What are Gear Inserts in RUST?
Gear Inserts (Slots) are a relatively old system in RUST until recently dictating what weapons could use which attachments, made new again with the March 2025 update with the inclusion of Armor Gear Inserts. Unlike standard weapon attachment slotting, new Armor slotting expands the idea of item augmentation beyond just a few default features.
In the interest of system clarification, we will explain the armor and weapon slotting systems individually. Weapon slotting and attachments didn’t really undergo any changes with this update, but it is important to illustrate how slotting weapons or armor might look the same yet be drastically different in application.
Armor Inserts
Armor Inserts (slotting) as a system is new to RUST as of the March 2025 update, but on the surface, they’re pretty simple to understand and use. The applicable items, crafted explicitly by players and not found in the wild, have a slight chance to add 1, 2, or 3 slots to the crafted item. The possibility still exists for it to be crafted with zero, but there is a new Crafting Quality Tea to improve quality chances.
Each armor slot may receive one armor Insert. Inserts are each player-created with a given purpose. Listed are the available types;
| Insert Armor Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Asbestos Armor Insert | Provides protection from Explosion Damage at a rate of 8% per insert. Originally slated to reduce fire damage, but this appears removed. Offers 1% Projectile and Melee protection. |
| Lead Armor Insert | Provides stackable radiation protection at a rate of 5% per insert. Offers 1% Projectile and Melee protection. |
| Metal Armor Insert | Provides stackable projectile and melee protections on the body section of the applied armor piece. It does this at a rate of 4% projectile and 2% melee. |
| Wooden Armor Insert | Provides stackable projectile and melee protections on the body section of the applied armor piece. It does this at a rate of 2% projectile and 2% melee. |
Upon their implementation, only these items (chiefly full body or chest slot) are capable of crafting with between 0 and 3 slots;
- Abyss Divers Suit
- Arctic Suit
- Bone Armor
- Bucket Helmet
- Frontier Suit
- Hazmat
- Heavy Metal Jacket
- Hide Poncho
- Jacket
- Lumberjack Suit
- Metal Chestplate
- Nomad Suit
- Riot Helmet
- Road Sign Jacket
- Wooden Chestplate
- Wooden Leg Armor
As a late addition to this system, it was decided that items that exclusively occupy a slot, i.e., something that doesn’t allow pairing with other similar slot items, will have an inherent chance to craft with a single armor slot, with this being a 100% addition if the item is crafted with the Crafting Quality Tea.
These items are listed below:
- Metal Facemask
- Coffee Can Helmet
- Road Sign Kilt
Insert types may be mixed and matched with no conflict and swapped out at any time for other kinds of Insert.
All of this information is highly subject to change, as this is a new system, and the details are being ironed out.
Blueprints
Armor Inserts are segregated into their gathering methods as of their Staging Debut.
- Wooden inserts are craftable and researchable via tier 1 workbench
- Asbestos and Lead Inserts are tier 2.
- Metal inserts are only found in higher-tier crates.
Weapon attachments exist on every range of workbench, some with none. The acquisition type is indicated in the table above.
Weapon Attachments
Weapon Attachments date back to the Rust Alpha days, and just about everyone who has played the game has occasionally utilized the ole’ flashlight or laser. They’re integral to progression and necessary when doing endgame content, especially at night or from a distance. Unlike Armor Inserts, weapon attachment slotting is entirely predetermined by the game, by weapon.
Weapon attachment slots manifest in a very linear, tiered way; melee weapons such as the Machete or Salvaged Sword are incapable of slotting and augmentation and, as such, do not and should not have slots for weapon attachments.
Moving on to introductory weapons, such as the Revolver and Double Barrel Shotgun, you’ll notice that attachment slots are beginning to be added at a minimal rate, even with limitations on which attachments may be used on the gun in question.
Below is a list of all gun types with the capacity to equip attachments and their total attachment slots.
| Weapon Name | Attachment Slots |
|---|---|
| Abyss Assault Rifle | 4 |
| Assault Rifle | 4 |
| Blunderbuss | 2 |
| Bolt Action Rifle | 3 |
| Custom SMG | 4 |
| Double Barrel Shotgun | 2 |
| Handmade SMG | 4 |
| High Caliber Revolver | 2 |
| HMLMG | 3 |
| Ice Assault Rifle | 4 |
| L96 Rifle | 3 |
| LR-300 Assault Rifle | 4 |
| M249 | 3 |
| M39 Rifle | 3 |
| M4 Shotgun | 4 |
| M92 Pistol | 4 |
| Medieval Assault Rifle | 4 |
| MP5A4 | 4 |
| Multiple Grenade Launcher | 2 |
| Prototype 17 | 4 |
| Pump Shotgun | 2 |
| Python Revolver | 2 |
| Revolver | 1 |
| Semi-Automatic Pistol | 4 |
| Semi-Automatic Rifle | 4 |
| SKS | 4 |
| Spas-12 Shotgun | 3 |
| Thompson | 4 |
| Waterpipe Shotgun | 1 |
To better understand which guns have which slots and restrictions, we need to know what attachments exist and have a brief synopsis of their functions. In the interest of objectivity, Bow-type weapons, Water guns, Flamethrowers, Nailguns, Homing, and Rocket Launchers will be excluded from these listings.
