Ammunition

The ammunition is Tarkov's: 26 calibres and around ninety loads that chamber in over a hundred weapons and their magazines, across 12 gauge, 9×19, 9×18, 9×39, 4.6×30, 5.7×28, .45 ACP, .357, 5.56×45, 5.45×39, 7.62×39, 7.62×51, 7.62×54R, .300 BLK, .338 and the large bores.

The ladder#

Rounds are ranked by their Tarkov penetration rating. DayZ has no penetration mechanic, so the rank becomes damage, and the rule is simple: a higher-penetration round never does less damage than a lower one in the same calibre. Armour-piercing is strictly better against a target in armour; the cheap round is not secretly the best. The ladder — which round beats which — is stable; only the prices move.

The second axis: shock#

Damage decides whether you die. Shock decides whether you black out first, and it runs the other way. Within a calibre the lowest-penetration round carries the most shock and the highest-penetration round the least: cheap hollow points concuss, AP rounds drill through and don't. Nearly every blackout comes from a head hit, because a vest stops most of the shock a body hit carries. So cheap ammunition is what knocks people out, and the helmet is what stops it. Medical and getting knocked out.

SMG rounds lose damage with range#

4.6×30, 5.7×28 and 9×19 lose damage faster over distance than rifle rounds. 4.6 and 5.7 keep about 82% of their damage at 50 m and 67% at 100 m; close up they hit as hard as ever. Rifle rounds keep about 94% at 50 m and 88% at 100 m.

4.6×30: FMJ SX and AP SX#

The MP7's round comes in two loads. FMJ SX is the everyday one: cheap, sold by Mechanic from loyalty level I and Peacekeeper from level II. AP SX is the armour-piercing load: it hits harder, Mechanic and Peacekeeper sell it from loyalty level III, and it turns up in loot about a quarter as often as FMJ SX. Magazines you find come loaded with FMJ SX. The numbers for both are in the table below.

Prices#

Ammunition is sold at Tarkov's own trader prices, and you can buy it by the round as well as by the pile; piles follow Tarkov's stack sizes. It unlocks by penetration, in every calibre: the everyday rounds for every starter gun on loyalty level I, the best armour-piercing rounds on level IV, and a weaker round is never dearer or later than a better one. Magazines you find come loaded with standard ammunition, so premium rounds are a real find or a trader purchase. Anti-materiel ammunition doesn't spawn loose in containers; the traders sell it.

Every round#

Each table shows a round's damage, its shock, its price per round at the cheapest trader, and that trader with the loyalty level it needs there. A dash means no trader sells it: it is found, never sold. What each one does to a player in armour is on Shots to Kill.

14.5x114mm · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
14.5x114mm BZT API-T	1,500	1,500	127,100 ₽	Lightkeeper IV

.50 BMG (12.7x99mm) · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.50 BMG M33	1,334	1,500	127,100 ₽	Lightkeeper IV

.408 CheyTac · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.408 Cheyenne Tactical	667	1,450	127,100 ₽	Lightkeeper IV

.338 Lapua Magnum · 2 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.338 Lapua Magnum FMJ	420	1,450	2,142 ₽	Prapor IV
.338 Lapua Magnum AP	520	1,450	—	found, not sold

8.6 Blackout · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
8.6 Blackout GF	310	310	21,176 ₽	Lightkeeper I

.300 Winchester Magnum · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.300 Win Mag	300	400	—	found, not sold

12.7x55mm STs-130 · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
12.7×55mm STs-130VPS	175	350	498 ₽	Prapor III

7.62x54mmR · 8 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
7.62x54mm R HP BT	103	230	254 ₽	Jaeger I
7.62x54mm R FMJ	112	225	374 ₽	Prapor I
7.62x54mm R T-46M gzh	122	220	493 ₽	Prapor II
7.62x54mm R LPS gzh	134	215	684 ₽	Prapor II
7.62x54mm R PS gzh	143	215	1,272 ₽	Prapor III
7.62x54mm R BT gzh	149	210	1,646 ₽	Prapor III
7.62x54mm R SNB gzh	160	205	1,976 ₽	Prapor IV
7.62x54mm R BS gs	175	200	—	found, not sold

.277 Fury · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.277 SIG FURY HYBRID Rounds	170	50	1,991 ₽	Lightkeeper I

7.62x51mm NATO / .308 Win · 5 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
7.62x51mm BCP FMJ	91	220	320 ₽	Prapor II
7.62x51mm M80	103	210	804 ₽	Peacekeeper IV
7.62x51mm M62 Tracer	115	215	668 ₽	Peacekeeper III
7.62x51mm M61	125	205	1,976 ₽	Peacekeeper IV
7.62x51mm M993	160	200	3,614 ₽	Peacekeeper IV

6.8mm SPC · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
6.8mm Remington SPC	155	55	1,101 ₽	Lightkeeper I

.50 Beowulf · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.50 Beowulf	149	50	1,964 ₽	Peacekeeper III

.300 Blackout · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.300 AAC Blackout FMJ	140	50	233 ₽	Skier I

7.62x39mm · 7 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
7.62x39mm HP	66	70	94 ₽	Skier I
7.62x39mm FMJ	71	65	194 ₽	Prapor I
7.62x39mm T-45M1 gzh	79	60	276 ₽	Prapor I
7.62x39mm PS gzh	89	55	332 ₽	Prapor III
7.62x39mm PP gzh	96	45	982 ₽	Prapor IV
7.62x39mm BP gzh	111	40	1,099 ₽	Lightkeeper I
7.62x39mm MAI AP	130	35	4,152 ₽	Peacekeeper IV

