Nerf’s new N-Strike Elite RaptorStrike is one of the most satisfying blasters we’ve ever gotten our hands on. And we’re here to give you a sneak peak of what it has to offer.
Gizmodo is on a mission to to check out the best new blasters in Australia. The NEW N-Strike Elite RaptorStrike features darts designed for greater accuracy! Hit the mark with the precision of Nerf’s most accurate dart.
What is the Nerf N-Strike Elite Accustrike RaptorStrike?
The RaptorStrike is part of Nerf’s 2017 Accustrike series. Like the name suggests, Accustrike is supposed to be more accurate than previous blasters. A big part of this are the redesigned darts, which have spiraled, rifled tips.
Don’t worry though, the RaptorStrike will still take your arsenal of classic Elite darts — but they won’t have that extra level of improved accuracy.
The main features of the RaptorStrike include:
- Greater Accuracy
- Bolt-action
- Extendable bipod
- Pop-up sight
- 18 AccuStrike darts
Sticking with the Accustrike aesthetic, the RaptorStrike comes in bright orange with matte greys along the handgrip, bolt, stock and extendable bipod. The two clips come in white, and there are also white accents to compliment the grey on the stock — and a see-through section so you can check how many darts you have in reserve.
For such a large blaster, assembly is surprisingly easy. It comes in four main pieces out of the box — all you have to install is the bolt and the extendable bipod and insert your additional clip into the stock. Voila!
What’s it like?
In short — really fun to use!
When it comes to firing, the RaptorStrike is probably the most satisfying Nerf blaster I’ve used. Pulling back the bolt *feels* good. Plus, it fires really quickly, which I didn’t actually expect from something that is bolt-action.
The bipod adds extra stability for when you’re you’re going into sniper mode. Which makes sense because the size and build certainly makes the blaster seem like it was built for this function. The fact that the bipod is extendable also means that you have options for how high you set it, which is a neat feature. However, we did find that they aren’t the smoothest to unlock at times. It can take a little wiggling, even with the button release mechanism.
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The pop-up sight is interesting, as it has clearly been added for Nerf enthusiasts who are serious about accuracy. However, the plastic itself isn’t magnifying and only includes arrows on the side. Without a centre marker or line segment you may not be able to pinpoint a target as closely as you would like to.
Also, unlike previous blasters in Nerf’s N-Strike series, including the Alphahawk, there is no top rail to add your own tactical scope. The bipod inclusion implies that this blaster can be used for sniping situations, which is when you’re really going to want that greater accuracy.
One could argue that if you’re using AccuStrike darts there’s no need to add a scope. But again, the Alphahawk had one. That being said, some might say that tactical scopes are useless in general, so it doesn’t really matter. Regardless, the RaptorStrike has a built-in pop-up sight, so you can use it if you want.
The Raptorstrike gifts you with two triggers within the guard — one for firing and one for releasing the magazine. The idea is that in one fluid movement you can fire and then push your finger forward to release an empty mag. It’s a cool concept, but does take some getting used to comfort-wise.
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Speaking of which, the grip feels really nice to hold — the rubber grooving really secures your hand position and prevents slippage when you’re in a tight spot.
If you’re like me and often forget if your blaster is ready to fire, the priming-indicator above the trigger will let you know. If you see a green strip, you know it’s primed and ready to go. If not, pull back that bolt.
Having an extra clip in the stock is also a cool feature. Once you know your way around the RaptorStrike a little better there’s no reason why you can’t release your empty clip and reload the new one in a couple of quick movements. It’s really convenient and I wish I had that when I was at Zedtown.
As we discovered with our Alphahawk accuracy test, the AccuStrike darts live up to their name once again. This is mostly due to the fact that the accuracy itself comes down to the darts, not the blaster. Once again, when we tested the AccuStrikes against the Elites, we got a much better result with the former.
All in all, the RaptorStrike is really fun to play around with. If you’re a fan of big blasters that can shoot fast and accurately (with the right ammo of course) you’ll enjoy it. You’ll be able to get your hands on one of these bad boys in September and it will retail for $99.99.