10 Best Nerf Snipers 2024 in the US

Nerf originally became a household name for their polyurethane foam footballs. But their most popular product line is their “blasters”: rifles that can fire foam darts to a distance of 100 feet! The foam darts are soft enough so that you can shoot them indoors without fear of breaking something. But the real fun comes in forming teams and participating in “Nerf wars” outdoors! There’s enough diversity of Nerf weaponry to supply an entire army: assault rifles, sidearms, mortar launchers, grenade launchers, and Nerf sniper rifles. (You can find more great Nerf products among the MSN buyer guides.)

We’ll look at some of the offerings among the MSN list of the Top 10 Nerf Snipers. Some try to duplicate real firearms, and some are made with a certain theme in mind, such as Star Wars or Fortnite. We’ll learn a little about the different mechanisms that they use, and about their limitations. Hopefully, our buying guide will help you decide which Nerf sniper to buy! 

What Types of Nerf Sniper Guns Are There?

We can divide Nerf sniper guns by how they propel the darts. There are many varieties of priming mechanisms. Here are some main categories:

• Spring-action: These propel the dart by means of a spring mechanism. One example is a “bolt-action” gun, where you pull back a bolt, tightening a spring. When you press the trigger, the bolt is released, propelling the dart. An example is the NERF Raptorstrike Falconfire Accustrike Series Elite Sniper. It comes with 18 darts that you load into a clip. You have to pull back on the bolt each time you wish to fire.

 NERF Raptorstrike Falconfire Accustrike Series Elite Sniper

• Air pressure: These propel the bolt by air pressure. You draw in air by means of a plunger, sometimes having to pull back the plunger many times to fill up a bladder. You release the air pressure when you pull the trigger, and the air shoots the dart forward. If you see a pump-action Nerf gun, they probably work by means of air pressure. One advantage with this type is that it supports “slam fire”, where you can fire many bolts in succession, like a machine gun! An example is the Nerf Rampage N-Strike Elite Toy Blaster. It has a drum that you fill with 25 darts, which it can propel as far as 90 feet!

Nerf Rampage N-Strike Elite Toy Blaster

• Battery-operated: You’ll also see Nerf sniper guns that are battery-powered. These will usually give you greater range, which is essential for a sniper rifle. One example is the Konffy Automatic Sniper Rifle. It is capable of firing a single shot, a three-dart burst, or fully automatic machine gun fire!

Konffy Automatic Sniper Rifle

What Are Features of the Best Nerf Sniper Guns?

Besides the sleek look, there are other criteria for deciding which Nerf sniper gun suits you the best:

• Range: As a sniper, you’ll want to be able to hit a target accurately from a long distance. Unfortunately, Nerf darts are made from foam, so they’re easily influenced by wind and air turbulence. You can’t expect to hit a target that’s 200 feet away. But there are Nerf sniper rifles that can shoot as far as 90 feet, such as the Nerf N-Strike Modulus ECS-10 Blaster.

• Ammunition: Another thing that will add to the range of your sniper rifle is quality darts. You’ll have to make sure that the Nerf darts that you buy are compatible with your sniper gun. Otherwise, there is a good chance that the darts will get stuck inside, and it will be a pain to get it unstuck. Nerf makes Accustrike darts, which feature a spiral tip, instead of a flat tip that other darts have. This spiral tip gives the darts a spin as they leave the barrel. The improved aerodynamics mean that they travel straighter, for a longer distance as well.

Nerf Accustrike Darts

• Clips: If you’re in the middle of a Nerf war, you don’t want to have to take time to load the darts. Look for Nerf snipers that allow you to insert a clip of darts. Some Nerf sniper guns come with two or three clips that hold 6 bullets each. When one is finished, you reload in a second! And some models come with a transparent plastic clip so that you can keep track of the number of darts you have left.

• Accessories: Some Nerf blasters come with a number of accessories that snap or slide onto your rifle. (The Nerf N-Strike Modulus ECS-10 Blaster has enough accessories that you can come up with 30 different combinations!) There are targeting scopes, dual-rail barrels for mounting tactical rails, extra grips, and more! You’ll have different shooting abilities, depending on which combination of accessories that you choose. For a sniper rifle, your model may have a bipod to increase stability as well, as in the Nerf Accustrike Raptorstrike.

Nerf Accustrike Raptorstrike

What are Some Tips to Using a Nerf Sniper Gun?

• Modifying a nerf gun: Adult hobbyists enjoy “modding” a Nerf gun, where they can modify the looks and functionality. The modifications can include

  • Changing the mechanism inside the gun or

  • Using a 3D printer to create a different casing for the existing mechanism.

One hobbyist modified a Nerf gun and created a machine gun that can shoot 15 rounds a second, and hold 1200 Nerf darts! However, a modified Nerf gun should only be used by adults. Modifying the spring mechanism can project the dart at a dangerous speed that can injure a young child.

• Camouflage: If you’re going to be a sniper in a Nerf war, you’ll have to learn how not to be seen. You can wear camouflage yourself, but what about your rifle? Many Nerf rifles come in bright red or orange colors, which stick out like a sore thumb when you’re hiding behind foliage. But Nerf has thought of that as well. If you buy the Nerf Fortnite Heavy SR Blaster, it comes with a red-colored camouflage wrap that you can use to conceal your weapon.

• Weather considerations: We mentioned that some Nerf snipers can go as far as 90 feet. But, also take into account the fact that the darts are only made of foam, so they’re influenced very much by the wind. Also, don’t try to hit a target at the end of the sniper rifle’s range, but only within around 70% of the maximum range. The darts will tend to slow down if you try to go any further.

• Weight: Even though you may use a sniper rifle while remaining in one position, you may also prefer attaching a shoulder strap to it a carrying it around with you (even snipers have to reposition themselves from time to time, to elude detection). If so, you’ll prefer a sniper rifle that is lightweight, so it’s easier to move around.

• Eye safety: Nerf darts are typically safe. But it's best to wear some sort of eye protection, to avoid the unpleasant possibility of a Nerf dart hitting someone in the face. Also, it's understood that you shouldn't intentionally aim a Nerf gun at someone's face.

Wrap Up

We’ve had a look at some items in MSN’s list of the 10 best nerf sniper rifles. A Nerf sniper gives you the option of hitting a target from a big distance as you lie in wait for the enemy to get into range, or you can use a rifle that is also capable of rapid-fire. Some sniper guns are manufactured by Nerf, while others are made by competitors, but still can take Nerf darts and other accessories. Together with other Nerf blasters and weaponry, you can play an all-out war against another group!