Summary
- Guns provide a powerful way to clear areas but attract zombies due to noise.
- Some locations offer a high concentration of guns, requiring effort to clear out and loot.
- Military checkpoints and stores are good places to find guns and ammo with lower zombie populations.
For most Project Zomboid players, melee will be their primary method of choice for dispatching the dead. With dozens of tools and handheld weapons at the players' disposal, survivors can eliminate them without running the risk of making too much noise. There are some, however, who prefer a louder and more powerful alternative - guns.
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Guns are an incredibly effective way to dispose of hordes, and players who acquire them early on will be able to confidently clear areas without worrying about getting bit. Players should be warned, however, that while guns are extremely useful for clearing areas and keeping distance, they are also very loud and will draw zombies in from a surrounding radius. For those wanting to use guns for most of their survival, there are dozens of great places to find them, many of which require a sledgehammer to get through their barricades.
Updated on February 17th, 2025, by Abigail Angell: Build 42's massive map expansion means players have several new locations to explore for loot. Each new major settlement - Ekron, Irvington, Bradenburg, and Echo Creek - has locations worth searching for guns. To help players navigate this new, larger map. Such locations have been added with coordinates.
16 Ready Prep - Army Surplus, Louisville
A Cache of Guns & Survival Gear
Ready Prep (coordinates 12219x1320) is an amazing spot for players looking to hit the jackpot with a depot of great weapons and ammunition. Being in the north-western part of Louisville, zombie populations in this area are a little on the heavy side, but that shouldn't dissuade players from attempting to clear the place of the dead.
For players looking to hit the firepower jackpot, the hard work required to clear the area is certainly rewarding. If survivors successfully manage to clear out the area and loot its contents, they can live comfortably, knowing they have enough weaponry to put down any horde that comes for them.
15 Knox Prison, Rosewood
A Huge Complex With Supplies Of All Kinds
With an insane amount of zombies inside the Kentucky State Prison (coordinates 7718x11881) and roaming outside, players should head to the location with powerful weaponry already at their disposal. For those looking to head to the area for the first time and catch a lucky break, the prison could be the solution to the problem. While the prison itself has droves of undead prisoners locked inside that couldn't escape the infection, players looking to acquire an arsenal without too much hassle should seek out the guardhouse that sits beside the prison.
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The general populations surrounding the area are high, but around the guardhouse itself, it can vary. Using guns here would be ill-advised, as every zombie inside will be trying to claw their way through doors and windows to eat the player. Survivors who successfully manage to clear the guardhouse entrance can revel in the spoils of its armory and incredible arsenal. It is recommended to bring a car with a high carry weight to load the weaponry into or a large trailer for those who love mods.
14 Jamieton Army Surplus, Doe Valley
A Gold Mine In An Under-rated Location
Doe Valley is a pretty underrated town overall. With a Military Surplus store (coordinates 5465x9512), Gun Store (coordinates 3806x8513), Doctor's Office, and Gas Station, it's got almost everything your average player needs. However, due to its location far away from most popular starting towns and desirable living locations, it doesn't get the traffic or appreciation it deserves.
Players willing to make the trek can easily find themselves entering with nothing and leaving with hundreds of pounds of deadly firearms strapped to their backs. For those looking to obtain a great deal of loot, do some exploring, hop into a car, and head to Doe Valley.
13 Stars and Stripes Gun Shop, Louisville
High-Value Loot Located In a Mall
The Louisville Mall Gun Shop, Stars & Stripes (coordinates 13555x1273), is a great location for more seasoned players to investigate. With one of the most ridiculously high populations of dead inside and surrounding the mall, it may not seem worth clearing it for many players due to the high risk.
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For players looking for a quieter entrance and wanting to save their ammo for a more desperate situation, head to the north side of the mall on foot or in a good-condition vehicle with a sledgehammer. Survivors may need to dispatch a couple dozen or so zombies to have this area cleared, so bring something quiet to dispatch them or run the risk of alerting the entire zombie-infested mall. Once the player has calculated where the gun shop is and destroyed the wall, survivors can quietly pack away their newfound weaponry without fearing for their lives.
12 Barrel O'Gun, Ekron
Ekron's Best Gun Location... For What That's Worth
Barrel O'Gun (435x9870) is a small hunting store located in the meager commercial center of Ekron. With about as much space as a living room and no second floor, this location is easy to clear, but the loot it offers isn't as impressive as some of the larger locations. Players can expect to find one to three standard guns and a handful of ammunition.
