DayZ Weapons Guide: Gunning to Survive

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Arron Kluz

Arron is a featured team writer and lifelong gamer. Ever since he started playing games on his old SNES, and has been hooked ever since. He has a particular love for games like Pillars of Eternity, Skyrim, a variety of beloved indie titles, and also a few online shooters to serve as a means of avoiding open-world fatigue. Outside of gaming, he enjoys watching arthouse movies, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and writing fiction.

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Scavenging supplies in DayZ are all about finding the gear and weapons you need to ensure your survival. There are tons of options to fit yourself out with so that you can prepare for any situation you come across, but that also means there are many kinds of guns for players to learn and know about.

Doing so is very important, as going into an area or getting a firefight and not knowing which gun to use or how to use the guns you have effectively spells inevitable disaster. So, here is everything that you need to know about the weapons you can find in DayZ.

Welcome to a DayZ Weapons Guide.

Key Info Up Front

• Weapon categories: Melee, Handguns, Shotguns, Submachine Guns, Assault Rifles, Battle Rifles, Bolt-Action Rifles, Break-Action Rifles, Lever-Action Rifles, Marksman Rifles, Semi-Automatic Rifles, and Explosives
• Ammunition Types: 9x19mm, .357, .45 ACP, .380 ACP, .308 WIN, .22 LR, Flare, 12ga, 5.56x45mm, 5.45x39mm, 7.62x39mm, 9x39mm
• Attachment Types: Buttstocks, Handguards, Scopes, Rail, Muzzles, Wraps, Bayonets, Underslung

Weapons Overview

The weapon that you carry in DayZ is incredibly important because it determines how you approach any bests players or zombies that you come across. How many weapons to carry is also essential, as managing your inventory space efficiently is pivotal to being successful in DayZ. I carry a melee weapon, a silenced pistol, and either an automatic or long-range rifle.

However, the weapons you decide to carry with you will largely depend on your personal preferences and what you plan to do during your play session. However, choosing exactly what to carry can be difficult if you don’t know enough about all of the many guns in DayZ, so it is important to fully know your options and what the guns you have are capable of or best used for.

That being said, while reading about what weapons are good for is an excellent place to start, I recommend experimenting with each of the guns yourself. This will help you get a feel for how they are in-game and determine which ones are your favorite to use. Doing so will also help you know what to expect from other players if you know what gun they are using or what ones to use if you don’t have your optimum loadout.

Read also: Comprehensive DayZ Getting Started Guide.

Melee Weapons

Technically, you can use anything you can hold in your hands in DayZ to hit enemies as if it were a weapon. However, several items deal significantly more melee damage and are designated as melee weapons.

Each melee weapon has its moves and feel as well as damage numbers. I prefer to use the Kukri if I want to move quickly or the Firefighter Axe if I’m in more of a bruiser mood and want to hit harder with a single strike.

The selection of melee weapons in DayZ all have minor differences, so to figure out which one you like using the best, I recommend trying each one on a few zombies to see how it feels to use. The melee weapons in the game are:

• Baseball Bat (included Nailed and Barbed variants)
• Lead Pipe
• Hammer
• Sledgehammer
• lug Wrench
• Screwdriver
• Crowbar
• Shovel
• Hatchet
• Splitting Axe
• Firefighter Axe
• Pickaxe
• Spear
• Pipe Wrench
• Brass Knuckles
• Stone Knife
• Cleaver
• Steak Knife
• Kitchen Knife
• Hunting Knife
• Combat Knife
• Machete
• Kukri
• Fange
• Sickle
• Farming Hoe
• Pitchfork
• Broom
• Crude Machete
• Oriental Machete
• Sharpened Stick
• Wrench
• Meat Tenderizer

Handguns

CR-75

• Ammunition: 9x19mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Rail, Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Towns, Police Stations, Villages

The CR-75 will most likely be your very first gun in DayZ because it has a high chance of spawning. A relatively basic semi-automatic pistol acts as an excellent introduction to the game’s firearms and shooting mechanics. Even after getting other options, I still like using the CR-75 because of its reliability, especially with a flashlight and suppressor equipped to quiet takedowns in buildings.

