Weapons and Loadouts
Hunt: Showdown has one of the deepest weapon systems in any extraction shooter. Every gun feels different, handles differently, and fills a different niche. There are no hit-scan lasers here. Bullets have travel time and parabolic bullet drop at range. The old "Effective Range" stat has been replaced by "Drop Range," meaning projectiles retain damage over much longer distances but require you to calculate elevation adjustments for shots past 100 meters.
Weapon Categories
The arsenal is split into categories based on function and effective range:
Rifles
Your primary long and mid-range options. Rifles are bolt-action, lever-action, or single-shot, which means every shot counts.
| Weapon | Ammo Type | Drop Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosin-Nagant | Special Long | 300m+ | High damage, fast muzzle velocity. Expensive. The standard for long-range duels. Cannot resupply from standard long ammo crates. |
| Berthier | Special Long | 280m+ | Fast reload via stripper clips. Slightly less damage than the Mosin but more forgiving. Uses Special Long Ammo. |
| Lebel | Special Long | 300m+ | 10-round tube magazine. Slow to reload but high capacity for a bolt-action. Uses Special Long Ammo. |
| Krag | Special Long | 280m+ | Smooth bolt-action with fast cycling. Strong all-rounder. Uses Special Long Ammo. |
| 1890 Cavalry Rifle | Long | 250m+ | Size 3 platform. 139 damage, 380m/s velocity. Supports custom FMJ and High Velocity ammo. Good mid-range option that fits into more loadout combinations. |
| Vetterli 71 | Medium | 200m+ | Budget workhorse. Good damage per dollar. Fast follow-up shots with lever action. Medium ammo retains max damage up to 30 meters. |
| Centennial | Medium | 200m+ | Lever-action with a high fire rate. Flexible across ranges. |
| Winfield | Compact | 150m+ | Cheap, fast fire rate. Becomes powerful with the Levering trait, turning it into a close-range bullet hose. |
| Springfield | Long | 250m+ | Single-shot. Cheap for a long-ammo rifle. Pairs well with special ammo types. Uses standard Long Ammo. |
| Martini-Henry | Long | 250m+ | Single-shot with high damage. The Riposte variant adds a bayonet for melee emergencies. Uses standard Long Ammo. |
Shotguns
Close-range dominators. Shotguns kill in one hit at close range and become useless beyond 15 to 20 meters.
| Weapon | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Romero | Single-shot | Cheapest shotgun. Longest one-hit-kill range of any shotgun due to its tight spread. The Hatchet variant adds a melee option. |
| Specter | Pump-action | Good fire rate for follow-up shots. Reliable in compound fights. |
| Crown & King | Semi-auto | Fastest fire rate. Devastating in close quarters but expensive and loud. |
| Terminus | Lever-action | Requires the Levering trait to reach its full potential. Without Levering, the fire rate is mediocre. |
| Caldwell Rival | Double-barrel | Two fast shots, then a slow reload. Good for ambushes where two hits is enough. |
Pistols
Sidearms and backup weapons. Some pistols are strong enough to serve as a primary in the right hands.
| Weapon | Ammo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caldwell Pax | Medium | Solid damage and accuracy. A reliable sidearm at medium range. |
| Uppercut | Long | Shares ammo with long-ammo rifles, giving you extra reserve ammo. High damage for a pistol. One of the most popular sidearms in the game. |
| Officer | Medium | Fast fire rate. Good for close-range follow-up when your rifle shot misses. |
| Dolch | Medium | Semi-automatic. Very fast fire rate and decent damage, but extremely expensive. |
| Nagant | Compact | Budget option. Low damage but cheap and available from the start. The Silencer variant is useful for stealth. |
| Scottfield | Medium | Fast reload via a break-open mechanism. Good handling. |
The Uppercut's biggest advantage is not its damage. It shares the Long ammo pool with rifles like the Springfield and Martini-Henry. Running a standard long-ammo rifle with an Uppercut gives you a combined reserve pool that keeps you shooting through extended fights where other players run dry. Note that this does NOT work with Special Long Ammo rifles (Mosin, Berthier, Lebel, Krag), which have their own restricted ammo network.
