Weapon balance in 7 Days to Die Alpha 21 shifted dramatically from A20. Pipe weapons give early game a smoother power curve, the M60 got a much-needed damage buff, and the Junk Turret became the single most impactful weapon in the game. This tier list ranks every weapon based on damage output per second, ammo efficiency, versatility across game phases, and horde night performance. We've tested each weapon across 100+ in-game days on Warrior and Insane difficulty.
Tier rankings factor in the full picture: a weapon that deals incredible damage but burns through rare ammo faster than you can craft it gets knocked down. Similarly, weapons that require 8+ attribute points to reach their potential rank lower than those that perform well with minimal investment. For the best skill point allocations to maximize these weapons, check our Best 7 Days to Die Builds.
S-Tier: Meta Defining
| Weapon | Base Damage | Attack Speed | Ammo Type | Best With | |--------|------------|-------------|-----------|-----------| | Junk Turret | 18/shot | Auto | 9mm | Intellect 4+ | | M60 | 42 | Fast | 7.62mm | Strength/Perception | | Robotic Turret | 32/shot | Auto | 9mm | Intellect 8+ | | Steel Sledgehammer | 126 | Slow | Melee | Strength 8+ |
The Junk Turret sits at the top because no other weapon offers this value. It costs scrap iron and mechanical parts to craft, fires automatically, and deals respectable damage. Drop two of them covering a doorway and you've got a defense system that works while you're looting across the map. The only downside: they break after roughly 2,000 rounds and need replacement.
The M60 dominates late-game horde nights. Its 42 base damage with automatic fire means you're dumping 500+ DPS into a zombie corridor. Alpha 21 increased its damage from 38 (in A20), pushing it firmly into S-tier. The catch is 7.62mm ammo costs brass, lead, and gunpowder in significant quantities. Run two forges dedicated to ammo production if this is your primary.
A-Tier: Excellent Choices
| Weapon | Base Damage | Attack Speed | Ammo Type | Best With | |--------|------------|-------------|-----------|-----------| | Marksman Rifle | 68 | Medium | 7.62mm | Perception 7+ | | Desert Vulture | 56 | Medium | .44 Magnum | Agility 7+ | | Auto Shotgun | 15x6 pellets | Fast | Shotgun Shell | Strength 6+ | | Compound Crossbow | 75 | Slow | Bolts | Perception/Agility | | Blade Trap | 100 | Auto | Electricity | Intellect 4+ |
The Marksman Rifle is the sniper's dream weapon. At 68 base damage with Dead Eye 5, headshots deal 204 damage before armor penetration. That one-shots standard zombies through Day 42. The 4x scope lets you engage at distances where zombies can't even detect you.
The Desert Vulture outperforms other pistols by a wide margin. With a silencer and Hidden Strike 5, stealth shots deal 560 damage. Nothing else in the pistol category comes close. The .44 Magnum ammo is expensive to craft but you'll find plenty in weapon crates and cop zombie loot.
Blade Traps deserve special mention. At 100 damage per hit and requiring only electricity (no ammo), they're the most cost-effective horde night defense in the game. A corridor lined with 8 blade traps eliminates regular zombies before they reach your walls. Pair them with electric fences to slow zombie movement through the kill zone.
B-Tier: Solid Performers
| Weapon | Base Damage | Best Use Case | |--------|------------|--------------| | AK-47 | 38 | General purpose rifle | | Pump Shotgun | 13x6 pellets | Close range defense | | Hunting Rifle | 52 | Early/mid game sniping | | Steel Knuckles | 35.7 | Fortitude brawler builds | | Pipe Machine Gun | 24 | Early game automatic fire | | Stun Baton | 28 + stun | Intellect CC weapon |
The AK-47 is perfectly functional but outclassed. Its 38 damage with automatic fire makes it a decent all-rounder, but the M60 deals more damage with the same ammo type. You'll use the AK from Day 14 to Day 28 before finding something better.
Pump Shotgun shines in tight spaces. Six pellets at 13 damage each means 78 potential damage per shot if every pellet connects. In a narrow hallway, that's devastating. The slow pump action between shots is the only thing keeping it out of A-tier.
The Stun Baton is the Intellect tree's dedicated melee weapon. Its stun effect chains into turret damage nicely, making it surprisingly effective as a support weapon. Stun a zombie, let your Junk Turrets finish it off.
C-Tier: Situational
| Weapon | Base Damage | Why It's Here | |--------|------------|--------------| | Pipe Pistol | 26 | Good Days 1-7, then replaced | | Pipe Shotgun | 10x6 pellets | Decent early game option | | Pipe Rifle | 42 | Solid until you find Hunting Rifle | | Wooden Bow | 22 | Starting weapon, outclassed fast | | Iron Crossbow | 45 | Cheaper bolts than compound | | Machete | 38 | Fast attack speed, low damage |
Pipe weapons fill the gap between stone tools and real firearms. The Pipe Rifle is genuinely good for its crafting cost, dealing 42 damage with simple iron resources. Keep one as a backup even after upgrading. The Pipe Pistol pairs well with early Agility investment and costs almost nothing to feed with 9mm ammo.
D-Tier: Avoid These
| Weapon | Base Damage | Problem | |--------|------------|---------| | Blunderbuss | 12x8 pellets | Pipe Shotgun is better in every way | | Stone Sledgehammer | 24 | Replaced by iron tools within hours | | Wooden Club | 13.2 | Starting weapon, zero scaling | | Torch | 11 | It's a torch |
The Blunderbuss has no reason to exist in A21. The Pipe Shotgun costs nearly the same resources, reloads faster, and deals comparable damage. Scrap any Blunderbuss you find for parts.
For full weapon builds and perk allocations, see our Best 7 Days to Die Builds guide. New to the game? Start with our 7 Days to Die Beginner's Guide for the basics.
