Now that I've learned the cost per shot of weapons in Arc Raiders, I'm an even bigger fan of my beloved Stitcher

Arc Raiders extraction characters
(Image credit: Embark Studios)

The best guns in Arc Raiders are a surprisingly subjective thing. As objectively powerful as the Anvil is, and I do love it, I won't hide the fact that I think I actually prefer using the common Ferro instead. My favourite weapon so far, though, has to be the Stitcher; it's a breeze to use against other players.

Until now, it's largely been a 'vibe' thing for me. Simply put, I like the way the Stitcher, Ferro, and Anvil feel compared to competition like the Kettle, Arpeggio, and Torrente, among others. And that's lucky for me now that I've seen the maths behind it all.

Content creator 'Min Max Lab', who's been doing a bunch of excellent Arc Raiders science experiments lately, has worked out the efficiency of the most common and popular weapons by weighing up their max durability, how much is lost per shot, and how expensive each one is to repair. As cliché as it sounds, the results will surprise you.

Does Durability Affect Gun Performance? | ARC Raiders Tested - YouTube Does Durability Affect Gun Performance? | ARC Raiders Tested - YouTube
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Firstly, my beloved Stitcher is the most efficient of the bunch, wringing out 13,700 damage/1950 shots per full repair at level 4, which works out to just two credits per shot. This demolishes the Rattler IV's average 11,900 damage per gun at 3.9 credits per shot. There's a noticeable upgrade between its level 1 and level 4 versions, though it's a consistently good pick no matter what.

On the other hand, I'm blown away by just how inefficient the Osprey is. If you fire just one and a half max ammo stacks, you'll break a fresh Osprey. That's not much at all, and totally feasible in just one match if you're taking on tougher Arcs or players. Ignoring the Osprey's scope, you're much better off using a Ferro instead.

Then there's the Venator, the oddball of the bunch. This rare pistol fires two shots per trigger pull and is generally considered to be one of the best guns in the game, at least for PvP. Looking at the numbers, it can deal a whopping 16,400 damage and a very efficient 91 magazines per full repair.

It's well above the rest of the weapons Min Max Lab tested, and it's most likely because the Venator is effectively shooting two bullets for the price of one. It's not even that expensive to repair compared to some of the other options: the Venator is cheaper to repair on a per-damage basis than the lower rarity Anvil.

Of course, the numbers don't tell the full story (as fascinating as they are). Not all weapons are equally easy to use, they weigh different amounts, and you'll lose any of them in the blink of an eye if you're not careful.

Arc Raiders Field DepotsArc Raiders Field CratesArc Raiders Greasing Her PalmsArc Raiders A Reveal in RuinsArc Raiders The Root of the MatterArc Raiders Armored TransportsArc Raiders best skillsArc Raiders best weaponsArc Raiders Expeditions

Arc Raiders Field Depots: Where to find 'em
Arc Raiders Field Crates: How to use 'em
Arc Raiders Greasing Her Palms: Cartographer
Arc Raiders A Reveal in Ruins: Buried City pharmacies
Arc Raiders The Root of the Matter: Room with a view
Arc Raiders Armored Transports: Loot patrol cars
Arc Raiders best skills: Survive the surface
Arc Raiders best weapons: Just don't lose them
Arc Raiders Expeditions: Retire your Raider

Rory Norris
Guides Writer

Rory has made the fatal error of playing way too many live service games at once, and somehow still finding time for everything in between. Sure, he’s an expert at Destiny 2, Call of Duty, and more, but at what cost? He’s even sunk 1,000 hours into The Elder Scrolls Online over the years. At least he put all those hours spent grinding challenges to good use over the years as a freelancer and guides editor. In his spare time, he’s also an avid video creator, often breaking down the environmental design of his favourite games. If you can’t track him down, he’s probably lost in a cave with a bunch of dwarves shouting “rock and stone” to no end.

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