Given the massive number of blasters that Nerf has released through the years, it is no surprise when you stumble across a discontinued blaster that you have not yet heard of that looks quite impressive.
One such example of this can be found in the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan blaster, a monster of a weapon that looks like it would be a danger both on and off the battlefield.
But the biggest question that most Nerf enthusiasts ask when seeing a blaster that is no longer in production is, is it any good? Or, instead, am I getting a blaster that is going to provide me with a sub-par blasting experience?
If the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan is in your sights but there are still doubts lingering in your mind about whether or not this would be a good purchase, let’s break down each aspect of the Vulcan review to receive a full overview of what this blaster can offer its owner.
The Nerf Vulcan Review:
- The removable tripod folds for easy transport or a quick escape from enemy fire
- Even your toughest opponent wont know what hit him when you unleash the power of the n-strike vulcan
- Massive and thrilling
- Fully automatic blaster holds up to twenty-five darts and can fire up to three darts per second
- Blaster comes with ammo box, removable tripod, 25-dart belt, 25 whistler darts and instructions
Style and Design
As this is an N-Strike weapon, it is important to know that this blaster does not come with the sharper look that you expect from many of the new or emerging weapons within the various Nerf series.
Rather, the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan comes with the cartoonish design and body that you expect from the older weapons. Featuring a bright yellow and an equally bright orange body, the Vulcan will certainly stand out from your competition’s weaponry, especially when you include the sheer size of this blaster.
Although this blaster does not look intimidating in regards to its design, its massive body is sure to scare some of the other opponents on the battlefield.
If you’ve always wanted a giant blaster to use against your enemies, the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan is sure to satiate your desires.
Ammo Capacity
Given the size of this blaster, it would be highly disappointing if it didn’t have the ammo capacity to back it up. Fortunately, it does! With the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan, you have 25-darts whistling darts to fire at your enemies at any given time.
If your Nerf battle style is going in and sweeping darts onto the competition, this will give you the exact experience you are looking for.
- The removable tripod folds for easy transport or a quick escape from enemy fire
- Even your toughest opponent wont know what hit him when you unleash the power of the n-strike vulcan
- Massive and thrilling
- Fully automatic blaster holds up to twenty-five darts and can fire up to three darts per second
- Blaster comes with ammo box, removable tripod, 25-dart belt, 25 whistler darts and instructions
Firing Style and Range
The Nerf N-Strike Vulcan is one of those blasters that gets more and more exciting as you explore its functionality.
To top off its 25-dart capacity, the Vulcan also features a fully-automatic firing style that allows you to unload your darts without having to worry about priming your gun or holding onto an additional trigger, which can make it far easier to use when you are facing down opponents.
That said, the range of this blaster is where it falls shorter of expectations. Most of its shots will fire around 30 feet, which is not great if you were looking for a fully automatic weapon that could take down enemies from afar.
Rather, this blaster is better suited for those who want an easy to operate gun that can take down enemies at mid-range. Otherwise, you are not going to get much out of it when it comes time to face down your opponents.
Additional Features
The features that come with this blaster are arguably the most exciting part of the blaster itself. The Nerf N-Strike Vulcan uses a unique loading system, which consists of a 25-dart chain rather than a drum or other loading tool.
Now that we’re on this aspect of the gun, it is important that we talk about how to use it as this can get quite complicated. Here’s a basic rundown that will help you with the loading process.
- Load all 25 darts into the belt
- Open up the top cover as well as the ammo box on the side
- Make sure that the Nerf logo on your dart belt is facing upwards and that the bullets are facing forwards. Then, lower the belt into the box so that three whole bullet covers go in, folding the next three on top of the first three.
- When you reach the top, place the blank cartridge that has no space for a dart into the center of the blaster, securing the lid on the ammo box and the breach zone.
- Once everything is fully loaded, push the button on the back down to activate the device.
This blaster also comes with two additional features to help you on the battlefield. If you are carrying the blaster directly into battle, you can use the handle on top to hold onto it as you fire.
If you plan on camping, you can use the included tripod to sit the blaster down and fire at anyone who comes close. Overall, you can use the blaster quite flexibly when you are in the middle of the Nerf battle.
What We Like
- Fully Automatic- Most Nerf blasters are semi-automatic, which, while easy to use, can become a problem if you zone out and forget to accidentally hold down on the trigger beneath the main trigger. With the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan, you get the power that a fully automatic weapon has to offer, making it easy to fire your dart continuously at the enemy party.
- Plenty of Ammo- Having more ammo is always a benefit as means that you have to spend less time regularly reloading your weapon. Even if you use the fully automatic feature on this blaster, you should have plenty of ammo to fire before you inevitably have to reload.
- Additional Features Make It Easy to Use- Given the size of this blaster and the fact that it has to hold 6 D batteries in order to operate, it can be quite difficult to carry for long periods of time. Both the tripod and the handle at the top of the blaster make it easier to carry and use as you navigate your environment.
- Massive Blaster- Having a giant blaster is something that is just exciting to have. This doesn’t add to its overall quality, but seeing the look of shock on the faces of your opponents is priceless!
What We Don’t Like
- Drained Batteries Reduce Performance- Fully automatic functionality is fun until it’s not. On a full charge, Nerf says that this blaster can fire three darts at a time. However, once the battery power drains, the fully automatic operation starts to experience some issues too. This is one thing that you should keep in mind if you are thinking of purchasing the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan.
- “Okay” Range- 30-feet can be a great range for a small blaster, but one would expect more power to come out of a blaster as large as this one. Overall, it’s not something that puts this gun out of the running but considering you can get more modern Nerf blasters with triple this range, it doesn’t necessarily make the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan blaster a must-have weapon in your arsenal.
- Difficult Loading Process- The time it takes to carefully load all 25 darts into your blaster will make you vulnerable to oncoming enemies. Factor in the time and difficulty it takes to actually load the chain into the blaster, secure it, and prime it for use, and you can see why it is not such a popular weapon anymore. If you, like most Nerf enthusiasts, enjoy an easy loading process, this isn’t the blaster for you.
The Nerf Vulcan Review: My Verdict
When it comes to the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan, we are in the middle. On one hand, the Vulcan is a giant blaster that offers fully automatic firing capabilities and can be great fun to have solely for the shock value.
When it comes to functionality, however, the amount of time that it takes to load this blaster makes it a difficult candidate for a great primary weapon, especially given that the range is lackluster and you only get peak performance with full batteries.
While we don’t recommend this blaster as one that you should buy if you are looking for a high-quality weapon to use in your day-to-day Nerf battles, it is not a terrible blaster and you absolutely can get it if you simply want to add it to your collection.
- The removable tripod folds for easy transport or a quick escape from enemy fire
- Even your toughest opponent wont know what hit him when you unleash the power of the n-strike vulcan
- Massive and thrilling
- Fully automatic blaster holds up to twenty-five darts and can fire up to three darts per second
- Blaster comes with ammo box, removable tripod, 25-dart belt, 25 whistler darts and instructions