Deagle

• Ammunition: .357
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Towns

The Deagle is a much slower semi-automatic pistol that is very rare to find, especially its gold variant. However, it makes up for this with very high damage that can eliminate an unarmored player with a single shot to the body. It also uses the common .357 ammunition, so if you can get your hands on one of these, hang on to it tightly, as I think it is one of the best sidearm options in the entire game.

Derringer

• Ammunition: .357
• Attachment Slots: None
• Spawn Locations: Military, Residential

If you’re looking for a bite-sized pistol that doesn’t take up much inventory space, you’ll want to grab a Derringer. It only has two rounds in it at a time since it has only two barrels and a basic firing mechanism. I tend to keep a Derringer on hand if I want to have a backup gun that I can retrieve if I lose my backpack or any other equipment due to fun player interactions, and it even comes in pink.

FX-45

• Ammunition: .45 ACP
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Rail, Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Military

The FX-45 is effectively the military equivalent of the CR-75. It is pretty rare because it can only be found at military camps, so when I get one in the late game, I use it similarly to the CR-75 above.

IJ-70

• Ammunition: .380 ACP
• Attachment Slots: Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Towns, Villages

Mostly known as James Bond’s iconic firearm of choice, the IJ-70 is another standard first firearm found in towns and villages throughout the map. It is very light, but I think its limited attachment slots make it a poor alternative to the CR-75 early in the game, so I wouldn’t bother using it unless you have to.

Kolt 1911

• Ammunition: .45 ACP
• Attachment Slots: Rail, Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Towns, Villages

The Kolt 1911 has a pretty small magazine size, but well-rounded stats otherwise make it a good option for experienced players. It also is the quietest gun when used with a suppressor, so I recommend using this one after you get used to the CR-75.

Longhorn

• Ammunition: .308 WIN
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Hunting

The Longhorn is the long-range sidearm. It has to be reloaded after every shot, so don’t even think about using this one in close quarters unless you have absolutely no other choice. When I use the Longhorn, I run it with a scope for medium-range encounters with a primary gun that excels in close-quarters like a Shotgun or Submachine Gun.

MK II

• Ammunition: .22 LR
• Attachment Slots: None
• Spawn Locations: Towns, Villages

The MK II uses the weakest type of bullets in the game, is internally suppressed, and doesn’t have any slots for attachments. It is arguably the worst weapon in the game, and I wouldn’t recommend using it unless it is the only gun you have.

Mlock-91

• Ammunition: 9x19mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Rail, Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Police, Military

The Mlock-91 is an automatic sidearm that is one of the best early-game weapon options. It has a sizable magazine, decent damage output, and low recoil that consistently help new players hit their shots.

P1

• Ammunition: 9x19mm
• Attachment Slots: Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Civilian, Police

The P1’s smaller magazine size and lack of attachment slots make it worse than the CR-75, in my opinion. Its magazine is technically easier to find than the CR-75’s so you may want to use the P1 until you can get another competent sidearm ready to go, but I don’t see a reason to go back to it after that.

Revolver

• Ammunition: .357
• Attachment Slots: None
• Spawn Locations: Towns

The Revolver is a powerful sidearm that holds six rounds at a time. However, it does have a really short range, so I only use it during close-quarters encounters. However, if you manage to find a Deagle, swap this out for that, and you’ll be good to go.

Signal Pistol

• Ammunition: Flare
• Attachment Slots: None
• Spawn Locations: Coast, Firefighter, Medic, Military, Police

This sidearm is not like most pistols because it is used to fire flares either for light or send messages or markers to other players.

Shotguns

BK-133

• Ammunition: 12ga
• Attachment Slots: Scopes
• Spawn Locations: Farm, Hunting, Police, Village

The BK-133 is a pump-action shotgun, one of the most common guns on the map. It can be used with three different 12ga variants, allowing you to customize its performance to your preference. Like all shotguns, it is also extremely good for close-quarters engagements and will serve you better than most other guns in a tight building space.

