Last Updated on September 1, 2022
Author: Ryan
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Nerf guns are typically made for children and young adults, and as such, they are relatively weak and rather unintimidating. However, there are some black sheep in the foam-blasting world who have stood up, put their mighty foot forward, and said, "enough is enough—we demand to inflict pain, we demand to be feared!" While the foam-flinging blasters on this list will not actually cause harm nor inflict real pain, they are the heavy hitters relative to the rest. Now before we jump into the blasters, let’s take a brief moment and define what constitutes a “powerful“ and ”hard-hitting“ nerf gun! The definition that we will be using is any blaster with a high impact force. This is mostly influenced by two criteria: FPS and ammo type. With these standards in mind, let’s look at the most powerful and hardest-hitting nerf guns on the market today! There are over 600 NERF-brand blasters on the market today, and the honest truth is, only a few of them are truly powerful hell-slingers. However, there are other companies that make extremely powerful dart blasters. In this guide, we’re going to cover the best that NERF has to offer, as well as a couple of other companies who have cranked the intensity to 10 and made incredible powerful foam-rocketing war machines! We’ve spent hours upon hours researching and reviewing the best blasters on the market in 2022 and have compiled this list of the seven most powerful and hardest-hitting blasters around! They are ranked from most powerful to least and will cover three brands: Hasbro’s NERF, Dart Zone, and Captain Slug! That being said, if you want to skip the reading and just buy the most powerful dart blaster around, there is one that tops our list! The most powerful nerf gun is the Caliburn by Captain Slug and is capable of firing darts at the insane velocity of 210 feet per second! The Caliburn is pump-action, spring-powered, magazine-fed, and can fire a variety of different types of darts, including NERF Elite Darts. While the Caliburn is single-handedly the fastest shooting and hardest-hitting dart blaster on the market, there are a few other worthy mentions that also pack a powerful punch! If you want to invoke genuine fear into even the most courageous of your enemies, it truly doesn't get more terrifying than the Caliburn by Captain Slug. Now, this is not a NERF-brand blaster, but rather a high-quality 3D-printed hobbyist product that is significantly more powerful than anything NERF has to offer. In fact, it’s so powerful that it can rocket darts at an insane speed of 210 FPS! To put that in perspective, most dart-firing NERF guns average about 70 FPS. The Caliburn is a spring-powered, pump-action, and magazine-fed blaster that is compatible with any N-Strike and Dart Zone magazines—including half-length dart mags and adapters. Because these blasters are custom printed, you can select from a variety of colors as well as differing spring strengths which will affect the power of the blaster—the K26 being the most powerful spring. The Caliburn can shoot a variety of darts including: However, I would avoid using Elite darts and waffle-head darts. Elite darts have very poor accuracy at high speeds and the tip of the waffle-head darts are slightly too large for the barrel and slow the dart down significantly. If you want the most power possible you’ll want to use half-length darts such as: But, these darts will also require a half-length magazine and adapter such as the Adventure Force ammo clip and adaptor kit. This blaster also includes two Picatinny rails on top that can be fitted with any tactical attachments of your choice. Picatinny rails are military standard and used in airsoft and paintball, so your only limitation is your imagination! Considering that most high-powered NERF blasters run nearly $100 and shoot one-third the FPS of the Caliburn, this thing is an absolute steal if you want a powerful and hard-hitting blaster that will cause your enemies to turn-tail and flee! But be warned, this thing will hurt and will bruise at close range, and is not recommended for those under the age of 14. There is also some assembly required. Specs: Ammo Type: Standard darts Ammo Capacity: 200 rounds