Project Zomboid Guns and Ammo Chart: All 20 Firearms
Short answer: Project Zomboid has 20 firearms that use 9 kinds of ammo, so pick guns that share ammo and every round you find stays useful. 5.56x45mm feeds three guns (M16 Assault Rifle, MSR700 Rifle, JS-14 Rifle), 7.62x51mm feeds three (M1A Rifle, MSR788 Rifle, MSR7T Tactical Rifle), and 12g feeds all five shotguns. .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum and .45 ACP are each shared by two guns. 9x19mm (M9 Pistol), .38 Special (SN38 Revolver) and .30-30 (L94 Rifle) are single-gun calibres.
Sources (checked 21 October 2026). This targets Build 42.21 (Stable since 28 September 2026). Gun stats come from PZwiki "Firearm" (page version 42.21.0), ammo, boxes and magazines from "Ammo" (42.16.0), attachments from "Weapon part" (42.16.0), skills from "Aiming" and "Reloading" (42.18.0), and repair from "Condition" (42.20.4). I did not fire all 20 guns in game. PZwiki is community-run and its pages carry different version tags. As explained below, some points could be matched against Steam's official patch notes and some could not.
Which gun uses which ammo (20 guns, 9 kinds)
Rounds per box and per carton come from PZwiki's "Ammo" tables. A carton holds 12 boxes. There are six magazine types, used by seven guns (B-F Pistol, M1911 Pistol, Trapper Carbine, M9 Pistol, JS-14 Rifle, M16 Assault Rifle, M1A Rifle). The other 13 (revolvers, shotguns, the L92 Carbine, L94 Rifle and the MSR rifles) load rounds directly.
| Ammo | Guns that use it | Magazine | Rounds per box | Rounds per carton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .30-30 | L94 Rifle | - | 20 | 240 |
| .357 Magnum | Patrol Revolver, L92 Carbine | - | 50 | 600 |
| .38 Special | SN38 Revolver | - | 50 | 600 |
| .44 Magnum | B-F Pistol, Magnum | B-F Magazine (8 rounds) | 20 | 240 |
| .45 ACP | M1911 Pistol, Trapper Carbine | M1911 Auto Magazine (7 rounds) | 50 | 600 |
| 12g | Double Barrel Shotgun, JS-2000 Shotgun, JS-3T Tactical Shotgun, Sawed-off Double Barrel Shotgun, Sawed-off JS-2000 Shotgun | - | 25 | 300 |
| 5.56x45mm | M16 Assault Rifle, MSR700 Rifle, JS-14 Rifle | JS-14 Magazine (20 rounds) / M16 Magazine (30 rounds) | 20 | 240 |
| 7.62x51mm | M1A Rifle, MSR788 Rifle, MSR7T Tactical Rifle | M1A Magazine (20 rounds) | 20 | 240 |
| 9x19mm | M9 Pistol | M9 Magazine (15 rounds) | 50 | 600 |
PZwiki's ammo table lists only "JS-14 Magazine" for 5.56x45mm, while its magazine list also has "M16 Magazine (30 rounds)". The page is not consistent with itself. This article shows both from the magazine list.
Stats compared (from the Firearm tables)
Numbers are from PZwiki "Firearm" (42.21.0). "Damage" is the table's minimum to maximum, and "Noise radius" is the number for how far the gunshot carries. PZwiki gives no units. The tables are for comparison, not a ranking.
