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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Weapons and Ammo: Classes, Controls, and Patch Changes

GSC groups S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 weapons into six classes, but its published guides do not give a complete current weapon-and-ammo roster. See confirmed controls and patch-specific compatibility examples.
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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has pistols, submachine guns, assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, and machine guns, but the official material available here does not provide a complete, up-to-date roster of every weapon, unique variant, ammo type, and compatibility pairing. Treat any exhaustive list as version-specific: updates can change ammunition compatibility or add weapons. The confirmed examples below reflect GSC’s published updates through version 1.7, dated November 18, 2025.

What weapons are in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2?

GSC’s Weapon Types and Uses guide groups the arsenal into six broad classes. These are roles rather than a complete item-by-item inventory:

Class Role described by GSC Practical comparison
Pistols Light, quick-switching close-range backups. Useful as a backup when switching away from a primary weapon.
Submachine guns Mobile, low-recoil automatic weapons with shorter range and rapid ammunition use. Mobility and controllability come with shorter effective reach and fast ammo consumption.
Assault rifles Versatile weapons for varied ranges. A flexible option when engagements change distance.
Shotguns Included in the official weapon taxonomy. The cited guide does not supply a full model list or comparable numerical performance values.
Sniper rifles Included in the official weapon taxonomy. Some named rifles have ammo requirements affected by Patch 1.5.
Machine guns Included in the official weapon taxonomy. Patch 1.5 records ammunition changes for named machine guns.

Weapon usefulness also depends on fire mode, ammunition, and attachments—not just class. The guide describes silencers, sights, magazines, and under-barrel options; technicians can install upgrades such as compensators and grips. GSC advises adapting by switching weapon types, fire modes, and ammo types.

What ammo does each weapon use?

There is no complete current compatibility table in the official guides and update summaries cited here, so it would be misleading to assign an ammo type to every weapon. The confirmed ammunition changes below come from GSC’s Patch 1.5, released June 25, 2025. They are specific to the weapons and conditions named in that update.

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Weapon(s) Confirmed ammo information Compatibility condition
SVDM-2, SVU-MK S-3, M701 Super Light steel-core ammunition Requires upgrades to use light steel-core ammo; otherwise these rifles use supersonic and armor-piercing ammo.
PKP, Mark I EMR, Three-Line Rifle Light steel-core ammunition Can use light steel-core ammo by default, according to Patch 1.5.

Patch 1.5 also says 7.62×39 mm ammunition was replaced with 7.62×54 mm ammunition in the relevant changes. That statement should not be generalized into a complete caliber chart: the update excerpt does not establish every weapon pairing or provide a full catalog.

Which weapons use armor-piercing ammo?

In the Patch 1.5 notes, the SVDM-2, SVU-MK S-3, and M701 Super are described as using supersonic and armor-piercing ammunition unless upgraded to use light steel-core ammo. The cited notes do not provide a complete list of every weapon that accepts armor-piercing ammo, so these are confirmed examples rather than an exhaustive answer.

How do I change ammo types and firing modes?

GSC’s Beginner’s Guide & FAQs, dated December 5, 2024, documents these controls. Bindings can differ by platform or change in later updates, so check the in-game controls if these inputs do not match your setup.

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  • PC, keyboard and mouse: Press N to change the current weapon’s ammunition type.
  • PC, keyboard and mouse: Press B to change firing mode; hold B to use an under-barrel weapon.
  • Controller: Use the radial menu to change ammunition and firing mode.

If you run out of ammo, GSC recommends searching nearby corpses, unloading weapons, switching weapons, using a knife, or retreating.

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What changed in later updates?

Weapon references need a version label. GSC’s Update 1.6, released September 23, 2025, added the unique weapon Honta’s “Drahunka.” It also adjusted the Veteran rifle’s weight and Predator shotgun damage, and fixed an issue with Kora’s extended magazine. Update 1.7, released November 18, 2025, describes further system updates and additional weapon attachments, but does not publish a consolidated weapon-and-ammo catalog.

For a genuinely exhaustive list, verify every weapon, unique variant, ammo type, and pairing in the specific game version being documented. Older compatibility lists may predate changes such as Patch 1.5’s rework, and new named weapons can arrive in later updates. The official sources cited here establish classes, controls, selected patch examples, and some update additions—not a complete current inventory.

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