Nerf toy guns with projectiles

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. Hospital admission

   Made Apr 6, 2026 · , sent to the company Apr 15, 2026 · , published by CPSC Apr 29, 2026

   The product, in the report: The produce is the nerf dog ball launcher. It is blue and orange and launches tennis balls

   I was sold a toy at tjmaxx without the packaging on it. The toy was the nerf dog ball launcher. My 4 year old was loading it with a tennis ball and his hand got stuck in the launcher. The springs had his entire had and the ball stuck. As he was screaming it took us over 5 minutes to get his out. We had to unscrew every single screw and eventually had to use all of my force and husbands force to rip the plastic to pieces to get his hand free. This toy is not safe for anyone and she be designed better to avoid this. His fingers came out bruised and bleeding and we did have to take him to the ER.

   Bought from

   Tjmaxx in the superstition mall Mesa az

   Bought

   Apr 2, 2026

   Where

   Mesa, Arizona: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 4, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Child

   As this report names them

   Brand Nerf, made or sold by Gramercy Products, LLC

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Hospital Admission

2. Hurt, care not known

   Made Jan 12, 2025 · , sent to the company Jan 17, 2025 · , published by CPSC Feb 3, 2025

   The product, in the report: The toy is labeled as the Nerf Pro Sender and is a white, grey, and orange colored foam dart gun styled to look like a futuristic submachine gun. It is sold by Hasbro.

   My 8 year old daughter wanted a foam dart gun to play with a friend. We went to toy section of Target where they had a variety foam dart guns to choose from. The toy she selected for herself was a Nerf Pro Sender which was on the shelf with all the other toy guns. When we arrived home we setup the gun and fired a test shot to see how it operated. As my daughter bent over to pick up the dart across the yard, I fired at her and hit her in the buttocks. She immediately started screaming and crying. I had my wife fire the gun at me to experience the feeling first hand and was shocked my how powerful the gun was and that it left a welt on my skin through jeans.

   Upon closer inspection of the packaging we realized the unqualified “14+” printed on the front meant “14 years of age or older”. The warning, found on front of all foam dart guns, indicated that it was not a toy and intended for people 14 years of age or older. The warning is a simple white text on a grey background that in no way stands out compared to anything else on the packaging.

   I feel like the warnings and age restrictions printed on the box are done so a way to make them difficult to interpret and easily overlooked. By the manufacturer’s own claim, it is not a toy yet it is packaged and sold as a toy in the toy section of the store. I’m confident that any child could go into a store and purchase this product without an adult and without anyone questioning it.

   This gun shoots darts at up to 150 feet per second which is enough to cause retina detachment to anyone hit in the eye with it.

   Model

   Nerf Pro Sender, SG-71006

   UPC

   195166267791

   Bought from

   Target

   Bought

   Jan 11, 2025

   Where

   Carlsbad, California: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 8, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Child

   As this report names them

   Brand Nerf, made or sold by HASBRO INC.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Level of care not known

3. First aid

   Made Jul 2, 2022 · , sent to the company Jul 6, 2022 · , published by CPSC Jul 20, 2022

   The product, in the report: Nerf DinoSquad Stegosmash Dart Blaster an orange and blue dinosaur inspired gun like toy with 4 dart holder

   I was using a nerf gun playing with my family and the trigger part of this gun was able to catch in my skin and puncture it leaving a bruise. I was using the product in its intended way so reloading the bullet when the trigger was pulled my arm was too close to the area where it pulls back. The product name is Nerf DinoSquad Stegosmash Dart Blaster

   Model

   dinosquad stegosmash

   Serial number

   F080502961

   Bought from

   WALMART

   Bought

   Dec 15, 2020, about then

   Where

   ALBANY, New York: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 26, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Nerf, made or sold by HASBRO INC.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional

4. First aid

   Made Dec 8, 2019 · , sent to the company Jan 6, 2020 · , published by CPSC Jan 28, 2020

   The product, in the report: NERF Rival Atlas toy blaster -- has an elongated oval shaped opening in the side where her thumb got caught

   My 12 year old child got her thumb caught in an opening of the side of the NERF Rival Atlas toy. The toy was compressing her thumb tightly, and it was very painful. We could not get her thumb out with water and oil. We tried to crow-bar the toy open without success. We were concerned that the toy may cut off circulation to her thumb, and we actually called 911 during the frenzy of trying to get her thumb out. Finally, we found a screwdriver to open the toy. We applied ice after the incident. Fortunately we think her thumb is not broken, but her thumb still hurts.

   Model

   Rival Atlas XVI-1200 B3857

   Where

   Unspecified: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 12, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Child

   As this report names them

   Brand NERF, made or sold by HASBRO INC.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional

5. Emergency room

   Made Mar 12, 2018 · , sent to the company Jun 19, 2018 · , published by CPSC Jul 11, 2018

   The product, in the report: toy gun with foam tip darts - 72811F

   (02/25/2018) The consumer and her 12 year old grandson were having a battle with the Nerf guns. The rule for the game was not to shoot at the head. Her grandson accidentally shot the consumer in the pupil of her right eye with one of the darts.

