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Nerf pistols may not be the most popular type of blasters, but over the years, Nerf has produced quite a few iconic pistol-style guns.
A Nerf pistol is perfect for those buying their first-ever Nerf blaster, or for those looking to purchase a decent and reliable secondary blaster to use in Nerf wars.
In this article, I will share what I believe are the seven best Nerf gun pistols right now, and I will also explain what classifies as a Nerf pistol.
Top 7 Nerf Gun Pistols:
Top 7 Nerf Gun Pistols
Let’s take a closer look at my top 7 list of best Nerf sidearm blasters you should consider adding to your collection.
1. Nerf Rival Kronos XVIII-500
The Nerf Rival Kronos XVIII-500 is one of my all-time favorite Rival blasters, because it’s compact, it looks fantastic, it’s easy to load, prime and fire, and it performs exceptionally well.
The Nerf Rival series of blasters has been quite revolutionary since 2015, with a new type of ammunition (High-Impact Rounds) and incredible performance. Many Rival blasters have been produced since 2015, and most of them have proven very popular.
The Kronos XVIII-500 fires in single-fire mode and has a firing capacity of 5 High-Impact Nerf rounds that are loaded into a spring-action internal magazine. The top section of the Kronos acts as the priming mechanism, which is quite a smooth and solid process.
| Nerf Rival Kronos XVIII-500 | |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2018 |
| Series: | Rival |
| Ammunition: | High-Impact Rounds |
| More info: | Nerf Rival Kronos XVIII-500 review |
2. Nerf Elite 2.0 Commander RD-6
Next up on this list is the Elite 2.0 Commander RD-6, a six-dart revolver-style pistol that can do both single-fire and slam-fire.
The Elite 2.0 series is the successor to the top-rated N-Strike Elite series that was first released back in 2012. This new series also includes a brand new Elite 2.0 dart, which isn’t actually much different from the standard Elite dart.
The Commander RD-6 in the Elite 2.0 series is a robust pistol that offers decent performance and ergonomics. Loading, priming, and firing with the Commander is a fun process, with a firing velocity of around 70-80 feet per second.
Read my guide to the best Nerf Elite 2.0 guns for a complete list of the best blasters in this series.
| Nerf Elite 2.0 Commander RD-6 | |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2020 |
| Series: | Elite 2.0 |
| Ammunition: | Elite 2.0 Darts |
| More info: | Nerf Elite 2.0 Commander RD-6 review |
3. Nerf Rival Fate XXII-100
The Nerf Rival Fate is a spring-powered, single-shot blaster with a T-pull priming handle and an adjustable rear sight.
What I like the most about this Nerf pistol is the priming and firing mechanism, which is super smooth and intuitive. The T-pull handle, in combination with the breech-loading system, works incredibly well.
The Fate also performs above expectations. I was able to consistently get an FPS in the low 90s, which is really good for such a small blaster.
I actually like the Fate better than the Kronos, but I am keeping the Kronos in the top spot because it has a 5-round firing capacity.
| Nerf Rival Fate XXII-100 | |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2022 |
| Series: | Rival |
| Ammunition: | Accu-Rounds and High-Impact Rounds |
| More info: | Nerf Rival Fate XXII-100 review |
4. Nerf Fortnite SP-L
The Nerf Fortnite series is basically a collaboration between Hasbro and the Fortnite game, with Nerf recreating blasters based on the weapons used in that very same game that has proven to be quite popular.
One of my favorites in this series is the SP-L, which stands for “Suppressed Pistol-Legendary”, and is based on the Suppressed Pistol weapon in Fortnite. It is a spring-powered, sidearm pistol-style blaster with a slide-action priming system. Included with this blaster are 6 Fortnite darts, a barrel, and a set of instructions.