5.56x45mm NATO · 7 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
5.56x45mm HP	58	60	67 ₽	Skier I
5.56x45mm M856	64	55	176 ₽	Peacekeeper I
5.56x45mm FMJ	72	50	212 ₽	Peacekeeper II
5.56x45mm M855	80	45	286 ₽	Peacekeeper III
5.56x45mm M856A1	91	40	674 ₽	Peacekeeper III
5.56x45mm M855A1	103	35	1,130 ₽	Peacekeeper III
5.56x45mm M995	125	30	—	found, not sold

9x39mm · 3 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
9x39mm SP-5	89	70	304 ₽	Prapor I
9x39mm SP-6	103	55	1,272 ₽	Prapor IV
9x39 mm BP	125	35	—	found, not sold

12 Gauge · 17 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
Buckshot 12/70 5.25 mm x8 pellets	8	25	41 ₽	Prapor I
Buckshot 12/70 8.5 mm x8 pellets	9	25	49 ₽	Jaeger I
Buckshot 12/70 6.5 mm x9 pellets	9	30	58 ₽	Jaeger I
Cartridge 12/70 «Piranha» x10 pellets	10	35	293 ₽	Jaeger II
Buckshot 12/70 7 mm x8 pellets	11	30	58 ₽	Skier I
Flechette 12/70 x8 pellets	14	40	639 ₽	Jaeger III
Cartridge 12/70 «Dual Sabot» x2 pellets	46	35	146 ₽	Jaeger I
RIP 12/70	59	85	49 ₽	Jaeger I
Bullet 12/70 «SuperFormance»	64	65	70 ₽	Jaeger I
Bullet 12/70 «Grizzly 40»	72	60	84 ₽	Jaeger I
Bullet 12/70 «Copper Sabot Premier»	79	60	101 ₽	Jaeger I
12/70 lead caliber bullet	84	55	121 ₽	Skier I
Bullet 12/70 «Poleva-3»	91	50	146 ₽	Jaeger I
Bullet 12/70 «FTX Custom Lite»	96	45	175 ₽	Jaeger II
Bullet 12/70 «Poleva-6u»	100	45	175 ₽	Jaeger II
Bullet 12/70 .50 BMG	103	40	533 ₽	Jaeger III
Armor-piercing bullet 12/70 «AP-20»	125	35	—	found, not sold

5.45x39mm · 8 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
5.45x39mm HP	53	60	67 ₽	Mechanic I
5.45x39mm T gs	58	60	126 ₽	Prapor I
5.45x39mm FMJ	64	55	151 ₽	Prapor II
5.45x39mm PS gs	72	50	194 ₽	Prapor II
5.45x39mm PP gs	80	45	307 ₽	Prapor II
5.45x39mm BT gs	91	40	747 ₽	Prapor III
5.45x39mm BP gs	103	35	896 ₽	Prapor III
5.45x39mm BS gs	122	30	—	found, not sold

.500 S&W Magnum · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.500 S&W Magnum	112	50	754 ₽	Peacekeeper II

.50 Action Express · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.50 Action Express	103	50	235 ₽	Jaeger I

.45 ACP · 5 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.45 ACP RIP	44	85	104 ₽	Mechanic I
.45 ACP Hydra-Shok	53	60	125 ₽	Peacekeeper I
.45 ACP Lasermatch FMJ	61	55	150 ₽	Prapor I
.45 ACP Match FMJ	71	45	185 ₽	Peacekeeper I
.45 ACP AP	95	35	1,059 ₽	Peacekeeper IV

9x19mm Parabellum · 7 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
9x19 mm RIP	40	85	73 ₽	Mechanic I
9x19 mm Luger CCI	45	65	87 ₽	Prapor I
9x19 mm T	50	60	104 ₽	Mechanic I
9x19 mm FMJ M882	54	55	195 ₽	Peacekeeper I
9x19 mm AP 6.3	59	45	333 ₽	Peacekeeper III
9x19mm AP 6.3	64	40	333 ₽	Peacekeeper III
9x19 mm PBP	95	35	888 ₽	Prapor IV

4.6x30mm · 2 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
HK 4.6x30mm FMJ SX	72	70	539 ₽	Mechanic I
HK 4.6x30mm AP SX	95	35	1,744 ₽	Mechanic III

5.7x28mm · 2 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
5.7x28mm SS197SR	72	70	112 ₽	Skier I
5.7x28 mm SS190	95	35	726 ₽	Peacekeeper IV

.357 Magnum · 1 load

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
.357 Rounds	82	50	190 ₽	Jaeger I

.380 ACP / 9x18 Makarov · 6 loads

Round	Damage	Shock	Per round	Cheapest at, loyalty level
9x18 mm SP7	33	60	60 ₽	Prapor I
9x18 mm PSW	39	55	72 ₽	Jaeger I
9x18 mm PPT	45	50	86 ₽	Prapor I
9x18 mm RG028	50	40	103 ₽	Prapor I
9x18 mm BZHT	56	35	124 ₽	Prapor II
9x18 mm PBM	75	30	167 ₽	Prapor II

Who sells it#

Prapor carries the eastern calibres, Peacekeeper the NATO ones and Jaeger the hunting and shotgun rounds, and every gun a trader sells has its ammunition on the same shelf. Buy magazines loaded with any round the trader sells, and use the free Load Ammo service at any trader to load, top up or empty every magazine you carry. Traders.