BK-43

• Ammunition: 12ga
• Attachment Slots: Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Town, Village

This gun is a double-barrel shotgun that deals significant damage in exchange for its pitiful ammo capacity. It even can fire both shells at once, making it a lethal armament for taking down armored players in buildings.

Vaiga

• Ammunition: 12ga
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Scopes, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Military

The Vaiga can be used in either semi-automatic or automatic modes, making it the strongest shotgun in DayZ. If you ever know that you’re going to be fighting in close quarters, you should have a Vaiga ready to go. It can clear an entire room of enemies in a single hold of the trigger, and you won’t regret taking it with you.

Submachine Guns

Bizon

• Ammunition: .380 ACP
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Firestations, Helicopter Crash Sites

The Bizon is a well-rounded weapon with solid damage, a reasonable fire rate, and enough attachment slots to be customized to match your preferences. However, it has a slower fire rate than the CR-61 Scorpion below, making some players, including myself, prefer using that submachine gun in close encounters.

CR-61 Skorpion

• Ammunition: .380 ACP
• Attachment Slots: Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Police

The CR-61 Skorpion is a fierce little submachine gun with an incredible fire rate to help clear out buildings with speed and lethality. Its small size also makes it take up hardly any inventory space, making it a good candidate for carrying your backpack as a backup weapon.

SG5-K

• Ammunition: 9x19mm
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Handguards, Scopes, Rail, Muzzles
• Spawn Locations: Military

The SG5-K is my personal favorite Submachine Gun because of its versatility. With its selective-fire rates and variety of attachments, it can adapt to situations as encounters change, allowing it to cover close and medium quarters competently.

USG-45

• Ammunition: .45 ACP
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Rail, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Military

The USG-45 is one of the rarest submachine guns you can find by exploring military bases. It is a potent weapon, especially for its ammunition type, and its decent number of attachment slots make it a strong contender for your end-game needs.

Assault Rifles

AUR A1

• Ammunition: 5.56x45mm
• Attachment Slots: Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: West Military

This assault rifle is a medium-tier assault rifle specially tuned for medium-range firefights. However, one of my favorite features with the AUR A1 is its built-in scope that allows you to grab it without worrying about getting the right attachments to make it worthwhile.

AUR AX

• Ammunition: 5.56x45mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Rail, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: West Military

The AUR AX is essentially the upgraded AUR A1. It features similar base stats and the same ammunition. Still, it can be augmented and improved with a wider variety of attachments in more slots, making it much more versatile and powerful than its peer.

KA-101

• Ammunition: 5.56x45mmm
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Handguards, Scopes, Rail, Muzzles, Wraps, Bayonets
• Spawn Locations: Military

The KA-101 is an extremely versatile assault rifle capable of taking a wide range of attachments to be improved. It also comes with an impressively low carry weight, good base damage, and strong handling. This makes it a great assault rifle to cover multiple encounter ranges if you don’t know what to expect, which I tend to use to help cut down on how many guns I need to carry with me at a time.

KA-74

• Ammunition: 5.45x39mm
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Handguards, Scopes, Rail, Muzzles, Wraps, Bayonets
• Spawn Locations: Military

The KA-74 is similar to the KA-101 but with a slower fire rate and an emphasis on putting more force behind every shot. So, if you like the handling of the KA-101 but want more power behind its punch, the KA-74 is a good pick. However, this does make it best saved for medium-range encounters as close-quarters weapons quickly outpace it.

KAS-74U

• Ammunition: 5.45x39mm
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Military

The KAS-74U is a shortened version of the KA-74 that sacrifices some of its power for faster handling and rate of fire. This assault rifle is very good for encounters where you know you will be inside a lot with some medium-range firing possible, such as venturing into a town or village to search buildings.

