Ranged Weapons

Ranged weapons let you engage zombies and threats from a safe distance in 7 Days to Die. They cover firearms, bows, and explosives, and are the backbone of Blood Moon defense when the horde arrives in force.

Firearms

Guns are grouped into families, each governed by a perk that improves its damage and handling:

• Pistols and SMGs: the pistol, magnum, and SMG. Fast, mobile, and versatile, tied to the Gunslinger perk.
• Rifles: hunting rifle, lever-action, marksman, and sniper rifle. High per-shot damage and range for picking off targets, tied to the Dead Eye perk.
• Shotguns: pump, double-barrel, and auto shotgun. Devastating at close range and ideal for crowds, tied to the Boomstick perk.
• Automatic weapons: the AK-47 and machine gun class deliver high sustained fire for horde nights.

Bows and Crossbows

Bows are quiet, ammo-efficient early-game options. The primitive bow, wooden bow, compound bow, and crossbow let you make silent stealth kills, which pair well with a sneak build. Arrows and bolts are recoverable, keeping costs low.

Explosives

Pipe bombs, grenades, and Molotov cocktails provide area damage. They excel at thinning tight horde clusters or clearing rooms, but require care to avoid self-damage and structural harm to your base.

Ammunition and Mods

Firearms need the correct ammo type, which you craft or loot; specialty rounds like armor-piercing and hollow-point tune performance. Weapons accept mods such as scopes, extended magazines, and suppressors, and higher weapon quality adds damage, durability, and mod slots.

Practical Tips

• Use bows and suppressed weapons for stealth to avoid drawing extra zombies.
• Save shotguns and automatics for tight Blood Moon kill zones.
• Aim for headshots to conserve ammunition.
• Stockpile ammo and reload between waves, and keep a melee weapon ready for when you run dry.

Updates Needed

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