5 Best Nerf Guns to Modify That Are Worth Buying

Modifying Nerf guns gives you the ability to take a Nerf gun that may offer an average experience and help it go above and beyond.

Additionally, modding may allow you to improve the appearance of a Nerf gun, helping the player gain greater self-expression when they rush into battle with their modded weapons.

Of course, making the choice to modify your Nerf gun begins with first finding the best Nerf blaster to make modifications to.  

Are you looking to find some Nerf blasters that you can modify with someone in your family? If so, let’s take a look at the five best Nerf guns to modify to help you get started. 

The Best Nerf Guns to Modify - My Top Picks

Our Top Pick
Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 Blaster
9.7
  • The rapidstrike cs-18 blaster holds 18 elite darts
  • Acceleration trigger powers up the motor for rapid firing
  • Fires elite darts up to 75 feet
  • Clip holds all 18 elite darts and is see-through for instant firepower checks
  • Elite darts work with any n-strike elite blaster and most original n-strike blasters (sold separately)
Most Complex to Mod
Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster
9.5
  • Rhino-fire blaster rapid-fires elite darts from 2 alternating barrels with motorized blasting
  • Removable tripod helps you steady your shots
  • Blaster's 2 drums hold 25 elite darts each
  • Includes 50 elite darts. requires 6 d batteries (not included)
  • Blaster comes with two 25-dart drums, 50 elite darts, tripod and instructions
Easiest to Mod
Nerf N-Strike Elite: Strongarm Blaster
9.1
  • Fires darts up to 75'
  • Pump the slam fire slide repeatedly while you hold down the trigger for rapid firing
  • Flip open the rotating barrel for easy loading
  • Elite darts work with any elite blaster and most n-strike blasters; sold separately
  • Includes blaster, 6 elite darts and instructions

Before You Get Started: Types of Modifications You May Consider 

The type of modification that you want to make will ultimately determine what type of gun you decide to purchase.

If you’re just getting into modding and want to experiment with your blaster or just change its outer look, it’s best to get a cheap Nerf gun that you can play with so that you don’t have to worry about breaking it somewhere along the way.  

NERF N Strike Elite Strongarm Toy Blaster with Rotating Barrel (Amazon Exclusive)

If you’re a bit more experienced, on the other hand, you can focus on making modifications like: 

Boosting the power of your automatic weapons: 

If it can be done without causing severe damage to the gun, some Nerf guns can be rewired to include larger battery packs that improve their performance and make them shoot faster than they would with their original batteries. 

This type of modification is quite complex, so it’s important that you do your research and know what you’re doing before you dive in. 

Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 Blaster (Colors may vary)

Improving the strength of spring-powered blasters: 

Springs can almost always be improved in order to make your darts fly farther and faster. All you have to do is replace the spring, make some minor changes to your blaster’s body to ensure that it can withstand the new spring, and put your blaster back together. If your blaster is not performing to your standards, this is a very beginner-friendly modification that you can start with. Here are our favorite - the best spring powered Nerf blasters. 

Scrapping air restrictors: 

Aptly named, air restrictors actually prevent Nerf darts from reaching their true potential. Removing these items from your gun can help you get more from your blaster without having to make major modifications.

Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster (Amazon Exclusive)

Creating stronger darts for blasting (be safe): 

Some people will make homemade darts in order to build upon some of the other modifications mentioned on this list. If this is something you wish to pursue, be safe and create darts that are still okay to fire at other players. Otherwise, someone can get seriously injured in the process.

Enhancing your barrel for further shots: 

If a barrel is too large for the darts you’re using, it’s unlikely that they’ll shoot as far as they’re supposed to, which can be a major downside if you’ve invested in a barrel attachment that doesn’t work. Consider making your own barrel that’s better suited for your darts so that they can get the most out of this basic add-on! 

Nerf Doomlands 2169 Lawbringer Blaster

Finally, it’s important to note that there are concerns among some users regarding the legality of modding.