Handguns (6)
| Gun | Ammo | Capacity | Damage | Max range | Crit chance | Noise radius | Repairable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-F Pistol | .44 Magnum | 8 | 1–1.6 | 17 | 20% | 120 | yes |
| M1911 Pistol | .45 ACP | 7 | 0.9–1.2 | 12 | 20% | 70 | yes |
| M9 Pistol | 9x19mm | 15 | 0.6–1 | 15 | 20% | 100 | yes |
| Magnum | .44 Magnum | 6 | 1–1.6 | 18 | 20% | 120 | yes |
| Patrol Revolver | .357 Magnum | 6 | 0.95–1.4 | 12 | 20% | 100 | yes |
| SN38 Revolver | .38 Special | 5 | 0.5–0.8 | 8 | 20% | 60 | yes |
Shotguns (5)
| Gun | Ammo | Capacity | Damage | Max range | Crit chance | Noise radius | Repairable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Barrel Shotgun | 12g | 2 | 1.5–2.2 | 15 | 70% | 200 | yes |
| JS-2000 Shotgun | 12g | 5 | 1.5–2.2 | 12 | 70% | 200 | yes |
| JS-3T Tactical Shotgun | 12g | 7 | 1.5–2.2 | 12 | 70% | 200 | yes |
| Sawed-off Double Barrel Shotgun | 12g | 2 | 1.2–1.8 | 8 | 50% | 200 | no |
| Sawed-off JS-2000 Shotgun | 12g | 5 | 1.3–2 | 10 | 50% | 200 | yes |
Rifles and carbines (9)
| Gun | Ammo | Capacity | Damage | Max range | Crit chance | Noise radius | Repairable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JS-14 Rifle | 5.56x45mm | 20 | 1–1.6 | 30 | 20% | 150 | yes |
| L92 Carbine | .357 Magnum | 10 | 1–1.6 | 24 | 20% | 120 | yes |
| L94 Rifle | .30-30 | 6 | 1.2–2 | 30 | 25% | 160 | yes |
| M16 Assault Rifle | 5.56x45mm | 30 | 1–1.6 | 30 | 20% | 150 | yes |
| M1A Rifle | 7.62x51mm | 20 | 1.2–2 | 40 | 30% | 170 | yes |
| MSR700 Rifle | 5.56x45mm | 5 | 1–1.6 | 30 | 20% | 150 | yes |
| MSR788 Rifle | 7.62x51mm | 4 | 1.2–2 | 40 | 30% | 170 | yes |
| MSR7T Tactical Rifle | 7.62x51mm | 4 | 1.2–2 | 40 | 35% | 170 | yes |
| Trapper Carbine | .45 ACP | 7 | 1–1.4 | 20 | 22% | 70 | yes |
What the tables show, as my own reading (not a ranking):
- Quietest: SN38 Revolver (60), then M1911 Pistol and Trapper Carbine (70). All five shotguns are at 200, the highest in the list. PZwiki notes that firearms are loud and attract nearby zombies
- Highest maximum damage: the shotguns (2.2), and the L94, M1A, MSR788 and MSR7T rifles (2). Shotguns also have a 70% crit chance (50% for the two sawed-off ones) against 20–35% for the others, and knockback of 0.8–0.9 (a column not shown above)
- Longest maximum range (40): M1A, MSR788 and MSR7T. Shotguns reach 8–15
- Largest capacity: M16 Assault Rifle (30), JS-14 Rifle and M1A Rifle (20), M9 Pistol (15). Small: MSR700 (5), MSR788 and MSR7T (4), Double Barrel Shotgun (2)
- Only the Sawed-off Double Barrel Shotgun cannot be repaired. The other 19 can
PZwiki also lists the Toy Cap Pistol and Toy Cap Rifle (they use Capgun Caps, do no damage and cannot be repaired). They are not counted in the 20.
PZwiki says accuracy does not matter against zombies
The top of PZwiki's "Firearm" page has a note: "As of Build 42.20.4, accuracy only matters in PvP and animal hunting by default, with zombies rolling only the damage modifiers of the shot." If that is right, then against zombies damage, crit chance, noise and ammo supply matter more than the accuracy column when choosing a gun.
I could not confirm this note in Steam's official patch notes. In the notes I could search (42.16 to 42.21) I found no description of a change to how shots hit zombies, and I have not tested it in game. Read it as "PZwiki says so", not as established fact. One of our earlier articles (Veteran vs Police Officer shooting builds) assumes steady hit chance, so it would need revisiting if the note is correct.
Weapon parts (scopes, lasers, recoil pads)
PZwiki "Weapon part" (42.16.0) says that with a screwdriver, the matching gun and the part in your main inventory, you right-click the gun and choose "Upgrade"; "Remove Upgrade" takes it off. Parts are found already attached to a gun or in gun stores around the map.