It’s a fun pistol-style blaster with a ridiculously long detachable barrel that makes it look clunky and cool at the same time. The internal magazine holds three darts that can only be fired in single-fire mode.
| Nerf Fortnite SP-L | |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2019 |
| Series: | Fortnite |
| Ammunition: | Fortnite Darts |
| More info: | Nerf Fortnite SP-L review |
5. Nerf Hyper Rush-40
The Nerf Hyper series was introduced in 2021, following the somewhat disappointing new releases of the Ultra and Elite 2.0 series during the two years prior. Similar to Rival, Hyper blasters shoot with rounds rather than with darts. They’re not as powerful as Rival blasters, though, and the Hyper rounds are also smaller than their Rival counterparts.
In my opinion, the best blaster in the Hyper series is the Rush-40, a spring-powered, single-fire pistol blaster with an impressive 40-round firing capacity. You read that correctly: a pistol that can hold 40 rounds of ammunition.
The rounds are loaded into the hopper-style magazine at the top of the blaster. The priming and firing mechanism is very smooth, and the performance overall is something to get excited about.
| Nerf Hyper Rush-40 | |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2021 |
| Series: | Hyper |
| Ammunition: | Hyper Rounds |
6. Nerf Rival Roundhouse XX-1500
The second Rival blaster on this list of best Nerf pistols is the popular Roundhouse XX-1500, a large pistol-style gun with a capacity of 15 rounds.
The Roundhouse features five integrated mini magazines shaped like tubes, with each tube holding three rounds. A rotating turret lets you load the rounds into these little tube magazines. This is quite a unique magazine design, but it seems to work well.
The Roundhouse looks ridiculously big for a pistol, but that’s also the appeal. It has impressive and intimidating looks, and for that reason alone, this blaster deserves your attention.
| Nerf Rival Roundhouse XX-1500 | |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2020 |
| Series: | Rival |
| Ammunition: | High-Impact Rounds |
| More info: | Nerf Rival Roundhouse XX-1500 review |
7. Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor
The streamlined Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor takes the best of the 2013 Elite Strongarm model and upgrades it with a few new design features, an improved look-and-feel, and better loading and firing ergonomics.
First released in 2017, the Disruptor is a small to medium-sized, revolver-style pistol blaster that can hold six Elite darts. It is a single-fire blaster with the ability to slam fire, offering a more than respectable performance.
If you’re looking for a well-performing, easy to use, to-the-point, and affordable Nerf pistol, try the Elite Disruptor. It’s a reliable blaster that won’t disappoint.
| Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor | |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2017 |
| Series: | N-Strike Elite |
| Ammunition: | Elite Darts |
| More info: | Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor review |
What Is a Nerf Pistol?
Before you go out and purchase one of the above sidearm pistols, let’s get a few questions answered.
What Classifies as a Nerf Pistol?
A Nerf pistol is a handgun that can be held and managed with just one hand. Because they are handguns, they are typically small blasters, but size is not the deciding factor. A Nerf pistol can, in fact, come in various shapes and sizes.
A pistol can be a basic single-shot blaster, but it can also be a revolver with a barrel. It can be a semi-automatic blaster, and it can even be a full-automatic blaster.
What Nerf pistols have in common, though, is that they can be held, managed, and fired with just one hand.
Why Use a Nerf Pistol?
If you’re a Nerf newbie, a pistol is perfect to start with. A Nerf pistol is typically very easy to handle, making it suitable for younger kids as well as for older kids who’ve never played with Nerf blasters before.
The other reason you’d want to buy a smaller blaster is that it can work really well as a backup or secondary blaster in Nerf wars. A pistol is easy to carry around and load, and can serve you well as a backup weapon when needed.
Last but not least, Nerf has produced some really cool, iconic, high-quality pistols over the years that deserve to be collector’s items. The Kronos and Disruptor, for example, are excellent Nerf pistols that are just great to have included in your collection.
There you have it, my personal top seven best Nerf pistols currently available. Do you agree, or disagree?
As always, I would love to know your opinion and what your favorite blasters are, so drop a comment if you’d like to share.
Last updated: April 24, 2024
Another really great pistol is the x-shot Reflex 6.
Thanks Paul, will have to try that one out soon.