The Gunsmith in ARC Raiders is the Workshop station that lets you craft better firearms, attach powerful mods, and level up your weapons. To get real value from it, you need to both unlock the station itself and then push it from Level 1 to Level 3 using specific materials that drop from particular enemies and loot types.
Unlock and install the Gunsmith workbench
Before you can upgrade anything, you must first install the Gunsmith in your Workshop. This happens after you finish the opening quest chain and gain access to your Raider Den and its crafting area.
Step 1: Go to your Workshop in the Raider Den and open the Workshop menu from the main interface.
Step 2: In the Workshop interface, move to the station slots near Scrappy and select the empty slot that corresponds to weapon crafting (the Gunsmith/Weapon Workbench tab).
Step 3: Check the installation cost and gather the required basic materials: 20× Metal Parts and 30× Rubber Parts.
Step 4: Collect Metal Parts by looting or recycling metal items and ARC tech, and collect Rubber Parts by breaking down chemical containers and abandoned gear like ruined parachutes or vests.
Step 5: Once you have enough materials, return to the Workshop, select the Gunsmith slot again, and confirm the installation to create a Level 1 Gunsmith station.
How to upgrade Gunsmith in ARC Raiders (Level 1–3)
After installation, the Gunsmith starts at Level 1 and can be upgraded to Level 3. Each level unlocks more weapon blueprints and stronger attachments, but each upgrade requires specific materials from ARC enemies and loot categories.
Gunsmith upgrade requirements
The table below shows everything you need to take Gunsmith from installation up to Level 3.
| Gunsmith level | Materials needed | Main sources | What this level improves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install / Level 1 | 20× Metal Parts, 30× Rubber Parts. | Basic material loot, recycling metal objects and gear. | Unlocks basic weapon crafting and the Weapon Upgrade tab. |
| Level 2 | 3× Rusted Tools, 5× Mechanical Components, 8× Wasp Drivers. | Industrial/mechanical loot, Wasp ARC units. | Expands weapon roster and attachment options, including mid‑tier guns. |
| Level 3 | 3× Rusted Gears, 5× Advanced Mechanical Components, 3–4× Sentinel Firing Cores. | High‑value industrial loot, advanced mechanical drops, Sentinel turrets. | Unlocks elite weapons and tier‑3 modifications. |
Step 1: Approach the Gunsmith bench in your Workshop or open its tab from the Workshop menu to view the current station level and upgrade requirements.
Step 2: Highlight the Level Up (or upgrade) tab within the Gunsmith interface; this shows which materials and quantities you need for the next Gunsmith level.
Step 3: Plan raids around these needs: focus on industrial areas for Rusted Tools/Gears and Mechanical Components, and target missions with Wasp or Sentinel ARC units for Drivers and Firing Cores.
Step 4: After you extract with all required materials safely in your inventory or stash, return to the Workshop, open the Gunsmith again, and confirm the upgrade to raise the station level.
Step 5: Repeat this process for Level 2 and Level 3, always checking the Level Up tab first so you know exactly which materials to prioritize on your next raids.
How to farm Gunsmith upgrade materials efficiently
Because every Gunsmith level depends on specific components, you will progress faster if you deliberately farm the right enemies and loot types instead of looting randomly.
Key Gunsmith materials and where to get them
| Material | Used for | Typical loot category | Practical farming notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Parts | Gunsmith install, Refiner, other benches. | Basic material. | Very common in industrial areas and from scrapping bulky metal loot and ARC tech. |
| Rubber Parts | Gunsmith install. | Basic material. | Break down chemical containers and worn gear such as ruined parachutes and damaged vests. |
| Rusted Tools | Gunsmith Level 2. | Mechanical, industrial. | Check workshops, factories, and mechanical storage spots; night raids on industrial maps tend to produce better odds. |
| Mechanical Components | Gunsmith Level 2 and weapon recipes. | Mechanical. | Best found in industrial zones and facilities with heavy machinery. |
| Wasp Drivers | Gunsmith Level 2. | ARC enemy drop. | Drop from Wasp ARC units; target areas and events where Wasps spawn consistently. |
| Rusted Gears | Gunsmith Level 3. | Industrial. | Farm high‑value industrial loot spots; night raids on maps with factories and heavy equipment help. |
| Advanced Mechanical Components | Gunsmith Level 3, late‑game crafting. | Mechanical. | Often obtained from advanced mechanical loot or crafted later via the Refiner at higher levels. |
| Sentinel Firing Cores | Gunsmith Level 3. | ARC enemy drop. | Guaranteed drop from Sentinel turrets once destroyed, but these encounters are dangerous and require solid gear. |
Step 1: Before launching a raid, open the Gunsmith Level Up tab and note which single material is currently your biggest bottleneck.
