Learn how to craft and use the Pipe Machine Gun
Most early-game weapons in 7 Days to Die suffer from some serious drawbacks and a lack of versatility. The Pipe Machine Gun, however, seems to just be a solid low-tier machine gun, putting it a league ahead of other pipe guns. This fascinating firearm is fitted with a proper magazine, sports decent power and range, and can be reloaded twice as fast as other pipe weapons.
This guide will walk you through crafting a Pipe Machine Gun in 7 Days to Die and offer advice on utilizing it best.
How to craft a Pipe Machine Gun in 7 Days to Die
It takes a real mechanical prodigy to forge an automatic weapon out of scrap, but our character seems to be able to do so with just a few basic components. The amount of crafting materials required will depend on the quality of the firearm being constructed:
| Material | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Iron Pipe | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Glue | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Wood | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Machine Guns Crafting Skill | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
- Short Iron Pipes can be crafted from Forged Iron or salvaged from numerous pipes, sinks, fridges, toilets, and other plumbing fixtures.
- Glue can be scavenged from chemicals or parts containers or may be crafted from Bones and clean water at a Campfire or Chemistry Station.
- Wood can be gathered by looting trash, smashing wooden structures, or chopping trees and shrubs.
- The Machine Guns crafting skill can only be improved by finding and reading issues of the Tactical Warfare skill magazine.
Pipe Machine Gun Overview
Base Stats
| Property | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magazine Size | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Rounds / Minute | 335 | 335 | 335 | 335 | 335 | 335 |
| Effective Range | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Max Durability | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| Mod Slots | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Ammo
The Pipe Machine Gun is chambered in powerful 7.62 Ammo, of which there are 3 kinds: Standard, HiPower (HP), and Armor Piercing (AP). The damage of each quality of weapon is determined by what ammo the player has loaded into it.
Damage By Ammo Type
| Ammo Type | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.62 | 30 | 31.4 | 33 | 34.5 | 36 | 37.5 |
| HiPower 7.62 | 33.5 | 35.1 | 36.8 | 38.5 | 40.2 | 41.8 |
| AP 7.62 | 37 | 38.8 | 40.7 | 42.5 | 44.4 | 46.2 |
7.62mm Ammo
Crafting 7.62 Ammo will require a Workbench and the following materials:
- 1 Bullet Tip
- 3 Gunpowder
- 1 Bullet Casing
HiPower 7.62mm Ammo
Crafting HiPower 7.62 Ammo will require a workbench, that the player has read the Sniper Vol. 7 perk book, as well as the following materials:
- 2 Bullet Tips
- 3 Gunpowder
- 1 Bullet Casing
AP 7.62mm Ammo
Crafting AP 7.62 Ammo will require a workbench, that the player has read the Sniper Vol. 6 perk book, as well as the following materials:
- 2 Bullet Tips
- 5 Gunpowder
- 1 Bullet Casing
Mods
The Pipe Machine Gun accepts the following mods. Note that only one mod of any category may be attached at a time except accessory mods.
- Barrel: Barrel Extender, Muzzle Brake, Silencer
- Sights: Reflex, Scope x2, Scope x4
- Accessory: Cripple ‘Em, Fore Grip, Bipod
- Tech: The Hunter, Rad Remover
- Trigger Group: Full Auto, Burst, Semi
- Magazine: Magazine Extender, Drum Magazine
- Rail: Laser Sight, Weapon Flashlight
- Stock: Retracting Stock
Tips and tricks for using the Pipe Machine Gun
As a member of the Machine Gun weapon class, the Pipe Machine Gun scales in power with the player’s Fortitude attribute and the Machine Gunner perk.
The Pipe Machine Gun is a solid all-around weapon and highly effective at short to mid-range combat while remaining viable mid to long-range. Additionally, this weapon deals enough damage to kill basic enemies with a few shots or a single shot to the head. You don’t have to worry too much about missing; this gun carries a 15-round magazine that allows easy follow-up shots.
The Pipe Machine Gun carries the most ammo and reloads the fastest out of all pipe guns, cutting the reload time of the other pipe weapons in half. Though it can’t hold a candle to its higher-tier cousins, it’s easily the most useful and adaptable of the low-tier weapons.
This firearm is relatively mobile, but accurate shots will require patience and time to aim. Players utilizing this weapon at range should focus on spacing out single shots, waiting in between for their crosshairs to tighten.
At close range, short bursts will take down most enemies rather quickly. Though full-auto is capable, this weapon quickly loses accuracy from sustained fire, so this fire mode is only recommended for use when facing hordes.
This gun makes an excellent sidearm or backup weapon for players relying on less versatile and mobile weapons such as the Pipe Rifle or Pipe Shotgun.
Final thoughts on the Pipe Machine Gun
We aren’t sure if The Fun Pimps meant for this gun to be so much more effective than other pipe weapons, but it’s hard to deny the results. Offering decent stats across the board and a quick reload magazine with decent ammo capacity, this scrap gun is a great choice for early-game players of any build.
Looking for some more pointers to help you survive 7 Days to Die? Check out our 10 Tips for Getting Started or our in-depth Beginner’s Guide.
