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Rust Loot Tables Reference

Q: What is the best loot per minute in Rust?

Locked Crate from Cargo Ship or CH47 — guaranteed weapon roll in 15-16 minutes of play. Beats most monument grinds.

Q: Do loot pools change between patches?

Yes — Facepunch tweaks distributions every major update. This reference is approximate; always verify with current in-game runs.

Q: Does Pure Scrap Tea apply to all crates?

No — only to barrel scrap and recycler outputs. Crate loot is unaffected.

Q: Where does the elite crate spawn?

Red-card rooms at top-tier monuments: Launch Site, Military Tunnels, Power Plant, Water Treatment, and inside Underwater Labs .

Q: Are locked crate and heli crate the same loot?

Similar but not identical. Both guarantee a weapon roll. Heli crates lean military rifles; locked crates lean LMG/sniper rolls.

// Reference · Crate & barrel rolls

Every Rust crate, barrel and event drop with its loot pool. Use this to plan road runs, monument grinds and event hunts.

Fast facts

Loot tier scale	Wood < Basic < Military < Elite < Locked < Heli
Most-farmed source	Roadside barrels (scrap, components)
Best loot per minute	Locked Crate (Cargo or CH47)
Fastest scrap source	Recycler with barrel components
Last patch sync	Verify in-game; Facepunch tweaks pools each major patch

This reference lists Rust crate and event loot pools with what you can expect from each. Loot is randomised — these are not guaranteed contents, but they are the realistic distribution you will see across many runs. Use this page to plan: knowing that a Heli Crate guarantees a weapon roll changes your priorities vs an Elite Crate that is mostly components.

Roadside & field barrels

Standard roadside barrels are the bread-and-butter of early-wipe runs. Loot pool:

Scrap — 1-5 per barrel, the main currency for blueprint research.
Components — gears, springs, sewing kits, propane tanks, sheet metal scraps. Recycle for scrap and metal frags.
Cloth, leather, low-grade fuel — small amounts.
Pistol Ammo, Crossbow Bolts — occasional ammo drops.
Junk — burlap sacks, tarp, rope.

Pure Scrap Tea boosts barrel-scrap drops by up to 3×. See the Pure Scrap Tea page for stacking with other buffs.

Basic & military crates

Basic Crates (wood crates at random spawns):

Low-tier weapons: Waterpipe Shotgun, Crossbow, Bone Knife.
Components, low-grade fuel, basic ammo.
Occasional medical: Bandages, Syringes.

Military Crates (green crates at monuments, Cargo Ship deck):

Mid-tier weapons: Thompson, Custom SMG, SAR, Semi-Auto Pistol.
5.56 ammo, Pistol Ammo.
Mid-tier components: Tech Trash, CCTV cameras, Targeting Computer.
Occasional Hazmat Suit pieces.

Elite & locked crates

Elite Crates (red crates at top-tier monument rooms):

Top-tier weapons: AK47, MP5, LR300, M249, Bolt Action, L96, M39.
Targeting Computer, Tech Trash, CCTV cameras (high quantities).
HQM ore, military ammo stockpiles.
Occasional Heli/Tank components.

Locked Crate (Cargo Ship + CH47 drops):

Guaranteed weapon roll: M249, L96, MGL, HMLMG, AK47, LR300, or Custom SMG.
3-5 high-tier components.
Military ammo (5.56, HV rifle ammo).
Occasional rare BPs.

Heli Crate (Patrol Helicopter drops):

Top-tier weapon guaranteed (AK47, LR300, MP5, M249, MGL, or HMLMG).
5.56 Rifle Ammo + Explosive 5.56 (rare).
HQM ore, premium components.

Scientist & NPC drops

Killing scientists drops their carried weapon + ammo. Common sources:

Standard scientists (green-card monuments) — SAR or MP5, mid-tier ammo.
Hazmat scientists (red-card monuments) — LR300, AK47, military ammo.
Heavy scientists (Bradley wreckage, Locked Crate defenders) — AK47, M249, top-tier loot.
NPC kits — sometimes drop full body kit (Hazmat, Coffee Can helmet, etc.).

Recycler & component returns

Components recycle at a fixed rate. Most-farmed:

Tech Trash — 30 scrap, 3 high-quality metal each.
CCTV Camera — 25 scrap, 2 high-quality metal.
Targeting Computer — 50 scrap, 3 HQM, 2 metal frags.
Rifle Body — used to craft AK; recycle for HQM if oversupplied.
SMG Body, Semi-Auto Body — scaling per tier.

Pure Scrap Tea applies to recycler outputs too — stack before grinding components.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best loot per minute in Rust?

Locked Crate from Cargo Ship or CH47 — guaranteed weapon roll in 15-16 minutes of play. Beats most monument grinds.

Do loot pools change between patches?

Yes — Facepunch tweaks distributions every major update. This reference is approximate; always verify with current in-game runs.

Does Pure Scrap Tea apply to all crates?

No — only to barrel scrap and recycler outputs. Crate loot is unaffected.

Where does the elite crate spawn?

Red-card rooms at top-tier monuments: Launch Site, Military Tunnels, Power Plant, Water Treatment, and inside Underwater Labs.

Are locked crate and heli crate the same loot?

Similar but not identical. Both guarantee a weapon roll. Heli crates lean military rifles; locked crates lean LMG/sniper rolls.

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