Reasons to Buy: Reasons to Avoid: Next on the list is another powerful non-NERF-brand blaster that carries an incredible punch, the Adventure Force Nexus Pro! This dart blaster is spring-powered and pump-action, and can rocket darts at an impressive 150 FPS! That is nearly twice as powerful as most NERF-brand blasters. The Nexus Pro can fire a variety of ammo including Elite Darts, Waffle Darts, Jet Blaster Darts, and Dart Zone Darts (full and half-length). However like just like the Caliburn above, it performs best with Jet Blaster Darts or the included Dart Zone Darts. Elite Darts are extremely flimsy and inaccurate at high speeds and Waffle Darts tend to rub in the barrel causing them to slow down. The blaster includes a removable shoulder stock, 12 full-length darts, 12 half-length darts, a non-functional muzzle extension, two removable iron sights, two 12 round magazines (full and half-length), and a magazine adapter for half-length magazines Additionally, if you want to up your ammo count it is fully compatible with most NERF Elite magazines and drums. The Adventure Force Nexus Pro is a powerhouse of a dart blaster and an excellent runner up to Captian Slug Caliburn for those who want a fully assembled blaster from a well-known brand Specs: Ammo Type: Standard darts Ammo Capacity: 12 rounds Reasons to Buy: Reasons to Avoid: Up until now, we’ve only looked at spring-powered blasters, however, there are some pretty hard-hitting battery-powered beasts that can unleash a high-velocity gally of darts that few enemies can escape. On the top of the list is the Dart Zone Pro MK-3, and this thing is pretty slick! It’s an assault rifle blaster that includes a select-fire toggle—allowing you to swap between full-auto and semi-auto. In full auto, the Pro Mk-3 spews darts at 4 darts per second and with the right darts can reach speeds of 140 FPS. Similar to our previous blaster—the Nexus Pro—it includes two different 15-round magazines for both full-length and half-length darts, as well as a half-length magazine adapter. However, it can be upgraded with any N-Strike magazines or drums—so you can easily throw an Elite Titan 50-round drum in this beast and rocket insane amounts of foam! The blaster runs off 8 AA batteries and includes a functioning red dot optic, a very nice comfortable rubber grip on the handle, and 12 full-length and 12 half-length darts. While the included darts work the best, the gun can also fire a variety of other darts, including NERF Elite Darts. Dart Zone Pro MK-3 is the most powerful full-auto blaster you can get and rightfully deserves its place on this list. Specs: Ammo Type: Standard darts Ammo Capacity: 15 rounds Reasons to Buy: Reasons to Avoid: It’s finally time to cover the first NERF-brand blaster on this list—the NERF Hyper Mach-100! The Hyper series is a relatively new type of blaster that fire Hyper Rounds, which are small balls made of soft rubber—similar to the NERF Rival Series. But don’t worry, they don’t necessarily hurt, but you’ll definitely feel them more than typically NERF rounds. The Mach-100 is a battery-powered and full-auto beast that can unload rounds at a whopping 110 FPS! It also utilizes a massive hopper that can is rated to hold 80 rounds; however, you can easily squeeze up to 100 without any feeding issues. Reloading hoppers is a game-changer in nerf wars. All that’s required is to open the hopper window, dump handfuls of rounds back into the gun, and within seconds you’re back pelting your targets! However, this new type of ammo is also the primary drawback of the Hyper Mach-100. Because the ammo is “rubbery“ they tend to stick to one another. This can cause clumping issues in the hopper and cause jams. But beyond that little hiccup, the NERF Hyper Mach-100 is an excellent choice for when you want to put a little power behind your foam, and easily takes the cake for one of the most painful nerf guns around! Specs: Ammo Type: NERF Hyper Rounds Ammo Capacity: 80 rounds Reasons to Buy: Reasons to Avoid: CHECK AMAZON PRICE Named after the Greek Titan god of destruction and NERF Rival Perses lives up to the infamed title! This fully automatic, battery-powered, and hopper-fed blaster holds 50 Rival Rounds (small foam balls) and can rocket rounds eight rounds per second at 100 