It goes without saying that Nerf guns and blasters are pretty durable. Made with a younger demographic in mind, Nerf guns are made from hard plastic parts that are supposed to handle a fair bit of rough play outdoors. However, like any toy, Nerf guns certainly aren’t indestructible and weren’t made to last forever.
Nerf guns don’t need a ton of maintenance. But to keep your loadout in good shape and make the most of your money, here are some tips for taking care of your Nerf guns.
Spring Guns
Avoid dry firing as much as possible– This is fairly common knowledge, but dry firing is shooting your blaster without having a dart inside. Especially if you’ve modified your Nerf gun with a stronger spring set up, dry firing causes the plunger head to hit the post of the barrel, and it will eventually chip and break. In general it stresses your spring and creates wear on your blaster though, so not dry firing at all is best.
Don’t keep your blaster primed in storage– If you keep your clip loaded, it weakens the spring over time. After all, if you’re not going to be shooting it soon, why keep the spring compressed and create stress when it’s not needed?
Pump/Air Guns
Clean and check– Every half year or after a major battle, check for damages. You can see if your gun has leaks by placing it underwater. Patch the holes and make repairs as needed. Clean your pump guns using rags and Q-tips to remove dust and grime.
Keep it decently lubricated– For both spring and pump guns, lubricate the moving parts every couple of months or so, or after every major battle.
There is much debate over what lubricant is best for Nerf guns, but in general lithium or silicone based greases appear to be safe to use with plastics and rubber. (They can be found in most hardware stores.)
Vaseline or pure Petroleum Jelly may or may not chemically react, depending on your gun’s materials. Avoid using WD-40 as it will destroy your blaster’s O-ring over time, as well as edible products like vegetable oil or KY Jelly, which grow bacteria.
Custom Painted Guns
Make sure your blaster has a clear coat of sealant or varnish on it. This not only keeps your Nerf gun looking good for longer, but is especially important if you used acrylic paint for your detailing work. Touch up any dings or scratches and maintain that protective layer.
Avoid scraping your gun against rough surfaces. This includes placing it down hard on things like floors and tables.
Don’t leave it in the sun. While your paint job probably won’t melt off, the sun will bleach the color of your blaster, making it look faded (in a bad way).
Lastly, don’t get solvents on your custom painted Nerf gun. This especially includes liquids like nail polish remover and paint thinner, as they are made to strip off paint.
What do you do to maintain your Nerf guns? Tell us in the comments below!
hey I have a number of guns and after a while they began to loose some of their range. To correct this I very carefully took out the holding screws for the body half’s. A video of it coming apart is help full for re-assembly and if any parts fall away. I start by doing a quick clean with a Q tip to remove dirt particles from all moving parts, then when satisfied I used pure mineral oil on the piston “O” ring, use it sparingly. Next only 2 drops of oil in the piston barrel wall and spread it around. Another Q tip with one drop of oil on it was used to lubricate the “O” ring at the end of the pump barrel that rubs against the barrel/magazine that holds the darts, this helps to seal this gap a bit. Check the spring length and measure it, give it a little stretch, no more than 1 inch, be careful not to twist it out of shape. Re-assemble everything and load it. Point at something like an old towel and take enough shots to empty the magazine or barrel at least once and you should see a remarkable improvement with power and distance.
good luck and have fun
Thanks for sharing this, bob!