STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has no shortage of guns to choose from. But, thanks to GSC’s curious attempt at balancing an MP5 with a Dragunov, not all of them are as potent as you expect them to be. Here are the best STALKER 2 guns, bar none.
Indeed, after spending about four dozen (don’t judge me) playing STALKER 2 in its vanilla and modded versions, I’ve been able to locate just about all the weapons there are in this game. Their respective attachments, too, are discussed in a prior article. This means I’ve also tested out all of these guns in combat and see which ones might get you the farthest in the Zone.
I’ve assembled a list of the 15 most potent guns you could use during your stint with STALKER 2. Sadly, if you’re familiar with how guns and ammunition work in the real world, I’d advise you to put all of that knowledge aside for this game. Or, do what I did in the end and install a rebalancing mod. That works wonders if nonsensical differences between weapons bug you!
To make finding these guns as easy as possible, I’m using the awesome STALKER 2 interactive map hosted over at MapGenie! It’s been a joy to use.
Top 15 best STALKER 2 guns and how to get them
#15: SOFMOD
Location: Railway Maintenance Facility, Zaton – Southeast building, sitting pretty on a crate with some ammo boxes nearby.
Full disclosure: SOFMOD is one of my favorite weapons in STALKER 2. It is, however, sort of locked into its role as a medium-to-short-range ultragun that eats ammo like there’s no tomorrow. It’s a 5.56 special operations carbine with a silencer, and it’s easy to appreciate its one-of-a-kind reflex sight in close quarters. Yet, since this is a unique model of the 416, you cannot replace the sight with a holo or an ACOG.
In practice, SOFMOD is expensive to run and upgrade, and though you can lug it around to fulfill the role of a close-quarters carbine type of thing, which it is genuinely good at, there are better options for this same job. A huge boon is that you can grab the SOFMOD really early on, though.
#14: VS Vintar
Location: Random Stalker drop; Rostok – Ragman Trader
A STALKER mainstay, the Vintorez is a favored marksman rifle for good reason. It’s not nearly as bulky and heavy as actual full-blooded sniper rifles while still dishing out serious damage at a serious range. It’s not nearly as customizable as many other weapons on this list, and the PSO optics do take some getting used to, but this pays off with dividends.
The upside of this weapon is that it’s not that hard to find off of regular Stalkers, and it’s likely to be among the first truly long-range firearms you come across in the Zone. This means ammunition won’t be too difficult to come by, either, and as long as you take some time to aim and don’t waste it, you’ll never run out. Don’t forget about the integrated suppressor, either.
#13: Zubr-19
Location: Yaniv – Lisovyi, in a cellar behind a closed door (code: 240983)
Possibly the most useful and potent baseline SMG in STALKER 2, this game’s version of the Bizon fires an extremely common ammo type while still dishing out about as much damage as some of the full-length assault rifles do. Yes, I’m about as confused over this as you are, but that’s beside the point!
Zubr-19 comes with a massive 50-round magazine, takes a genuinely awesome selection of attachments, and can be customized to suit most engagement ranges found in this game. Consider this to be a 9×19 version of the AK because that’s pretty much what it is.
#12: Whip
Location: An Act of Mercy mission – in the Doctor’s house on a table.
The Whip is a surprisingly light and agile SVU rifle with a delightfully small footprint. It is, for all intents and purposes, a universally capable sniper rifle, and lore-wise, it’s been built to replace Strider’s legendary Lynx Dragunov.
What this means is that Lynx enjoys additional ergonomic benefits on top of the SVU’s already compelling weight and handling. It’s fast to draw and aim, can be re-centered after firing reasonably quickly, and it won’t take up half your backpack just to lug it (and its ammo) around. An excellent choice if you’re looking for a reliable support rifle for long-range engagements.
#11: RAM-2
Location: Yaniv, Yaniv Station – Wreck trader
Some will swear that the Saiga-12K is a superior option over the RAM-2, but I tend to disagree. Sure, this weapon loads slowly and stays heavy no matter how much you upgrade it, but it hits hard and forces you to conserve your ammo. The Saiga is fine, for sure, but it’s all too easy to go full-auto on that pesky bloodsucker, which doesn’t mesh well with the gun’s kick.