FPS! Hoppers are a game-changer in the NERF world and allow you to quickly reload by dumping handfuls of balls back into the hopper. Literally within seconds, you can be fully reloaded and back to pewing. Additionally, you can triple the capacity to 150 rounds by using a Perses hopper extension. It comes with a 6.9 V rechargeable battery, which is a rarity in the NERF gun world and will save you a good amount of change in buying batteries. You can also upgrade to a 12V Lipo battery, which will increase fire rate and round velocity—overall increasing the power of this destructive blaster! It’s an agile design and has a non-extendable compact stock that fits nicely against your shoulder and gives you fast and reactive aiming. Furthermore, it is ambidextrous for those lefties out there. The Perses is essentially an SMG, and for those Halo players out there, YES you can easily dual-wield these. Speaking of Halo, be sure to check out the best halo NERF guns! Two slight drawbacks to this blaster. Firstly, because it is hopper-fed, you do need to occasionally rattle the gun to help un-clump and feed rounds. Second is the hopper door is too large, and if you accidentally tilt the blaster while reloading, you could dump all your rounds on the floor. However, these two drawbacks really are nit-picky, and the Rival Perses really is one of the best-valued and most powerful NERF guns on the market! Specs: Ammo Type: NERF Rival Rounds Ammo Capacity:50 rounds Reasons to Buy: Reasons to Avoid: CHECK AMAZON PRICE Another blaster named after an epic Greek Titan god, the NERF Rival Prometheus is a monstrous and heavy-hitting war machine! In fact, it is one of the biggest NERF blasters on the market! Just like the Perses, this literal minigun shoots eight Rival Rounds per second at an insane 100 FPS! It includes a large rechargeable 9.6V battery, but you can easily upgrade that up to a 12V lipo battery and squeeze 20% to 30% more performance out of this monster! The Prometheus has a massive onboard hopper that can carry a ridiculous 200 rounds! Additionally, it utilizes a large hopper door, so you can easily dump balls back into the gun within seconds! It also includes two tactical rails for any Rival attachments—one under the front handle and another on the bottom of the gun. It feeds rounds very smoothly and utilizes a mechanical agitator to help break up any clumps and keep the rounds flowing, however just like all hopper-fed blasters, you'll still need to occasionally shake it while firing. The NERF Rival Prometheus is rather expensive compared to the other nerf guns on this list, but it is a formidable NERF machine gun that packs 200 powerful punches! Specs: Ammo Type: NERF Rival Rounds Ammo Capacity:200 rounds Reasons to Buy: Reasons to Avoid: CHECK AMAZON PRICE As we discussed early in the guide, there are two main factors that influence the power of a nerf gun: FPS and the type of ammo that you are firing. Let's briefly dig into each and look at their underlying characteristics. The initial velocity of a round is typically determined by the type of firing mechanism being used. Each of the blasters listed above utilized either a spring-powered system or a battery-powered fly-wheel (similar to a baseball pitching machine). The power output of a spring-loaded nerf blaster is determined by the strength of the spring. Most NERF-brand blasters use rather weak springs which you upgrade yourself to increase power. However some blasters—such as our top choice for the most powerful blaster, the Caliburn—are prebuilt using insanely resistance springs. Another factor to consider is springs store potential energy and as such, the blaster needs to be durable enough to withstand the compression force and energy release of the spring. The power behind a battery-powered blaster is typically determined by the voltage running through the blaster. Many blasters—such as the Rival Perses—can be overclocked with larger batteries, which will increase performance such as fire rate and round velocity (FPS). Our second factor that affects the power and hard-hitting capacity of a blaster is the type of ammo you use and will affect the speed and accuracy of your blaster. There are three characteristics of ammo that affect speed and accuracy: size, weight, material, and