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Updated 2026-08-07

Tarkov Ammo Chart (Patch 1.1, August 2026): Best Ammo Tier List by Caliber

Updated 2026-08-07 · 11 min read · by LFCarry PRO team

As of August 7, 2026 Escape from Tarkov runs patch 1.1.0.0 (Aug 3) with Season 1 “KORD BREACH” live since Aug 4 — it added a new 5.8×42mm caliber but did not rewrite ballistics, so these numbers still hold. This chart ranks the ammo that wins mid-to-late raids — Ppbs — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart pen, damage, and which armor classes each round beats — plus budget picks. Cross-checked: tarkov.dev API = wiki Ballistics on PPBS/M995/M61/PBP. Sibling: Tarkov wipe date.

Tarkov Ammo Chart (Patch 1.1, August 2026): Best Ammo Tier List by Caliber
Tarkov ammo tier list — S: PPBS Igolnik, BS (5.45×39), SSA AP, M995, MAI AP, M993, M61, BS (7.62×54R), .338 AP. A: BP, M855A1, BP (7.62×39), PP, M80A1, M80, PBP, SP-6. Patch 1.1.0.0, Season 1 Kord Breach. Updated August 2026.
Tarkov ammo tier list — S: PPBS Igolnik, BS (5.45×39), SSA AP, M995, MAI AP, M993, M61, BS (7.62×54R), .338 AP. A: BP, M855A1, BP (7.62×39), PP, M80A1, M80, PBP, SP-6. Patch 1.1.0.0, Season 1 Kord Breach. Updated August 2026.

Current Tarkov Ammo Meta (August 2026)

M61 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Bottom line: post-1.1 Tarkov still kills with penetration power, not magazine size. Mid-raid lobbies wear class 4–5 plates; late kits push class 5–6. If your round cannot start penetrating that class in a short burst, you lose the trade.

Ppbs — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Patch era1.1.0.0 · Season 1 Kord Breach
M995 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Raid focus5 core + new 5.8×42
Mai Ap — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Armor gateClass 4–5 common
Pbp — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Stats sourceAPI = wiki = interact
QuestionAnswer (Aug 7, 2026)Status
Which patch are these numbers from?1.0-era ballistics via tarkov.dev API (Jul 12 pull) — still current, because official 1.1.0.0 (Aug 3, 2026) and 1.0.6.0 (Jul 3) both shipped without a ballistics rewriteS
Did seasons change ammo?Answered: Season 1 KORD BREACH went live Aug 4 with 1.1.0.0 and did not rewrite pen/damage. It did add the 5.8×42mm caliber, cut five FMJ prices, moved some ammo one Loyalty Level lower and fixed ricochet on armored gearS
Where do wipes fit?Traditional wipes ended at 1.0 (ongoing since 2025-11-15) — see wipe date guideS

Armor Classes & Penetration Explained

Armor in Tarkov is a stop-or-penetrate roll, not a flat damage sponge. Chance uses the plate's protection class (1–6), remaining durability %, and the ammo's penetration power. Failed pens still chip durability (armor damage %), so soft rounds can eventually open a plate — but you die first against fresh class 5–6.

Armor classWhat you see in raidsPen you usually wantExample rounds
Class 1–2Early scav / soft armor~15–25Pst — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Pst / soft FMJ
Class 3Budget early PMC~30+Ps 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PS / M855 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M855
Class 4Default mid-raid plate~40–45+Bp 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BP / M855a1 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M855A1 / M80 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M80
Class 5Serious kits / bosses-adjacent~50–55+Bs 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BS / M995 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M995 / M61 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M61 / Mai Ap — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart MAI AP
Class 6Top plates / late lasers~55–62+Ppbs — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PPBS, M61 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M61/M993 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M993, Ap 338 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart .338 AP

Wiki effectiveness scale (0–6): 4 = Effective (~3–5 shots before reliable pens), 5 = Very effective, 6 = Usually ignores. Our S–C tiers below mirror that for raid PvP, not scav farming.

1.1.0.0 note (Aug 3, 2026): BSG fixed ricochet settings for gear with armor points — vests, plate carriers, helmets and additional armor components. Ricochet behaviour can differ from pre-1.1 muscle memory; the penetration thresholds in this section are unchanged.