RAM-2, on the other hand, can take mutants down in just a few shots at a decent range, and the fact that it’s got a huge magazine tube means you probably won’t need to reload often.
#10: Rhino
Location: Yaniv, Yaniv Station – Wreck trader; Yaniv – Lisovyi, house with grav anomalies
I find it difficult to recommend any sidearm other than the baseline Makarov in STALKER 2 (more on that later), but the Rhino revolver is a sight to behold. Heavy and cumbersome, yes, but it also packs a punch by default. Most importantly, it can be converted to fire 12-gauge shotgun rounds.
Yep, you read that right: you can retrofit a 12-gauge barrel into this monster of a handgun, somehow, which effectively sidesteps the majority of its problems. Firstly, the Rhino fires a fairly rare round that isn’t nearly powerful enough to warrant its rarity. Secondly, having a support shotgun is always a good idea in STALKER 2. You can find the 12-gauge conversion blueprint at the dorm building complex in the Burnt Forest. Check the rooftops, and thank me later.
#9: Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S
Location: Lesser Zone, Water Tower – At the top of the Water Tower itself.
What would a top list of STALKER 2 guns be without an AK variant on it? Though the game certainly does force you to leave this weapon type behind as you progress through the main story, having an AKM in the early stages is a huge boon, and Valik Lummox’s gun is an absolute joy to stumble upon.
If you’re completing quests willy-nilly, you’ll come across the quest to scare up Valik during his stand-off with the local Bandit population. Depending on how that goes, he’ll tell you he wanted to climb up to the top of the nearby water tower to gun down the Bandits with his fancy new scope. Naturally, you’ll want to climb this water tower right then and there, and you’ll be rewarded for doing so. This mint-condition rifle fires readily available ammunition, is easy to maintain, and can be massively upgraded over time. And it’s got a scope!
#8: Shah’s Mate
Location: Garbage, No Honor Among Thieves – Spare the Docent’s life in exchange for Shah’s stash.
Though it doesn’t often happen, some of STALKER 2‘s quests come with unique rewards. If you wanted to get a snazzy custom-built MP5, the No Honor Among Thieves side-quest is a must-play. Without undue spoilers, go through this quest and make sure that you spare the Docent’s life during the pivotal dialogue. This will spawn the stash with Shah’s Mate at the Poisonous Hole over in Garbage.
Most players will want to get rid of their Viper 5 SMGs early on in STALKER 2, but Shah’s Mate remains compelling for way longer. Extremely fast-firing and accurate, this MP5 variant comes with a drum magazine (!) and fires the regular old 9×19 rounds, making it easy and cheap to gun people and mutants down with. A joy!
#7: Fora-221
Location: Random Stalker drop.
STALKER 2‘s made me like the Tavor, incredibly enough. While I generally dislike Fora-221’s real-world inspiration, I cannot deny the fact that it’s a remarkable weapon in the game. It’s a bit less flexible than most other assault rifles in STALKER 2, but it fires readily available 5.45 ammo and will be a substantial upgrade to the early-game AK variants.
One often underappreciated aspect of bullpup rifles in STALKER 2 is that they take up way less screen real estate than full-length guns do. The GP-37, for example, blocks out a huge chunk of your field of vision. When mutants love to sneak up on you whenever possible, bullpups make it way easier to stay aware of your peripheral vision, and this (combined with the gun’s availability and reliability) makes Fora-221 an excellent choice overall.
#6: GP-37
Location: Random Stalker drop.
A personal old favorite, this bulky expy for the H&K G36 can quickly and easily turn into a phenomenally capable gun. Its biggest downsides are that it cannot mount a grenade launcher (why on earth, GSC?), and it cannot be converted to fire 5.45. Yet, I’m rating it this highly because it takes a huge list of attachments that will make a difference in the field.
You can easily replace its massive default scope with a more useful rail system to house holo and ACOG sights, and the underslung M26 is far more useful than the grenade launcher in my book. By the time you’ve fully upgraded the GP-37, it will be able to engage and take down enemies at most ranges. To say nothing of the fact that you’ll be able to quickly convert it from an honest-to-goodness light machine gun to a scoped carbine while you’re out and about.
