The Best NERF Guns For Adults

In 1992, 23 years after the brand’s inception, NERF introduced its first-ever Blaster with the Sharpshooter — kicking off an ever-growing line of toy guns that continues through today. In the subsequent three decades that have followed, NERF’s range of play weapons has become increasingly complex, culminating in the current crop of fully motorized Blasters.

With increased accuracy, fire rate, and power, a handful of NERF’s latest guns can also easily be enjoyed by adults, providing a playful alternative to activities like airsoft and paintball combat. And it’s this selection of grown-up-friendly Blasters that we’ll be delving into today in this guide to the best NERF blasters for adults that you can buy. So, whether you’re looking to pick up a sidearm for casual plinking or a full arsenal for foam dart warfare, this list has got you covered.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 30 years, chances are you’re well aware of what a NERF Blaster is. With that said, NERF Blasters have massively evolved over the years, from simple spring-loaded sidearms to massive motorized belt-fed automatics. To help get you up to speed on what factors you should be considering, we’ve broken down half a dozen of the most crucial areas to think about when buying a new NERF Blaster. 

Weapon Style: As briefly touched on directly above, modern NERF Blasters come in a humongous variety of different shapes and sizes, from pistols to compact SMG-style items to snipers to NERF-style assault rifles — all of which have their own unique strengths and weaknesses. There are also non-traditional NERF Blasters such as the brand’s Gelfire lineup. 

Firing Mechanism: For years, pretty much every NERF Blaster was fired using a traditional trigger setup, though in more recent years the Hasbro-owned outfit has introduced a variety of lesser-conventional Blasters that sport a myriad of different firing mechanism configurations. 

Loading System: Just as diverse as NERF’s wide range of firing mechanisms is the brand’s array of loading systems. These range from breach-loaded setups to belt and mag-fed items to paintball-style hoppers. Quite a few contemporary NERF Blasters also come equipped with onboard ammo or magazine storage. 

Charging Setup: This area pertains to the element that creates the pressure or charge that actually propels a Blaster’s rounds. Often these rely on hand-pumped pressure-based systems or spring-loaded mechanisms, though there are also electronically-powered motorized units — the latter of which offer better performance and a higher rate of fire, though they also require batteries to operate, unlock pressure and spring-loaded Blasters. 

Kid-Friendliness: The reality is that even in the most irresponsible of hands, a NERF Blaster (at least in its stock unmodified form) isn’t going to maim or kill anyone. With that said some NERF Blasters are markedly more child-friendly than others — an area that should definitely be taken into account, especially if purchasing a Blaster in a household with kids. 

Franchise Connection: It’s also become increasingly common to see weapons from popular TV shows, video games, and movies, recreated as NERF blasters. Often produced in limited edition runs, these “screen-used” Blasters consist of everything from guns that take light inspiration from their movie, game, or TV-counterpart, all the way up to near-replicas. 

NERF Rival Knockout XX-100 Blaster

Best CQC Blaster: Designed for use in close quarters, the NERF Rival Knockout XX-100 Blaster is a compact sidearm-style blaster with a spring-action trigger mechanism and lock. In lieu of batterie, the blaster is charged using a hand-pumped slide built into its pistol grip. Shooting rounds at up to 90FPS, the XX-100 also features an onboard storage area for additional ammo. What’s more, this breach-loading blaster also packs a Picatinny rail for mounting accessories. 

NERF Rival Finisher XX-700 Blaster

Best Sidearm Blaster: Almost certainly the finest sidearm currently produced by NERF, the Rival Finisher XX-700 is a magazine-fed Blaster that shoots NERF Rival rounds. Alongside a safety, the Rival Finisher XX-700 also sports a quick-loading, seven-round magazine that can be inserted into the gun, or filled from the top. Interestingly, this gun utilizes a pump-action priming method that drives a spring back which is then deployed when the Blaster’s trigger is pulled.

