Best budget weapon?

August 14, 2022

What's the best budget weapon to run for low levels? I was using the SKS but its just not working for me in close range fights against PMCs with full autos.

August 14, 2022

Hi! Personally, I used the RFB with M80s in my low levels, you will be able to kill almost anyone with 2-3 taps on the chest.

August 15, 2022

Saiga (shotgun). A million times Saiga. Whether buck luck, you happen upon some Flechette, or you get some Poleva slugs - it can help you win a fight you are way under kitted for (but you also might lose a fight that you shouldn't haha). I live/die by the Saiga. And once you can start getting those 10 round mags, you have at least one dump where you should dominate.

3.7k · August 15, 2022

On 8/14/2022 at 11:41 AM, sherifu said:

Hi! Personally, I used the RFB with M80s in my low levels, you will be able to kill almost anyone with 2-3 taps on the chest.

You can't get m80 at low levels, I don't think even I've unlocked them and I'm high 20's, I think.

VPO-136 is a cracking gun, though it's semi-auto like the SKS it's just generally nicer to use and iron sights are actually quite good. Plus after a few levels I think you can buy a bastion dust cover and stick a MRS on it. Even better - just shoot them in the face.

August 15, 2022

kedr is lyf lol. u can buy rounds for 14 roubles each. either leg meta people or go for headshots in the spray.

also saiga

also collect knifes from scav runs and swap them for ump45 or mp5

1.9k · August 15, 2022

120k, nobody loots the scope, drum, or backup PK-06. Fence sells PS for 100 a shot. Plus you can bait stupid people to rush with 10-15 shots. Or you can dump the whole drum into a bush that rustles. I swear the unsuppressed SKS induces PTSD in people, or they totally ignore it thinking ur a scav.

August 16, 2022

RFB works best for me if you want to spent USD , or cheap flea market decent gun.

But poor poor , I would say mosin or VPO that shoot 762 , its cheaper than SKS , it comes with a mag , its easier to mod

Handgun wise , 9 19 is better than 9 18 , five seven and srimp is better than 9 19 while .45 is hit or die headeyes god ,.

August 16, 2022

For close Range ROF i use the MP5 via Knife barter a lot, and the UMP if i can get my hands on it.
Above that i enjoy the Saiga-12 Shotgun very much, even with only 5-shot mags it just works wonders, especially with the cheap AK-Modding ability.

I run the OP-SKS a lot for nightraids, but upclose the semi auto will lose to full auto guns, so 7,62x39mm AKs also work.

The VPO-215 gorno is a great budget bolti, especially as it cycles faster than the mosins and you can craft AP ammo, though precision and MV lacks on that thing due to .366 restrictions.

My upgrade from the VPO-215 though is going for the M700, most of the time there is no need for M80 if you go for headshots, the BCP fmj (default zeroed round aswell) is sufficient and should also pen class3 faceshields often enough. 762x51mm Ultra Nosler is enjoyable aswell and very dirty, especially vs naked runners.

Pistolwise the cheap M9A3 Beretta with a laser designator is sufficient as backup.

Edited August 16, 2022 by Don_Montega
Adds

1.1k · August 16, 2022

Semiauto shotguns with flechette shred everything in CQB. They are cheap and do the job, no matter how hard your opponent is armored. You can craft the rounds yourself, if you can’t afford them on the flea.

The RFB was also a great suggestion.

Relatively cheap and effective at all distances. If you need to get super budget make use of shotguns with buckshot and go for the arms or legs, or directly into the face.

But honestly, any super budget loadout will just get you killed at some point. The games meta got stronger with every year. Long gone are the days where a few well-placed Makarov shots could down any tank. Even with stuff like Igolnik you can headshot Scavs and they will most of the time survive since the bullet does not instant-kill every time when doing headshots (not enough damage).

Try to get enough money together to be able to spend at least 40k on your firearm to stay competitive.

August 16, 2022

PM Makarov

August 16, 2022

2 hours ago, Himmuguegeli said:

Semiauto shotguns with flechette shred everything in CQB. They are cheap and do the job, no matter how hard your opponent is armored. You can craft the rounds yourself, if you can’t afford them on the flea.

The RFB was also a great suggestion.

Relatively cheap and effective at all distances. If you need to get super budget make use of shotguns with buckshot and go for the arms or legs, or directly into the face.

But honestly, any super budget loadout will just get you killed at some point. The games meta got stronger with every year. Long gone are the days where a few well-placed Makarov shots could down any tank. Even with stuff like Igolnik you can headshot Scavs and they will most of the time survive since the bullet does not instant-kill every time when doing headshots (not enough damage).

Try to get enough money together to be able to spend at least 40k on your firearm to stay competitive.

TO be fair, you don't even need Flechettes, if you are face or leg shotting.

August 17, 2022

just like to add, I've ran a naked (cache run) with a scav vest 1 extra mag for my PM pistol, and i've clapped a gigga chad on snoreline since he wasn't wearing condor glasses or a face mask/shield, he had a nice M1A, which i for some dumb reason vendored since i needed the Rubles.

1.9k · August 17, 2022

If you want budget, use a prolific scav weapon so you do not need to suppress it. Mosin, SKS, 153/155, AK's. Adar. People underestimate your importance when you shoot. Until you SBIH a guy with an RSASS who decided to peek your unsuppressed mosin report.

