What is the Best NERF Machine Gun?

What Are Fully Automatic NERF Guns?

Fully automatic means that once you pull the trigger, the ammo keeps firing until you release the trigger or run out – these are the rapid-fire NERF guns! It’s very different to a semi-automatic, where you fire one round each time you pull the trigger.

While relatively new to the NERF line, they have quickly progressed from a few rounds per second to the latest members of the auto club, the Hyperfire, the Rival Khaos and Nemesis, which can hit 5 rounds per second, and the insane new NERF Rival Prometheus, which can fire as many as 8 rounds per second!

Unsurprisingly, they all have healthy ammo supplies, with anything from 12 to 200 rounds before they need a refill…although, at full tilt, that is still only a few seconds!

Apart from eating through your ammo at an alarming rate, they are also heavier than their spring-powered brethren due to the batteries and flywheel mechanisms and also make some noise.

Yes, you can wind down the flywheels, but this means they have to spin up again before you get full power. This gives you the option of either firing off a very weak shot or waiting until it has spun up…neither is ideal.

This can be a downside if you want to be stealthy, but if you are buying a full auto blaster, there is no way you are going to be a wallflower. If you are wielding one of these, you are going down in a foam-filled blaze of glory, and you are taking as many of them with you as you can!!

The other downside is that these blasters are expensive! All will need a lot of ammo to keep up as some chuck out darts at such a rate they empty full magazines in seconds.

The expense does not stop with ammo. Like semi-auto blasters, full-auto blasters are battery-powered, but to keep up their impressive rate of fire, they typically require “C” or “D” class batteries and quite a few of them to boot.

Many people mod them to take rechargeable (and more powerful) batteries, but some, like the Rival Range, now offer a NERF approved rechargeable pack. In the long run, these are lighter and cheaper than alkaline batteries.

So, what is the best NERF machine gun for inflicting foam-filled carnage on your unsuspecting foes? Keep reading to see how we rate them:

The NERF RIVAL Nemesis MXVII-10K

The Rival range is aimed at older children (14+) and fires faster and harder than the NERF Elite blasters. They are also a lot more accurate.

This doesn’t mean they hurt, but I honestly find them a lot more fun….and when it comes to fun, the Nemesis is just awesome!

Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K, Red

• Fully motorized. Ages 14 and up
• Hopper feed – high capacity
• Choose red or blue to battle as Team Red or Team Blue
• Experience ultimate precision and intense competition
• Requires 6 D batteries (not included)

Buy on Amazon

Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K, Blue

• This version comes in simple brown packaging
• Fully motorized
• Choose red or blue to battle as Team Red or Team Blue
• Experience ultimate precision and intense competition
• Includes blaster, 100 rounds, and instructions

Buy on Amazon

First up, it fires at around 5 rounds per second. For most blasters, firing at this rate would see them empty in the blink of an eye. The Nemesis, however, carries 100 high-impact Rival rounds in its hopper…

Even more amazingly, even with the same internals and more ammo, it weighs less than its main Rival rival, the Khaos.

I also find the ergonomics better; it feels well-balanced and comfortable when I pull it up to my shoulder.

On this front, Hasbro has finally realized people want to use this blaster out in the wild, so they have provided sling mounts, something criminally missing on the Khaos. This means you can be hands-free when needed.

So, power, precision, and a ton of ammo and practicality, what are the downsides?

Well, the first is the cost; it costs one hell of a lot more than the Khaos when in reality, there is more engineering to the Khaos than the Nemesis.

It gets worse when you realize that as well as the purchase price, you will need the rechargeable battery pack. Without this, you are going to go through a ton of D batteries, which are expensive, heavy, and do not give the Nemesis as much performance.

Having said all that though, this blaster is the ultimate NERF machine gun by a mile and quite simply the best NERF gun out there right now. I have never had so much fun with a NERF gun out of the box…it is the winner by a mile!

Read my full review of the Rival Nemesis or just go straight to Amazon and buy one!

NERF Mega Mastodon

The NERF Mega range uses larger versions of the standard N-Strike Elite darts. Yes, that does mean that I have put two non-standard dart firing blasters as my two favorite NERF machine guns, but they really are the best!

Nerf N-Strike Mega Mega Mastodon

• First motorized Nerf Mega blaster
• 24-dart rotating drum. Fires darts up to 100 feet (30 meters)
• Includes 24 Mega Whistler darts
• Includes blaster, 24-dart drum (3 pieces), drum cage, 2 drum covers, handle, strap, 24 darts, and instructions

Buy on Amazon

The Mastodon is big and heavy, and you have to wield it like you are laying down suppressing fire…yes it looks like something you would expect to be wielded by a space marine in Aliens!