The 5 Calibers That Matter in Raids

You can run dozens of chamberings. For most PMC kits these five cover early flea unlock through endgame:

CaliberWhy it mattersS-tier roundBudget workhorse
Ppbs — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 5.45×39AK-74 meta, cheap guns, high RPMPPBS Igolnik (62 pen)Bt 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BT / Pp 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PP → Bp 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BP
M995 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 5.56×45M4 / HK416 / MD platformsM995 / Ssa Ap — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart SSA APM855 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M855 → M855a1 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M855A1
Bp 76239 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 7.62×39AKM punch, mid RPMMai Ap — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart MAI AP (58)Ps 76239 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PS → BP
M61 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 7.62×51DMR / battle rifle laser kitsM61 / M993 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M993M80 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M80 / M80a1 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M80A1
Pbp — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 9×19SMG / pistol early & CQBPBP (best 9mm)Pst — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Pst → Ap63 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart AP 6.3

Honorable mentions: Bs 76254 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 7.62×54R (SVD/bolt — BS/SNB), Sp6 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 9×39 (VSS/VAL stealth), Ap 338 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart .338 Lapua (true class-6 delete, tiny ammo pool).

Best Ammo by Caliber — Pen, Damage & Tier

Stats = penetration / flesh damage / armor damage % from tarkov.dev GraphQL (Jul 12, 2026), matching the official wiki Ballistics table and live tarkov.dev/ammo filters. Tier = raid usefulness vs class 4–6, not scav DPS.

CaliberRoundPenDmgArmor%TierRole
5.45×39Ppbs — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PPBS Igolnik623759SClass 6 laser — scarce/expensive
5.45×39Bs 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BS544557SDefault late AK AP
5.45×39Bp 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BP454846AMid-raid class 4–5
5.45×39Bt 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BT375444BBudget tracer climb
5.45×39Ps 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PS285640CEarly scav / class 3
5.56×45Ssa Ap — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart SSA AP573858STop 5.56 pen
5.56×45M995 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M995534252SStandard endgame 5.56
5.56×45M855a1 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M855A1444947ABest mid-tier buy
5.56×45M856a1 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M856A1385244BTracer mid kit
5.56×45M855 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M855315437CEarly unlocked NATO
7.62×39Mai Ap — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart MAI AP585376SAKM class 5–6
7.62×39Bp 76239 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BP475863AReliable mid-late
7.62×39Pp 76239 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PP415957AClass 4 workhorse
7.62×39Ps 76239 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PS356152BBudget AKM
7.62×51M993 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M993657085SAbsolute DMR top
7.62×51M61 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M61607379SDefault laser AP
7.62×51M80a1 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M80A1557574AStrong mid-premium
7.62×51M80 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M80438067ABudget DMR / class 4–5
9×19Pbp — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PBP394455ABest 9mm vs armor
9×19Ap63 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart AP 6.3305248BMid SMG AP
9×19Pst — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Pst205433CLegs / unarmored
7.62×54RBs 76254 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BS707288SBolt/SVD delete
9×39Sp6 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart SP-6486064AQuiet class 4–5
12/70Ap20 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart AP-203716465BSlug AP CQB
.338 LMAp 338 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart AP7911589SClass 6 one-tap fuel

Armor% = armor damage multiplier. Flesh damage drops as pen climbs — that is normal. Prefer pen when the lobby is plated.

Budget vs Top-Tier per Caliber

Buy the cheapest round that still starts pens on the armor you expect. Overpaying for PPBS to farm scavs is how stash value evaporates.

CaliberBudget (class ≤3–4)Mid (class 4–5)Top (class 5–6)
5.45×39Ps 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PS → Bt 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BTBp 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BP / 7n40 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 7N40Bs 545 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BS → Ppbs — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PPBS
5.56×45M855 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M855 / FMJM855a1 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M855A1M995 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M995 / Ssa Ap — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart SSA AP
7.62×39Ps 76239 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PS / FMJPp 76239 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PP → Bp 76239 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BPMai Ap — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart MAI AP
7.62×51BCP FMJ / M80 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M80M80a1 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M80A1M61 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M61 / M993 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart M993
9×19Pst — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart Pst / M882Ap63 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart AP 6.3Pbp — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart PBP

Flea / trader note: top AP (PPBS, M995, M61, MAI AP, PBP) is often flea-locked, LL-gated, or both. Trader stock resets — if Peacekeeper/Prapor LL is low, run the mid column until unlocks catch up. Exact LL rows drift with patches; check in-game traders the day you buy.

Cheaper since 1.1.0.0 (Aug 3, 2026): trader prices were cut on 5.45×39 FMJ, 5.56×45 FMJ, 7.62×39 FMJ, 9×19 Green Tracer and .45 ACP Lasermatch FMJ, and several popular ammo types and magazines moved one Loyalty Level lower, so the budget rungs unlock earlier than the LL notes above assume. Pulling the other way: trader prices rose ~25% overall and the flea fee went 3% → 5%, so flea-sourced AP costs more than it did in July.

