Table of Contents
Introduction
In the past three decades, Nerf has seen a gradual incline in popularity. Today, it’s one of the most popular toy makers of our time. It’s not hard to gauge why; who wouldn’t wanna play with toy guns that shoot soft darts? You can make a day of it with the family, or just play with your friends. Whether you’re one of Nerf’s target customers (young children) or an adult trying to resurrect their youth, you can never go wrong with a good Nerf duel.
There is a unanimous complaint you’ll often hear about Nerf guns, though: “they’re too pricey,” or “they cost too much.” This is a complaint that has directly lead to a boom in the toy gun industry. As a result, other companies will try to make Nerf-like products at lower prices; however, they’re seldom ever as good. So, with this list, we are going to help you choose from some of the best Nerf guns that will also be easy on your wallet so that you don’t have to compromise on quality or miss out on dinner tonight because you spent too much on Nerf.
Are Nerf Guns Under $40 Good Enough?
Let me preface this by clarifying that Nerf guns under $40 are still some of the best products Nerf has to offer. Some of the selections under this price range are indeed the most fun products Nerf has put out. So, even with these so-called “budget options,” you’re certainly treating yourself to the full Nerf experience. There is no compromise on build quality with these products; these are some of the coolest looking guns.
Can Nerf Guns Under $40 Compete With Higher-Priced Nerf Guns?
Now, this is an area of discussion that is going to warrant more debate. In terms of build quality, paint applications, functional reliability, guns under $40 certainly still hold their one compared to higher-priced guns. However, there’s no denying that certain higher-priced guns are bigger and have more features than some of the cheaper ones. This shouldn’t, however, come as a surprise to anyone. They’re higher-priced for a reason, but the budget options still have some great features too.
Best Features of Nerf Guns Under $40
Under $40, you can still get some Nerf guns packed with great features. Besides being a budget option, your gun could feature many other drawing points, such as a motorized shooting mechanism or large-sized drum mags. Under the $40 bracket, you’ll be able to explore some of Nerf’s best innovations, for sure.
The Picks: 5 Best Nerf Guns Under $40
Revoltinator Nerf Zombie Strike Toy Blaster
With our first pick, we opted to go with one of the bigger options. This will give you a good taste of what you still can manage under $40. The Revoltinator is a motorized blaster with an 18-dart magazine. It is undoubtedly modeled after an assault rifle to give it that heavy combat look.
The design is derivative of Nerf’s long-running Zombie Strike line, a Nerf staple at this point. It has many intricate details and a tactical rail feature, too, that lets you pair it with Zombie Strike accessories. The theme is customizable and allows you to personalize the gameplay according to your preference.
As with all other Nerf products, the Revoltinator is perfectly safe but at the same time, very intense. The darts are hollow and tipped with safe padding to preempt any chances of incurring any injury. The darts can travel long distances with ease and remain accurate in their trajectory.
The blaster is equipped with 18 darts at once and you can shoot them either one at a time or all at once depending on the situation. If you wish to rapid-fire all darts at once, just hold down the trigger and watch them fly!
Key Features
- Power-shock lights and sounds will electrocute all the zombies in your path
- Motorized blasting; you may pull the trigger to shoot a total of 18 darts at once rapidly
- 18 long-range Nerf Zombie Strike darts with flexible hollow tips, and is made of durable foam
- Equipped with 2x tactical rails
- Nerf’s Zombie Strike theme (customizable)
Pros
- Impressive power shock lights and sounds
- Motorized blasting allows you to shoot many darts quickly
- 18-dart mag lets you store up 18 darts to shoot at once
- Big gun, small price
Cons
- Potentially delicate inner-mechanics
- One of the pricier options on the list
Verdict
The mechanics of the Revoltinator Nerf Zombie Strike Toy Blaster make it one of the most fun to use on the list. However, they also make it a potentially delicate product. You certainly don’t want to be dropping this around the same way you did a gun without any motorized features. Besides that, this is, without a doubt, one of Nerf’s best options under $40.