Because of its small size, this location is pretty safe to loot. It is also one of the only places to look for guns in and around Ekron, which is a shame considering how many good base locations there are in this town. Then again, the plentiful industrial equipment means that players will likely be able to supplement the guns they loot from Barrel O'Gun with weapon-smithed bullets and equipment in the future.
11 Police Stations
A Place To Go Near Any Starting Location
The zombie population is very high around most Police Stations, and players will occasionally meet zombies in armor. As such, clearing out the Police Station is no simple task for any player new to the game. It is imperative to clear the parking lot and surrounding area before going inside, otherwise, you are likely to get cornered. Police Stations currently on the Project Zomboid map include:
- Riverside Police Station (coordinates 6081x5261)
- Fallas Lake Police Station (coordinates 7252x8378)
- Rosewood Police Station (coordinates 8063x11737)
- West Point Police Station (coordinates 11902x6945)
- Dixie Police Station (coordinates 10636x10408)
- Louisville Police Station (coordinates 13221x3086)
- The Louisville Police Department and Detention Services (coordinates 12496x1615)
- Louisville Mounted Police Training Complex (coordinates 13031x2825)
- Brandenburg Police Station (coordinates 2127x6061)
- Irvington Police Station (coordinates 2493x13943)
That being said, the loot in a Police Station is worth it. Not only are there riot gear and melee weapons like batons, but each location features an armory. For those looking to loot the Police Station, consider using sirens from nearby police cars to lead zombies away or simply set off on foot and let them follow in pursuit. Once it's clear, players can safely loot the armory without looking over their shoulders.
10 Sheriff's Department, Coalfield
The Wild West Had Guns Too
Coalfield may be a reenactment town, but the Wild West was well known for its guns. It then comes as no surprise that the Sheriff's Department (3489x8187) has guns - mostly handguns. As a bonus, because of Coalfield's out-of-the-way location, the zombie population is much lower. The entire town is clearable with effort and a little luck.
To reach Coalfield, players will need a car. It is far from any starting towns, although Echo Creek is the closest. In addition, it may be useful to bring basic supplies and set up a base there due to the plentiful hunting supplies and old-fashioned gear such as stoves and water collectors.
9 Well Regulated Militia Gear & Supply, Irvington
A Military Supply Store For All Your Combat Needs
The Militia Gear and Supply Store (1775x14792) is a hot spot for guns as well as ammo and military clothing, making it a great place to look for any players in the area. To reach it, players will need to drive to the far south edge of the map, nearly outside of Irvington altogether. As a result of the location, zombies here aren't generally a problem, making this a good gun store to search for earlier in the game when players don't yet have armor and shooting skills.
While the surrounding buildings aren't of particular interest, players can look for some new material in the comic book store without the pressure of the horde of zombies, which usually surrounds gun stores in more downtown areas. This can help manage boredom, a condition that gets more difficult to avoid as the game progresses and the electricity shuts off.
While in Irvington, it may be worth visiting the nearby Irvington Gun Club (1672x12751) as well, although weapon spawns here are much less reliable. There is a small store at the back of the main building on the range.
8 The Military Research Facility
Powerful Weapons & Massive Backpacks
For many, the Military Research Facility's (coordinates 5687x12472) isolation can dissuade players from ever heading there, along with the heavily armored zombies in the area. However, the loot at this location is second to none if you need firepower. For those willing enough to make the journey, by walking or by traversing through the mud track in a car, they'll be able to acquire some of the game's best guns, along with a massive backpack.
As the zombie population can sometimes be overwhelming, it is suggested to come prepared. You will want to kill the zombies here instead of just luring them away because while there is a military locker in the back corner of the building with guns, much of the area's best loot will be on the zombies themselves.
7 Military Checkpoints
An Open Area With Military Grade Loot
There are two military checkpoints, both of which contain guns and ammo caches.
- Just south of Louisville (coordinates 12536x4224)
- North of Brandenburg (coordinates 1501x5628)
Players will ideally want to bring their sledgehammer to break inside, as the caches tend to be enclosed in a locked room. These caches are well worth the time it takes to break in, as they boast an impressive amount of firepower and ammunition for such a small location.
Players won't need to be too worried about being overridden with zombies in this location, as its spawn rates are quite generous, given the proximity of blockades to major cities. In addition, the open area makes kiting zombies quite easy. Looting these blockades early on also ensures players have a solid offensive repertoire at their disposal and provides a much higher chance of survival for those looking to head north to the loot-filled, zombie-infested city centers.