How Nerf guns work?

Nerf guns are toy plastic guns that shoot foam darts with tips that are usually made of Velcro for them to stick easier on Nerf vests and are also suction cups on its tips. The suction cups could stick to smooth surfaces and are made to fit in magazines. Other ammo features are whistling while in flight, glow in the dark, and they could be changed into different designs and colors.

Most Nerf guns have strategic rails that could hold various attachments, and some could be attached to special devices such as barrel extensions and socks.

That’s basically what a Nerf gun is, while there are different ways how it could work. 

These are the ways how Nerf guns could work:

Topping the list is making it semi-automatic or automatic by using a motor to drawback and to release the spring.

Next is through air pressure or air pump system. You need to pump the air into the pressure chamber, pull the trigger or flip a ball valve, then press the button to fire.

The latest is using two spinning flywheels on motors, and you need to just pull the trigger to push the dart into the flywheel. This would make it semi-auto, and by motorizing the trigger, it could be transformed to fully automatic.

And the most commonly used in Nerf guns is the plunger system, wherein the user of the gun simply load the ammo and pulls the slides mechanism back. There’s a mechanism in the gun that could be pulled back and is only ready to use when the user pulls the trigger that would launch the dart forward. 

The plunger system works as air is plunged into the dart chamber that would create pressure that would push the dart forward and could be fired precisely. The Nerf N-Strike series uses this, while other Nerf guns use the air pump system that requires the user to pump air into it.

Watch the video below to see for yourself how they work.

What are the different loading mechanisms of Nerf guns?

• The most common loading method is outing manually the darts in and to cock the gun back
• There are some gun that rotates to load the darts in
• Some are more complex which use an electric motor to draw the darts through a magazine
• The most popular now is to use a magazine that uses a spring to be able to load the new darts in

Generally, Nerf guns work almost the same as after loading the ammo. The piston is pulled back against the force of the spring. When the user pulls the trigger launching the dart forward, the gun is ready to work and be fired. Depending on the Nerf models and blasters, the mechanism might vary but would work around these principles and various loading mechanisms. 

After Thoughts

Hasbro had mastered the art of manufacturing safe and quality Nerf guns that takes consideration of children as their valued market. 

All safety measures are considered along with the designs, functionality, and playability of each Nerf guns they release in the market. 

They have Nerf guns, too, under the Rival series that are designed for teens and adults as they make sure they cater to all ages, and they have age-appropriate Nerf guns that everyone could enjoy.