| Attachment Name | Description | Weapon Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| 8x Zoom Scope | Player-Crafted, allows for up to 8x magnification for acquisition and dispatchment of further range targets | Revolver |
| Burst Module | Looted or Recycled for, implants a burst mode onto weapons, accessible by pressing M by default, firing 3 shots at once, but disabling auto or semi-automatic fire until disabled | All Assault Rifle Types, Blunderbuss, Double Barrel Shotgun, High Caliber Revolver, HMLMG, L96 Rifle, LR-300 Assault Rifle (Built In), M249, M4 Shotgun, MP5A4 (Built In), Multiple Grenade Launcher, Prototype 17 (Built In), Pump Shotgun, Python Revolver, Revolver, Spas-12 Shotgun, Waterpipe Shotgun |
| Extended Magazine | Player-Crafted, provides an additional 25% on-use ammunition option for guns that are applicable | Blunderbuss, Double Barrel Shotgun, High Caliber Revolver, HMLMG, M249, Multiple Grenade Launcher, Pump Shotgun, Python Revolver, Revolver, Spas-12 Shotgun, Waterpipe Shotgun |
| Gas Compression Overdrive | Player-Crafted, allows players to modify their guns’ overall fire rate, velocity, damage, and recoil | Check Item Database Description |
| Holosight | Player-Crafted, increase zoom by rate by double and accuracy slightly | Revolver |
| Muzzle Boost | Player-Crafted, decreases accuracy while increasing rate of fire | Blunderbuss, Double Barrel Shotgun, High Caliber Revolver, Multiple Grenade Launcher, Python Revolver, Waterpipe Shotgun |
| Muzzle Brake | Player-Crafted, decreases damage and accuracy while drastically reducing recoil | Blunderbuss, Double Barrel Shotgun, High Caliber Revolver, Multiple Grenade Launcher, Python Revolver, Waterpipe Shotgun |
| Silencer | Player-Crafted, reduces velocity and damage but reduces the sound output by the weapon depending on ammo considerably | Blunderbuss, Double Barrel Shotgun, High Caliber Revolver, Multiple Grenade Launcher, Python Revolver, Waterpipe Shotgun |
| Simple Handmade Sight | Player-Crafted, marginally improves the site type over typical weapon iron sights, but at the cost of zoom capacity | Revolver |
| Variable Zoom Scope | Purchasable Only, military grade scope configured to allow zooming from 4x to 16x | Revolver |
| Weapon Flashlight | Player-Crafted, undermount flashlight attachment with unlimited battery, allowing night time illumination | Revolver |
| Weapon Lasersight | Player-Crafted, undermount guiding red laser that greatly increases accuracy | Revolver |
To attach a to a weapon, one must simply drag it once in your inventory onto the weapon you wish you apply it to. It will attach if it is able, whether through design or available slots, making a resounding “click” noise when successful. If no sound occurs, no attachment was made.
Likewise, to remove it, open your player inventory and inspect the weapon. The slots will appear beneath the weapon information, and the attachment may be removed by grabbing it from the box it is in and dragging it to your inventory or another weapon. Attachment types may be swapped out directly from one another by dragging Weapon A’s scope-type weapon to Weapon B, effectively swapping the scope-type that each gun had equipped.
Final Thoughts on RUST Armor & Weapon Inserts
The introduction of Armor Gear Inserts in RUST’s March 2025 update marks a significant shift in how players can customize their load-outs, adding a new layer of strategy to armor selection. While weapon attachment slots remain unchanged and follow a predetermined system, armor slotting introduces a level of randomness and customization that can significantly impact gameplay.
These inserts provide new ways to tailor defenses to different threats, whether by boosting protection against bullets, explosions, or radiation. As the gear augmentation system evolves, expect further refinements and balancing adjustments. Remember that everything is at the whim of the game developer and can be altered or removed at any time.
We will do what we can to keep up with these changes. As always, join us on Discord and share the exciting creations you are piecing together in mad scientist style. We’d love to hear them and try some out ourselves.
