Welcome to our guide about the N-Strike Elite Guns series! We have been NERF fans for many years and want to show off our knowledge to you. This will help you in choosing the right blaster for your play style.
Nerf N-Strike Elite Guns Buying Guide
In this section, we are going to show you how to go about choosing the blaster that works for you. We will start off with a little history about the N-Strike Elite series, and then go into just what you should look for as you start to shop for your own blaster.
History of N-Strike Elite Guns
This series came right after the N-Strike’s success. In fact, the very first blasters as part of this series were beefed-up versions of older N-Strike blasters. It all began in the year 2012, and seven years later is still going strong, remaining popular with NERF fans worldwide.
What Makes It Special
So, let’s talk about the N-Strike series and what it focuses upon. This is a series of blasters that’s all about customization.
You will find that many of these blasters have tactical rails attached so you can add on all your favorite accessories like sights and scopes, plus shoulder stocks and more. Clips are also a big part of this series, which resonates favorably with players who are in it to win it!
The performance of these blasters is unlike any others, too. Thanks to direct plunger firing mechanisms, as well as the Elite Dart ammo, you will be looking at firing ranges of 75 to 90 feet.
What You Can Expect
Not going to lie, shopping for a NERF blaster is super exciting and it can be easy to get carried away and buy the first thing that catches your eye.
You will want all of the blasters regardless of your play style because they are so much fun, but it’s important to spend your money wisely. In this portion we are going to talk about what to look for when you shop.
Nerf N-Strike Elite Guns Considerations
Dart and Ammo Used
The butt-kickin’ Elite Dart is used when you fire these blasters. These are very versatile and are designed to fly far when they get expelled from your blaster. You will find that the coloration of these darts is different from your previous blasters, so they are easy to differentiate.
Some of these cool darts are made in varying color schemes, and this will make it easier to pick them up and tell whose is whose when the war is over. For instance, the Rayven Stinger darts are yellow and black, while the DartFire has a light blue body and an orange tip. They also are slightly lighter in weight, coming in at .3 grams less than the Streamline Darts.
The performance of these darts is superior to that of Streamline Darts, flying farther in nearly any situation as tested by one UK Nerf fan. If you would like to use your old blasters, all you have to do is verify that they were able to shoot Streamline Darts or Micro Darts. These blasters are backwards compatible and able to fire the Elite Darts with ease.
Color Schemes
Sometimes we like to get out there and just battle each other. Other times we like to divide into teams based on colors. In the N-Strike Elite Series, one great thing we noticed is that you can choose blasters of varying colors.
You and your friends can buy blasters in your team’s color, and then divide up accordingly when it’s time to battle. You will find blasters in black, blue, gray, white, or orange, or if you can get your hands on the Sonic ICE and FIRE series, red and blue. Even the Mega series is a bright red.
Accessories
Players who like adding things on via the tactical rails, or love to use scopes and sights, will have a great time choosing and adding on their favorite extras. This particular series is all about the add-ons. For instance, the addition of a flip-up sight will help you in judging your distance or making sure your shots are accurate.
You can also add on a scope, which is great if you love to snipe. Tons of scopes exist that are compatible with N-Strike Elite blasters, so grab one if you want it. Shields are another popular add-on which can be your saving grace if a dart or disc comes flying at you. This is truly the NERF line for people who love add-ons and customizations.
Clip System
Many darts can be loaded into the clip and used for firing during your Nerf Wars thanks to this great system. It really helps save reload time, and players can really up their game and have more fun with a blaster that uses a clip. Look for blasters that fall under the CS or ECS system. These work with Streamline Darts, Elite Suction Darts, or good old Elite Darts.
It works by having a spring-loaded follower that loads the darts into the bolt of the blaster when the chamber is open. Upon the closure of the bolt, the trigger can be pulled, and the dart is then fired. You can get clips and drums depending on the blaster you choose. The RhinoFire, for instance, uses a drum or a clip system.
Firing Ranges
One of the hallmarks of this particular blaster group is the fact that they fire long distances. This is not only amazing to see when you test it out for the first time yourself, but also feels great when you blast somebody from far away.
It’s a special trait that you find only with this great series. For instance, the Strongarm shoots up to 90 feet. Meanwhile, the Mega Centurion, a great choice for snipers, can shoot up to 100 feet. Be sure you pay attention to this as you shop around.
Your Play Style
Are you an offensive or defensive player? Do you like to hide and snipe your opposition, or do you love to face them head on? Your blaster will make a difference.