Melee and Throwables
Melee weapons are not just a last resort. They are a core part of the PvE economy. Using melee on AI saves ammo and avoids the noise of a gunshot.
| Weapon | Notes |
|---|---|
| Combat Axe | High damage. One-hit-kills most AI. Slow swing. |
| Knife / Heavy Knife | Fast, quiet. The go-to for clearing Grunts without alerting nearby hunters. |
| Dusters | Low damage but fast. Effective against Immolators (who explode if you use bladed or piercing weapons on them). |
| Throwing Axes / Knives | Silent ranged kills. Limited supply. Good for picking off AI at short range without firing a gun. |
The Slot and Point System
Update 2.8 overhauled how loadouts are built. You no longer just pick a "large" and "small" weapon. Instead, weapons have a point cost, and your loadout has a point budget.
How it works:
- Your total loadout budget is 5 points.
- Each weapon costs 1 to 5 points depending on its size and power.
- You must fill at least two weapon slots.
- The Quartermaster trait increases your budget to 6 points, letting you carry heavier combinations like two Size 3 weapons.
| Point Cost | Examples |
|---|---|
| 1 point | Small pistols (Nagant, Derringer), small melee |
| 2 points | Medium pistols (Pax, Officer), short variants of rifles |
| 3 points | Carbines (1865 Carbine, 1890 Cavalry Rifle), medium shotguns, Uppercut |
| 4 points | Full-size rifles (Mosin, Lebel), full-size shotguns (Crown and King), crossbows |
| 5 points | Heavy platforms (Avtomat, Nitro Express). Cannot carry a secondary weapon without Quartermaster. |
This system means you are always making tradeoffs. A Size 4 Mosin leaves you only 1 point for a small derringer backup. A Size 3 Winfield Carbine with a Size 2 Officer gives you strong coverage at both ranges. With Quartermaster (6 total), you can run two Size 3 weapons like a Carbine and a medium-barrel shotgun.
Ammo Types
Most weapons can load special ammunition that changes their behavior:
| Ammo Type | Effect | Best For | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Default damage profile. No special effects. | General use | Always available |
| Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) | Increased penetration through walls and cover. Slightly reduced damage. | Wallbanging enemies in compounds | Always available |
| High Velocity | Faster bullet travel and less drop. Slightly reduced damage. | Long-range engagements where leading targets is difficult | Always available |
| Dum-Dum (Bleed) | Applies bleed effect on hit. Reduced penetration. | Forcing enemies to stop and bandage, denying peeks | Scarce (find in-world only) |
| Poison | Applies poison effect. Reduced direct damage. | Boss fights (Spider, Assassin), area denial | Always available |
| Incendiary | Sets targets on fire. Reduced direct damage. | Burning downed hunters to prevent revives | Always available |
| Explosive | Small explosion on impact. Very limited ammo. | Destroying concertina wire, flushing enemies from cover | Scarce (find in-world only) |
| Spitzer | Faster velocity, reduced damage and penetration. | Longer range with medium ammo weapons | Scarce (find in-world only) |
| Slugs (Shotguns) | Replaces pellets with a single slug. Tighter accuracy, longer range, but requires precise aim. | Extending shotgun range at the cost of forgiveness | Always available |
Update 2.8 reclassified Dum-Dum, Explosive, and Spitzer ammo as "Scarce." You cannot buy or equip them from your loadout menu. They must be found in sealed boxes during matches. If your loadout screen seems to be missing ammo options, this is intentional, not a bug.
Special Long Ammo
The Mosin-Nagant, Krag, Lebel 1886, and Berthier 1892 no longer use standard Long ammunition. They run on a restricted category called Special Long Ammo.
What this means:
- You cannot resupply these rifles from standard red long ammo crates.
- You cannot pick up ammo from dead hunters who carried standard long weapons (Springfield, Martini-Henry).
- You must find purple Special Ammo crates or specialized sealed boxes to restock.
- The Uppercut pistol does NOT share ammo with Special Long rifles. It still uses standard Long Ammo.
This is an intentional logistical bottleneck. If you bring a Mosin or Lebel, plan for ammo conservation. Every shot matters more than it did before Update 2.8.
Meta Loadout Archetypes
These are the most common and effective loadout structures in the current meta. Adapt them to your Bloodline level and budget.
The All-Rounder
Goal: Cover all engagement ranges with two weapons.
| Slot | Weapon | Ammo | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Berthier or Mosin-Nagant | Standard or FMJ | $$$$ |
| Secondary | Uppercut | Standard | $$$ |
Why it works: The rifle handles mid to long range. The Uppercut handles close to mid range and feeds the same ammo pool. You never run out of ammo, and you have an answer for every distance.
