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ARC Raiders Expedition Guide — Earn Skill Points & Maximize Your Loot

Welcome to the ultimate beginner‑friendly ARC Raiders Expedition Guide! If you’re an ARC Raiders player who’s heard about the expedition but isn’t 100% sure what it is or why it matters, you’re in the right place. This guide breaks down everything you need to know — what the expedition is, what you keep vs. lose, why you should do it, and how to prepare for your first one.

Welcome to the ultimate beginner‑friendly ARC Raiders Expedition Guide! If you’re an ARC Raiders player who’s heard about the expedition but isn’t 100% sure what it is or why it matters, you’re in the right place. This guide breaks down everything you need to know — what the expedition is, what you keep vs. lose, why you should do it, and how to prepare for your first one.

Whether you’re close to the expedition window or just curious about long‑term progression, you’ll walk away confident and ready to make the most of your ARC Raiders journey.

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What Is the ARC Raiders Expedition?

In ARC Raiders, an expedition is a special in‑game project that becomes available once your raider reaches a certain level. Think of it as your character’s big sendoff: you build a caravan, gather resources, and ultimately choose to wipe your character in exchange for powerful long‑term advantages.

Expedition Explained Simply

An expedition is essentially a planned reset — your current raider finishes their time in Sparanza, hands off the hideout and progress to a new raider, and begins again from scratch. But this isn’t just a reset for fun — it’s tied to lasting bonuses that help future characters grow smarter, faster, and stronger.

How the Expedition Fits Into ARC Raiders

Instead of treating every wipe as starting over, ARC Raiders rewards you for doing it on purpose through the expedition system. The goal? Build your caravan, contribute the required items, and secure those permanent benefits before the departure window closes. It is a wipe of your character, but a voluntary one.

What You Keep vs What You Lose

When you trigger an expedition wipe, some parts of your progress carry forward — and others don’t. Understanding this is key to deciding whether you’re ready to take the leap.

What You KEEP After a Wipe

Below are the things that stay with you when you wipe for an expedition:

Unlocked maps — You don’t have to re‑unlock them.
Unlocked workshop stations — They return at level 1 but are available.
Codex entries
Raider tokens & Cred
Raider Deck progress
Leaderboards & Trials
Cosmetics
Bonus skill points earned through expeditions
Bonus stash slots earned through expeditions

These permanent bonuses are the heart of why the expedition is worth doing — they carry forward into future playthroughs and cannot be lost.

What You LOSE When You Wipe

While some things stay, others reset completely:

Player level
Base skill points
Items in stash & inventory
Blueprints
Coins/Cred
Raid progress & quests
Workshop levels beyond level 1

Losing blueprints and stash items may sound scary at first — but we’ll talk soon about why the expedition rewards outweigh these losses for long‑term players.

How ARC Raiders Expeditions Work

Expeditions aren’t automatic — they involve multiple stages and a calendar window for contributions and departure.

Expedition Phases

ARC Raiders expeditions are structured into stages:

Build Stages – Donate resources to build the caravan’s foundation.
Load Stages – Fill the caravan with items from your stash and inventory to reach required contribution totals.
Departure Window – A limited period where you confirm your expedition wipe and lock in rewards.

The Expedition Timeline

Each expedition has a schedule. Players have about 60 days to contribute resources and complete stages. At the end of that period, a 7‑day window opens where you can select Yes to depart — meaning your character will wipe and transition into the next.

For example, in one cycle players could contribute up until a certain date (e.g., Dec 21), then choose to depart between launch and final date (e.g., Dec 17–22), with the actual wipe happening at the end of the window.

What Happens If You Miss the Window

If you invest in an expedition but don’t confirm departure during the 7‑day window, you may lose progress toward that expedition’s buffs. Still, your expedition will remain and can be used for following departure windows. If you don’t leave during the window though, you will have to wait for the next one. You can always see when the next departure window is in the Expedition menu. Planning is critical!

Why You Should Do an Expedition

So you’ve heard what gets wiped — but why should you do it? Let’s break down the real value.

Permanent Skill Points

One of the biggest draws of the expedition is bonus skill points. You can earn up to five permanent skill points by contributing a high‑value stash. These stack with future expeditions and help build deeper, more powerful skill trees on new characters. For every million in stash value you get another skill point.

Permanent Stash Slots

Every expedition gives you extra stash slots. These aren’t temporary — they stay with your account forever. More stash space means more room for valuable loot, currency, consumables, and resources.