NERF Ultra Three Blaster

Best Shotgun-Style Blaster: The NERF Ultra Three Blaster is a pump-action shotgun-style gun that’s fitted with an internal eight-round clip which is supplemented via onboard storage for an additional four darts. The spring-loaded pump action of the Ultra Three model also affords the Blaster an impressive range of up to 120′. The gun’s immense range is also made possible through the use of NERF’s farthest flying rounds of all time — items that were created using an innovative flight tip, a new NERF Ultra foam construction, and Aerofin technology.

NERF Ultra Pharaoh Blaster

Best NERF Sniper: The Ultra Pharaoh model is a sniper rifle-inspired Blaster that sports a scope, a removable ten-round clip, and a padded stock with an attachment point for mounting a second clip (which is sold separately). Reloaded via a bolt-action spring-loaded system, the Ultra Pharaoh Blaster boasts a range of 120′ — again, largely thanks to the use of NERF Ultra darts. Adorned in premium gold accents, this Blaster is also sold with ten special limited-edition gold NERF ULTRA darts.

NERF Hyper Mach-100 Blaster

Best SMG-Style Blaster: An unmistakably modern NERF Blaster, the Hyper Mach-100 is a motorized, fully-automatic gun developed specifically for foam dart warfare. In lieu of a traditional clip, the high-tech toy blaster is fed via an oversized hopper with a 100-round capacity, hugely minimizing the need to reload while mid-skirmish (though it should be noted the gun is only sold with 80 rounds, though more can be purchased). Further distinguishing this model from other NERF Blasters is its noteworthy 110 feet-per-second velocity, making it one of the fastest-firing Blasters in the world.

NERF Elite 2.0 Turbine CS-18 Motorized Blaster

Best Motorized Blaster: NERF’s take on a modern assault weapon, the Elite 2.0 Turbine CS-18 is another fully-motorized Blaster that packs an 18-round clip. Sold with a total of three dozen darts, this gun also features an acceleration button that can be pressed to power up its motor, allowing for rapid-fire action with a range of up to 90′. What’s more, the use of four tactical rails and a front barrel attachment point also make this Blaster particularly customization-ready.

NERF Modulus Tri-Strike

Best Multi-Ammo Blaster: The aptly-named Modulus Tri-Strike is a modular Blaster that can shoot three different types of rounds. In addition to a standard ten-dart clip, the Modulus Tri-Strike also shoots four NERF MEGA darts and a single missile — NERF’s take on a grenade launcher. The use of a full stock, a front handgrip, and a functional scope also collectively make for one of the most unique NERF Blasters on the market. Additionally, NERF also produces a handful of upgrade kits made specifically for the Modulus Tri-Strike.

NERF LMTD ALIENS M41-A Pulse Blaster

Best Replica Blaster: The item seen here is a surprisingly accurate replica of the famed  M41-A used by the Colonial Marines in Ridley Scott’s hit 1979 sci-fi flick, Alien. Released to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the film, this replica Blaster — which measures 28″ in length — allows users to select between fully motorized automatic firing or shotgun-style pump-action shooting, plus it features sound effects based on the noises from the movie and an electronic dart counter. What really makes this item shine, however, is how true its design stays to the gun from the movie.

NERF LMTD Halo Needler

Best Limited-Edition Blaster: This replica of the famous “Needler” gun from the Halo video game franchise is an ultra-high-end interpretation of the “type 33” alien weapon. This Blaster packs a rotating ten-round drum, an opening shield, and an array of “needles” that are backlit via LED lights. And, like with the previous Halo x NERF Blaster on this list, the “Needler” is also sold with a card that allows users to unlock this special skin for this gun in-game. It is, however, a limited edition release so that means you’ll have to hunt one down on the resale market.

NERF Elite Titan CS-50 Toy Blaster

Best Gatling-Style Blaster: The holy grail of production NERF Blasters, the mighty Elite Titan CS-50 is a full-on Gatling gun-style item with a rotating barrel and a massive 50-round drum. Fired from the hip, this oversized Blaster comes paired with a shoulder strap, as well as a flip-up grab handle, bolstering the heavy weapon’s mobility. So, while it doesn’t come cheap, if you’re looking for the most powerful NERF Blaster on the market, the Elite Titan CS-50 is the gun to buy.

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