shape. What object can you throw harder, a marble or a ping-pong ball? If you answered a marble, you are correct! If you want to put a serious punch behind your ammo, you ideally want to use smaller and heavier ammo over larger and lighter ammo. Smaller ammo is typically more aerodynamic and experiences less drag. The shape and material of your ammo significantly influence the damage a round can inflict. Softer materials like foam absorb more of the impact force than harder materials like rubber. So ideally if you want your blaster to hit hard, you'll want to use a denser material that doesn't squish. Additionally, your ammo needs to be durable. Not only does it needs to be able to physically survive high speeds, but it also needs to be stable enough at those speeds. For example, NERF Elite darts are terrible at high speeds. This is because they are made of very lightweight foam and are rather long, which causes them to osculate at higher speeds fly in whichever direction they see fit. For a powerful and accurate shot, you want to ideally use shorter darts that are more stable. If you want a powerful and hard-hitting nerf gun that rockets rounds at insane speeds and will inflict slightly more pain and suffering upon your enemies, you can’t get more intense than the blasters on this list. Remember, be the strongest, or go home.The Most Powerful Nerf Guns
Here Are the Most Powerful Nerf Guns of 2022
Captain Slug Caliburn 210 FPS Adventure Force Nexus 150 FPS Dart Zone Pro MK-3 140 FPS Hyper Mach-100 110 FPS NERF Rival Perses 100 FPS NERF Rival Prometheus 100 FPS 1. Captain Slug Caliburn
Most Powerful Dart Blaster - 210 FPS
2. Adventure Force Nexus Pro
Runner Up - 150 FPS
3. Dart Zone Pro MK-3
Most Powerful Nerf Assault Rifle - 140 FPS
4. NERF Hyper Mach-100
110 FPS
5. NERF Rival Perses
100 FPS
6. NERF Rival Prometheus
100 FPS
Factors That Affect the Power of a Nerf Gun
FPS: Feet Per Second
Spring-Powered
Battery-Powered
Type of Ammo
Size and Weight
Shape and Material
Final Thoughts
Happy Nerfing!
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FAQs
What is the newest nerf gun 2022? ›
Retail Price: $71.99/Available: 8/1/2022) Bring superior speed to the battle! The NERF ULTRA SPEED BLASTER is the fastest-firing NERF ULTRA BLASTER, unleashing 7 darts per second with fully-motorized dart blasting (requires 6x 1.5v C alkaline batteries not included).
What is the most hard hitting nerf gun? ›The Nerf N-Strike Elite HyperFire blaster is the fastest-firing Nerf dart blaster. This fully motorized blaster unleashes up to 5 darts per second with fresh batteries, so kids can rain down a deluge of darts onto targets.
What is the number 1 nerf gun? ›With the help of my adult colleagues and my kids, I spent the better part of three weeks checking out the most popular Nerf guns to find the best one. Of the 10 that we looked at, the Nerf Elite 2.0 Commander (available at Amazon) is the easiest to use—and the most fun—for kids and adults alike.
Which Nerf gun shoots the fastest? ›Nerf Rival Prometheus
Prometheus is the god of fire in Greek mythology. It's a fitting name for this blaster, as the Nerf Rival Prometheus can fire up to eight rounds per second at up to 100 feet per second.
A: Yes, it can definitely ruin a tv screen. Grandson's thought they would have a nerf fight in their house. Managed to ruin 3 tv screens. They had no idea that the TVs were affected until they were turned on.
What is the easiest Nerf gun to use? ›The Nerf Microshot Blaster is probably the easiest Nerf Gun to use for small kids. It is small enough that it fits well in their hands, it also is very easy to load.
Do gel blasters hurt? ›By now, the answer is clear: gel blasters can hurt–but only by a little bit. More often than not, the pain is so minor that you may not even have time to notice it. The sting is enough to make the game exciting, but definitely not enough to cause serious harm as long as you use your gel blaster properly.
What is Slam fire Nerf? ›Slam fire (alternatively slam-fire), or rapid fire, is a type of firing mode that allows darts to fire more rapidly on certain Nerf blasters. The first blaster to feature the ability to slam fire was the Raider CS-35.
What is the world's smallest Nerf gun? ›World's Smallest NERF Blaster (Nerf 2mm Kolibri Pistol?)
