Escape from Tarkov Pistol Guide

The pistol is your fail-safe

When your rifle runs dry or breaks, the pistol is what keeps you alive. The best weapons page ranks the primaries; this is about the gun you draw when the primary is gone. Do not treat it as an afterthought.

Pick for ammo availability

A pistol is only as good as the ammo you can find or buy. Favor calibers with reliable, penetrable rounds so your sidearm can actually stop a geared player at close range. The ammo chart guide shows which rounds punch above their class.

Mods that matter

A weapon light, a decent sight, and a threaded barrel for a suppressor turn a stock pistol into a usable close-quarters tool. The weapon mods guide covers compatibility; keep mods cheap on a pistol you might lose.

Budget kits start here

A pistol plus a cheap vest is a legitimate early kit when you cannot afford a rifle. The budget kits page builds around this; a good pistol raid can fund the rifle you want next.

Treat it as insurance

The pistol is the gun you draw when the rifle is empty, jammed, or out of reach, so do not treat it as decoration. The best weapons page ranks primaries, and the ammo chart guide shows which rounds actually penetrate at close range. Keep it repaired through the weapon mods guide.

Budget opener

A pistol plus a cheap vest is a legitimate early kit, and a good pistol raid can fund the rifle you want next. The budget kits page builds around this.

The pistol is the panic gun

A pistol will not win a fight, but it ends the scavenger on your back when the rifle is empty. The best weapons page covers the primary. A Tarkov kit without a sidearm is a kit that fails up close.

Related guides

• EFT Best Weapons
• EFT Ammo Chart Guide
• EFT Budget Kits