#5: Kharod
Location: Yaniv, Yaniv Station – Wreck trader; Yantar – shoreline Cave hiding under the wrecked vehicles to the south of the Scientist Bunker
The ultimate 5.56 rifle in STALKER 2, Kharod is a next-gen carbine that supports a huge assortment of attachments and will stay relevant even in the story’s final stretch of combat. I know I tend to recommend assault rifles a lot in this guide, but that’s for a good reason: they’re universally useful in this game, no matter what range of engagement you find yourself in.
Kharod is, of course, the IMI Carmel expy in its slightly fictionalized form. What makes it compelling is that it can be converted into 5.45 (which cannot be said for the GP-37 and the 416), it takes virtually all the important attachments, and it’s easily the most accurate and controllable AR of them all. The choice between it and Dnipro will be hard, indeed.
#4: Dnipro
Location: Red Forest, Lishchyna Facility – at the end of the underground Controller lair.
Ah, the controversial Malyuk conversion kit for the AK-74. It’s an excellent fit for STALKER 2, for sure, simply because of how strange it will look for those unfamiliar with the concept. Coincidentally, this is also the 5.45 alternative to the Kharod and the ultimate weapon of its caliber in the game.
The reason why I find myself preferring the Dnipro over almost any other AR in the game (without mods, naturally) is that it’s a short bullpup rifle that takes virtually every attachment in the game. It fires 5.45 without any additional modifications. Granted, it’s not cheap to upgrade and maintain, but it sure is cheap to run, and it’ll take down almost anything you can throw at it. An excellent primary to pair with the heavy hitters featured at spots one and two of this list.
#3: Skif’s Pistol
Location: Skif’s backpack.
It irks me deeply to rank Skif’s shoddy little Makarov as highly as this, but there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a phenomenal weapon in the context of STALKER 2. This puny little 9×18 sidearm is actually far more capable than it might seem, and you start the game with it.
Firstly, you’re not going to be able to throw it out of your inventory in the first place, so you might as well use it. Secondly, its ammunition is beyond abundant. Thirdly, it deals more damage than most other sidearms by default. GSC’s balancing is truly a sight to behold. Skif’s Makarov is likely inventory-locked because it is used in cutscenes and whatnot, which means you may as well use it. Skif’s Pistol can also accommodate a high-capacity magazine and a silencer (both of which can be found early on) and a host of handy Mechanic upgrades, making it even more useful in the long run. This gun is cheap to use, maintain, and upgrade, and it’s strangely hard-hitting, to boot.
#2: M701 Super
Location: Yaniv, Yaniv Station – Wreck trader
The M701 is an all-in-one supergun when properly outfitted. Notably, not only is it going to one-shot almost every regular enemy you come across at extreme ranges, but it can also be equipped with an underslung shotgun for close-range pain-dishouts. Ammunition is hard to come by, for sure, but you won’t even need that much of it!
I will say that the M701 is best used as a secondary weapon in STALKER 2. Odds are you won’t want to pull it out for regular Bandits and Blind Dogs, so pack up a cheap-to-run carbine or an SMG to use on chaff enemies. For exoskeleton-clad Stalkers and high-tier mutants, though, this will make mincemeat out of them while keeping you out of harm’s way.
#1: SPSA-14
Location: Cement Factory, Concrete Forest – Behind the locked Stash door.
Had you told me the humble SPAS-12 would be my favorite weapon in STALKER 2 pre-release, I’d have called you silly. Yet, here we are. There are punchier shotguns to be found in this game, for sure, but the SPSA-14 is downright ridiculous when tuned correctly.
It can fire off a whole salvo’s worth of shot downrange in mere seconds, it loads up reasonably quickly, and it dishes out serious damage. A single burst will be enough to make gravy out of a Bloodsucker if all your shots land, and this makes it an absolutely amazing “heavy” to lug around alongside, say, a Kharod or a Dnipro. Crucially, it’s also visually small in your field of vision, and it can be massively upgraded at a Mechanic’s. All in all, the perfect close-quarters buddy.
Published: Dec 6, 2024 01:16 pm