What blasters are best for kids?
Nerf as a family is so fun, but every child is different.
Below are some recommendations on which blasters might suit different age ranges. However, you know your kids the best. If they’re mature for their age, they might be fine with a little higher powered blaster than recommended here.
Ages 7-10
Anyone under 10 would need a lower-powered blaster and have fun with blasters with a smooth, easy prime.
Talon Claw
Pump-action, spring powered
Ages 7-10 can usually prime a low-powered Talon Claw.
It’s small enough for littler arms, but high-powered enough that they’ll feel like they’re playing with one of the big kids.
Main Power Spring: 788
Ages 11-13
These kids are usually ready for medium-powered blasters, and have fun with the ones that shoot farther and faster.
The Caliburn
Pump-action, spring powered
By this age, you want a bit more power.
The Caliburn is a bigger version of the Talon Claw, but the longer prime makes priming a heavier spring easier.
Main Power Spring: K25
This is the age that can reasonably handle just about any high-powered nerf blaster if they’re responsible.
Ages 14-16
The Bradley Phillips Caliburn
Pump-action, spring powered, high-power
This is the most decked-out, highest powered Caliburn there is.
The “sniper” blaster.
Shoots 250-300FPS, hits a man-sized target from 100ft.
The Lepus
50 darts/second, battery powered.
The Lepus is very easy to use. It’s also a huge dart hose which provides endless entertainment.
Recommended for kids who have good finger dexterity/control to be able to man the 2 triggers.
Bulwark
Full-auto, sci-fi feel
Top-loaded, fully-auto, lipo-powered blaster.
The top-load feature is entertaining to shoot.
The dual trigger is best manageable by older kids, along with keeping control of the higher power.
Ages 16-18
Older kids and adults can handle the higher power, and have enough strength to operate the bigger blasters, as well as diagnose problems and troubleshoot blasters should it come it.
SPRING THUNDER SHOTGUN
Shell-ejecting, pump action.
Nothing’s more satisfying than a shotgun that actually ejects shells.
The prime can be a bit hefty for kids, so that’s why it’s recommended for older ages.
It’s complicated mechanism works smoothly, but it takes some getting-used to.
THE NEUTRINO
HPA-powered, semi-auto sniper
HPA powered blasters like this one sound loud and shoot hard. The power is adjustable, though.
This is perhaps one of the most intuitive HPA blasters, and a great one to start with.
The Bradley Phillips Caliburn
Pump-action, spring powered, high-power
This is the most decked-out, highest powered Caliburn there is.
The “sniper” blaster.
Shoots 250-300FPS, hits a man-sized target from 100ft.
The Zinc 2.0
Mag-in-handle, pump-action pistol
This blaster feels real in your hands, and packs a satisfying punch.
The reason it’s recommended for older ages is because the prime can be tough for younger hands.
Ages 18+
THE MILSIG M79
AR-15 style, HPA-powered, select-fire sniper
The M79 is one of the highest-end nerf blasters the market has to offer.
It’s full mental, select-fire, HPA-powered goodness.
It feels real in your hands, but shoots nerf darts at crazy power.
THE MAGPIE
Revolver-style, half-dart blaster
Feel like you’re a gun-slingin’ cowboy on the range.
This blaster is super fun, but the revolver mechanism takes some delicacy.
Not recommended for younger ages.
THE SELECT-FIRE WOOZI
Full-auto, semi-auto, and burst spin on the Ozi
Totally versatile, medium-to-high-powered, compact power blaster.
Has a selector switch on the side.
Dumps a full magazine in under 1 second.
Derrikk Sun
I started out as a Nerf hobbyist and enthusiast in the early 2000s. Nerf wars around the house, backyard, and with local friends grew into building blasters and sharing with the nerf community. As demand grew, Frontline Foam was born. Our mission to make Nerf, especially homemade blasters, more accessible and available. KEEP NERFING!