Also, when it fires, the big darts make a really satisfying sound as they thud off their target. It also has a capacity of 36 rounds, fed through a revolving drum as the Mega darts don’t really seem to come in large magazines and when you see the size of the drum for 36 darts, you will understand why.

So the downside is that it is ludicrously heavy and takes D batteries with no option of a NERF recharge pack (unlike the Nemesis and Khaos). Also, the MEGA rounds are not really any more accurate than their Elite counterparts, and the range is not quite as good.

So why have I picked this over a blaster like the Khaos or Hyperfire? Well, this is just more fun!

Unfortunately, NERF seems to be phasing this blaster out, but they are still currently available on Amazon.

The NERF N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike

The RapidFire is the oldest design in this list. It is slowest firing, least powerful and the least accurate. So why have I put this as my favorite N-Strike Elite machine gun?

Nerf CS-18 N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike

• The Rapid strike CS-18 blaster holds 18 Elite Darts
• Acceleration Trigger powers up the motor for rapid firing
• Fires Elite darts up to 90 feet
• Elite Darts work with any N-Strike Elite blaster and most original N-Strike blasters
• Clip holds 18 darts and is see-through for instant firepower checks

Buy on Amazon

Well, this has to do with the fact that I find the Hyperfire very uncomfortable and seems to jam too much.

The RapidStrike, on the other hand, chugs away firing at around 3 rounds per second (which also means you don’t see half your ammo go with a short squeeze of the trigger!)

The more traditional styling also means that it fits me better, so I can hold it without trapping my thumb as I do with the HyperFIre.

Finally, if you do want more power or rate of fire, there are a ton of upgrade kits.

Overall a really well thought out blaster and while old, it still offers a lot.

Read my full review of the NERF RapidStrike here or head over to Amazon to pick one up.

NERF RIVAL KHAOS MXVI-4000

I do love the NERF Rival range and I am being harsh by putting the Khaos at number 4. The problem is not the Khaos itself, although there are flaws with it, rather that it is so completely in the shadow of the Nemesis.

Nerf Rival Khaos MXVI-4000 Blaster

• Fully motorized blaster
• Unleash rapid-fire blasting
• Choose red or blue blaster to battle as Red Team or Blue Team
• Experience ultimate precision and intense competition
• Includes blaster, 40-round magazine, 40 rounds, and instructions

Buy on Amazon

Before the Nemesis this was my number one pick. Now it falls to 4 as the others offer something it cannot, while it offers nothing the Nemesis doesn’t do.

It still boasts the amazing Rival firepower and an impressive 40 round capacity for its age. But the magazines are so big and bulky that they are a pain to carry and far too fiddly to load.

The biggest thing in its favor is the price, which has plummeted since the Nemesis showed up, meaning that after buying a Khaos you still have enough spare cash for a rechargeable battery pack and some ammo compared to the price of a Nemesis…..I would still buy a Nemesis though!

Read my full review of the Khaos here or head straight to Amazon to buy one.

NERF N-Strike Elite Hyperfire

When this came out, I was really excited. It looks cool and offers more power, accuracy, and rate of fire than my long-time favorite, the RapidFire.

Nerf N-Strike Hyperfire Toy Blaster

• Fires up to 5 darts per second with fresh batteries
• 25-dart drum
• Fires darts up to 90 feet (27 meters)
• Comes with 25 Elite darts
• Includes blaster, 25-dart drum, 25 darts, and instructions

Buy on Amazon

However, I have not been able to get along with it. The grip is way too small for adult hands (I know some young teenagers who struggle!), and the stock is not long enough to shoulder.

Also, the firing mechanism, while similar to the conveyor belt systems used in the Nemesis and Khaos, does not seem to suit the Elite darts very well. I found that it jammed far too often, especially when it ran low on charge, or I was using anything less than pristine darts.

All these things together mean that I am not a fan. However, if you find the grip comfortable and can deal with the occasional jam, it is quieter, faster, and more accurate than a RapidStrike, so go for it!

Read my full review of the Hyperfire here or head over to Amazon to get your hands on your very own!

Verdict

It is amazing how quickly these NERF machine guns have become commonplace; the Rival Range especially is seeing a boom in new models. The simple fact is that they are all really good fun. It is just that some are a touch more awesome than others

I hope this has helped you pick your NERF weapon of choice, and you can start to have as much fun as I did by splurging darts to create these reviews!