If you are an offensive player, and you just love to run right into the battle and fire at the nearest member of the opposing team, you will want a blaster that has a fast rate of fire and holds many darts, maybe even has a clip option. A blaster that is manual-fire instead of slam-fire will likely not suit your play style-you’re going to need to fire those darts rapidly.
For those of you on defense, blasters that fire rapidly will not be ideal for precision, which is important for snipers who take things slowly and fire at just the right time. Ammo capacity should not be a concern for you, instead think about the range your weapon of choice is capable of. You have to be able to snipe the enemy from a long distance in the event they get close to taking your flag, so look for a blaster that shoots far.
Your Age
Some NERF guns are better for ages 8 and up; others for ages 14 and up. Therefore, you should always check out the recommended age for the use of the blaster before you buy. Certainly, a 13-year-old can use a blaster recommended for ages 14 and up, but an 8-year-old on the other hand may not have the coordination or the strength to reload the blaster or carry it around while playing with friends.
Parts may also be a bit complicated for a younger child compared to an older teen. Every child and player are different, so be sure to consider the child’s abilities, strengths, and age when choosing for them, or if you are buying for yourself, choose something that will make you feel confident and happy while playing. A blaster might look cool, but if you are having trouble holding it up you may not win the wars as often as you’d like!
Nerf N-Strike Sub-Series
There are seven different sub-series in the N-Strike Elite Family. Which one is best for you? Read over our brief descriptions and then if one sounds cool, look it up!
Accu-Strike
The series we are discussing today-they feature increased accuracy, stability and of course the amazing Elite Darts that fly far and weigh less.
BattleCamo
Consists of re-released and beefed up N-Strike and N-Strike Mega Blasters. Features different colored blasters as well as re-released attachments for your blaster.
Micro Shots
These are fun little blasters you can hide in a pocket or boot for a quick shot. They are single shot blasters modeled after popular full-size blasters.
Multishot Madness
As their name implies, these blasters launch two discs or darts at one time! Although the series is discontinued, it is still loved by NERF fans everywhere.
N-Strike Mega
For these blasters you can look forward to a range of 100 feet and the use of Mega Darts when you fire. They are mostly red in color and if blaster size matters, check these out!
Sonic Fire & Sonic ICE
Featuring fun clear plastic red blasters, and clear blue plastic blasters you can really feel the excitement with these. They are discontinued, but you will likely see them in fans’ arsenals as they were great blasters and perfect for team play. Red V. Blue was never so fun!
The Best Nerf N-Strike Guns
Now onto the fun stuff! This is where we talk about the top five blasters in the Accustrike Series. We will go over the basics of each blaster and what it features, such as ammo capacity, tactical rails, how it functions, and more.
1- Nerf N-Strike Elite Accustrike Raptorstrike
This blaster first came onto the scene in August 2017. It is perfect for players who like to snipe or play in a more defensive style. You can prop it up easily thanks to the bi pod that is attached to this blaster. There are also 18 Accustrike Darts included with your purchase.
The blaster features a tactical rail located at the bottom where the Bi-Pod goes. There is no top rail, which we would have liked. There is, however, a flip-up sight located on this blaster. You can use the stock to hold an extra clip, too.
In order to reload this blaster, simply pull the bolt back the whole way. Then, insert up to six darts into one of the clips, and then load it into the RaptorStrike. Push the bolt forward, lock it into place, and your blaster is primed and ready to fire. Then pull the trigger and watch the dart fly!
All things considered; snipers would really love this the best. The recommended age is 8 and up.
Pros
● Users report it really stands up to heavy play
● Users noted the shots were rather accurate for this blaster.
● Bi-Pod makes you feel like a top sniper when using it.
Cons
● Some users reported the gun jammed frequently.
● You will need to buy an extra dart pack-18 darts is not a lot!
● Some users noted the darts did not shoot in a straight line.
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2- Strongarm Nerf N-Strike Elite
This particular blaster comes with a total of 6 Elite Darts, so already we can tell you are going to need some more to really nail the competition! The firing range on this baby is 90 feet, so even far away does will feel your wrath. The blaster itself can hold up to six darts at any given time. You will enjoy the short tactical rail on the top of the blaster for your preferred accessory, the slam-fire style, and the lanyard loop in the event you’d like to use a carry strap to lug this around the battlefield.
Reloading is performed by pushing the turret release button and then loading the cylinder up. Prime the blaster by pulling the slide back, locking it into place, and then pulling the trigger to fire your ammo.
If you like you can also use Micro-Darts and the clip system dart varieties to reload but avoid using the Streamline Darts as they do not work. The stems in the Streamline Darts are longer and rub against the chamber posts, therefore making them a bad fit.
