N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 Blaster

Fab Nerf gun! The rapid fire is rapid, easily get through the 18 darts if keep your finger on the trigger or if you press the trigger as and when then you release a dart at a time. The darts go a reasonable distance too. The scope is slightly out though so if using that, you need to 'master' the difference otherwise it's more of a point, shoot, adjust and shoot etc. Easy to reload the darts into the magazine and assemble. It requires a large battery in order to work (doesn't come with one), the motor is a little noisy but if playing with others/outside their sounds will drown the motor and it's only brief too while there are darts. Delivery was quick although the box it came in was a little on the oversized side but it arrived in good condition.

Stock gun (i.e. with no performance improvements at all): better than mediocre. The rate of fire is around 1.5 darts per second. Range is acceptable for elite nerf guns, but accuracy is very poor owing to a protective flap over the spinning flywheels - note that unlike the Stampede, this IS a flywheel gun, not a plunger system. Gun balance is terrible - the weight of 4 x C-cell batteries in the front makes the gun very front heavy, which younger users may find troublesome. In this aspect, the Stampede ECM was rather better - balance was equally poor, but the weight was at the rear, so that the shoulder could be used, rather than levering down on the arms. Apart from the weight problem, this gun looks and feels *superb*: Nerf have really succeeded with a weapon that conveys the sense of an assault rifle - while *simultaneously* producing a silhouette that is far enough from that of a real firearm that it should not arouse problems in public. I did not use the gun enough before modifying it to check on battery life with C-cells. However, with an upgraded power pack (which should discharge *faster* than C-cells, and probably have a smaller capacity), I have not had to recharge once after several multiple-hour session of use. I would estimate at least 8-10 hours of "combat" should be fine. This is also an excellent base platform for Nerf warriors to improve upon. The accuracy can be dramatically improved by the removal of the translucent rubber safety flap over the flywheels. Due to the low torque of the motors, and low friction of the flywheels, this does not pose any significant safety risks. The rate of fire can be improved by upgrading the battery (I use a 2-cell Li-ion pack, which both dramatically improves available power and reduces the balance problems, due to being lighter), and by some judicious modifications to the internal electronics. Even with a doubled rate of fire, it is quite possible to squeeze off individual darts: you just need a bit of trigger discipline. The need to pick up darts and refill magazines may help teach this to new users!

I have to say after reading reports I was worried about this new Elite Dart Thrower. Sticking mechanism, jamming, returned after a few hours and it going wrong etc. Once out of the box I found this to be slightly true. I had to remove a crew from near the front of the magazine port to allow an internal switch to move freely. This almost totally eliminated the jamming problem and allowed the gun to fire. After that (just because I know what I was looking for) it worked like a charm and never jammed. Shoots like a dream and incredibly fast firing, really batters the opposition. Well recommended, but if you have problems look it up on YouTube first before you send it back.

I got my hands on the NERF N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 Blaster, and let me tell you, it's been a blast! First off, let's talk about the quality. This blaster is well-built and sturdy, with a sleek design that looks and feels great. The rapid-fire action is smooth and satisfying, and the darts fly with impressive accuracy. Packaging-wise, it arrived securely packaged in a box, so there were no worries about damage during shipping. Amazon's delivery service was excellent – despite opting for standard shipping, the blaster arrived quickly and in perfect condition. One thing I really appreciate about this blaster is its versatility. Whether you're engaging in an epic NERF battle with friends or just blasting targets in the backyard, the Rapidstrike CS-18 delivers hours of fun and excitement. Overall, I couldn't be happier with my purchase. The NERF N-Strike Elite Rapidstrike CS-18 Blaster is a must-have for any NERF enthusiast, and Amazon's great service made the whole buying experience a breeze. Highly recommend!

This is nerf's fastest firing automatic (yes, it's faster than the overly-coverted rhino, although the rhino is so badass xD. We did a comparison of them both at my local assassins guild). The range is very decent too for a semi-automatic nerf gun. It requires 6C batteries, and it is fairly heavy, although the weight is significantly less than any other nerf semi-automatic. However, this gun cannot receive 5 stars as the magazine is dreadful. It jammed all the time. I tried lubricating it (determining which lubricator was suitable for ABS plastic took a while) and even after using this on the magazine it did not help. My solution to this was to buy the nerf rampage and use the 25-dart drum for that gun (actually the 18-mag works fine in the rampage because even if the mag jams it's not a problem since the mag is sideways so gravity no longer holds the bullets in the mag) in the rapidstrike. Having a 25 dart drum (vs 18-dart mag) is better anyway in the rapidstrike (more darts the merrier :D ) Conclusion: If you want a semi-auto gun and have about £50 to waste (wait for an offer to appear on the guns) then this is the gun for you. It's nerf's finest semi-auto. It's the lightest and the fastest firing with a very decent range. However, I think you will need to get a 25 dart drum for this. I'm giving it 3 stars because it's annoying that I had to pay an extra £20 on the rampage to get this working effectively.

Awesome fun, I bought 4 guns to have battles with my mates and their children. This is my primary weapon, I have 2 additional clips. The gun is big and bulky it requires battery's and is noisy because of the rapid fire mechanism. It has a sliding and lock out stock. I made a shoulder strap for mine and the others owned by my mates son. Its about the fun at the end of the day and watching your mate and his wife being shot in the ass by their 8 year old is epic. I have an elite jolt as a baby backup a strongarm 8 shooter and a firestrike blaster for a backup. Yes I am a 35 year old guy, but when your up against a 7, 8, 10 and 11 year old it's war, last time we had a play fight I got taken out by my mates 6 year old daughter with an outstanding rebound shot off the living room celling. The only problem with nerf is the cleanup after. But it's good harmless clean fun. My one suggestion if you are going to buy these guns for battles like ours get some eye protection for the children we use paintball masks because it covers the whole face and look cool.

The gun is fairly heavy but an 8yr old would easily handle it. It shoots it's load in seconds (it's pretty excitable ;) ). Had to return though as the fire button broke immediately and would only intermediately operate the gun... Got the feeling it's rather cheaply made and this won't be the only one with this fault! On the whole I'd advise against it as it feels extremely fragile and poorly made, it also jams frequently too... Far too complicated mechanism.

This is the best nerf rifle. It out classes every other gun for its combination of power, range, capacity and ease of use. It is very good but they shift around which one is on sale so shop around for the best deal if this is at full price when you read this review. It does use up 4 C sized batteries after 9 hours of use and I only keep the motor revving when I intend to fire. After those 9 hours the first shot will almost always jam but for an experienced nerf gun user this is only an annoyance. Get some rechargeables if you can and you will never have this problem. Oh yeah and buy more clips, you will go through lots of darts