Best Crossbow Nerf Guns Buyer’s Guide 2023

Welcome to our discussion of how to get the maximum enjoyment out of Nerf Crossbows! We have been fans of Nerf for years and we can’t wait to show you how to choose a crossbow when you shop. These blasters are fun, and it helps knowing what to look for when you shop.

Find the Best Crossbow Nerf Gun 2023

1- Nerf ZombieStrike Wrathbolt

This blaster came into being in 2018 and came with something we don’t typically see in blasters: the use of arrows. Two arrows were included in the packaging with the blaster itself. This is a bow style, string-power weapon that is pretty good at firing off those arrows. If you have ever seen the Rebelle “Secrets and Spies” Courage Crossbow, this is a remake of that.

This does not make use of a plunger system but instead makes use of an elastic string attached to the arms of the bow. Unlike the Courage weapon, this lacks the tactical rail you would normally find on top, but we did note that there are two arrow holders underneath the main body.

To reload this weapon, pull back the elastic cord until you hear it snap into its locked position toward the end of the blaster. Then load up one arrow, and make sure the arrow’s fins are outside of the shell’s slits. It is critical that you make sure the arrow is secure in there so that it will not move when the blaster is aimed or ran with. Then, you can pull the firing trigger to fire off your arrow.

We really liked this particular blaster because it looks like a weapon you might find in a real zombie movie! It has that look of a weapon that could do some serious damage to a zombie if they tried to cross the survivors fighting against them! It’s great for ages 8 and up, so many Nerf fans will enjoy it.

Pros

● Looks utterly cool, and your friends love it.
● Arrows are tough and whistle when fired.
● Price point is ideal for Nerf fans of all ages

Cons

● Arrows as ammo is rather expensive to buy.
● Some users reported the arrows bend way too easily.

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2- Nerf ZombieStrike Outbreaker Bow

This cool blaster was released in Spring 2017 and is part of the very cool Zombie Strike series. This particular blaster does not use arrows as our previous product did, but instead come with five of the great Zombie Strike darts.

As our buying guide indicated, these darts are just as good as the Elite Darts, so expect the same great quality and range with the included darts and any refill packs you choose to buy. The blaster can also hold up to five darts at one time, so fire away at the enemies!

Another thing we liked about this blaster is that it does feature a single tactical rail, so you can go ahead and customize it with whatever accessory you find to be the most suitable for you. Priming is performed by way of a tiny horizontal priming handle that is shaped like those on a pair of scissors. There is also a shoulder stock on this blaster.

The bowarms and the strings attached to it are there to look cool-that’s it! They are just for appearance alone. They cannot be removed, and you should note that the blaster is powered by the use of an innerspring plus a plunger tube.

To reload this blaster, just load five darts into the cylinder and then pull back the priming rod to get the blaster ready to go. Then, pull the firing trigger and watch your dart fly. This blaster is great for ages 8 and up and weighs in at only 1 lb., so it’s very easy to carry around the battlefield.

Pros

● Users reported the blaster had great range when fired.
● Great for users who want the look of a crossbow but the ease of a Nerf blaster.
● Rotating 5 dart drum looks cool and functions well.

Cons

● No actual firing range was listed for this product. Despite users stating it shot far, a real number would be good to know.

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3- Elite Mega Lightning Bow

Here we have a bow that fires up to a whopping 85 feet, making it super for those of you that like to snipe or even practice your accuracy. We first saw this blaster in 2016 as part of the legendary N-Strike series, and it really stood out because of how unique and different it is from all the other weapons in that particular line.

This particular blaster came with Mega Darts, which are special because they are larger than most other darts and are reported to be more efficient at achieving the ranges advertised by Hasbro.

If you do end up getting this blaster note that the Mega Dart is compatible with all of the other N-Strike Mega weapons. This can be a big value-add if you already know and love the N-Strike Mega series.

This bow-action blaster features Mega XD internals, and also features two holders on either side designed to keep track of your darts. They are packaged in a separate bag upon opening your blaster, so understand you will have to add these on once you initially set up your blaster and assemble it.

Reloading is performed by loading a dart into the front muzzle of your blaster and then pulling the string to fire it. You will love how far it flies. Plus, the Mega Darts whistle when they are fired, which makes the fight all the more exciting.

Pros

● Users noted the superior power and the long range on the blaster.
● It is great for users with large hands.
● The blaster is quite accurate when fired, especially if you have experience in archery

Cons

● The string will break rather quickly if you pull back too hard on it.
● Some users noted the bow string did slap against hands when pulled, which is annoying and slightly painful.