We think the players that would most enjoy this blaster are offensive players that still kind of like a little strategizing when it comes to winning the war. After all you have only six darts before reloading unless you use a clip, so make them count! It is best for ages 8 and up, so plenty of fans will have a chance to enjoy this.
Pros
● Great price point for all NERF fans
● No batteries needed for this blaster
● Users report the blaster is accurate and does not jam a lot
Cons
● Slam-fire is done by constantly priming the blaster-may be hard for younger Nerfers.
● Some users reported the springs became weaker or even broke after some use.
● You will need to buy more darts immediately as 6 is not many.
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3- Nerf N-Strike Elite Spectre Rev-5 Stealth Blaster
This comes with some pretty sweet extras, including a folding stock, a barrel extension as well as five Elite Darts. (You will need to buy more darts, as five is too few!) There is a tactical rail located on top of the blaster and you can use barrel extensions and shoulder stocks with it if you like. This is just perfect for players who want customization!
This particular blaster also features five different colors to pick from. You can choose a color based on your team, or just go with your favorite. Reloading is pretty easy; simply press the cylinder release and then load five darts into it. Then put the cylinder back into place, pull the slide back and lock it, then pull the trigger. The cylinder actually rotates when you prime the blaster instead of just when you pull the trigger, so it’s a very smooth process from loading to firing.
As far as style goes, we find this would be best for offensive players. It is single fire, so keep that in mind if you are a “run and gun” type of player. It’s rated for ages 8 and up, so NERF fans young and old will really get enjoyment from this.
Pros
● The darts fire up to 75 feet!
● Users report that the gun does not jam frequently.
● It is a remake of an old N-Strike gun-great upgrade if this was your favorite weapon!
Cons
● Price point may be too much for some players-over $40.
● The ammo capacity is very small; only 5 darts can be held.
● The Folding Stock included has a big hinge on its right side which can be problematic for left-handed players.
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4- Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor
Here we have a blaster that’s just great for players who love revolver-style weapons. Want to pretend you’re a cowboy with the fastest revolver in the Wild West? This is just the weapon to do it.
It’s perfect for players who want to get in on the fun but not spend a huge amount of money. If you liked the Strongarm that we talked about a little earlier, you are really going to like this.
You start out with only six Elite Darts, so it is highly recommended that you get some more. After all, 6 darts go faster than you think.
Another great feature of this particular blaster is that it can be slam-fire or single fire. The firing range is 90 feet, so your enemies can’t hide from your darts! Customization is not as strong on this particular blaster as there is only one tactical rail, but there are also some strap points if you would like to carry it on a lanyard.
Reloading is done by loading the darts into the cylinder and then pulling back the priming slide to get it all primed up. Then you can hold down the trigger and prime the blaster quickly to fire them all or just pull the trigger to fire a single dart.
Both defensive and offensive players would like this, as you can be as offensive or defensive as you like. It is recommended for ages 8 and up.
Pros
● The price is right for players on budgets
● Faster to reload compared to the Strongarm as you don’t have to open the barrel.
● Users report the gun does not jam and is compatible with all darts
Cons
● You have to prime it in order to get slam-fire capabilities.
● Comes with very few darts to start out with.
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5- Nerf N-Strike Elite Stryfe Blaster
This particular blaster requires that you use 4 AA batteries when using it, so do be sure you have them on hand! Included in your purchase is a six-dart clip as well as six Elite Darts. This is a semi-auto flywheel blaster complete with two tactical rails for any customization you would like. You can also take advantage of the barrel extension and shoulder-stock attachments as well.
The flywheel system is pretty amazing and understanding it will aid you in getting the range you desire. Here’s how to reload: After loading up your clips, pull on the acceleration trigger to get the flywheel revved up. Then pull the trigger to fire a dart. It might take a few moments for the flywheel system to get to its max speed but be patient-if you don’t let it get to its highest speed your range will decrease.
NERF players that are offensive would really love this the most, and users of all ages will enjoy this! It is recommended you give this to a NERF fan aged 6 and up.
Pros
● Great for fans aged 6 and up-our youngest blaster rating yet.
● Batteries make it easy to use with only one hand.
● Perfect for kids who are playing against older siblings who might have bigger guns/are stronger
Cons
● Price may be too high for some players at $47.
● The Stryfe is discontinued by Hasbro but can still be bought from third-party sites.
● Some users reported jamming happening frequently with this blaster.
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Conclusion
There are really no bad choices when it comes to NERF, every blaster is valuable. Remember that the most important parts of NERF play sessions are having fun and being safe – do both of these things and you are guaranteed a good time.