Temporary Buffs

On top of the permanent rewards, expeditions also grant temporary buffs — for example:

Increased XP gain
Better resource yield
Repair cost reduction

These stack up to three expedition cycles as long as you continue participating.

How to Prepare for Your First Expedition

Before you commit to wiping your character, you want to maximize the value you contribute — especially for skill points.

Many players aim for a target stash value (like 5 million in Cred) to earn the maximum bonus skill points. It’s not mandatory to hit an exact number, but the higher your stash value used for contribution, the better your rewards. Skills are a very big deal in this game, sou you’ll want as many points as you can get.

The ARC Raiders Expedition system may seem intimidating at first — a wipe always comes with questions and uncertainty. But once you understand how it works, it’s clear that expeditions are one of the best ways to boost your long‑term progression in ARC Raiders.

By earning permanent skill points, extra stash space, and temporary buffs that stack across expeditions, you set yourself up for future playthroughs that are stronger, smarter, and more efficient.

Whether you’re a new player leveling up or a long‑time raider preparing for your next wipe, mastering the expedition is a key part of your ARC Raiders journey.

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Reality Remake 1/1/26 Reality Remake 1/1/26

Arc Raiders Ultimate Skill Tree Guide 2026: Best Perks And Skills

With the addition of respecing, now is the perfect time to figure out what skills are actually worth your precious points — and which ones you should skip.

Let’s break down the arc raiders skill tree in this guide so you know what to pick first and why.

Arc Raider’s skill tree is one of those things that sounds good on paper but often leaves you wondering, “Does this actually do anything?” The game doesn’t do the best job explaining what perks really do, and until recently — before respecs were added — you were basically stuck with your choices forever.

With the addition of respecing, now is the perfect time to figure out what skills are actually worth your precious points — and which ones you should skip. I spent hours testing these skills properly, including comparing footage and real in‑game results, so you can save time and build smarter.

Let’s break down the arc raiders skill tree in this guide so you know what to pick first and why.

It is recommended you pair this guide with the Arc Skill Tree Builder.

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Conditioning Skills — Strength & Utility

Conditioning focuses on hiking stamina, reducing penalties, and general combat utility. Some skills are surprisingly useful; others… not so much.

Worth Taking (Mid to High Value)

Used to the Weight: Reduces movement penalty from carrying heavy shields. It feels better in play and helps keep your movement less clunky when running good kits with shields. This perk also makes Heavy Shields much more viable.
Proficient Prior: Speeds up breaching doors and containers — saves real time across a raid. Especially since you are noisy and vulnerable while breaching.
Fight or Flight: Regains a bit of stamina when damaged — situational but decent.
Downed but Determined: Extends your time downed before collapse — huge in team play since it gives your team mates more time to pick you up when you are downed.
A Little Extra: Drops free crafting resources once you breach a container. Since this is only a single point and more loot is always better this is a good perk.

Situational / Lower Value

Blast: Reduces explosive ringing — often too small of a difference to matter in real combat.
Gentle Pressure: Slightly quieter breaching — barely noticeable.
Survivor Stamina: Slight stamina regen when hurt — rare to benefit.
Effortless Swing: More melee swings — but usually not impactful in actual combat. Melee fighting is situational at best
Unburdened Roll: Situationally useful, though it is useful. Gives you an extra roll when your shield is broken.
Turtle Crawl: Take less damage when downed, but not by enough to be generally useful.

No‑Go Skills

Sky Clearing Swing & Fly Sweater: Supposed melee buffs that just don’t pan out. Using melee, even against ARC, is just riskier and inefficient and not worth investing points into.
Back on Your Feet: Health regen after critical injury is too slow to ever help.

Mobility Skills — Speed, Movement & Stamina

Mobility is one of the strongest trees overall. It’s all about speed, stamina efficiency, and movement options. Moving farther faster is always crucial.

Top Tier Mobility

Marathon Runner & Youthful Lungs: Instant favorites — more stamina and longer sprinting feels great and makes you more survivable.
Effortless Roll: Dodge rolls cost less stamina — huge quality‑of‑life improvement.
Heroic Leap: Another good improvement to dodge rolls if you use them often, hard to notice, but it can make the difference in close quarters.
Calming Stroll: Great for traveling long distances or if you like to keep your stamina topped up.