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4- N-Strike StratoBow

This Nerf blaster first came to us in 2016, as part of the N-Strike Elite line of blasters. It comes with fifteen Elite Darts and can also hold that many-get ready to pelt the enemy with ease!

This is a bow-action blaster whose clip is vertical and integrated, holding all fifteen of those darts. There are no tactical rails on this blaster, but there are strap points build into each of the bow arms.

Reloading is pretty easy, just load up the darts (up to fifteen total) and then pull back the string until the bow arms move backward. Then, release the string to fire one of your darts. It’s just like a real bow, but with amazing Nerf technology.

This particular blaster can fire up to 85 feet and the relatively high capacity of this bow makes it great for offensive players that like to get right into the action. This is a great bow for Nerf fans aged 8 and up, but users indicate that some of their younger family members have no trouble at all using it.

It fits any and all Nerf Elite darts you can get your hands on, whether they came with the Rebelle weapons or even the ZombieStrike darts. There is also an internal air restrictor that prevents the blaster from sustaining damage even when you dry-fire it as kids are prone to do.

One thing we noted that could be a concern to users is that the string absolutely hits your wrist after you fire it. You will have to take some time and perfect your pull and release technique as a means of avoiding the string and its tendency to sting a little bit when you release it from its pulled position.

Pros

● Holds up to 15 darts
● Fires up to 85 feet
● One user indicated darts can fly up to 65 FPS!

Cons

● If you have big arms or hands, the string may snap on your wrist when you fire it.
● Users noted the bow to be rather bulky in nature compared to some other Nerf blasters.

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5- Nerf N-Strike Elite Crossbolt Blaster

Sadly, this particular blaster has been discontinued, but you can always keep getting your hands on it by way of online retailers or even secondhand sources like eBay auctions. After all, this is a pretty great blaster, and you should know about it in case one of your teammates shows up with it-or the enemy for that matter.

We will start with the vitals-the blaster comes with a 12-dart clip as well as 12 of the great Elite Darts. The CrossBolt is a clip-system, string-powered crossbow blaster. While some other crossbows like the Zombie Strike Crossfire make use of a plunger system, this one does not do so. Instead, you will be experiencing a slide-action priming mechanism as well as a string power when it comes to the internals of this particular blaster.

This gun is pretty great for customization with its single tactical rail plus two strap points. These are located underneath the iron sight as well as in the rear of the CrossBolt.

Lastly, our favorite thing about this blaster? It fires up to 90 feet. Your enemies might be able to run…oh wait, even if they do run, your dart will probably get to them first. This particular blaster is lightweight at only one pound, easy to carry and is perfect for kids aged 8 and up.

Some users reported the gun jammed pretty frequently, which is something we’ve seen with Nerf blasters in the past. However, be sure you are pulling the priming mechanism all the way back before you bring it back to the forward position. Sometimes you have to just put in that little bit of extra work to ensure you have it completely primed and ready to go, but it’s worth it to win the battle.

Pros

● Holds up to 12 darts at one time.
● Blaster is capable of shooting up to 90 feet.

Cons

● Users reported the blaster jammed frequently when using it.
● The blaster itself is discontinued.

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Best Crossbow Nerf Gun Buying Guide

This is the spot where all the valuable info is contained-we can show you just what to look for as a means of choosing the best blaster for you. There are over 20 different Nerf crossbows, and more are being developed each year, so this is where we will go over the most important features and show off our top picks.

After all, Nerf crossbows are popular for many reasons-for instance, many people became interested in archery and the use of bows after the Hunger Games books and movies were released, and in the current era, the Marvel hero Hawkeye and DC’s Green Arrow both use bows as part of their superhero ways.

Even some older Nerf fans who watch The Walking Dead thanks to cable options like these Dish TV Packages have seen Daryl Dixon make use of a crossbow. As a result, many Nerf fans young and old have become interested in making use of a bow as part of their arsenal.

There are a few important aspects of a crossbow-style blaster that you should consider as you start to look around for the one that suits you. Let’s take a look at them now so you know what to ask about when you are ready to buy!

Darts Used/Included

The type of darts that are included with your blaster are important. Are you able to get more in the event that you run out or lose them in a war? Are you able to get more darts locally or will you have to order them online? Furthermore, do you personally like the darts that come with it? Elite Darts are more often the choice for these blasters as they weigh less than standard darts by .3 grams and are more accurate than other darts. Meanwhile some of these blasters, namely the ones from the ZombieStrike series, make use of Zombie Strike Darts. Make sure the dart your blaster comes with is what you want. After all, Elite Darts go faster than others!

