Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 10:48 pm
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Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 10:48 pm
If there’s a toy that deserves credit for making me feel empowered as a child, it has to be the Nerf gun. With names like the Vortex Nitron, the Retaliator, and the Rampage, it’s no surprise why it continues to be in-demand and not only for kids but also a slightly older age group.
However, no matter how much I enjoyed playing with it, there were also times it didn’t go easy on me. Yes, I’m referring to one of the most annoying problems that accompanies every Nerf gun, and it’s “jamming.”
So if you’re wondering how to stop Nerf gun jamming, you’ve come to the right place.
The key to getting your Nerf gun to perform to the highest level is removing the internal trigger lock that often causes jamming.
Below I will go more into how to prevent your Nerf gun from jamming.
What Causes Nerf Gun Jamming?
Often, when your dart isn’t in the firing position, the trigger lock (which appears as a small “L” shaped piece of plastic) can stop the trigger from moving. Moreover, since Nerf darts are soft and sometimes unable to lift the lock entirely clear, it may cause your trigger to jam.
How to Stop Nerf Gun Jamming?
So you’re about to shoot some Nerf gun bullets but notice that the trigger isn’t working. What a bummer! Now that you know the trigger is jammed, you have to clear it out, and here’s what I’ve learned over the years.
One of the simplest fixes to this problem is pulling your trigger back in the barrel.
However, unfortunately, regular jamming isn’t the only concern that accompanies Nerf guns. You will also always be running the risk of getting other culprits inside, such as sand, dirt, and water.
Can Nerf Guns Get Wet?
Wet Nerf guns are always a possibility, but if you let them stay that way for long, you could end up jamming the internals, taking the grease away in the plunger, causing rusting in the metal parts, and basically, bringing the entire performance down to nothing.
Also, there’s always a chance that you may be underestimating the ability of water to get inside your Nerf gun.
You don’t necessarily have to take it underwater or put it in the sink for water to get into the system. Rain and snow are often the most common reasons behind your Nerf gun screws and springs starting to rust eventually.
Keep Your Nerf Gun Away From the Following
Keep your Nerf gun in the cold, and it gets brittle. Keep it in humidity, and you ruin its internal functioning. Sometimes there’s absolutely no way to save your Nerf gun from external elements unless you lock it up in a safe closet or something.
However, what’s even the point of it if you can’t play in different weather conditions. Thanks to over a zillion experiences of buying new Nerf guns due to faulty internal functioning and rusting, here’s some valuable information I’ve managed to learn over the years.
➢ Weather isn’t the real culprit. It’s the conditions that accompany it. So your Nerf gun can give a great output anytime and anywhere as long as you learn not to expose it to one condition excessively.
➢ The real culprits you should steer clear of are water, dirt, sand, and mud.
➢ Unless you know how to properly clear all the nooks and corners of your Nerf gun, it’s best to avoid playing in the rain or snow.
What Happens To The Metal In A Nerf Gun?
Stainless parts of the Nerf gun are often safe from impact, but metal parts could rust in a matter of hours. So, to keep your gun functioning for the longest time, you’ll have to ensure that the dirt never gets mixed with water.
If you do end up getting in this pickle, make sure to disassemble your Nerf gun and let it rest to dry for at least a couple of hours.
Rubbing vs. Dabbing
In cases where you use a towel to clean up any mess on the inner or outer parts of the gun, know that dabbing is always better than rubbing. This is because the cloth fibers tend to be sensitive, and rubbing can easily cause them to get inside, further worsening the conditions.
Why Else Do Nerf Darts Not Work?
While most people assume that jamming is the root cause of every problem, that isn’t entirely true. Nerf guns with darts are particularly vulnerable as darts tend to get thin.
Since thin darts don’t seal too well in the chamber, your shooting range is severely reduced because of lost air pressure. Sometimes, thin darts even slip out of the barrels on external loading guns as the air restrictors push against them.
Can You Make Your Own Nerf Gun Bullets?
Tough times call for tough measures, and once your purchased darts thin out and die, you will have no choice but to make your own, or at least that’s how I made ends meet.
Here’s the stuff you need to make your own Nerf darts.
➢ Foam backer rod
➢ BB’s or any other weights
➢ Hot glue gun
All you have to do is cut your darts, weigh them, cut your foam backer rod, take the blank darts, put them into a stand, and you’re ready to go Nerf.
Final Thoughts
In the end, knowing how to stop Nerf gun jamming will save you from the hassle of getting a new gun every time there’s a minor incident of something going inside it. The lesson to take here is never to expose your guns to water, dirt, sand, etc., for a long time.
Even if you end up doing so, either leave it to dry or clean up every inch of the toy from the inside out.
Again, sometimes it’s hard to determine what may have caused your Nerf gun to jam, but as long as you steer clear of predictable aspects, it should be working to the optimum level for years to come.
Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 10:48 pm