Megalodon Nerf N-Strike Mega Toy Blaster
To put it simply, this gun is a powerhouse. Equipped with a 20-dart rotating drum, the way you fire with the Megalodon is by pulling back on the handle, allowing you to shoot your darts to some pretty high ranges for a foam bullet. The flashy design falls into line with Nerf’s other N-Strike products, sporting a red and grey base with traditional Nerf orange accents.
Since it has no stock and has a rotating drum where your foregrip would go, this probably comes off as a single hand shooter. However, the handle mechanic requires that you use both hands, which might be this gun’s most significant issue. Its design and size is of a one-hand shooter but works like a two-hand shooter. Regardless, it’s pretty cool when you hold the handle down and fire away all 20 darts.
The exclusive-made darts have been tested thoroughly to ensure that they align perfectly with the safety standards set by Nerf. All of the tips have an aerodynamic design but they are perfectly safe. Even if you blast all of these darts at once, just hold the handle and let the darts shoot out in unison. The range is pretty impressive; each of these Nerf Mega Whistler darts can travel as far as 85 feet from the shooter’s distance.
Key Features
- Revolving chamber with 20 exclusive Nerf-made darts
- User can shoot the darts by cranking the handle back and forth
- Can shoot a dart up to 85 feet (26 meters) from the user’s location
- User can shoot all darts at once by cranking the handle back and holding the trigger
- Includes 20 highly durable and thoroughly tested Nerf Mega Whistler darts
Pros
- Fires continuously thanks to the 20-dart drum
- High range shooting (85 feet) for long-range fire
- Durable performance
- Powerful Mega Whistler darts that fire at high speed
- Slam fire for quick action release
Cons
- Most expensive on the list
- Clunky mechanic design
Verdict
If you can get past the ‘pull lever to reload’ mechanism, then you should have a lot of fun with the Megalodon Nerf N-Strike Mega Toy Blaster, especially if you get the hang of its slam fire mechanic, which allows you to quick-spread your fire onto your opponents. The 20-dart drum mag is a treat, and the high shooting ranges do get pretty impressive upon use. This is a good gun if you can look past the fact that it’s the priciest item on this list, and perhaps not even deservedly so.
Nerf N-Strike Elite SurgeFire
If the last pick wasn’t grabbing your attention, then maybe the SurgeFire will. This is similar to the Megalodon, but better, to put it bluntly. Instead of the handle reload mechanic, you now use a pump-action foregrip to reload your toy gun; this allows for a two-hand shooter experience that feels a lot more natural.
On top of this, the slam fire feature allows for you to quick-spread your fire onto your opponents. It features pump-action reloading, and you can even use it like a shotgun! The blaster is equipped with 15 exclusive-made Nerf N-Strike darts, all of which you can shoot up to 90 feet from the user’s position with ease.
The N-Strike package is all about intense action and strategic planning. These blasters have been designed to land long-range and highly accurate shots. The darts are perfectly safe but at the same time, can cut through air drag and land right on target. All of these features conspire to make the Nerf N-Strike an excellent package.
Key Features
- Equipped with a rotating drum that holds up to 15 Nerf N-Strike darts
- Simple pump-action shooting mechanism
- It can fire darts up to 90 feet (27 meters) away from the user’s location
- User can fire all 15 Nerf N-Strike darts in a fast slam-fire action
- Includes 15 speedy, accurate and safe Nerf N-Strike darts
Pros
- High shooting range (90 feet) allows for long-range battles
- Slam fire allows for rapid dart release
- Pump action is fun to use
- Drum mag holds a lot of darts
Cons
- 15-dart mag isn’t as large as some of the other options
- No track simulations
Verdict
Unfortunately, with the SurgeFire, the dart count got downgraded from 20 to 15 compared to the Megalodon. Besides that, it may be a better gun in every other way. It has a better foregrip design, an even higher shooting range (not by much, however), and a satisfying pump-action reload. This is one of the best products Nerf has put out in recent times. The fact that it makes the budget list is a bonus.
Nerf Fortnite RL Blaster
Of course, we had to shake things up a bit on this list; we can’t just have all the products be two-hand shooters, right? Well, the Fortnite RL Blaster is a great tie-in product that serves as a lot of fun. The blaster, whose design takes after the Fortnite rocket launcher in the video game ‘Fortnite,’ shoots a total of two rocket blaster tips that come equipped with it.