The Budget Fighter
Goal: Win fights without risking expensive gear.
| Slot | Weapon | Ammo | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Vetterli 71 | Standard or Dum-Dum | $$ |
| Secondary | Caldwell Pax | Standard | $ |
Why it works: The Vetterli punches well above its price. It handles mid-range cleanly and the lever action gives you fast follow-ups. Losing this loadout costs almost nothing.
The Compound Brawler
Goal: Win every fight inside a building.
| Slot | Weapon | Ammo | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Romero Hatchet or Specter | Standard or Slugs | $$ |
| Secondary | Officer or Pax | Dum-Dum | $$ |
Why it works: The shotgun one-hits at close range. The pistol covers the 20 to 50 meter gap where the shotgun drops off. You lose to rifles in open ground, but inside compounds you are lethal.
The Stealth Runner
Goal: Move through the map without broadcasting your position.
| Slot | Weapon | Ammo | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Sparks Silencer or Centennial Shorty Silenced | Poison | $$$ |
| Secondary | Nagant Silencer | Standard or Poison | $ |
Why it works: Suppressed weapons have a much smaller audible range. You can clear AI, take shots at hunters, and fight bosses without alerting half the map. The tradeoff is lower raw damage per hit.
Equipment Slots
Update 2.8 merged tools and consumables into a single pool. You now have 8 Universal Equipment Slots instead of the old 4 Tool + 4 Consumable split.
You can fill these slots with any combination of tools and consumables. Run 5 tools and 3 consumables for a trap-heavy defense build, or 3 tools and 5 consumables for an aggressive siege loadout. The only restriction is a maximum of 4 identical consumables (you cannot carry 5 Frag Bombs).
Tools
| Tool | Use |
|---|---|
| Medkit | Heals health chunks. Bring one always. |
| Melee weapon (Knife, Dusters, Combat Axe) | Silent PvE clearing. Always bring one. |
| Fusees / Flare Gun | Lights dark areas. Burns concertina wire. Prevents revives on downed hunters. |
| Choke Bombs | Extinguishes burning teammates and burning bodies to allow revives. Extremely important in squads. |
| Decoys | Thrown objects that create noise, triggering AI and simulating player sounds. Cheap distraction. |
| Spyglass | Lets you zoom in to scout compounds at distance. Free and weightless. |
| Trip Mines | Place at doorways and chokepoints. Alert or damage enemies who cross them. |
Consumables
| Consumable | Use |
|---|---|
| Vitality Shot | Instant full heal. Expensive but can save a fight. |
| Stamina Shot | Instant full stamina recovery. Required for melee boss fights. |
| Antidote Shot | Grants poison immunity for the match. Required for Spider and Assassin fights. |
| Dynamite Bundle | High explosive damage in a large area. Kills clustered enemies and destroys cover. |
| Frag Bomb | Smaller explosive with shorter fuse. Good for flushing enemies from corners. |
| Fire Bomb | Creates a burning area on impact. Prevents revives and flushes players from cover. |
| Concertina Bomb | Deploys barbed wire on impact. Blocks doorways and pathways. |
| Poison Bomb | Creates a poison cloud. Area denial and boss damage. |
| Flash Bomb | Blinds and deafens players in a radius. Useful for breaching rooms. |
Toolboxes found in the environment only restock depleted tools. They do not replenish consumables. Ammo boxes have had their resupply reduced from 2.5x to 2.0x. Resource management matters more in Update 2.8 than it did before.
World Weapons
Some weapons exist only as world spawns and cannot be brought into a match:
| Weapon | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maxim 1895 Gatling Gun | Fixed world spawn | 50 incendiary rounds. Imposes a 25% movement speed penalty, restricts to hip-fire only, and requires manual heat-sink clearing when it overheats. Cannot be extracted. |
| Caldwell Homestead 78 | Scarce world spawn | Lever-action rifle. Must be found during matches. |
| Winfield Wildland | Scarce world spawn | Compact lever-action. Must be found during matches. |
Choke Bombs are free and one of the most important items in squad play. If a teammate goes down and the enemy throws fire on the body to prevent a revive, a Choke Bomb extinguishes the fire and lets you pick them up. Always carry one if you are playing duos or trios.