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For a broadly useful early rifle in STALKER 2, start with Valik Lummox’s scoped AKM-74S at the Water Tower near Zalissya. Its scope suits deliberate mid-range shots, but it is one strong pickup—not a universal winner. The best early-game weapon depends on your preferred range, available ammunition, weapon condition, and how much danger you’ll take to reach it.
These pickup recommendations come from guides published before Update 2.0. GSC’s official update materials confirm the current patch context but do not rank beginner weapons or establish whether these older pickup locations changed.
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Best early-game weapons by role
Choose by the fights you expect to take, rather than treating every weapon as a direct substitute. The locations below are documented in pre-Update 2.0 guides.
Flexible rifle: Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S
This is the strongest general-purpose early pick among the documented options if you want a rifle suited to mid-range shots. Find it at the top of the Water Tower north or northwest of Zalissya. Its scope is the main practical advantage noted by the guides. Windows Central reports that it may not spawn until you accept Warlock’s Debtor; Gamepressure warns of suction anomalies during the climb. Check the route and quest trigger rather than assuming the rifle will be waiting there immediately.
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Windows Central’s early-game gear guide and Gamepressure’s starting-weapon guide describe the pickup.
Alternative rifle: AR416 Monolith
Gamepressure places this rifle in the Journalist’s Stash near the Sphere, southeast of Zalissya. It describes the AR416 Monolith as accurate, with good range and armor penetration, but somewhat less damaging than the AKM-74S. The Sphere may have enemies nearby, so this route can mean a fight rather than a simple detour. Choose it if you value accuracy and penetration and are comfortable approaching that area.
Long-range rifle: SVDM-2
For a long-range role, Gamepressure says Leshiy carries the SVDM-2 at the Northern Checkpoint north of Zalissya. Getting to the building involves rope traps. Treat this as a more hazardous route, not a free upgrade; the rifle is most relevant if you intend to engage at distance.
SMG alternative: Shah’s Mate
Shah’s Mate is a customized Viper-5 with an extended drum magazine, according to PC Gamer. It is in a stash in an unmarked tunnel in northern Garbage. It offers a different combat role from the rifles above, so it is an alternative for players who prefer an SMG rather than a replacement that suits every rifle user.
See PC Gamer’s unique-weapon location guide for Shah’s Mate.
How to choose between the pickups
Compare the weapon’s role with what the route costs you. The available guides do not provide a comparable set of numerical damage or rate-of-fire statistics for these picks, so the useful distinctions are practical rather than a stat-based ranking.
Rank #2
| Weapon | Best fit | Documented location and trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S | Flexible rifle; deliberate mid-range shots | Water Tower near Zalissya; may require accepting Warlock’s Debtor, and the climb has suction anomalies. |
| AR416 Monolith | Accurate rifle with good range and armor penetration | Journalist’s Stash near the Sphere, southeast of Zalissya; enemies may be present. Gamepressure says it does somewhat less damage than the AKM-74S. |
| SVDM-2 | Long-range rifle | Carried by Leshiy at the Northern Checkpoint north of Zalissya; reaching the building involves rope traps. |
| Shah’s Mate | SMG with an extended drum magazine | Stash in an unmarked tunnel in northern Garbage; a different combat role from the rifles. |
For broader loadout decisions, a current weapon guide updated October 3, 2026, recommends weighing role and route alongside ammunition, weight, attachment flexibility, and condition. Its broad recommendations—Kharod for all-round assault-rifle use, Ram-2 for close-range shotgun use, and SVDM-2 for practical long-range use—are not a starter-only ranking. See Pixel Twelve’s weapons and upgrades guide.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Update 2.0 changes—and what it does not establish
GSC announced Update 2.0 for August 20, 2026, highlighting new weapons and scopes, Custom Rules difficulty, and other changes. The official patch archive lists Update 2.0 on August 20 and 2.0.x entries through September 10, 2026. The reviewed official materials do not publish a beginner weapon tier list or confirm that the older early-pickup locations changed. Accordingly, treat the locations and early-game recommendations here as advice documented in pre-Update 2.0 guides, not as an official or newly verified ranking. Read GSC’s Update 2.0 announcement for the update’s stated changes.
Keep ammunition, weight, and condition in mind
A weapon that fits your preferred range can still be an awkward choice if its ammunition is scarce or its weight crowds out other supplies. Current role guidance treats ammunition availability and weight as practical loadout considerations; GSC also notes that ammunition itself has weight. Consider what you can carry and replenish, not only which gun looks best for the next encounter.
Condition matters, too. GSC’s weapons overview says, “Don’t expect any weapon you find to be in pristine condition.” The same overview explains that weapons may need maintenance and that technicians can service and enhance gear. Factor upkeep into the value of any pickup rather than assuming a found weapon is ready to perform at its best.
Match the route to your appetite for risk
The pickups involve different kinds of exploration: a tower climb with anomaly hazards, a stash near a potentially hostile site, a checkpoint building with rope traps, and an unmarked tunnel. If you want one practical early rifle and are willing to climb for it, the AKM-74S is a clear place to start. If you want a different role, use the AR416 Monolith, SVDM-2, or Shah’s Mate according to the fights you plan to take and the route you are prepared to face.
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