Step 2: Pick a raid zone that aligns with that material: industrial maps for Rusted Tools/Gears and Mechanical Components, or missions with Wasp and Sentinel activity for Drivers and Firing Cores.
Step 3: During the raid, prioritize killing the target ARC units and looting the correct building types, even if it means skipping some side loot that does not support your current upgrade goal.
Step 4: Store rare components and Drivers in safe pockets so they survive if you get knocked out before extraction.
Step 5: Extract early once you have multiple high‑value Gunsmith materials, rather than risking them on a long looting run.
How to upgrade weapons at the Gunsmith
Upgrading the station is only half of the equation. The Gunsmith also lets you level up individual weapons, improving their performance in combat. This is separate from raising the bench level and has its own interface inside the same station.
Access the weapon upgrade menu
Step 1: Interact with the Gunsmith bench in your Workshop to open its main menu.
Step 2: Move from the crafting recipes tab to the Weapon Upgrade tab inside the Gunsmith interface.
Step 3: Browse the list of weapons shown; this includes both guns in your current inventory and those stored in your Stash.
Upgrade a weapon from Level 0 upwards
Step 1: Select the weapon you want to improve. Check its current level and stats (damage, magazine size, reload speed, durability).
Step 2: Look at the upgrade cost shown on the right side of the screen; it lists the materials needed to move the weapon from its current level to the next level.
Step 3: Confirm the upgrade. The weapon will move from Level 0 to 1, 1 to 2, and so on, with each step improving one or more stats such as damage, reload speed, mag size, and durability.
Step 4: Repeat this process as long as you have the required materials and you feel the weapon is worth investing in for future raids.
Weapon rarity and material quality
Higher‑rarity weapons (green, blue, purple, yellow) demand materials of matching quality for upgrades. That means you cannot rely only on basic components; you need rarer, higher‑tier materials that come from difficult content and advanced refining.
Step 1: For common (white) weapons, use low‑tier materials freely to quickly raise them to a comfortable level early in your progression.
Step 2: For uncommon and rare weapons, upgrade only those that fit your preferred playstyle (e.g., main rifle and backup sidearm) to avoid spreading rare materials too thin.
Step 3: Save top‑tier components for epic or legendary‑quality weapons once you are more confident in your survival rate and extraction consistency.
Why upgrade Gunsmith early in ARC Raiders
Investing in Gunsmith upgrades early gives you stronger guns sooner, which directly improves your survival odds and extraction success. This station is also frequently recommended as one of the first to push to Level 2 before heavily investing in other benches.
| Focus | Benefit of early Gunsmith upgrades |
|---|---|
| PvE survival | Higher‑level weapons drop ARC enemies faster, reducing the time you spend exposed in fights. |
| PvP encounters | Better damage and handling give you an edge against other Raiders at similar account progression. |
| Resource gain | Safer raids mean more successful extractions, which means more materials for all other workbenches. |
| Blueprint value | Weapon blueprints you find become much more useful when you can craft and then upgrade those guns properly. |
Step 1: Make raising Gunsmith to Level 2 one of your first Workshop goals so that you unlock a broader weapon pool and better attachments quickly.
Step 2: After reaching Level 2, balance your material spending between Gunsmith Level 3 and one or two other key stations (for example, Gear Bench for shields or Medical Lab for healing) instead of upgrading everything at once.
Step 3: Revisit your upgrade priorities regularly; as you get access to new blueprints and tougher ARC enemies, Gunsmith Level 3 becomes more valuable thanks to elite weapons and high‑tier mods.
Once your Gunsmith is at Level 3 and your favorite weapons are upgraded, you’ll notice fights end faster and extractions feel less risky, making every future raid a bit smoother to plan and complete.
