Rust Nailgun
Niche T0 spray pistol. Low damage per nail but high mag capacity. Mostly a meme weapon.
Fast facts
| Tier | T0 — default-known |
|---|---|
| Ammo | Nail (only ammo type) |
| Magazine | 16 nails per fill |
| RPM | ~400 (community-consensus) |
| Damage | ~5-7 per nail |
| Range | Very short (~10-15m) |
| Recoil | Low — vertical only, very manageable |
| Acquisition | Default-known. Nail crafting requires very few resources. |
The Nailgun is one of Rust's most-niche weapons — high mag capacity (16 nails) but very low damage per shot. Effectively a spray-and-hope weapon at point blank. Most players treat it as a meme or a wipe-day fallback when they have no other ammo. The Eoka is more lethal at the same tier; the Revolver is strictly better once you reach T1.
Pro tips
- Spray at center mass — accuracy is poor, volume is your friend.
- Don't bring it to a serious fight — even a Revolver outperforms it.
- Useful on construction tier — same nails repair structures, so it doubles as a tool.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Nailgun any good in Rust?
Niche. Damage per nail is very low (~5-7), so even with the 16-round mag you need to land most shots to kill. Better than nothing on wipe day, but the Revolver outclasses it the moment you reach T1.
What ammo does the Nailgun use?
Nails only. Nails are also used for wooden building repairs, so a stack of nails is dual-purpose. Crafted from metal fragments at any workbench.
Can you headshot with the Nailgun?
Yes — headshot multiplier applies. But at ~5-7 damage per nail with a 2x multiplier, even headshots take 8-10 hits to drop a naked. Spray-and-pray is the only viable approach.
When to use the Nailgun
The Nailgun is Rust's utility weapon — early wipe, low damage per shot, but extremely cheap ammo (nails) and used as much for breaking soft targets and farming as for combat. It's a meme PvP weapon but a genuinely useful early-wipe tool for chickens, low-HP boars, and the occasional naked encounter.
Effective range is 0-15 metres on stationary or low-HP targets. Past 15m the bullet drop and damage make it a joke. The Nailgun is what you carry when you don't want to spend rifle ammo killing scientists or naked players.
Loadout & attachments
Nailgun has no attachments. Ammo is straightforward:
- **Nails** — the only ammo. Cheap to craft, common drop.
Stock as many nails as you want; they're nearly free. The Nailgun's appeal is that it's the cheapest way to put bullets downrange in Rust.
Nailgun vs alternatives
Vs **Eoka Pistol**: Eoka is one-shot misfire-prone gambling. Nailgun is reliable repeat fire with terrible damage. Pick Eoka for ambush, Nailgun for sustained low-stakes shooting.
Vs **Compound Bow**: Compound has stealth, range, decent damage. Nailgun is louder and weaker.
Vs **Semi-Auto Pistol**: SAP is strictly better in PvP. Nailgun is a utility gun for chickens and farming.
Common mistakes
- **Bringing to a real PvP fight.** Anyone with a Waterpipe or better will delete you.
- **Engaging at rifle range.** Bullets drop sharply past 15m.
- **Wasting on hard targets.** It does basically nothing to scientists in metal armour or to bears.
- **Treating it as a serious weapon.** It's a utility tool. Bring a real gun to actual fights.
Kit & pairing
The Nailgun pairs with whatever your real primary is — a **Crossbow** for stealth, a **Waterpipe** for close. Use the Nailgun for chickens, boars, scientists, low-HP cleanup. Don't drink Pure teas for Nailgun engagements; basic Healing Tea is sufficient. Wear early-wipe armour (**Burlap or Bone**); you're not in a real fight.