Solid Picks

Nimble Climber: Faster climbing and vaulting; decent value even if not flashy. Anything that makes you faster is always good.
Carry the Momentum: After a sprint dodge, sprint without stamina cost for a bit — nice addition and worth 1 point.
Crawl Before You Walk: Faster crawl — feels okay in clutch downed situations. Good for team play to get to cover so your teammates can revive you.
Vigorous Vaulter: No slowed climbing/vaulting when exhausted — this is a big deal situationally.

Lower Tier / Skip

Slip and Slide: Too subtle to notice. The 5 points for this skill are not worth it even if you slide constantly.
Sturdy Ankles: Minor fall damage reduction. Can be useful, but probably not worth 5 points.
Off the Wall / Heroic Leap: Janky, tiny benefits that aren’t worth it alone.
Ready to Roll: Timing window extension feels useless. Not worth it.

Big Mobility Bonus

Vaults on Vaults (and Vault Spring after that): You’ve likely heard about this — improving your vaulting movement makes traversal feel smooth and fun. If you go deep into mobility, these are worth it for playstyle enjoyment. If you go to the top of mobility then these two perks are the reason why. If you don’t want them then put your points in another tree after the first half of the mobility tree.

Survival Skills — Looting, Sustain, & Carry Capacity

Survival specializes in efficiency and sustain: loot bonuses, stamina regen, and carry weight.

High Value Survival

Looter’s Instinct: Slightly faster looting — saves many seconds over many actions. Always good.
Broad Shoulders: More carry weight — massive asset to avoid encumbrance.
Looters Luck: Chance to reveal two loot items at once — fantastic time saved over many raids. Always good.
Good as New: Better stamina regen while healing — small but helpful. Worth 1 point.
Security Breach: Looting lockers — can be good but inconsistent. These lockers were nerfed so they aren’t as good, but more loot is more loot.

Decent or Situational

In‑Round Crafting & Traveling Tinkerer: In Round Crafting is fantastic to create bandages and shield rechargers in raid. Traveling Tinkerer gives you more options but they are rarely that useful. Not bad for a point or two.
Revitalizing Squat: Okay, but only if you make sure to crouch and hide when you are regenerating stamina. Can be useful for running from cover to cover.
Minesweeper: Great in theory but hard to use. When encountering traps in combat you generally don’t have the time to make use of this. Situationally useful.

Skip or Low Value

Agile Croucher: Crouching speed increase rarely needed unless you crouch walk a lot.
Silent Scavenger / Suffer in Silence: Negligible audio effects, not worth priority points. You can still be heard even if maxed out.
Stubborn Mule: Minor stamina benefits while encumbered. Generally it’s better to just not be encumbered, but if you are a lot this can be worth it.
One Raider Scraps: Doesn’t seem to produce meaningful loot.
Three Deep Breaths: I can’t even find a difference or know what an “ability” is.

Skill Tier Summary (Short Version)

If you just want the gist, here’s a quick feel of how each tree shapes up:

Mobility = Very Strong
Conditioning = Solid Support
Survival = Great for getting more loot and crafting in raid

Best Arc Raiders Skill Path — Leveling Order

Here’s a friendly suggested route for leveling up your skills in Arc Raiders. No tables — just easy prose and bullets:

Early Levels (1–11): Get Mobility Rolling

Start with Nimble Climber (1 point)
Pump all points into Marathon Runner (5 points) and Youthful Lungs (5 points)
- This gives you more stamina and better movement early — super noticeable in play.

Next Decisions (Level 12+)

Now you hit a fork in the road. You can push further in Conditioning or pivot into Survival.

If You Want Speed & Combat Fluidity First:

Head back into Conditioning
- Grab 1 Slip and Slide 1 Sturdy Ankles and Calming Stroll
- Get Effortless Roll and Heroic Leap
- 1 point in Crawl Before You Walk and then Vigorous Vaulter
- Put 5 more points into skills to get 36 total (up to you but, but maxing a skill is better than putting a few points in multiple)
- Get Vaults on Vaults on Vaults / Vault Spring

If You Prefer Carry / Loot Benefits Early:

Dive into Survival
- Go straight for In Round Crafting.
- Then max Looter’s Instincts.
- Agile Croucher or Revitalizing Squat to get the first two perks Suffer in Silence and Good as New
- Get Traveling Tinkerer since it is only 1 point
- Max Broad Shoulders with 5 points then Looters Luck
- Max Stubborn Mule and do whatever you want with the next 2 points
- Get Security Breach and Minesweeper
This is especially worth it if you’re looting and hauling tons every raid.