2k · August 17, 2022

On 8/15/2022 at 6:56 PM, ACuddlyBadger said:

120k

I get that "budget" is subjective. But that is not a budget weapon for low levels. Some of those parts cannot be bought at low levels either.

OP. Keder/Klin 9x18mm isn't great but you can get a close in leg meta gun for cheap.

Shotguns. Very effective for the cost.

That .366 VPO AK (I forget the number) Buy the EKO rounds if you cannot get the AP. They have good pen, damage and a recoil reduction modifier.

August 17, 2022

Silenced KEDR, learn to aim for legs (it takes a few days to change your 'natural' headshot aims to aim for legs, but once you make it your new 'default' aim, KEDR is the single best, cheap weapon out there. 45-50K gets you a completely kitted out, SILENCED weapon with 200 PSO bullets and plenty mags, and there's NOTHING Chads can do about getting literally one-shot (well, 30-shot, but it's 2 seconds) by you. The only thing is - you'll need to make sure you choose your fights - don't fight 100m fights, try and fight in buildings with lots of corners.

August 17, 2022

How is no one not mentioning the UMP for this man?! The UMP is for sure S tier for lower levels. Matches FMJ will do work. Even when you're a low-mid, mid and high lvl, just slap some APs in from Peacekeeper 3 if you rushed it and it stays S tier for budget builds.

Thank me later!

August 17, 2022

On 8/14/2022 at 6:25 AM, ItzTyler said:

What's the best budget weapon to run for low levels? I was using the SKS but its just not working for me in close range fights against PMCs with full autos.

Also, the OP-SKS is definitely a great weapon for low lvls if you're running at least PS ammo. Even at close range it does work if you tap fire fast enough and you have a flashlight or some type of tactical device for point-fire (hip-fire) accuracy. Just slap on a UAS stock from flea (if you're 15), hex supp, dovetail Axion Kobra reflex from Prap and tac device then go to town. If you didn't know about the huge accuracy buff from tacs, go watch a clip on YouTube about it. I've wiped multiple 3 mans with the OP-SKS earlier this wipe for low lvl budget builds.

August 17, 2022

everyone here has posted mediocre suggestions. the best budget gun is the revolving shotgun that jaeger sells for 22k. you spend another 9k on the targetsight and load that pipe with ap-20 ammo. Enjoy 😉

August 18, 2022

5 hours ago, majohnson said:

everyone here has posted mediocre suggestions. the best budget gun is the revolving shotgun that jaeger sells for 22k. you spend another 9k on the targetsight and load that pipe with ap-20 ammo. Enjoy 😉

ap-20 ammo is far from low level budget ammo, bud.. And there's many more shotguns better than that shotgun lol

August 18, 2022

Klin (a.k.a the better Kedr). Can craft them at the workbench using a Kedr (Be sure to strip the Kedr for it's parts beforehand for maximum value, keep the 30 round mags for the gun, you can't buy them until Prapor lv3 or flea for some reason). Buy PSV rounds from Jaeger and go full auto on PMC legs. Switch to single shot and one tap scavs on the head. You don't need SP7 rounds, I've found they never made a difference in fights for me at least and they're very expensive. PsTM rounds are the armor busters, but 9x18 is too much of a crapshot for them to work in your favor. The high RPM really helps you contest and survive against most PMCs running midgame content. Against chads using mutants, two tap ammo types, or the higher tier more expensive leg meta rounds like RIP ammo, you're gonna die no matter what, but if you get a lucky kill, their armor and helmet will be in good condition for you. Can also use the Kedr-B which trades 100 RPM for a silenced, better recoil version, but I wouldn't recommend it as you can't mount lights on it unlike the Klin, which makes doing budget night time money runs or questing impossible without NVGs, and that's not ideal. Maybe okay on interchange though.

Side note, I can't wait for the Skorpion v61 to come out someday, really love to use that over the Klin hopefully if it doesn't suck.

Edited August 18, 2022 by Shirobine

August 18, 2022

I ran MP5s with PST and SKSs with PS until I unlocked jaeger and got the OP-SKS, and ran that until I could manufacture my own AKMs, which was about level 7 for me. Then I kitted up an ADAR with M855, and have been running that non stop. I'm at level 14 now and still running the exact same ADAR.

2k · August 18, 2022

14 hours ago, majohnson said:

everyone here has posted mediocre suggestions. the best budget gun is the revolving shotgun that jaeger sells for 22k. you spend another 9k on the targetsight and load that pipe with ap-20 ammo. Enjoy 😉

AP-20 isn't low level ammo. It unlocks a Jaeger 4 (Level 33). Or with a long craft at a level 3 workbench (level 40)

I feel like some people don't understand what "Low level" or "budget" really is.

Personally I would not consider any gun over 100K to be "budget" (really, I draw the line at 50K for my own "budget" builds) and I would not consider anything over level 15 to be "low level" because that is the flea market threshold. At that point level almost has no meaning.

3.7k · August 18, 2022

9k double barrel shotgun + buckshot has been netting me hauls of good gear in factory. The only time I've had to buy a gun was when I do the specific kill tasks.