What Nerf stands for? ›Non-Expanding Recreational Foam. NERF.
How long do Nerf guns last? ›
10 years is on average the lifespan of a Nerf blaster but there is no distinct lifespan that can illustrate how long your child will have their Nerf blaster. That being said, whether or not their Nerf gun functions for a long time depends on how well they care for it.
Which nerf gun fires farthest? ›NERF N-Strike Elite Centurion Blaster
This blaster makes it to the top of the best long-range NERF gun because darts fired from its barrel travel a mega distance. Imagine taking out your opponent some 100 feet away!
Nerf Ultra Darts, the Farthest Flying Nerf Darts Ever
Load them into the Nerf Ultra One blaster and fire them an awesome 120 feet (36 meters)!
Because Hyper Rounds are significantly smaller than their Rival counterparts, Hyper blasters offer a much higher firing capacity. For example, the Hyper Mach-100 can officially hold up to 100 rounds, whereas the similar Rival Perses can “only” hold 50 rounds.
What is the oldest nerf gun? ›What Was the First Nerf Gun? Well, the first gun was probably the Blast-a-Ball, which was released in 1989. The Blast-a-ball wasn't exactly a gun, and the design is a far cry from the blasters you see today, but it was the first toy that allowed you to shoot Nerf balls.
What is the coolest nerf gun in the world? ›- Nerf Rival Kronos XVIII-500 Phantom Corps.
- NERF Zombie Strike Hammershot.
- NERF N-Strike Triad EX-3.
- NERF N-Strike Elite Disruptor.
- NERF Zombie Strike Flipfury.
- NERF Mega Cycloneshock.
- NERF N-Strike Elite Jolt.
- Nerf N-Strike Elite Triad EX-3 Blaster
- Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm Blaster.
- Nerf N-Strike Elite Retaliator Blaster.
- Nerf Modulus Tri-Strike Blaster
- Nerf Zombie Strike SlingFire Blaster. Top Choice: Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm #1.
Travel to your position.
Avoid contact with anyone. If you see enemies, keep quiet and don't let them see you. Keeping your mouth shut is the secret to becoming an amazing spy. Travel through heavy vegetation and stay on the walls.
[REVIEW] NERF GRENADE!? LOLWUT! - YouTube
How do you fight a nerf gun? ›- Choose a Location. Start with the most basic question first. ...
- Choose a Date & Time. Once you have your sights on a location, next you need to pin down your date and time. ...
- Feed the Troops. ...
- Clarify House Rules. ...
- Choose a Style of NERF War. ...
- The Big Reveal. ...
- The Execution. ...
- Setting Teams.
Can a Nerf bullet hurt you? ›
Yes, Nerf guns can hurt, but the darts and balls fired from them are made from foam and will not break the skin. Eye injuries are the main concern with Nerf guns but can sometimes be mitigated with safety glasses or face masks.
Are Nerf bullets safe? ›Nerf darts are relatively soft, foamy and not inherently dangerous, but if shot in the wrong way, they could cause pain or even serious injury. This is particularly true of the eyes because they are a vulnerable organ that can be damaged easily upon impact.
Do Nerf rival guns hurt? ›While NERF guns are very safe and don't really hurt, even when fired from close range (they are made from foam after all) they can be dangerous if they hit you in face and/or eyes.
Are Nerf guns OK for kids? ›Toy guns are nothing new, nor is the question of whether or not they are healthy for kids to be playing with. As a parent, you don't have to buy them if they make you uncomfortable, but, according to experts, you probably shouldn't forbid them either.
Is Nerf gun safe for 5 year old? ›In light of this dilemma, I've compiled a list of top Nerf gun features that will result in your child having more fun with their new toy, without frustration. Even children as young as 3 years old can enjoy these toys.
Do 9 year olds play with Nerf guns? ›The majority of NERF guns are rated for children 8 years and over, but the more powerful weapons have a recommended minimum age of 14. If you choose to give your child a NERF blaster before they are 8, then ensure they can use the weapon responsibly and that they are closely supervised.
