Learn how to craft and use the Pump Shotgun
Survival in 7 Days to Die is all about overcoming obstacles. Not every obstacle can be conquered by blowing it apart, but with an awesome weapon like the Pump Shotgun, we’re probably going to try it anyway. This short-barreled trench gun is a huge upgrade from lower-tier shotguns and is an absolute beast in close-range combat.
This guide will walk you through crafting a Pump Shotgun in 7 Days to Die and offer advice on utilizing it best.
How to craft a Pump Shotgun in 7 Days to Die
Pump Shotguns are rather complex machines that will require strong materials and adequate skill to craft. You’ll need to reach the third tier in the Shotguns crafting skill and have a Workbench before you can successfully assemble this weapon. The amount of crafting materials required will depend on the quality of the shotgun being constructed:
| Material | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun Parts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Forged Steel | 15 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 75 |
| Duct Tape | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Scrap Polymers | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 |
| Spring | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Shotguns Crafting Skill | 27 | 35 | 43 | 51 | 59 |
- Shotgun Parts can be found by scrapping non-Pipe Shotguns, searching weapon chests and gun safes, or may be purchased from traders.
- Forged Steel can be crafted at a Forge or salvaged from advanced devices like vending machines and street lamps.
- Duct Tape can be crafted by combining Glue and Cloth Fragments or found in parts containers.
- Scrap Polymers may be obtained by salvaging appliances and plastic objects or scavenged.
- Springs can be found in vehicle parts crates or salvaged from machinery and vehicles.
- The Shotguns crafting skill can only be improved by finding and reading issues of the Shotgun Weekly skill magazine.
Pump Shotgun Overview
Base Stats
Pump Shotgun Stats by Quality
| Property | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magazine Size | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Rounds / Minute | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Max Durability | 143 | 184 | 237 | 300 | 250 | 284 |
| Mod Slots | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Ammo
The Pump Shotgun is, naturally, chambered in shotgun rounds, of which there are 3 kinds: Shotgun Shells, Shotgun Armor Piercing (AP) Slugs, and Shotgun Breaching Slugs. Shotgun ammunition functions very differently than bullets, and a shotgun’s performance may vary dramatically based on its quality and the type of ammunition chambered.
Shotgun Shell Ammo
| Property | Quality | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damage Per Pellet | 15.1 | 15.9 | 16.8 | 17.1 | 18 | 18.7 |
| Number of Pellets | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Effective Range | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Crafting Shotgun Shells will require a workbench and the following materials:
Shotgun AP Slug Ammo
| Property | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damage Per Pellet | 107.3 | 113.1 | 119.2 | 121.2 | 127.7 | 133.2 |
| Number of Pellets | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Effective Range | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Target Armor | -50% | -50% | -50% | -50% | -50% | -50% |
| Target Penetration | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Crafting Shotgun AP Slugs will require a workbench, and the player has read the Shotgun Messiah Vol. 4 perk book, as well as the following materials:
- 2 Bullet Tips
- 5 Gunpowder
- 1 Scrap Polymer
Shotgun Breaching Slug Ammo
| Property | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damage / Pellet | 101.3 | 106.8 | 112.5 | 114.4 | 120.6 | 125.7 |
| Number of Pellets | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Effective Range | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Door/Wood Damage | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
Crafting Shotgun Breaching Slugs will require a workbench and the player to have read the Shotgun Messiah Vol. 2 perk book, as well as the following materials:
- 3 Forged Steel
- 2 Clay Soil
- 4 Gunpowder
- 1 Scrap Polymer
Mods
The Pump Shotgun accepts the following mods. Note that only one mod of any category may be attached at a time except accessory mods.
- Barrel: Barrel Extender, Silencer, Shotgun Choke, Shotgun Duckbill, Sawed-off Shotgun
- Sights: Reflex
- Accessory: Fore Grip, Cripple ‘Em
- Tech: The Hunter, Rad Remover
- Rail: Laser Sight, Weapon Flashlight
- Magazine: Shotgun Tube Extender
- Stock: Retracting Stock
Tips and tricks for using the Pump Shotgun
As a member of the Shotgun weapon class, the Pump Shotgun scales in power with the player’s Strength attribute and the Boomstick perk.
Shotgun Shells are best used for close-quarters combat and crowd control. The damaging pellet spread can injure multiple enemies at once or deal serious stacking damage to a single target. Armor-piercing slugs are best used for mid-range combat and for breaking through armor. These slugs can also pierce an enemy and kill additional targets behind them. Breaching slugs are best used for breaking down doors or barricades and are a poor choice for combat.
Maximizing the close-combat abilities of this weapon will require some particular skills and modifications. Namely, focus on applying mods that increase handling and reduce recoil.
The magazine tube this weapon sports makes it a much better choice for combat than the Pipe Shotgun or Double Barrel Shotgun. Not only can it carry more ammunition, but its spread is more controlled, it has more mod attachment possibilities, and it deals more damage.
The Pump Shotgun is a hand-loaded weapon, much like the Lever Action Rifle. This means the weapon needs to be cocked between shots, and each round needs to be loaded in by hand. However, the reload time for the weapon is static, meaning it will take just as long to reload an empty magazine as it will to top off a single round. It doesn’t take especially long, but if you want to speed up your reloads, you can strap a Bandolier Mod onto your armor or invest in the Boomstick perk.
The biggest weakness of the Pump Shotgun is its lack of range. As with all shotguns, the effective range of this weapon is quite short, even when loaded with longer-range AP slugs. Though this weakness can be minimized by attaching a barrel extender mod, we still wouldn’t recommend relying on this shotgun for long-range combat in 7D2D.
The Pump Shotgun’s maneuverability and incredible damage make it devastating in close combat and ideal for indoor fighting. Additionally, this weapon’s high environmental damage rating can blast apart windows, doors, and other blocks with relative ease, even without breaching slugs.
For players looking to maximize damage on a single target, we recommend attaching a shotgun choke to minimize spread. For those looking to deal with crowds, a duckbill or sawed-off shotgun modification paired with a magazine tube upgrade are great choices.
Shotguns excel at stunning and crippling targets with limb shots. Adding the Cripple Em’ mod can boost the effectiveness of these disabling capabilities. A shotgun blast at close range also has a high chance of knocking targets to the ground, giving the wielder time to retreat or press their advantage.
Final thoughts on the Pump Shotgun
At least three times while creating this guide, we accidentally wrote shotfun instead of shotgun, but can you really blame us? The Fun Pimps are masters of making guns feel punchy and satisfying, and nowhere is it more visible than blasting apart zombies with a powerful shotgun at close range. Snag one of these weapons for yourself, and you’ll see what we mean.
Looking for some more pointers to help you survive Navezgane? Check out our 10 Tips for Getting Started or our in-depth Beginner’s Guide.