This Nerf gun is going to be a lot of fun just switching things up, and if you’re a fan of Fortnite. It’s flashy green base or orange accents, along with the shark face design, help this toy stand out, even amongst other flashy toys. If you’ve ever played Fortnite and loved the experience, then this model will help you relive the experience, in real life.
The best part of this blaster is that it does not require any batteries to operate. All you have to do is load it up and launch the padded ammunition to unleash tremendous firepower. The blaster ships with two rockets, which have been thoroughly tested and have been proven to be perfectly safe and effective.
Key Features
- Nerf Fortnite RL blaster replicates its namesake in the highly popular Fortnite video game
- No batteries required for its operation
- Load, prime, and fire in three quick steps
- Includes two rockets, thoroughly tested for performance and safety
Pros
- Fortnite design
- No batteries required
- Lightweight
- Perfectly safe
Cons
- Might be redundant to some
- Basic
Verdict
The Nerf Fortnite RL Blaster is a tremendous little side-weapon for your toy gun collection. It’s something you break out on occasion in the living room Dart Wars, just to mix things up a bit. It’s largely a gimmick, but a fun one at that. The Fortnite franchise designs will make this even more appealing to anyone who is a fan of that video game. It’s a great side option if you can afford it.
Nerf Zombie Ripchain Combat Blaster
The Zombie Ripchain Combat Blaster might just be the coolest Nerf gun on this list. The blaster’s design is mostly in line with all the other Nerf Zombie products. However, it’s the 25-dart chain that makes it one of the most outlandish designs in the entire lineup. Overall, the chain design is pretty cool, leaving the Mega Whistler darts open and exposed, giving it that real grit and war look.
The blaster operates on a pump-action reload mechanism. This is not only simple but also very effective, allowing the user to shoot the darts as much as 90 feet away from the user’s position. This allows the players to engage in intense and full-of-action duels, but maintain a safe play environment at the same time.
And if you happen to sneak up at your opponent, unleash the firepower of all 25 darts at once via the motorized blasting mechanism.
Key Features
- Equipped with a 25-dart chain that holds Nerf Elite darts
- Pump action reload mechanism
- Motorized blasting – the ability to shoot a total of 25 darts at once
- Users can fire darts up to 90 feet (27 meters) away
Pros
- Eye-catching design elements
- 25-dart chain for long shootouts with friends
- Most fun-looking product on the list
- You can fire all darts at once, pretty helpful at close range
Cons
- Design and build might be too clunky for some
- Long reload times
Verdict
Although the Nerf Zombie Ripchain Combat Blaster may lack in functionality in comparison with something like the Revoltinator, the design elements still make this Nerf gun intriguing enough to perhaps be my favorite product on this list. It also features a sizeable 25-dart chain, giving this gun more ammo than any other on the list. However, it would be great to see this gun have some motorized mechanics.
What To Look for When Choosing a Nerf Gun Under $40
When choosing a Nerf gun under $40, it is essential to consider what type of gun you want. What kind of feel do you want it to have in your hands? Do you want a heavy two-hand shooter with motorized mechanics? Do you want a single hand, slam fire, pump action? Moreover, do you want a gun that doesn’t start to feel too heavy after a while? How much ammo do you want per mag?
If you lack a sense of direction coming into the purchase, then it might be best to try different products and see what feels good to you. Ultimately, you should go with the Nerf gun that will bring you the most enjoyment and offers the best bang for your buck.
Recommendation
This depends on your taste and requirements. If I had to choose one from the list, it would likely be the Revoltinator. With such an impressive feature set all across the board and such astoundingly creative design choices, all for a price under $40, I don’t see how you can go wrong with this one. It’s like having the premium Nerf experience on a budget.
Final Words
In conclusion, the Nerf gun that you end up choosing, the one that is right for you, largely depends on a couple of varying factors — what kind of blaster gun you need and your budget. The overall aim of this article is to help you best gauge precisely that. Even within the constraints of choosing a Nerf gun under $40, there is a wide variety of blaster types to look into. Hopefully, with the help of this article, you can find the ideal product.
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