Is Nerf hyper better than rival? ›Because Hyper Rounds are significantly smaller than their Rival counterparts, Hyper blasters offer a much higher firing capacity. For example, the Hyper Mach-100 can officially hold up to 100 rounds, whereas the similar Rival Perses can “only” hold 50 rounds.
Can a Nerf gun break a TV? ›A: Yes, it can definitely ruin a tv screen. Grandson's thought they would have a nerf fight in their house. Managed to ruin 3 tv screens. They had no idea that the TVs were affected until they were turned on.
What is the easiest Nerf gun to use? ›The Nerf Microshot Blaster is probably the easiest Nerf Gun to use for small kids. It is small enough that it fits well in their hands, it also is very easy to load.
What is the easiest Nerf gun to mod? ›NERF N-Strike Maverick Rev-6 Blaster
This pistol is a great choice for anyone who is into modding and customizing NERF guns, and although some disassembly is required, its also a great choice for beginners. This shape of the pistol makes it super easy to paint, which is the first step in any modification.
Does the Nerf Hyper Mach 100 hurt? ›
Cons: The biggest con is these smaller rubber Hyper rounds HURT. They're smaller and denser than normal rival rounds, which is great for compact ammo bays and range... But they REALLY sting.
How fast do Nerf guns shoot mph? ›What is the speed of a Nerf dart? The short answer is, on average, anywhere from about 30 to 45 MPH.
What is the fastest shooting dart gun? ›The Nerf N-Strike Elite HyperFire blaster is the fastest-firing Nerf dart blaster. This fully motorized blaster unleashes up to 5 darts per second with fresh batteries, so kids can rain down a deluge of darts onto targets. Press the acceleration button, pull the trigger, and let the rapid-fire action begin!
Can a Nerf bullet hurt you? ›Yes, Nerf guns can hurt, but the darts and balls fired from them are made from foam and will not break the skin. Eye injuries are the main concern with Nerf guns but can sometimes be mitigated with safety glasses or face masks.
How do you do a Nerf war? ›Each player has five hit points. Once they are hit, they count down from 20 slowly with their blaster held up in the air. They may pick up ammo and walk around, but is not allowed to fire and cannot be hit during this time. They count down the last five numbers loudly and say “I'm in,” and go back in the game.
Are Nerf bullets safe? ›Nerf darts are relatively soft, foamy and not inherently dangerous, but if shot in the wrong way, they could cause pain or even serious injury. This is particularly true of the eyes because they are a vulnerable organ that can be damaged easily upon impact.
Are Nerf guns OK for kids? ›Toy guns are nothing new, nor is the question of whether or not they are healthy for kids to be playing with. As a parent, you don't have to buy them if they make you uncomfortable, but, according to experts, you probably shouldn't forbid them either.
Is Nerf gun safe for 5 year old? ›In light of this dilemma, I've compiled a list of top Nerf gun features that will result in your child having more fun with their new toy, without frustration. Even children as young as 3 years old can enjoy these toys.
Do 9 year olds play with Nerf guns? ›The majority of NERF guns are rated for children 8 years and over, but the more powerful weapons have a recommended minimum age of 14. If you choose to give your child a NERF blaster before they are 8, then ensure they can use the weapon responsibly and that they are closely supervised.
Can you make a Nerf gun more powerful? ›You can also replace the spring inside of the gun with a stronger spring from a hardware store so you can shoot the darts with more power. To learn how to modify a pump Nerf gun, scroll down!
Is it illegal to modify Nerf guns? ›
Due to these warnings, it is a common misconception that modding is illegal. This is entirely false. In the United States, though, if the modder is using live firearm ammunition or explosives in their modification without a license, those mods are illegal.
How can I make my Nerf darts more powerful? ›How To Make Nerf Darts More Powerful! - YouTube