Although safety needs to be exercised as some changes can pose a hazard to you or other players, there are no modifications that are illegal (as long as you are not using real weaponry that could be lethal to others). 

Put simply, don’t worry about accidentally crafting an illegal weapon while modding any of the Nerf blasters below.  Here are the five that I recommend and will review below. 

With the right modifications, your normal Nerf blaster can perform beyond your expectations. But what is the best Nerf gun to modify?

Here are some great recommendations to help you get started on your journey.  

Best Nerf Gun to Modify: 5 Good Selections for You 

Modifying Nerf guns gives you the ability to take a Nerf gun that may offer an average experience and help it go above and beyond.

1. Nerf N-Strike Elite Jolt Blaster 

This recommendation may come as a shock at first, but there’s a reason why this small blaster is the first on this list. While the Nerf N-Strike Elite Jolt blaster may certainly not be the blaster you want to carry into battle, it’s the perfect blaster to help you become more acquainted with the internal mechanisms of a Nerf blaster.

Nerf N-Strike Elite Jolt Blaster

Affordable and small, if you make any mistakes along the way, you don’t have to worry about having to potentially throw away a whole gun in the process.  

If you’re looking for the best nerf gun to modify for beginners, we definitely recommend starting out with the Nerf N-Strike Elite Jolt blaster to begin your modding journey.  

Nerf N-Strike Elite Jolt Blaster
  • N-Strike Elite blasters and Elite darts deliver the ultimate in blaster performance
  • Mega series blasters feature Mega Whistler darts that scream through the air
  • Defend against a zombie invasion with Zombie Strike blasters

2. Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster 

Once you feel a bit more comfortable in your ability to mod a weapon, whether you are making internal changes or changes to the exterior, you’ll probably want to move onto something a bit more useful in a Nerf war.

The next best Nerf gun to modify is the Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm blaster

NERF N Strike Elite Strongarm Toy Blaster with Rotating Barrel (Amazon Exclusive)

A staple in any Nerf collection, the Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm blaster is a weapon that comes with a six-dart rotating barrel and the average Nerf N-Strike Elite firing distance of 90-feet.

Of course, you can improve the effectiveness of your blaster by making a few changes to the spring found within the blaster as well as the air restrictor, providing you with greater distance and more powerful shots.  

If you want to mod a blaster but still on the safer side, the Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm blaster is an excellent choice for you.  


3. Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 Blaster 

There is a lot of excellent semi-automatic and fully-automatic blasters out there. However, a great deal of them are quite complex, which can make tackling a modding project for them a massive undertaking. This one is a solid primary nerf blaster

Fortunately, there are a few choice candidates for modding that you may have not thought of. Take, for example, the Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 blaster.  

Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 Blaster (Colors may vary)

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 blaster is a sleek, slim semi-automatic blaster that holds up to 18 darts in its transparent clip system and fire darts up to 75 feet. Overall, the performance is okay, but modifications can be made to make it more effective.

Namely, altering the flywheel and voltage for greater speed, the barrel for better shots, and reducing the overall weight of the device can make it work even better than intended to as is.

If you want to take an excellent primary weapon and make it even better, consider making the Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 blaster your next mod. 

Sale
Nerf N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 Blaster (Colors may vary)
  • The leader in high-performance sports action
  • N-Strike Elite blasters fire up to 75 feet for the ultimate in dart blaster performance
  • Vortex disc blasters Bend the Rules of Battle with discs that can curve, bank, and ricochet

4. Nerf Doomlands 2169 Lawbringer Blaster 

There are some blasters out there that look great but simply lack the performance that users are expecting. The Nerf Doomlands 2169 Lawbringer Nerf gun is one such weapon.  

Hailing from a series designed to emulate a post-apocalyptic world plagued by bandits and monsters, the Nerf Doomlands 2169 Lawbringer rifle blaster does not disappoint on the design front.

