HomeGuidesEscape from Tarkov
Escape From Tarkov ammo types: The best ammo in each caliber, and ammo stats explainedHow to pick the right ammo for each Tarkov raid
How to pick the right ammo for each Tarkov raid
Looking for all the best ammo in Escape From Tarkov?One of the most important lessons new players must learn inEscape From Tarkovis the value of ammo. The rounds you use are even more important than the gun and will have an immense impact on the success of your raids. If you’re planning to take on players or bosses, you will need the right ammunition. This guide will provide a list of the best ammo types of each caliber in Escape From Tarkov. We will also walk you through how ammo stats and ballistics work in Tarkov to help you choose the right round for your raid.
Escape from Tarkov ARENA announcement teaserWatch on YouTube
Escape from Tarkov ARENA announcement teaser
Escape From Tarkov ammo stats explained
Damage and penetration
Penetrating through armor also reduces the damage a bullet does. There is a bit of randomness in how much damage is lost, and the range of outcomes depends on the penetration chance of the hit. So, our 50 damage 35 penetration bullet from the previous example will lose little to no damage when punching through level 1 armor. Against level 3 armor, however, most hits will deal closer to 45 damage.
Secondary ammo stats
Other ammo stats have some interplay with your gun and its attachments. Muzzle velocity determines the travel speed and arc of your shot. A faster bullet requires less lead against distant, moving targets, and less compensation for bullet drop. Your gun and its attachments may have bullet velocity modifiers that affect this stat. Most barrels and muzzle attachments have an impact on muzzle velocity.
Best ammo in Escape From Tarkov
Now we’ll go through the best ammo of every caliber in Escape From Tarkov. There are a whole lot, so strap in. If you’re just looking for some of the best overall ammo types,the best ammo calibers in Escape From Tarkov patch 12.12.30 are 7.62x51, 7.62x39, .45 ACP, 7.62x54R, 5.7x28mm FN, 5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm and .338 Lapua Magnum.All stats here are sourced from the officialEscape From Tarkov Wiki.
12x70mm
20x70mm
23x75mm
9x18mm Makarov
7.62x25 Tokarev
The PPSh and TT pistol caliber is another weak one, but the PPSh’s fire rate makes it decent for targeting legs. Just don’t expect to get through any significant armor.
9x19mm Parabellum
We inch closer to the meta with the standard 9mm NATO SMG caliber. AP 6.3 and PBP rounds have enough penetration to deal with low-level armor and can shred higher-tier protection with enough hits. The fire rate of guns like the Vector (9mm) and MP9 makes that feasible.
.357 Magnum
.357 Magnum revolvers aren’t exactly easy to use, but their damage makes them reasonable pistol-only raid choices. They also make a decent sidearm for finishing off targets with dinged-up armor.
.45 ACP
.45 rounds don’t have elite penetration, but their excellent damage makes up for it. A .45 Vector will deal with most players efficiently, and the UMP is a nice budget option.
9x21mm Gyurza
The SR1MP pistol is the sole user of 9x21 ammo and makes an excellent sidearm choice. The high end 9x21 rounds have about as much penetration as you can get in a pistol caliber. BT rounds have an accuracy penalty, but you shouldn’t typically be using a SR1MP at ranges where it matters.
5.7x28mm FN
4.6x30mm HK
9x39
A heavy, subsonic round, 9x39 ammo used to dominate the meta with its lethal damage and heavy penetration. However, heavy recoil penalties on BP and PAB-9 ammo and a general lack of mod options on the weapons that use them have knocked the caliber out of the top tier. Still, in the right hands, a VSS or AS-VAL with BP ammo is incredibly dangerous.
.366 TKM
5.45x39mm
5.56x45mm
The rifle caliber for AR15-style guns including the M4, TX-15, and HK416, 5.56 is another small round with great penetration at the high end. The trouble is, it is difficult to get your hands on the good stuff at low levels, the weapons themselves get exorbitantly expensive to mod, and the high-end ammo has hefty recoil and accuracy penalties. Still, a kitted-out M4 with M995s can handle just about anything.
.300 Blackout
7.62x39mm
7.62 rifles like the Mutant and AKM dominated the last wipe, and remain at the center of the meta post patch 12.12.30. While 7.62 BP ammo doesn’t quite have the penetration of top 5.56 and 5.45 rounds, it hits significantly harder. Only level 6 armor can really stop it, and even that will quickly break down. PS ammo is a great budget option for low-level players, but you should never take less than BP once you can buy it from Prapor.
7.62x51mm NATO
A longtime meta king, 7.62x51 rounds have the best combined damage and penetration in Escape From Tarkov. The top-end rounds basically ignore armor and will drop a player in two hits to the thorax. The only downside of this caliber is that most of the guns are semi-auto only, and the full-auto SA58 has some extreme recoil.
7.62x54R
.338 Lapua Magnum
The biggest, baddest bullets in Tarkov, .338 Lapua Magnum rounds do way more than enough damage to one-shot PMCs to the thorax. AP rounds also have way more than enough penetration to obliterate armor. These are expensive, hard-to-find bullets, but worth the investment if you can afford it.
12.7x55mm
12.7x55 is another high damage round, but it is too heavy and slow to pierce high-end armor. It hits like a truck and will decimate players and scavs in level 4 vests or below, but will take too many hits to get through level 5 and 6 armor. Once you get through though, your target is toast.
That’s all the best ammo in Tarkov and everything you need to know about how it works! The sheer number of options can be overwhelming, so focus on these top-tier rounds when you can. If you want to see what your bullets are up against, check out our guide to thebest armor in Tarkov,where we also explain the game’s amror mechanics. For more on upcoming content, check out our piece on the recentArena mode reveal.