Get Conditioning Skills Last (or after getting the first tiers of other skills, it is up to you)

Max Used To The Weight or Proficient Pryer first before getting Unburdened Roll
On the second tier of the tree get A Little Extra and Loaded Arms before anything else

Deep Build Options (Mid‑Late Game)

Once early goals are met:

If you love movement, push Mobility up to unlock Vaults on Vaults and Vault Spring — these make traversal delightful.
If you want late‑game survival, get deeper skills like Security Breach and more crafting perks.

There’s no one perfect build, just trade‑offs. Do you want to zip around like a ghost, or carry everything with ease? Either path is valid — it’s about how you like to play.

Here is a recommended final build, but this is just one way to do it. While some choices are no brainers (like going mobility for the first 12 levels) there are plenty of options later on that depend on preference and play style. Have fun out there raider!

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Reality Remake 12/28/25 Reality Remake 12/28/25

The Best Extraction Shooters You Should Try in 2026

If you’ve ever heard about extraction shooters and wondered what all the hype is about, you’re in the right place. Extraction shooters blend intense combat, high‑stakes scavenging, and the thrill of getting out alive with your loot. Whether you’re new to the genre or a seasoned player, here’s a friendly guide to the best extraction shooters worth checking out right now.

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Arc Raiders vs Escape from Tarkov 1.0 — Which Extraction Shooter Wins in 2025?

What Is an Extraction Shooter?

Extraction shooters are a sub‑genre of action shooters where your goal isn’t just to eliminate enemies — it’s to enter a dangerous area, scavenge valuable gear and loot, and make it back alive. If you die, you usually lose everything you brought in or found during the run. This high‑risk, high‑reward loop makes every raid feel intense and memorable.

1. ARC Raiders – Most Recommended in 2026

Why it's #1:
ARC Raiders blends intense PvPvE gameplay with high visual fidelity, storytelling, and team dynamics, making it the best all-around extraction shooter of the year. Whether you're facing mech threats or rival players, it constantly challenges your survival instincts. There are a ton of items to use, and the gameplay feels dynamic and fun throughout. IF you are new to the extraction shooter genre there is no game that comes more highly recommended. It may even be the best extraction shooter of 2026.

Key Highlights

PvPvE with dynamic enemy AI and player encounters
Stunning graphics and immersive environments
Proximity voice chat for negotiating or ambushing
Co-op or solo options for flexible playstyle
Crafting, base-building, and trading post-raid

Why You’ll Love It:
This game is shaping up to be the definitive next-gen extraction shooter. You’ll need to make tough calls in high-stress raids, with a compelling loop that keeps you coming back for more.

2. Incursion Red River – Best PvE‑Focused Shooter

For those who prefer teamwork over solo PvP chaos, Incursion Red River delivers a tactical PvE extraction experience. You’ll spend time exploring detailed maps with quests and objectives, and there’s no time limit on missions — making it ideal for methodical players. Though the overreliance on fighting bot enemies may make it dull for some who crave PvP action and the variety that comes with it.

What You’ll Love

Cooperative play with squads
No clutch timer — take your time
Faction missions and reputation progression
Realistic weapon feel and customization

Just remember: dying still means losing your gear, so play smart!

3. HOLE – Best Indie & Unique Single‑Player Extraction Shooter

Looking for something a bit different? HOLE is an indie single‑player extraction shooter that stands out with its quirky concept and focused gameplay loop. You enter levels from a floating device and collect currency to upgrade your sewer base.

Highlights

Unique progression system via base upgrades
Simple but thoughtful mechanics
Subtle horror vibes amid extraction gameplay
A great bite‑sized alternative to larger extraction games

This one’s a gem if you want extraction thrills without the complexity of massive MMO‑style games.

4. Hunt: Showdown – Best for PvP + PvE Hybrid Thrills

For players who thrive on tension and atmosphere, Hunt: Showdown is a standout choice. Set in monster‑infested environments, you’ll track bounties, fight both AI foes and other players, and risk losing everything at every turn. Its early 20th century setting is also very unique with interesting weapons like revolvers and repeaters. Even bows and melee weapons are quite viable in this game, and there are a lot of scary zombie like enemies and demonic monsters to fight.