Tactical Rails

Tactical rails are what you use to customize your blaster the way you want it. You can add on all sorts of cool tactical accessories like sights, scopes, and shields. Shields are especially amazing because they can block those darts from hitting you and making you lose the war! Meanwhile, sights help improve your aim, which can be a big deal when you have only one dart as some Nerf crossbows do. Lastly, scopes are super for making you look and feel cool out there as you snipe the competition, and make any blaster look great.

Firing Range

Firing range can be the reason you win or lose the Nerf war with your friends. Choose a blaster that has a firing range that matches your play style. For example, the Crossbolt has a range of 90 feet, which is good for players that are defensive, whereas the Lightning Bow fires up to 85 feet but has a stock capacity of just 1, great for those who prefer to be snipers. Be sure you check the firing range to make sure it goes as far as you’d like.

Size and Weight

The size and weight for your preferred crossbow matters. If you are buying it for yourself, then you know what works for you because you know what your own personal strength is. However, if you are shopping for a young child, keep in mind they may not be able to carry around a heavier blaster for a very long time, putting them at a disadvantage and possibly making them frustrated when they are slowed down due to the size and weight of their blaster. For example, the StratoBow is only 2 pounds in weight, but the wide bow can be hard for a child with shorter arms to pull back. What’s more, some blasters weigh only 1 lb. If possible, be sure you can view a blaster in person before buying so you can assess if it is something that’s easy for you or your child to hold and play with.

Priming Actions

Bow action, slide action, or direct plunger. Not sure what this mean? Don’t fret. These are what’s known as priming actions, and they are what help you get the blaster ready to fire away. Bow-action is a variety of priming that works just as the name implies. Some bow actions are like crossbows, and some are like a traditional bow and do not feature a trigger. Bow action blasters can be operated by plunger or strings. Slide actions are a style of priming reminiscent of pump-action. More often than not, you will find that these slides are usually found at the top of the blaster and not beneath it. While this tends to be slightly uncomfortable by way of having no place for the player to rest their hand, it does help the blaster to achieve a smaller size. Direct plunger is an offshoot of slide-action priming in which a blaster’s priming handle is affixed to the plunger rod of the blaster, and you have to pull it back and lock it into place. You usually only see this on blasters that have a direct plunger, and if your blaster of choice is an external mechanism variety, it will use this style of priming. You will find that there will be a hook or hole to pull backward using one finger, or a priming rod that is to be pulled with two fingers. Be sure you have the strength as well as the patience to prime manually if needed-it can really wear down your arms if you are priming rather quickly!

Reloading Actions

Reloading your bow is going to be a very serious matter if you are caught in the middle of a Nerf war and have to do it quickly. There are a few methods of reloading your crossbow, such as loading up one single dart, loading in many darts (this is the case with the Mega Thunderbow) or even using a barrel. You might even get something “in between”-for instance, reloading the Outbreaker Bow involves loading up five darts into the cylinder and then priming it, firing one single dart once it’s primed and ready. Meanwhile, the Lightning Bow has you loading up a single dart through the muzzle of the blaster and then pulling back the string to fire off your single dart. The StratoBow can hold up to 15 darts, but it can take a while to load them all. The key takeaway here is to make sure you are fine with how your blaster reloads and verify that it suits your play style.

Colors/Appearance

The way a blaster looks is not important compared to how it performs. You should focus more on how a blaster feels, shoots, and reloads instead of how it looks. But, let’s be honest: It’s a lot of fun to use a blaster based on how cool it looks, and it is a lot of fun to show off to friends. The great thing about the Nerf crossbows we featured here today is that each and every one of them looks unique and cool and will definitely catch the eyes of players everywhere. For example, the ZombieStrike blasters are bright green, which is ultra-unique and very cool. The CrossBolt, for instance, is the cool and classic Nerf orange and blue. Blasters like these are great to collect with friends if you all want to form teams based on color or even become the local zombie defense squad when you play. It’s OK to choose a blaster based on how it looks, just be sure you know how to use it!

Conclusion

No matter what blaster you end up with, be it a crossbow or traditional firearm style toy, you will be happy with your purchase because you did your research first before buying. No matter what you end up with, make sure you put safety and fun above all else-it’s the secret to having a great Nerf war.