KA-M

• Ammunition: 7.62x39mm
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Handguards, Scopes, Rail, Muzzles, Wraps, Bayonets
• Spawn Locations: Static Contamination Zones

The KA-M is the big brother equivalent of the KA firearm line. It carries a larger caliber round, considerably boosting its damage and slowing down its firing rate. However, this makes it an excellent firearm for medium to long-range encounters, especially with a scope attached. However, it does have a lot of recoil that you will have to get used to if you often plan to use this one.

LE-MAS

• Ammunition: 5.56x45mm
• Attachment Slots: Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Contaminated Zones, Helicopter Crash Sites

The LE-MAS features a high rate of fire that allows it to support semi-automatic, burst, and automatic firing modes, which can help it adapt to any combat situation. I usually prefer the LE-MAS with its burst fire mode to cover medium-range encounters against other players.

M16-A2

• Ammunition: 5.56x45mm
• Attachment Slots: Muzzles, Wraps, Bayonets
• Spawn Locations: Military

The M16-A2 is best suited for the lower range of medium encounters. It comes with a burst mode with a high rate of fire that can put players down quickly at the right ranges. However, it isn’t a very flexible gun, so I prefer only using the M16-A2 if I have plenty of space for other guns to cover different ranges.

M4-A1

• Ammunition: 5.56x45mm
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Handguards, Scopes, Rail, Muzzles, Wraps, Bayonets
• Spawn Locations: Static Contamination Zones

The M4-A1 is one of the best late-game assault rifles in DayZ because of its great base stats and high amount of customizability. It is best suited for medium-range firefights but can work well in closer quarters on fully automatic. It also has very manageable recoil, meaning that any player can use it effectively.

SVAL

• Ammunition: 9x39mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Rail, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Static Contamination Zones

The SVAL is one of the rarest weapons in DayZ. It has a built-in suppressor and multiple firing rates that make it nearly silent and one of the best stealth weapons available if you prefer avoiding all-out conflict.

Battle Rifles

LAR

• Ammunition: .308 WIN
• Attachment Slots: Buttstocks, Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Helicopter Crash Sites

The only battle rifle currently in the game, the LAR is an extremely rare late-game weapon found in helicopter crashes. There can only be four LARs on a vanilla server at a time, but its incredibly high damage offsets that. Finding an LAR is an extremely lucky occasion, and it is by far my favorite rifle in the game because of its ability to drop players with just a shot or two to the chest.

Bolt-Action Rifles

CR-527

• Ammunition: 7.62x39mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Farm, Hunting, Village

This rifle is a great starting long-range rifle because of its general accuracy and reliability. However, its aiming is locked at 200m, so don’t bother trying to use it at medium or closer range as your bullets will often miss despite aiming right at your target.

CR-550 Savanna

• Ammunition: .308 WIN
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Hunting

The CR-550 Savanna is a well-rounded long-range rifle. It is consistent at various long ranges, has enough attachment slots to upgrade it slightly, and uses a solid round. I prefer to use a CR-550 for stealth shooting by putting a silencer on it so that I can be aggressive with it and then run away if things don’t go my way right away.

M70 Tundra

• Ammunition: .308 WIN
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Castles, Hunting

If you can get your hands on an M70 Tundra, your next priority should be getting a Hunting Scope for it. This bolt-action rifle is effective at incredible ranges, allowing you to take targets down with a single shot long before they can even see you. I love using the M70 Tundra to take out other players that are stocked up on good gear or using it to cover friends as they approach dangerous locations.

Mosin 91/30

• Ammunition: 7.62x54mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps, Bayonets
• Spawn Locations: Hunting, Town, Village

The Mosin 91/30 is a solid mid-game rifle. It is most effective at the medium range, so it is especially lethal in urban environments or when searching military bases. I prefer to run a sawed-off Mosin as a high-damage rifle with a bayonet and short-range scope equipped to increase its lethality on the battlefield.

Pioneer

• Ammunition: 5.56x45mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Police, Prison

The Pioneer is a rare rifle with a substantial range that makes it perfect for accompanying it with a submachine gun or versatile assault rifle. It is a fine rifle if you like how it handles, but I prefer to use either a M70 Tundra or CR-550 Savanna in place of the Pioneer in most situations.

