NERF Elite 2.0 Commander RD-6 Dart Blaster, 12 Darts, 6-Dart Rotating Drum, Outdoor Toys, Ages 8 and Up

I grabbed the NERF Elite 2.0 Commander RD-6 for outdoor fun, and it delivers exactly what you’d want from a blaster in this category. Right out of the box it feels solid — not cheap-feeling plastic, and everything fits together well. The 6-dart rotating drum is awesome for quick follow-up shots without having to constantly prime between each one. Pull the trigger, and it fires reliably every time with plenty of range for backyard battles. It comes with 12 darts, so you can load up the drum and have extras ready to swap in — that’s perfect for keeping the action going without constant reloading. The ergonomic grip feels good in hand, and the size is just right for kids and adults alike. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense blaster that’s easy to use, shoots straight, and keeps the fun going outdoors, this is a solid pick. Solid build, fun performance, and no drama — just reliable Nerf blasting.

My ProChrono Digital chronograph measured the speed of the darts fired by this stock Nerf Commander blaster at an average of 73 feet per second (FPS) using Nerf Elite 2.0 darts (it is capable of shooting any blue, green, white, orange, yellow, Accustrike, or any decorated darts). The typical average velocity of a Nerf Elite blaster is 65-70 FPS, so this blaster is an overachiever in this regard. The Commander has Slam-fire. For those who don’t know what that is, it is the ability to fire off darts in rapid succession by holding down the firing trigger and repeatedly priming the blaster to fire a dart off every time it is primed, resulting in some semblance of rapid fire. The tradeoff of using this function is often the reduced accuracy due to the shaking of the blaster while it is being furiously primed. Being a top-priming slide blaster does not help this pistol’s aim either, but at least it has a rear shoulder stock attachment point. I have found that the Nerf Elite Stockade’s shoulder stock is ideal in fit and function since it holds spare darts that you will need to reload the Commander’s meager 6-dart capacity. This is one dart more than the Nerf Elite Spectre, the original Spec-Ops rear-stock and front-barrel attachment springer blaster; I see the Commander as a reiteration of that ghost. The Commander has Slam-fire where the Spectre didn’t. The reloading on the Commander is much easier than what was once a button-push-and-pop-out-cylinder on the Spectre. You simply reload a few darts, rotate the cylinder, then reload the rest. But that is easier said than done if you are in a Nerf War (competitive “Nerfers” would never be caught armed with this as their primary blaster in such a useless situation). Another improvement is the 3 tactical rails located: 1 above the front barrel, 1 under the cylinder, and 1 oddly placed under the pistol grip as a part of the hand guard. The hand guard makes the grip a bit cramped for people with larger hands. Ergonomics are slightly affected by that fact, but for most I believe it will suffice. I do not like the micro faux-sling-mount aesthetic at the bottom- rear portion of the pistol grip because it serves no purpose but to be annoying to your hand. Perhaps even worse than the “tooth” aesthetic just below it (which also serves no functional purpose, by the way. I know, I have tried to use it to prime other top-priming blasters; It slips). The shell plastic parts are somewhat appealing. The large orange “ELITE 2.0” label shows well. The painted name and NERF logo on one side and not the other is consistent with the cost-cutting habits that Hasbro has implemented on most Nerf products. As far as cheapness goes, I am hearing a lot of rattling and squeaking of the plastic going on during operation of the Commander. In conclusion, it is a wonder if this product will last the test of time. The Spectre that the Commander embodies did not last very long before breaking, but perhaps this blaster will take after the Elite Strongarm (and last through the ages). I can see this being something to use to casually play around with in a close quarters (CQB) indoor or in-office use. In that light, perhaps there are smaller options that offer the same performance. This blaster is rather on the large side for what it is: The multiple Nerf Accessory attachment points contribute to the blaster’s problem with being over-sized and difficult to holster. And a primary blaster typically has an onboard dart capacity that exceeds a mere handful of darts. The creakiness of the plastic shell and internal parts do not give one the sense of confidence in the dependability and longevity of this blaster. At face value, the Commander is definitely a winner compared to just about all the other blasters in the failed Elite 2.0 family line, touting a decent FPS performance and not failing at everything else it was set out to do unlike almost all of it’s brethren. We will just have to see if that fact matters any in due time.

This Nerf gun is a blast to play with and perfect even for a 6-year-old. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and powerful enough to be fun without being overwhelming. The design is simple, so kids can figure it out quickly, and it keeps them entertained for a long time. Great for indoor or outdoor play, and adults can join in too. Overall, it’s a fun, safe, and well-made toy that I’d definitely recommend. Just make sure you have plenty of ammo around

Got this for the Marines toy drive, but I'm sure there's a happy little kid having fun right now with this

Lots of fun. They fly a good distance. The kids enjoy them. My kids line up cans & shoot them down. I get them toys & they play with them once & thats it. But they play with these alot. The quality is great for the price. No jamming or malfunctions.

This nerf gun wass for my Sons birthday. He loved it.

I wanted a foam flinging blaster for a little indoor target practice to break up some of my work from home days and this fit the bill perfectly. This won out over a Nerf Rival Kronos for my use case and this review also compares my purchasing decision of the Elite 2.0 Commander over the Kronos. Pros: Sleek design complimented by its cool color scheme, and I think it's more stylish than the boxy design of the plain blue, red and white Rival line. I appreciate the smaller and slimmer profile, rotating drum, easier priming and quieter shooting given its use of slugs at a slower FPS than Rival balls. You can easily tell when it's primed by looking through the vents on the side and there are five attachment points, which is kind of crazy for a pistol blaster. It comes with a dozen slugs, has 2 sling points, and for less than $10 at the time of this review, the Commander is an incredible bargain. I even like the little tip on the bottom grip, as if the designers over at Nerf took some inspiration from the John Wick movies, and Nerf Wick is totally a thing on YouTube. The fun slam-fire mode is an added bonus. Cons: It doesn't seem like there are official Elite 2.0 attachments for separate purchase, at least at the time of the review, so this feels like a missed opportunity. I would love the option to attach an official Elite 2.0 stock, barrel, optics, vertical or angle grip and maybe the last rail for a clip to carry surplus rounds. There are third party options but I'd prefer official Nerf attachments in the same Elite 2.0 color scheme. Hopefully Nerf has some planned and will release official Elite 2.0 attachments at a later date. The slugs also fire less accurately than Rival balls so it's more about general direction of fire rather without any iron sights (think the Quake game of the 90s with no default crosshair).

Fits any bullets. I have kids multiple ages and they all can use it by themselves. My kids love it. Doesn't jam. Good quality and durable.

Great price, works well, and the kids absolutely love it. Fun and easy to use!

Good quality toy gun, build quality is really good. Price is also ok. Overall good purchase.

Shoots straight. Fun

Muy buen juguete, para diferentes edades

Love it very powerful and impressive bought it for my 3 year old and he loves it shooting it loading it and learnt it fast highly recommend with supervision