   The consumer stated that she could not focus and saw flashes of gray orbs.

   The consumer went to the emergency room at [REDACTED]. The consumer had to go to an ophthalmologist for treatments.

   The consumer stated that the manufacturer should recommend that users of the product wear goggles.

   Model

   Elite Disrupter

   Bought from

   Meijers, Michigan

   Bought

   Feb 23, 2018

   Where

   Unspecified: Unspecified

   Who was involved

   Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Nerf, made or sold by HASBRO INC.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received

6. Emergency room

   Made Sep 20, 2017 · , sent to the company Jan 18, 2018 · , published by CPSC Feb 2, 2018

   The product, in the report: Hasbro: Nerf Gun, Firestrike Elite with the Nerf Elite bullets

   On Aug 26th, 2017, I was shot by my 6 year old son with a nerf gun, where I was temporarily blinded and in severe pain. This resulted in an emergency room visit and daily doctor appts for 10+ days, including taking 6+ medicines for pain, steroids, and other eye drops. I had to miss a full week of work and was limited to my bed for my eye to heal, as there was a severe risk due to the pressure of going permanently blind. While my vision is back to normal, I run a high risk of glaucoma and have to get eye test twice a year for the rest of my life.

   My concern with this product is that Nerf implies safety. If you look at the packaging and their marketing materials and commercials, the kids are having battles and are not wearing eye goggles. the warnings are for choking only and a caution not to point at eyes or face. Noting about recommending eye wear or promoting it in any way.

   In the past week, there is a report out of the UK, where they are now highlighting the dangers of nerf guns. I have filed a report with Hasbro and their comments are they have been tested and are deemed safe as long as the guns are not modified or using non-branded nerf bullets. This gun was not modified and we used the nerf elite bullets and sustained major injuries.

   Requesting the USPC to take action to require a change in how the nerf guns safety requirements are established from packaging to speed of the bullets. I have spoken with Hasbro and other than taking down my information and sharing with their product team, they claim they are in compliance with the safety requirements and have no additional resources for me as the consumer to be an advocate in helping Hasbro make their products safer and to help reduce risk of others having the same injury.

   This week there was a report in the UK about 3 recent injuries that are similar to mine. Action must be taken to protect our children. Below is my facebook post on the injury.

   <iframe src=”https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fstephen.haddock%2Fposts%2F10211531950906730&width=500” width=”500” height=”548” style=”border:none;overflow:hidden” scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0” allowTransparency=”true”></iframe>

   Model

   Nerf Firestrike Elite

   Where

   Zionsville, Indiana: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 42, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Nerf, made or sold by HASBRO INC.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received

7. Emergency room

   Made Jun 12, 2016 · , sent to the company Jun 20, 2016 · , published by CPSC Jul 5, 2016

   The product, in the report: NERF Rival Apollo XV-700 Blaster (Blue)

   My son’s right eye was directly hit and damaged by a Nerf rival Apollo XV-700 while three kids played together in my neighborhood place. Only a Nerf XV-700 that was purchased by my neighborhood in Winter 2015 was involved in this accident. My son never has and touched this product. The no protection gear, like a goggle and mask, was provided while playing. The distance between a gun and a boy was around 4 feet, so it was quite close. The significant problems of this product as follows:

   - Included a very dense inch-thick foam balls travels with 68 MPH speed. Although the manufacturer sells a mask separately to help prevent incurring any accidental damages to face. - The manufacturer confirmed that XV-700 is a kind of sports gun, not a just kids’ toy, but this product is being sold in the toy aisle in any major stores, like Walmart and Target. - There are no warning and caution for highly possible physical damage on the outer and inner box, gun, and even the product manual. (It’s a very serious problem!) - The manufacturer needs immediate and appropriate actions to protect consumers, especially younger kids; even this product comes with the age restrictions(14 +)

   Model

   Rival Apollo XV-700

   Bought from

   N/A

   Bought

   Dec 11, 2015, about then

   Where

   Marblehead, Massachusetts: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 11, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Child

   As this report names them

   Brand Nerf, made or sold by HASBRO INC.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received

8. Emergency room

   Made Sep 1, 2012 · , sent to the company Sep 11, 2012 · , published by CPSC Oct 2, 2012

   The product, in the report: Nerf Gun Foam dart with plastic tip

   I was sitting at the kitchen table and my nephew came in the room with his nerf gun. He pointed it in my direction and as I was saying”dont point that at me”, he pulled the trigger. It shot me directly in the eyeball. I experienced severe pain. i was about 4 foot away from him when I was shot. I immdiately saw a shadow in my vision. I went home and the next morning upon an increase in pain, I went to the er. A retinal specialist was called in and It was discovered that I have a retinal bruise. It was on August 11, it is not September 1 and I am still in a lot of pain. I experience a lot of swelling which causes pressure and pain in my ear and face as well as my eye. I am not at risk for retinal detachment, pressure increases and glaucoma in the future.

   Where

   Mullin, Texas: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 46, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Nerf, made or sold by HASBRO INC.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources