Escape from Tarkov which Ammo to choose?
Escape from Tarkov does a great job reflecting the real-life ballistics and ammunition behavior. Bullets drop off over distance, lose velocity while traveling through the air, ricochet after impact, have a chance to fragment after entering the body, and so on. Understanding these gun-play mechanics is vital for in-game success, but it does not guarantee it. The other, maybe even more important, component of a successful raid is the right choice of ammo. Every Weapon available in the EfT has a variety of compatible cartridges and these cartridges have different properties that determine their combat effectiveness.
Budget Tier: The budget round offers the best bang for buck with a round that is readily available from low level traders. Effective against both Scavs and PMCs (generally up to level 4 armour) this option is an effective generalist use ammo that is perfect for loot runs and questing activities due to its low investment.
Mid Tier: Once you feel confident in your Tarkov abilities and overall stash value you’ll want to consider moving into a mid tier ammunition. While not every calibre has a mid tier option the ones that do offer you a reliable PvP ammo if you expect to face other PMCs or fight one of the Tarkov bosses. It’s higher expense or lower availability means you might not always be able to use this ammo though.
Top Tier: The best of the best although due to cost and availability it’s unlikely you’ll be able to run this consistently in your raids. If you do get your hands on this though you’ll be as best equipped as possible for that weapon type to battle PMCs. Note that there are some extremely rare ammunitions beyond this tier that aren’t included below given that scarcity.