Specialty Calibers (When to Leave the Big Five)

  • Bs 76254 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 7.62×54R — bolt guns and SVDs. BS (70 pen) / SNB (62) ignore class 6; LPS/PS are the budget ladder.
  • Sp6 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 9×39 — VSS/VAL. SP-6 (48) and Bp 939 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart BP (54) for quiet mid-late; SP-5 is early only.
  • Ap 338 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart .338 Lapua — AP (79 pen / 115 dmg) is the chart ceiling for handheld rifles. Magazine size and cost keep it niche.
  • Ap Sx — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 4.6×30 AP SX (53) / Ss190 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 5.7×28 SS190 (37) — PDW niches; AP SX punches above weight, SS190 is mid SMG AP.
  • Ap20 — Escape from Tarkov — Tarkov Ammo Chart 12/70 AP-20 — best slug AP for shotguns; flechette shreds armor durability but needs pellet hits.
  • 5.8×42mm — NEW in 1.1.0.0 (Aug 3, 2026), runs on the Norinco QBZ-191. DVC12 AP (49 pen / 46 dmg / 55% armor dmg) out-pens M995 (42) and PPBS (37) while trading ~7 flesh damage — on paper the hardest-penetrating intermediate-caliber round in the game. DBP191 is the general-purpose load (32 pen / 56 dmg); DBX95 and an AP tracer complete the family. Wiki-sourced while the tarkov.dev API is down, and BSG's 1.1 data is still being polished — verify in-client before committing a stash to it.

How to Pick Ammo in 30 Seconds

  1. Identify the armor you will fight. Early questing → class 3–4. Customs/Streets mid → class 4–5. Labs/late → assume class 5–6.
  2. Pick caliber from your gun, not vibes. Then climb the budget→mid→top ladder above until pen matches that class.
  3. Load AP in the chamber / first 10–15 rounds if stash is tight; finish the mag with mid-tier. One failed pen stack loses the fight.
  4. Don't confuse flesh damage with winning. QuakeMaker / RIP melt unarmored scavs and bounce off real plates.
  5. Re-check after patches. Ballistics hotfixes happen — refresh this page's currentState or open tarkov.dev/ammo / the wiki Ballistics table.

Need raids cleared while you farm unlocks for M61/M995? Use the Tarkov CTAs below — same skill that matters on wipe day still matters on a persistent 1.0 profile.

Ammo is the raid input; the raid itself is a Tarkov carry if you want the lockout done while you farm the unlocks.

A wipe also resets stash value — read Tarkov roubles after a wipe before you dump ₽ into ammo you will not take in.

Buy the quest ammo you’ll actually spend, not the flea meme you will never chamber on a task.

Methodology & Sources

  1. Primary stats: tarkov.dev GraphQL ammo pulled Jul 12, 2026 (195 cartridges).
  2. Live UI cross-check: tarkov.dev/ammo caliber filters (5.45 / 5.56) — PPBS 37/62, BS 45/54, M995 42/53, SSA AP 38/57, M855A1 49/44.
  3. Wiki cross-check: Official wiki Ballistics — PPBS/M995/M61/PBP match API within rounding.
  4. Patch freshness: official Patch 1.1.0.0 (Aug 3, 2026) launched the Seasons system and Season 1 “KORD BREACH” (live Aug 4). Read in full: no ballistics or penetration rewrite, so the numbers on this page still stand. It did add the 5.8×42mm caliber, cut five FMJ prices, move some ammo one Loyalty Level lower, raise trader prices ~25%, take the flea fee 3% → 5% and fix ricochet on armored gear. Prior 1.0.6.0 (Jul 3) was Expansion Hub prep + fixes, also no ammo changes. Wipe timeline via tarkov.dev wipe length.
  5. Stale competitor note: Odealo ammo chart last updated Dec 2021 — useful for SERP structure only, not for August 2026 numbers.
  6. New-caliber caveat (Aug 7, 2026): tarkov.dev’s GraphQL endpoint returned GraphQL server unavailable during this pass, so 5.8×42mm figures come from the official wiki (DVC12, DBP191), which warns that 1.1 data is still being polished. Every other caliber on this page is the unchanged Jul 12 API pull.

Tiers are editorial raid rankings, not an in-game label. Trader LL / flea locks are patch-sensitive — verify in-client before a big buy.

FAQ

There is no single best round — match caliber to gun and pen to armor. For assault rifles, PPBS/BS (5.45), M995/SSA AP (5.56), MAI AP/BP (7.62×39), and M61/M993 (7.62×51) are the August 2026 endgame AP picks — and the new 5.8×42mm DVC12 (49 pen) joins them if you run the QBZ-191.