What is the best Shotgun Ammo In Escape From Tarkov

The ammo you run is one of the most important factors in Escape From Tarkov. Even the best-made guns in the game will lose to a broken scav AK if the AK has better ammo. Using the best ammo in a shotgun is very important since you will need to be up close and personal with your target. When it comes to shotgun ammo in Escape From Tarkov there are a lot of different options and some are much better than others. Let’s go over which shotgun ammo types are the best to use in Escape From Tarkov.

Best Shotgun Ammo Types in Escape From Tarkov

12/70 AP-20 Armor-Piercing Slug

Most players you run into in Escape From Tarkov will most likely be wearing some kind of armor. Having ammo that will cut through any class of armor with ease makes it one of the best picks for shotguns. The AP-20 slugs get even better for shotguns since they are slugs, which means you can take fights at a much further range than you normally could with standard buckshot.

The drawback with using AP-20 slugs is that they are the most expensive shotgun ammo type to use. You also won’t gain access to them until you progress quite far in Jaeger’s question which will require you to find his cabin to even unlock him as a trader.

12/70 Flechette

The current wipe of Tarkov has really shown the power of Flechette rounds. While you wouldn’t expect them to be able to shred through armor, you would be quite surprised how quickly 12/70 Flechette rounds can cut down the most armored of PMCs. While they might not be as effective at armor pen as AP-20 slugs, they are much easier to get your hands on.

The true power of Flechettes comes from their flesh damage. Since Tarkov has no lower body armor, the legs of any PMC are open for all damage. Flechettes can quickly black out both of a PMC’s legs and then begin to split the damage to the rest of the PMC’s body. If the person you are fighting with isn’t wearing armor the job is even easier.

12/70 8.5mm Magnum Buckshot

While this may not be as great at armor penetration as the AP-20 slug or as great at shredding through flesh like Flechettes, Magnum Buckshot still packs quite the punch. When fighting someone wearing armor, you will want to aim straight for the legs or the face if they don’t have a face shield on. Of course, hitting a face shot is made quite easier with this ammo since it has one of the highest pellet counts in the game.

You only need a few pellets to hit someone in the head to kill them in Escape From Tarkov, which is what makes this the most viable of the cheap ammo.  Not only will you unlock Magnum Buckshot quite early on to buy from Jaeger, but you can also craft it quite early on in your hideout for cheap. If you have no other shotgun ammo to run, look no further than some good old Magnum Buckshot.

Of course, these are not the only options for you to run in shotguns. If you feel like you would be quite accurate with a shotgun and can hit a headshot with it at long ranges you could run any slugs. But at that point, you might as well just run a rifle of some kind. If you are having trouble making money in Escape From Tarkov, consider checking out our guide on money-making tips.

Escape From Tarkov is available on PC.