $128.

This gun does have its drawbacks. Besides being very heavy and requiring 6 D batteries, this gun is very expensive, is difficult to reload, and is said to not function very well on its tripod. If, however, you are willing to overlook these things and shell out the money, you will have a gun that works well for brute force attacks.

3. Nerf N-Strike Mega Mega Mastodon Blaster

For those of you who want a gun that is more portable but is still able to bombard your opponents, turn to the Nerf N-Strike Mega Mega Mastodon Blaster.

The Nerf N-Strike Mega Mega Mastodon Blaster (read the full review here) has both a shoulder strap and a handle that helps you to steady and carry your blaster, has a rotating drum that can hold up to 24 mega whistler darts, and can fire mega darts up to 100 feet. This gun is a little more affordable than the others and can be found online for around $42.

The only problem that this gun seems to have is the fact that it takes 6 D batteries. Besides that, this gun is almost perfect in every way and should be considered if you want heavy firepower for a great price.

Handgun Blasters

Bigger doesn't always mean better. Some Nerf blasters are pistol sized and pack just as much of a punch as some of the larger Nerf blasters on the market. If you want something you can easily hold and use during battle, take a look at some of the best handgun blasters below.

1. Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster is one of the most basic handgun blasters that Nerf produces.

This blaster has a rotating barrel that can hold up to 6 bullets and slides out for easier reloading, can fire darts up to 90 feet, and has a tactical rail that is compatible with Nerf tactical rail accessories. You can purchase this gun for around $13 online.

The major drawback with this gun is that its performance declines over time. However, the time it takes to get there is a while and you shouldn’t experience any negative effects shortly after purchasing the blaster. Overall, this is a great blaster for both beginners and experienced Nerf players alike who want a quality handgun.

2. Nerf Zombie Strike Hammershot Blaster

If you want a blaster that is stylish and is able to be used with one hand, then the Nerf Zombie Strike Hammershot Blaster is the gun for you.

This blaster has a zombie-design and custom bullets to match, has a rotating barrel that can hold up to 5 bullets, and uses a hammer cocking mechanism so that way you can use one hand for the gun and leave your other hand free. This gun can be purchased for about $14.

Everyone who has purchased this gun seems to be satisfied with how it functions and we highly recommend it as a gun you should get if you want a handgun blaster that you can use for one-handed firing.

3. Nerf N-Strike Elite Stryfe Blaster

For those of you who love the idea of one-handed firing but who want the semi-automatic aspect of a rapid fire weapon, you should consider purchasing the Nerf N-Strike Elite Stryfe Blaster.

The semi-automatic blasters tend to use batteries. Here are the best, longest-lasting batteries available. 

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Stryfe Blaster comes with an ammo clip that can hold up to 6 darts, is able to rapid fire darts, and can fire darts up to 75 feet. This product is a little more expensive than other handguns and can be purchased for about $42.

This gun needs 4 AA batteries to operate and has a reputation of jamming because of its loose ammo clip. Still, this is a quality blaster that will give you the freedom to accessorize and fill both hands with blasters as you enter combat.

Things We Like:

• Can Be Modified
• Long Range Works Well for Indoor and Outdoor Use
• Decent Ammo Capacity
• Semi-Automatic

Things We Don’t Like As Much:

• Somewhat Expensive
• Requires Batteries to Operate
• Reputation of Jamming

Out of all of the Nerf blasters mentioned above, we highly recommend the Nerf N-Strike Elite Stryfe Blaster. It is perfect for almost any age, somewhat affordable, easy to use, highly-customizable, and can be used in serious Nerf battles.

If you have seen any Nerf guns that you are interested in purchasing, click on the links attached to each of the names of the Nerf blasters listed above.