- With each new release of a blaster, Nerf makes attempts to distinguish them from previously released blasters
- Most of the differences between the Nerf Strongarm and Disruptor are found on the exterior of the blaster
- While the blasters are nearly identical to each other, the Disruptor is able to propel darts 15 feet further than the Strongarm
- One blaster may be a better match for you in one circumstance and the other the right choice in another
- Visit Blaster Pros for more stories!
Whether or not you are new to the Nerfing world, you have most likely come across at least one of these two common blasters, the Nerf Strongarm and the Nerf Disruptor.
The two blaster were released with a four year gap between them. Almost every new blaster released by Nerf there is some method taken in order to set it apart from the previously released blasters. Whether this is a simple reshelling or a complete overhaul of the blaster released before, even the rerelease of the same blaster often looks notably different.
However, with the Nerf Strongarm and Nerf Disruptor, not only do the two blasters look nearly identical but their inner workings are practically carbon copies of each other. To make the Nerf Strongarm and Disruptor even more indistinguishable from each other they were both released under the same series and sport nearly identical paint jobs. Of course, there are a few exceptions and differences between the two blasters.
Read more about the many series of blasters here: How many Nerf guns are there? (Hint: much more than you think!).
Because these blasters look so similar, it may be difficult to discover which of them is the better blaster. Before you make a decision to purchase either the Nerf Strongarm or the Nerf Disruptor keep reading to find out how these blaster compare to one another and which is the better blaster for you!
Nerf Strongarm
The Nerf Strongarm was formally released in 2013 to the N-Strike Elite Series and quickly replaced its predecessor the Maverick as the revolver Nerf blaster to have in your household.
Prior to the official release of the Nerf Strongarm, a blaster matching the description and model of the Strongarm was sold on ebay in 2012 for over a thousand dollars.
The Nerf Strongarm includes many awesome features and is therefore considered to be one of the best Nerf blasters for modifying. Learn more by reading this article: Which Nerf Gun Is Best for Modifications?.
While a small handgun revolver, the Nerf Strongarm has blasting power that keeps up with the rest of the Elite Series blasters. This means that the Nerf Strongarm is capable of launching darts at a range up to 75 feet!
Want to add even more power to you Nerf Strongarm? Try out one of these incredible mods and see outstanding improvement in your blaster: How to Mod a Nerf Strongarm: Improve your Strongman with these Mods!.
That being said, because the Disruptor is so similar to the Nerf Strongarm most modifications for one blaster are also compatible with the other.
Like the Maverick the Nerf Strongarm featured a cylinder that slides out of the blaster on a set of hinges at the push of a button. This makes it easier to quickly reload the blaster during a Nerf battle.
Order the Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm for your collection and start blasting the competition away by clicking here!
The Strongarm has a short muzzle with rifling inside and features a single tactical rail for attachments on top of the blaster. The Nerf Strongarm is also capable of slam fire blasting to help you come out on top in your next Nerf war.
Learn more about the history and features of the Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm on Nerf Wiki!
Nerf Disruptor
The Nerf Disruptor was released in 2017 under the N-Strike Elite Series is looks almost identical to the Nerf N-Strike Elite Strongarm. The most notable difference between the two blasters is the open front of the gun.
Upon closer inspection, one might notice that unlike the cylinder of the Strongarm, the Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor does not drop out of the blaster; rather, the cylinder is fixed in place. This accounts for the open front of the blaster to ensure that easier reloading is still achievable.
Get the Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor for your Nerf arsenal off of Amazon by clicking here!
Also featuring slam fire capabilities, the revolver style Nerf Disruptor can fire darts up to an astounding range of 90 feet!
Want to add even more power to your Nerf Disruptor? Follow along with the video below in order to learn all about how to modify your Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor to be one of the best blasters in your collection!
On top of the blaster, you will see a tactical rail for adding attachments to improve blaster performance. On the bottom of the Disruptor, one will find two attachment points for a carrying strap. With these carrying points, you can easily keep the Dirsupotor in your reserves in battle while holding your primary blaster. Swap between the two as needed!
Learn more about the Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor from Nerf Wiki by clicking here!
Similarities and Differences
Both the Nerf Strongarm and Nerf Disruptor are some of the most reliable and handy Nerf revolver models you can take with you into your next blasting battle.
Not only are both blasters extremely helpful in battle, but they are almost identical in both looks and internal systems.
Both of the two revolver Nerf blasters feature slam fire capabilities that are activated by holding down the trigger and repeatedly pulling the priming slide backwards.
The internal workings of the Nerf Disruptor and the Nerf Strongarm are nearly 100 identical. The only difference in how the guns work is that the trigger systems are slightly different between the two models.
Another difference between these two blaster is seen in the cylinders. As already was mentioned, the Nerf Disruptor uses a cylinder that is fixed in place in the blaster while the Nerf Strongarm features a drop out cylinder that is enclosed by the front of the blaster shell.
