Blee's DECREE
The Nerf Mega Bigshock is another Nerf Jolt, this time on steroids. It is essential the same in every way, internally. Besides being designed to fire Mega darts, of course. The exterior shell is different, beefing up to fit in more with the other blasters in the Mega lineup. There is also dart storage onboard the Mega Bigshock, which allows for an easy reload. Sounds great so far, yes?
Yes. But then we get to Mr Grey. The gray trigger on this blaster lets us know that this is the watered down version of the blaster, usually designated for countries with a more strict control on toy guns. Inexplicably, the Nerf Mega Bigshock has launched worldwide with the gray triggered version. What a travesty. If you’re not looking for ultra long ranges, or the power of the N-Strike Elite or Mega series blasters, then this might not be such a big deal. With a few easy mods, you can amp the power up to respectable levels. Also, for the sub-$10 price this blaster usually retails for, it’s not a bad investment either way. The thing does look pretty darn cool, after all.
Table of Contents
The Nerf MEGA BigShock
The Nerf MEGA BigShock is the latest iteration of Jolt inspired blasters. This time it’s been upgraded with the ability to fire MEGA caliber rounds.
Big things do come in small packages.
Let’s just call it what it is. Let’s just call a spade a spade. The Nerf Mega Bigshock is a Nerf Jolt in Mega’s clothing, so to speak. It’s a big, beefy Mega Jolt, but it’s still a Jolt. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some people in the NIC have grown tired of all of these Jolt derivative blasters, and they have been vocal about it. But me? I don’t mind. Especially when crossing into new product lines.
The Nerf Jolt was a very cool little blaster. The BigShock is no different. It’s very cool. The stocky, angular design is top notch. It looks very powerful and big, despite its small stature. The red coloring of the Mega line of blasters goes well with the orange, as usual. The whole design, though reminiscent of the Jolt, is very nice.
To fire the Nerf Mega Bigshock, first load a Mega dart into the front of the barrel. Next, pull down the plunger rod handle all the way. The plunger rod is jutting out from the bottom of the main handle of the blaster. Finally, squeeze the trigger and shoot. This is all exactly like the Jolt. Nothing new here. However, of particular note, is the ammo storage at the top of the blaster. There is room to store an extra Mega dart there. That was a nice touch. Also, I’ve learned from the Nerf subreddit, that a small flashlight can fit perfectly in that slot. This is awesome!
Fifty Shades of Grey
Look online, check out the Amazon.com listing for the Nerf Mega Bigshock. Look at the pictures, look at the box art, check out everything. What do you see? Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing peculiar. Right? Then, you order it and it shows up at your door like this:
“Mr Grey will see you now.” Wait, what? Um, that’s not what I ordered. I know to some it might not seem like a big deal. It’s just a color difference, right? Wrong. The grey trigger signifies a “nerf” on the Nerf blaster. It shows up on a blaster that has had its power levels decreased for some countries that have strict rules on such things.
So to see this grey trigger show up worldwide, in every single country in which it’s sold, is a total shocker. What is this thing doing here? Its power output, unfortunately, is reflective of its trigger color. Ranges with this blaster were hitting an average of about 45 feet. This is far off from the 75+ foot ranges that we’re used to seeing with these kinds of blasters. And it is a disappointment, most definitely.
Mr. BigShock, Who Do You Think You Are?
If you ask me, it’s no coincidence that the Big Shock’s initials are B and S, because that’s just what Nerf is feeding us here. They’re serving us a hot, heaping, plate of horse manure. It’s not the end of the world that this has a grey trigger. Aesthetically speaking, or otherwise. Not meeting elite ranges isn’t the worst thing, especially from such a small blaster. But the way Nerf handled this is what matters most to me.
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Firstly, everywhere you look, you will see the orange triggered version of the Nerf Mega Bigshock. All of the promotional ads and product pictures will be the orange version. When you go to the Amazon page listing, it will be the orange version. This, to me, is totally unacceptable. The first groups of people that went to order this blaster had no idea what they were really going to receive. This is a classic bait-and-switch if ever I’ve seen one. The Mega BaitSwitch.
Not at any of the retailers fault, but Hasbro itself. Why has no official statement been made regarding this? Why is Hasbro giving the silent treatment? At the annual Toy Fair in NY earlier this year, Hasbro was asked about the worldwide shipping of the inferior, grey triggered Nerf Mega Bigshock. Their response? “We were able to develop a blaster that delivers the same performance and still meets safety guidelines in all regions.”
Who are they kidding? That doesn’t make sense because the whole reason they had to nerf performance in those regions was to meet those safety guidelines. In those countries, they demand a weaker blaster. Period. So I’d love to know how Nerf made a weaker blaster deliver the same performance. People have spent money on one product and then received something different. But, as we know, it’s not about the money, it’s about sending a message. /Rant.
Featured MOD
This Nerf Mega Bigshock mod comes to us from the fine folks over at CartayaModWorks. This is a purely functional mod, there were no cosmetic changes to the blaster. That’s fine, because what we needed most was that little boost in performance, thanks to the grey trigger. We get all of that and more with a powerful aftermarket spring and a brass breech barrel mod. Click the pic to go check it out at Cartaya’s Etsy.com page.
Last update on 2025-06-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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