- Sights: Red Dot Sight sets sight range 2–10, x2 Scope 4–12, x4 Scope 8–16, x8 Scope 15–22 (x8 fits only the MSR788, MSR700 and MSR7T). The handgun-only Tritium Pistol Sights give 2–6
- Laser Sight: accuracy +5 (fits three handguns plus the M16, M1A, Trapper Carbine and MSR7T). If the accuracy note above is correct, the benefit would be small (my inference)
- Recoil Pad: recoil -2.0 (M1A, MSR788, MSR700, JS-2000, Double Barrel, MSR7T, L94). Ammo Straps: reload time -5 (a sling; MSR788, MSR700, the JS-2000 family, Double Barrel, JS-3T, L92, L94, MSR7T)
- Choke Tube (Full / Improved): for the JS-2000 and Double Barrel Shotgun; spread -0.4 / -0.2 and maximum range +2 / +1. Gun Light: a light for three handguns
Official 42.16.0 patch notes say "Removed Scopes from JS-2000 attachment" and "Removed Recoil Pad from Sawn-off Shotgun & M16 attachment". PZwiki's compatibility list does not contradict that.
Finding ammo: few solid numbers
- I found no spawn-rate figures on PZwiki. This article does not state ammo spawn rates or rank where guns appear. They also change with Sandbox settings such as ammo rarity
- Official info: the 30 March 2026 news post "Balancing Time" says game-mode changes include "a slight reduction of firearm spawns"
- PZwiki's foraging "Ammunition" category (page version 42.11.0) says ammo can be found. But its ammo names are old (.223 Round, .308 Round and so on) and it lists the removed Marksman trait. It does not match current ammo names (5.56x45mm, 7.62x51mm), so this article does not use its numbers
Gun skills and upkeep
- Aiming: starting levels come from Police Officer +4, Veteran +2, and the traits Target Shooter +1 (added in 42.16.0) and Hunter +1 (PZwiki). From level 5, XP gain drops to about 37%. XP comes from landing a shot on an enemy, and not from firing inside a vehicle. Aiming also lowers the chance that a gun loses condition when fired, and from level 6 panic penalties stop affecting firearms. Some sections of the Aiming page carry an "outdated" warning
- Reloading: starting levels come from Veteran +2 and Police Officer +1. XP comes from loading rounds into magazines, inserting magazines, or loading rounds straight into a gun, so PZwiki says you can train safely just by loading and unloading. From level 5 XP drops to about 37%
- Books and VHS: there are Aiming I–V and Reloading I–V books. The VHS tapes "Dead Wrong", "Knox Gun Owners Club's Guide to Guns" and "Basic Gun Handling (Officer Use Only)" give XP to both skills, but entertainment XP only works for the first three levels
- Repair: right-click a gun in your inventory and choose "Repair...". PZwiki "Condition" (42.20.4) says you need two of the same gun or a variant: one is consumed and the other regains 50% of its maximum condition. It suggests using two guns under 25% condition to waste the least
Where the sources disagree, and what is unverified
- The "accuracy does not matter against zombies" note: PZwiki's wording; not confirmed in official notes, not tested in game
- Different page versions: gun table 42.21.0, ammo and parts 42.16.0, skills 42.18.0, repair 42.20.4. I found no contradictions between the tables, but I did not check whether ammo or parts changed between 42.17 and 42.21
- 5.56x45mm magazines: the ammo table and the magazine list name different ones (see above)
- Ammo spawn rates and where gun stores or police stations appear: no solid figures found; they depend on Sandbox settings
- Modded weapons: weapon packs such as Brita's are outside this article
- Units for "Damage" and "Noise radius": PZwiki gives none
Pages we relied on
- PZwiki: Firearm (page version 42.21.0; stats tables)
- PZwiki: Ammo (42.16.0; rounds, boxes, cartons, magazines)
- PZwiki: Weapon part (42.16.0)
- PZwiki: Aiming and Reloading (42.18.0)
- PZwiki: Condition (42.20.4; repair)
- Steam news for Project Zomboid: "Build 42.16.0 Unstable Released" (2026-03-31; firearm adjustments), "Balancing Time" (2026-03-30), "Build 42.21 Stable Released" (2026-09-28)
