NERF Gelfire Raid Blaster Review

The Gelfire Raid retains the streamlined form and color scheme of the prior NERF Gelfire entires. The red, orange, gray, and off-white are as eye-catching as ever, but the actual form of the Raid is somewhat plain compared to other NERF blasters. Don’t get us wrong, it’s cool, but it is far more understated. There is a nice patterned finish on the barrel however, which is a nice touch. There’s also a tactical rail up top for attaching a scope if you have one, but the hopper placement on top puts a damper on that prospect.

Once you soak your ammo for 3-4 hours, you can load up the hopper, attach it easily upside down and get to blasting. One thing we really like about the Raid is that it requires no batteries or charging, it’s all manual. As an added effect of it being unburdened by batteries, motors or anything of that sort, it’s also very lightweight. The size and ergonomic form still makes it have a good hand-feel, despite the light weight. Best of both worlds! There is a safety switch right by the trigger which does a great job of locking everything in place when not in use. To fire, pull back the pump, and then pull the trigger. Pulling the pump back is a bit more taxing on the arm than a motorized spring, but it also feels more satisfying as a result. In exchange for the more involved firing, each shot will pack more of a punch, dispensing 5 gel pellets at once! The accuracy is pretty decent despite the spread shot. Also, while automatic Gelfire models would occasionally require a jostle every once in a while to get the gel beads dispensed, we’ve had no issues whatsoever with the Raid!