What Makes It Special

Gritty, atmospheric western setting
Audio cues matter — every sound counts
Permanent death for hunters adds weight to decisions
Unique and strategic loadout and tools system, your hunter levels up until they are killed, giving each life more weight

5. Escape From Tarkov – The Hardcore King

No extraction shooter list is complete without Escape From Tarkov. Widely regarded as the definitive extraction shooter, it pushes realism and complexity to the max with deep weapon customization, survival systems, and unpredictable raids.

Why It’s Legendary

Massive variety of weapons and mods
Complex survival mechanics and inventory management
No tutorials — you learn by doing
Highly rewarding progress loops

Be warned: this one has a steep curve, but if you enjoy a challenge — no game does it quite like Tarkov.

6. ZERO Sievert – Best Top‑Down Extraction Twist

Not all extraction shooters have to be first‑person! ZERO Sievert brings the genre into a top‑down perspective with pixel art charm. It’s tough and strategic, incorporating hunger, sleep, and day/night cycles to influence how raids go down. It’s got anomalies and mutants and an amazing STALKER kind of setting and feel, definitely unique.

Standout Features

Six maps with unique challenges
Survival systems like eating, drinking, and sleeping
Radiated areas and bandit threats
A fresh, challenging take
New enemies like mutants

It’s a great option if you want something different from the usual FPS format.

7. Arena Breakout Infinite – Best for Beginners

Why It’s Good for New Players:
Arena Breakout Infinite offers a seamless learning curve, traditional FPS gameplay, and a strong player base. It’s sort of a carbon copy of Escape From Tarkov, though it is different in the specifics. The maps are unique and so are other elements of the game, though it does feel a lot like Tarkov and also has a modern setting. Still, if you want more of Tarkov in a different package give Arena Breakout Infinite a try.

Features That Help Beginners

Fantastic tutorial mission
Beginner-only map access early on
Fast-paced gunplay and movement
Quick kits to gear up easily
Free-to-play and low barrier to entry

Which One Should YOU Play?

Here’s a quick guide to match your style:

🎮 New to extraction shooters? ARC Raiders
🤝 Prefer PvE teamwork? Incursion Red River
🌟 Want something unique? HOLE
🔫 Love high tension and PvP? Hunt: Showdown
🧠 Ready for a challenge? Escape From Tarkov
🎨 Like different gameplay formats and a STALKER atmosphere? ZERO Sievert
🚀 Excited for the latest? ARC Raiders

Whether you want something casual to jump into or a deep, unforgiving challenge, the extraction shooter genre has something for everyone. Grab your load‑out, head into the raid, and don’t forget — the real victory is extraction.

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Reality Remake 12/23/25 Reality Remake 12/23/25

Arc Raiders Blueprint Guide – Quest Rewards, Best Loot Containers & Pro Tips

Blueprints are the backbone of progression in Arc Raiders. They unlock access to powerful weapons, grenades, attachments, and gear that shape your combat style. Whether you're looking to upgrade your arsenal or complete your dream build, knowing where and how to find blueprints is key.

If you've ever asked, “Where do I find blueprints in Arc Raiders?” or “Which crate has the best blueprint drops?”, this guide is your ultimate answer.

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How Blueprint Drops Work in Arc Raiders

Pure RNG or Pattern?

Every lootable container in Arc Raiders has a chance to drop a blueprint. From trash cans to high-security lockers, it's technically all possible. But… some containers seem to have better odds than others.

Does Looting Container Type Matter?

Players have noticed patterns: certain blueprint types seem to drop more often from specific containers. While not officially confirmed, this theory holds up with consistent community data — and it's your best bet at improving blueprint farming efficiency.

Best Containers for Specific Blueprint Drops

Raider Caches

High-priority loot source
Often includes general blueprints and valuable gear

Ammo & Weapon Cases

Known for dropping weapon blueprints like the Osprey sniper and Anvil revolver
Weapon cases are also a strong source of attachments

Residential Containers

Includes drawers, fridges, trash bins, and suitcases
Often yields Wolfpack blueprints, snap hook BPs, and attachments

Red Lockers

Absolute wildcard with a massive blueprint loot pool
Contains guns, attachments, and more — don’t skip these

Rusty Breach Boxes

Annoying to open due to breaching, but worth it
High chance of dropping grenade blueprints

Security Lockers & Keycard Rooms

Locked behind skill tree upgrades or keycards
Reward you with top-tier loot, including rare blueprints