Because the Nerf Disruptors cylinder does not open up out of the blaster for easier loading and reloading the front of the blaster was removed to show more spots of the chamber. This makes the blaster easier to load in a rapid fire Nerf war.
Even though these two blaster are extremely similar they each come out on top in different situations.
For example, as was mentioned earlier, the Nerf Strongarm is easily modded and is therefore a highly sought after blaster by many Nerf modders.
However, if you are looking for a blaster that will deliver superior power without any additional work or projects, then the Nerf N-Strike Elite Distruptor is the blaster for you. With a firing range of up to 90 feet there is no need for modifications to get the distance and accuracy you desire.
Learn more about these two blaster by watching the comparison video below!
People Also Ask
What is the most powerful Nerf blaster?
With hundreds of Nerf blasters being sold on the market currently and many more having already been retired, it can prove to be quite difficult identifying the blaster with the most power.
However, an article by Popular Mechanics identified the Nerf Vulcan EBF-25 as the “most powerful Nerf gun ever”. The Vulcan EBF-25 is also known in some countries as the Havok Fire EBF-25.
While the Nerf Vulcan EBF-25 can fire darts one at a time, its fully automatic system allows it to clear the 25 dart clip in almost 10 seconds flat!
Although the Nerf Vulcan EBF-25 launches darts at an extremely fast rate, it is only capable of propelling those darts over a distance of 35 feet. In terms of distance, this blaster certainly does not claim the title of most powerful.
Read the full article on Popular Mechanics here!
As we learned earlier, the revolver style, spring powered Disruptor is able to launch darts over a distance more than double that of the Vulcan EBF-25.
The most comparable blaster to the Vulcan EBF-25 is the Nerf N-Strike Rhino Fire. The Rhino Fire is a grown up Vulcan and features not only one but TWO 25 dart drums to blast at your competition. While the Rhino Fire might look extremely similar to the Vulcan EBF-25, it varies drastically in blasting power.
The Rhino Fire is capable of launching darts at an alarming rate over a distance of 100 feet. With this kind of fire power, you could easily say you have one of the most powerful Nerf blasters ever.
Get a Nerf N-Strike Rhino Fire of your own here!
Another dart blaster that could claim to be the most powerful is the Nerf MEGA Centurion. Not only can this blaster launch MEGA sized darts, but it does so over a distance of up to 100 feet!
This means that the Centurion packs a bigger punch over a greater distance than most other Nerf blasters, potentially giving it the title of most powerful blaster ever.
Which Nerf gun hurts the most?
Nerf guns are specifically designed to be used by young children and teenagers. For this reason, Nerf blasters include a collection of internal restrictor mechanisms to protect your blaster from causing anyone pain.
However, just like in all other aspects of life, accidents can happen with your Nerf blaster.
The most common injuries to result from Nerf gun use are to the eyes. As a sensitive and exposed area these areas are more likely to be injured by a stray dart than any other part of the body.
If you are shot in the eye you, depending on the type of blaster your foam bullet wound might result in bruising, blurry vision, burst blood vessels, and more. Remind your children not to play with headshot in order to avoid these kinds of injuries.
Read more about Nerf guns and eye injuries here: Can Nerf Guns Hurt My Kids Eyes?.
However, if you do not trust your child to remember this rule quite yet– they may be a little too young to understand certain safety precautions– it is best to avoid Nerf guns with large amounts of power. These blasters are likely to be those that are electronically powered. Another type of blaster to avoid, would be those that fire any kind of ammunition other than the standard Nerf darts.
The blasters that fall into these categories are those in the Nerf Rival and Nerf Vortex Series. Both series feature motorized systems in many of their blasters and use types of ammunition that are different from the standard N-Strike darts.
The Nerf Rival Series blasters fire small, but dense, foam balls; meanwhile, the Nerf Vortex Series blasters fire small plastic discs. If you were to be hit in the eye or at a close range from a blaster in one of these series it is likely to cause more damage or pain than any other Nerf blaster series– especially vortex blasters.
If you are looking for a Nerf blaster for your young child, start them off with a small blaster from the N-Strike Series until they can responsibly play without headshots.
Conclusion
Every Nerf blaster is different. Even two blaster as similar as the Nerf Strongarm and the Nerf Disruptor feature disparities drastic enough to set themselves apart from each other in a variety of ways.
Depending on your reasons for purchasing a Nerf blaster one blaster might be better for you than the other, and vice versa.
For example, the Nerf Strongarm is easily modded and therefore catches the eye of Nerfers looking to build their blaster modding skill sets. On the other hand, the Nerf Disruptor provides raw power without any additional modifications and is therefore more desirable for those looking for a battle ready blaster. But do not forget, the Nerf Disruptor is compatible with most of the Nerf Strongarm mods and can therefore also be easily taken to the next level!
Find the right blaster for your needs and use it to conquer at your next Nerf battle!
Learn More
If you are interested, here is a link to everything Nerf on Amazon.