Nerf Doomlands 2169 Lawbringer Blaster

After all, it comes with the rugged gold and orange color design, the transparent window in the middle of the gun, and exciting features like a 12-dart rotating barrel, a shoulder stock that holds additional ammo, and a hammer priming mechanism for easier operation.  

The problem? It doesn’t offer the power or the range that many are looking for.  

Fortunately, a few modifications on the spring and air restrictors can make this blaster battle-ready in no time. If you want to work on a blaster that no one is expecting superior performance from, one great choice for modding is the Nerf Doomlands 2169 Lawbringer blaster.  

Nerf Doomlands 2169 Lawbringer Blaster
  • N-Strike Elite blasters and Elite darts deliver the ultimate in blaster performance
  • Mega Series blasters feature Mega Whistler Darts that scream through the air
  • Defend against a zombie invasion with Zombie Strike blasters

5. Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster 

This final recommendation is a bit more ambitious than other recommendations on this list. However, if you’re willing to take on a larger project and want to go above and beyond, you should definitely seek out the Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire blaster for your next modding project.  

Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster (Amazon Exclusive)

The Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire blaster is a massive gun that alternates between two 25-dart drums to rain down darts upon your enemies.

Despite the impressive concept of this weapon, the performance is quite lacking, making it a major disappointment to use if you decide to make an investment in this blaster.  

Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster (Amazon Exclusive)
  • Rhino-Fire blaster rapid-fires Elite darts from 2 alternating barrels with motorized blasting
  • Removable tripod helps you steady your shots
  • Blaster's 2 drums hold 25 Elite Darts each

Honorable Mention: Nerf N-Strike Maverick REV-6

The best nerf gun for modifying: The Nerf N-Strike Maverick REV-6 has quickly become my favorite Nerf gun to mod. While the Strongarm, which outperforms it on several fronts, has already taken its place, the REV-6 retains its charm.

It's a relatively cheap Nerf Blaster, and it's an excellent toy gun for kids who like Nerf Battle Adventures and don't want to get too into guns. The pistol is a fantastic alternative for those interested in modding and customizing their weapons. Some degree of disassembly is necessary, but the pistol is also ideal for beginners.

The pistol's shape makes it very simple to customize the Nerf, which is typically the first step in most modifications.

The Maverick is an air-powered blaster with no batteries. As a result, no battery replacement is required. In open play, the Maverick is quite flexible. The six-dart rotating barrel is very simple to reload and has excellent precision. Whether modified or not, the Nerf would be a fantastic addition to any loadout.

Check each of the darts as you load the magazine to ensure that they are all fully inserted. Additionally, avoid throwing and tossing the blaster since it appears to affect the air columns.

Despite the fact that this blaster seems to be a genuine heavy revolver, it feels rather light when you actually hold it. It's lightweight, and with a few techniques, you can even use two Maverick in each hand.


Conclusion: Best Nerf Guns to Modify

However, modifications to the voltage and motors can actually make it so that it fires faster and with more power, canceling out the issues you would experience if you were to use the blaster as is.

Once you start to master the modding process, consider making the Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-fire blaster your next major project.  

Start Your Nerf Gun Mod Journey Today! 

Finding the best Nerf gun to modify can be a difficult process, especially if you’re new to the concept of modding Nerf guns and don’t know where to get started. Fortunately, with the right guidance, launching your modding journey can be quite simple.

To help you understand what goes into modding as well as which product will offer you the best start, use the guide above to dive deeper into Nerf blaster modifications and see the 5 best Nerf guns to modify that you can purchase and work on right now! 

Jeremy A
Dart Dudes

About the Author

Jeremy is the founder of Dart Dudes, the leading resource for parents looking to pick up a Nerf toy for a child. He grew up with his four brothers and two sisters where there was always a Nerf war taking place.

With a focus on safety, Jeremy has helped thousands of parents help chose the right Nerf toy for their kids or grandkids. He lives in California with his wife and family. Learn more about me. - You can email me jeremy@dartdudes.com