Blackbox Containers (Blue Gate)

Increased odds for augment blueprints

Air Supply Drops & Probes

Commonly yield weapon parts blueprints (light, medium, heavy)

Blueprint Quest Rewards Breakdown

You don't always have to rely on RNG. Several quests guarantee blueprint drops:

Quest 13 – Sparks Fly: Trigger Grenade BP
Quest 14 – Greasing Her Palms: Lure Grenade BP
Quest 32 – Industrial Espionage: Burletta BP
Quest 37 – Major’s Foot Locker: Hullcracker BP + Ammo BP (must haves for fighting the queen or the matriarch)

Don’t skip these if you want specific gear — it’s a surefire blueprint unlock.

Night Raids: Hidden Boost to Drop Rates

Nighttime raids significantly increase the chance of high-rarity loot, with some estimates suggesting up to a 150% boost. That includes blueprints.

If you’re up for the added challenge, night raids are arguably the best way to farm blueprints fast.

Event Exclusive Drops – Legendary Blueprints

The Harvester Event

If you want the legendary Jupiter or Equalizer weapon blueprints, the only way to get them is through the Harvester event. This random world event includes a minigame, but the reward is worth the time.

Watch for in-game alerts or check community tools to track when and where the next Harvester will appear.

Enemy Blueprint Drops: The Surveyor

That giant rolling orb known as the Surveyor? It's not just annoying — it also has a solid chance of dropping blueprints.

Trials & Blueprint Rewards

Unlockable at level 15, Trials offer excellent blueprint potential. Achieve three stars on any trial and you’ll receive three-tiered rewards, which often include blueprint drops.

Complete as many as you can weekly — they’re worth it.

Quick Recap: Top Containers to Prioritize

If you’re short on time and want the best chances at blueprints, loot these:

Weapon Cases
Ammo Crates
Utility Crates
Raider Caches
Security Lockers
Med Crates

They’re not guaranteed — but your odds are way better here than with standard trash bins.

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Reality Remake 12/19/25 Reality Remake 12/19/25

Top 7 Best Budget Weapons in Escape From Tarkov (2026 Guide)

Whether you’re a fresh PMC still grinding early levels and tasks or just trying to save rubles between raids, going cheap doesn’t mean going weak in Escape From Tarkov. The right budget weapons can still win fights, secure loot, and help you improve your gameplay without draining your stash. This 2026 guide breaks down the 7 best budget‑friendly guns that punch above their price.

Why Budget Weapons Matter

Tarkov’s economy is brutal — you lose your gear when you die. Running expensive guns early and often means losing more when things go south. Budget weapons keep risk low and fun high while you learn recoil patterns, positioning, and map flow. These are also weapons you might commonly get your hands on as a Scav and so being familiar with them means you will always have something you know how to use.

Top 7 Best Budget Weapons (2026)

1. SKS (Simonov Semi‑Auto Carbine)

The SKS is one of Tarkov’s most iconic budget rifles. Chambered in 7.62×39mm, it deals solid damage and retains good penetration for its cost, making it versatile for mid‑range engagements and beginner PvP. It’s semi‑automatic, easy to handle, and doesn’t demand pricey mods or ammo. You can even get a magazine that is twice the size of the default one for a low price. Hit your shots with this and you can do some great damage.

Why It’s Great

Solid damage and decent pen for the price
Works well on maps like Woods and Customs
No magazine reload (top‑loading) saves space and cost. No need to buy several magazines

2. MP‑153 / MP‑155 Shotguns

Shotguns like the MP‑153 and MP‑155 are brutal in close quarters. Cheap to buy and run, they shred unarmored targets and make Factory or close‑quarters fights manageable without fancy gear. Opt for buckshot (at least 7mm is ideal) or flechette ammo for maximum stopping power and cheap per‑round cost. There are also some cheap slugs out there that do great damage and can hit at medium ranges.

Why It’s Great

Devastating at close range
Ammo is inexpensive and easy to find
No need for heavy mods to perform well

3. PPSh‑41 (7.62×25mm High ROF SMG)

The PPSh‑41 is a classic World War II SMG that still holds up in Tarkov’s budget scene. It fires the affordable 7.62×25mm round with a very high rate of fire, making it lethal in tight indoor fights and factory runs. Aim for the legs or head and you can absolutely shred someone with this.

