The Hullcracker sits in a special lane in ARC Raiders: it’s a 40mm launcher that fires explosive rounds which only detonate on ARC targets. That makes it a go-to for cracking armored machines without obliterating nearby players. If you’re staring at a “Hullcracker Blueprint” reward that looks like ammo, here’s the deal: that single quest item unlocks the weapon and the ammo recipe.
Hullcracker blueprint: weapon, ammo, and the misleading thumbnail
Completing the quest “The Major’s Footlocker” grants a Hullcracker blueprint that teaches both the Hullcracker weapon recipe and the Launcher Ammo for it. The blueprint’s thumbnail often shows ammo, which leads to confusion, but consuming it adds both recipes to your Workshop once you meet bench requirements.
After extracting with the blueprint, open your Storage and select “Learn and Consume” on the item. Without that step, the recipes won’t appear at your benches.
Bench requirements and why the gun may not appear yet
- Hullcracker weapon recipe: requires Gunsmith level 3 to show and craft.
- Launcher Ammo (Hullcracker ammo) recipe: craftable at Workbench I.
How to craft the Hullcracker and its ammo
| Item | Bench | Tier | Recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hullcracker (weapon) | Gunsmith | Level 3 | 1x Magnetic Accelerator, 3x Heavy Gun Parts, 1x Exodus Modules |
| Launcher Ammo (Hullcracker) | Workbench | Level 1 | 5x Metal Parts, 1x Crude Explosives |
If you’d rather not craft, the Hullcracker can also be found in the world and is sold by the gunsmith trader in Speranza.
What the Hullcracker does in play
- Category: Special, Epic
- Behavior: explosive projectiles detonate only on ARC
- Magazine: 5 • Action: pump
- ARC armor penetration: very strong
It’s designed to shred armored machines without creating splash chaos for nearby players. Treat it like a precise ARC killer, not a general-purpose grenade launcher.
Upgrades, repairs, and expected perks
| Upgrade Target | Bench | Mats (summary) | Perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hullcracker I → II | Gunsmith 2 | Advanced Mechanical Components, Heavy Gun Parts | +18% fire rate, +10 durability |
| Hullcracker II → III | Gunsmith 2 | Advanced Mechanical Components, Heavy Gun Parts | +35% fire rate, +20 durability |
| Hullcracker III → IV | Gunsmith 2 | Advanced Mechanical Components, Heavy Gun Parts | +53% fire rate, +30 durability |
Repair costs scale by tier and use Advanced Mechanical Components plus Heavy Gun Parts, restoring increasing durability (+50 to +65) as you move up tiers.
Where the blueprint comes from and what to do with duplicates
- Guaranteed source: The “The Major’s Footlocker” quest grants the combined blueprint (weapon + ammo).
- World drops: blueprints can be looted from high-value containers and events; duplicates can be learned later, sold, or shared.
If you have already learned it and picked up another, stash the extra in your safe pocket and sell or trade it later.
Troubleshooting: learned it, still don’t see it
- Confirm you used “Learn and Consume” on the blueprint in Storage.
- Upgrade the Gunsmith to level 3; the Hullcracker weapon recipe won’t appear before that, even as a locked entry.
- Check Workshop → Gunsmith after the upgrade; the recipe should be available, provided you’ve learned it.
Quick reference
| Topic | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does the quest blueprint unlock gun or ammo? | Both (weapon + Launcher Ammo) |
| Why does the blueprint image show ammo? | UI art is misleading; the reward covers both |
| Where to craft the weapon | Workshop → Gunsmith (Level 3) |
| Where to craft the ammo | Workshop → Workbench (Level 1) |
| Core weapon mats | Magnetic Accelerator, Heavy Gun Parts, Exodus Modules |
| Ammo mats | Metal Parts, Crude Explosives |
| Vendor availability | Also sold by the gunsmith trader in Speranza |
If you’re chasing the launcher for late-game ARC fights, prioritize the “The Major’s Footlocker” quest, consume the reward blueprint, and push your Gunsmith to level 3. From there, the Hullcracker’s recipe is just materials away, and its ammo is inexpensive to spin up at a basic Workbench.