Break-Action Rifles

BK-18

• Ammunition: 7.62x39mm
• Attachment Slots: Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Farms, Towns, Villages

The BK-18 only holds one round at a time that can deal high damage up to medium range. However, it is also deafening and suffers from extreme recoil. It can also be found early on in the game but has to be used in a particular way to feel useful. I like using the gun with a saw in crafting to make a sawed-off variant that I use in close quarters to ambush other players before following up with a sidearm or melee weapon.

Blaze

• Ammunition: .308 WIN
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Hunting, Towns, Villages

You’ll likely love the Blaze if you try out the BK-18 and like using it. It is effectively an upgraded version of the BK-18 with two barrels, doubling your ammunition capacity. It also is stronger at medium range, making it pair very well with scope for quick kills achieved in a shot and prompt follow-up.

Lever-Action Rifles

Repeater Carbine

• Ammunition: .357
• Attachment Slots: Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Civilian, Hunting

The only Lever-action Rifle in the game, the Repeater Carbine is a single-shot rifle that excels when engaging medium-range targets. It is slow to shoot but has high damage to help mitigate how many shots you’ll need to put anything down.

Marksman Rifles

VSD

• Ammunition: 7.62x54mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Helicopter Crash Sites

The VSD is a late-game sniper that boasts a large magazine size and incredible range. This makes it a very strong sniper, especially for stealth play, since it is the only proper rifle than can equip a real suppressor. It also can be used with a night-vision scope, allowing you to e a lethal force during the night, which is my favorite way to use this rifle.

VSS

• Ammunition: 9x39mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Static Contamination Zones

The VSS is another late-game rifle that comes with an internal suppressor. It has a limited range and is nearly silent, making it an excellent medium-range option for taking out multiple targets in urban environments. I love the VSS and tend to run it with a versatile assault rifle that I can use to cover close-quarters encounters once my location has been figured out.

Semi-Automatic Rifles

SK 59/66

• Ammunition: 7.62x39mm
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps, Bayonets
• Spawn Locations: Military

The SK 59/66 is a semi-automatic rifle with a 10-round magazine that is a very strong and consistent gun for mid-game play. It is surprisingly strong for its uncommon rarity, and I love using this rifle to cover encounters with non-player enemies until I get better gear to build loadouts with.

Sporter 22

• Ammunition: .22 LR
• Attachment Slots: Scopes, Muzzles, Wraps
• Spawn Locations: Civilian, Hunting

At first glance, the Sporter 22 may seem like an almost useless rifle. Its small ammunition makes killing most targets take at least two headshots or multiple rounds to the body. However, the rifle is also extremely quiet, and its quiet firing sound makes it an excellent gun for clearing out groups of infected if you don’t want to spend more valuable ammunition on them.

Explosives

Claymore

• Spawn Locations: Military

The Claymore is an explosive trap that is focused on in-door use. It explodes in a single direction, allowing you to hide on the other side of it without taking damage. I use them to ambush players in buildings or cover my back as I retreat from an encounter that has turned out poorly.

Land Mine

• Spawn Locations: Military

Land Mines are meant more for outdoor use as they can be activated from a bigger range and have larger explosions. They do enough damage to kill or knock out any player unlucky enough to stand on one or can be used to ambush vehicles effectively.

EGD-5 Frag Grenade

• Spawn Locations: Military

This grenade type is intended to be thrown to take out groups of targets, whether infected or other players. This makes it particularly useful in close-quarters, especially when throwing it through a window or behind cover where a known target is hiding. Its fuse does take a few seconds to explode, so when you throw one, be prepared to shoot at any targets that run away from it.

6-M7 Frag Grenade

• Spawn Locations: Military

This grenade functions very similarly to the EGD-5 and is a potent tool for clearing out entire groups of targets. I tend to use these either to put pressure on players hiding out in buildings or to take out infected groups if things are starting to go south quickly.

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