Why It’s Great

Extremely high rate of fire
Cheap ammo and parts
Great for tight corridors and surprise engagements

4. Mosin Nagant Infantry (7.62×54R)

If you want cheap long‑range power, the Mosin Nagant Infantry is hard to beat. Its bolt‑action nature means slower fire, but that single 7.62×54R shot often feels devastatingly powerful — especially against unarmored foes. It’s a classic choice for budget sniping and picking off targets at range. Even the iron sights can be deadly, and it’s easy to insure and then drop under a rock for another raid once you find something better. Just like with the SKS you don’t need to bring a rig or a ton of mags to use this either.

Why It’s Great

Massive damage and penetration
Cheap rifle with classic stopping power
Good for long‑range maps like Woods

5. VPO-136 Vepr-KM (AKM Style)

The VEPR KM and its variants (e.g., VPO‑136) are semi‑automatic rifles built on the 7.62×39mm platform. They hit hard, are very forgiving to use, and often share ammo and parts with other budget 7.62 rifles like the SKS. It’s basically a budget AKM that doesn’t shoot automatically, but is still quite solid.

Why It’s Great

Hard‑hitting semi‑auto rifle
Excellent ammo compatibility
Easy to control recoil compared to full auto guns

6. Saiga‑9 / PP‑19‑01 Vityaz (9×19mm SMGs)

For players who like fast, flexible close‑to‑mid range options, Saiga‑9 and PP‑19‑01 Vityaz SMGs are fantastic budget picks. They use affordable 9×19mm rounds, keep recoil manageable, and are great on Factory, Interchange, or Dorms. They’re like pistols on steroids.

Why It’s Great

Low recoil and burst potential
Ammo is cheap and plentiful
Good handling for new players

7. AKS‑74U (Short Barrel 5.45×39mm)

The compact AKS‑74U offers excellent mobility and firepower for its price. Chambered in 5.45×39mm, this little carbine is a staple budget pick that still performs well when modded lightly. It’s especially effective in tight fights and urban maps. Honestly if you’re willing to bring a basic budget kit that includes mags and spare rounds, you can’t go wrong with the AKS-74U. Like a lot of these budget weapons it is available at loyalty level 1 Prapor, but this one is really easy to go full auto with and perform really well against a variety of targets, even at longer ranges.

Out of all of the best budget weapons in Escape From Tarkov the AKS-74U is the king of all of them. It’s small, light, slaps hard, goes automatic, and is available for cheap from prapor loyalty level 1. Get that bank robber rig from Ragman, a couple spare mags, and some US ammo, and you can do a lot of damage with this little thing even right after you unlock Prapor (which you should do as quickly as possible by doing the “Tour” missions).

Why It’s Great

Excellent handling and mobility
Affordable ammo and parts
Works well in both close and mid‑range fights
Upgrade opportunities
Fully Automatic
Slaps

How to Build a Full Budget Loadout

A cheap weapon is just one piece of the puzzle. Pair your gun with:

Basic rigs and bags (bank robber and T-bag from ragman) for some storage space.
Low‑cost meds (AI-2 cheese kits, tourniquets, bandages, and pain killers)

This way you stay light, cheap, and when you’re getting better at the game you’ll have a lot of chances to fail and still get back up. Though doing some good scavving also helps a lot.

Tips for Budget Play Success

Play smart: Avoid wide open spaces without a solid plan
Use terrain and cover: Outsmart better‑geared foes
Practice recoil and burst control: Makes budget guns feel more lethal

You don’t need top‑tier gear to be effective in Escape From Tarkov. With the right choices — like the SKS, PPSh‑41, and Saiga‑9 — you can dominate raids, learn the game, and keep your stash intact. Enjoy surviving Tarkov on a budget and come out smarter and richer each time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can budget weapons kill geared players?
Yes — with smart ammo choices and positioning, even cheap guns can outperform expensive loadouts.

Q2: Which budget rifle is best for mid‑range fights?
The SKS and VEPR KM are excellent mid‑range budget options.

Q3: What shotgun is best for close quarters on a budget?
MP‑153 and MP‑155 are powerful and cheap for close‑range fights.

Q4: Is the AKS‑74U worth using on a budget?
Yes — it offers mobility, decent ammo, and solid performance for its cost.

Q5: Should I focus on weapon mods or ammo?
Ammo quality usually has more impact on performance than mods, especially on budget guns.