Both the Nerf Centurion and the Nerf Longshot are huge blasters in the Nerf franchise. In this article, we will look at both mega blasters, and shine some light on which is the superior firearm.

The Nerf Centurion

The Centurion was released on August 1, 2013, under the N-strike Mega sub-series. Upon purchase, the Centurion comes along with a six-dart clip, six Mega Darts, and a bipod stand.

As we have covered this blaster in a previous post, specifics shall not be elaborated upon.

Instead, we would like to highlight the main features of the Centurion the blaster that it is. The most notable of which is its ability to fire over alarmingly long distances.

The centurion is advertised to fire up to 100 feet (30 meters).

Though range tests by Nerfers have uncovered its unreliability to do such a feat (largely due to its relative inaccuracy), its capability to do so remains undebunked.

In other words, the Centurion is indeed capable of firing over 100 feet, a prowess that few other blasters can boast of. 

Here is our in-depth Centurion review if you are interested in even more info. 

The Nerf Longshot

The Longshot was first released way before the Centurion, in 2006, under the N-strike series.

Upon purchase, the Longshot comes with a six-dart clip, six Streamline Darts, a front blaster, and a scope.

The number of re-releases is testament to how much of a fan favorite the Longshot turned out to be.

It was re-released in 2014 as the ZED Squad Longshot, in 2015 as the Elite Repaint, and once again, in 2020, under Nerf’s ICON series.

With regards to this article, the Longshot discussed is that in its original unveil, in other words, the Longshot CS-6.

The Longshot utilizes a bolt-action priming system and features a collapsible, integrated shoulder stock.

In the shoulder stock, Nerfers can store an extra clip of darts for re-ammunition purposes. The Longshot was the blaster that popularized the use of clips.

In place of the clip-on bipod that the Centurion uses, the Longshot comes with its bipod integrated.

It also features a tactical rail on the top of the blaster and a jam door under its tactical rail that slides back whenever the bolt is open.

The firing range of the Longshot was advertised to be up to 35 feet (10.6 meters), though range tests by popular Nerf bloggers put its effective range at a surprising 40-55 feet (12-16.7 meters).

Not many Nerf blasters outperform its advertised capabilities, but the Nerf Longshot is one of them.

So, now that we have a vivid idea of both the Centurion and the Longshot, let us compare the two blasters.

Distance

The Centurion comes out on top of the Longshot when it comes to distance.

Even though the Centurion often does not live up to expectations, and can only reach its advertised range when firing angled shots, its effective range when fired flat is still in the range of 70-80 feet.

Rate of Fire

With regards to the rate of fire, the two blasters are rather evenly matched, albeit the Centurion fares a little better.

The Longshot has been found to fire 1-2 darts per second or 2 darts in 3 seconds. The Longshot, on the other hand, fires at 2 darts per second.

Both blasters are single-fire, and utilize bolt-action in their priming mechanism.

Both the Centurion and the Longshot have a stock firing capacity of 6 darts, though the Longshot does have the additional stock storage capacity of a clip, which is absent in the Centurion.

Fun and Practicality

Both these blasters are great fun, mainly due to their sheer sizes, but with that fun comes certain impracticalities.

For one, both guns are larger and longer than usual, but the Centurion is impossibly massive.

It weighs in at 4.75 lbs as compared to the Longshot at 2.2 lbs. It is also 30 inches long as compared to the Longshot being 24 inches long.

This makes the Centurion a tough gun to handle, especially in a Nerf War. It is bulky, heavy, and a little more impractical.

Other Notable Differences

When comparing, it is also important that we highlight other notable differences that do not fit traditionally into the three main points of comparison listed above.

The first of which we would like to point out is the durability of darts when utilizing these two blasters.

Ammo is a vital part of the Nerf experience, and the Centurion is a lot more compatible with most Nerf Darts out there, whereas the Longshot has been reported to lack such compatibility.

With that being said, the Nerf Centurion also has a bad track record of bending and destroying the darts it fires.

Another notable difference worthy of attention is the modability of these two blasters.

The Longshot is one of the top favorite blasters for Nerfers to mod, whereas the Centurion has been reported to be near-impossible to mod effectively.

Conclusion

All in all, both blasters are great choices for any collector, and they are widely different blasters that excel in different areas.

If you are a serious Nerfer, the Longshot is probably your best bet due to its higher accuracy and practicality.

The Nerf Centurion does have its own set of impressive merits, but these merits have been reported to be rather easy to replicate if you mod your Longshot efficiently, firing range included.

If it is fun you seek, then the Nerf Centurion may be a better bet, as there is nothing quite like having a thoroughly massive blaster to toy around with.