Best Places To Find Guns

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.

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 12219×1320) 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 7718×11881) 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.

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 5465×9512), Gun Store (coordinates 3806×8513), 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 13555×1273), 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.

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 (435×9870) 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 6081×5261)
• Fallas Lake Police Station (coordinates 7252×8378)
• Rosewood Police Station (coordinates 8063×11737)
• West Point Police Station (coordinates 11902×6945)
• Dixie Police Station (coordinates 10636×10408)
• Louisville Police Station (coordinates 13221×3086)
• The Louisville Police Department and Detention Services (coordinates 12496×1615)
• Louisville Mounted Police Training Complex (coordinates 13031×2825)
• Brandenburg Police Station (coordinates 2127×6061)
• Irvington Police Station (coordinates 2493×13943)

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 (3489×8187) 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 (1775×14792) 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 (1672×12751) 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 5687×12472) 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.

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.

6

Memento Ammori, Brandenburg

Excellently Located For Maximum Looting Efficiency

The Memento Ammori (2058×5839) location is one of the best in terms of a general looting run due to the densely packed commercial district and useful nearby buildings. While Memento Ammori itself is quite small, it is guaranteed to have a gun and compatible ammo inside and is plenty good enough for a solo save.

In addition to the aforementioned guns, Memento Ammori is also near several locations, so it is worthwhile to loot at the same time. There is a bookstore, bakery, restaurant, medical clinic, tool store, and even a metal workshop within walking distance from the gun store. Players using common nearby safehouse locations such as the Church of the Holy Redeemer or two-story houses in Ekron should prioritize looting this neighborhood as soon as possible.

5

The Brandenburg Detention Center

The Highest Risk Building Added In Build 42, But Worth It

The Brandenburg Detention Center (1424×5879) is located along the main road, south of the Brandenburg Military Blockade. It contains a variety of loot, including police batons, electronics, a fully outfitted commercial kitchen, and (most importantly) guns. It will take time and storage space to clear this location completely, as it is a two-story megalith with more rooms than almost any other structure in the game. It is suggested that players bring a van or trailer to cart their finds home.

Despite its many rewards, this location is a heavily populated, large complex that only well-prepared and experienced players should attempt to clear. The zombies are gathered in dangerous hordes that can quickly overwhelm the player, and the prison’s construction makes stealth nearly impossible. It is worth keeping in mind that players can clear the detention center over several days to prevent exhaustion because Project Zomboid does not immediately respawn killed zombies.

4

Guns Unlimited, Echo Creek

A Gun Store Near Spawn

Players looking to explore the new regions of the map added in build 42 likely chose Echo Creek as their spawn location. This makes the gun store located there, Guns Unlimited (2590×10910), a great first location to search for firearms. It is a massive complex located between Echo Creek and the Lumber Mill, consisting of a shooting range, clothing supply, gun and ammo store, a weaponsmithing area, and some offices. There are also several outdoor areas with loot containers, such as lockers and crates.

Despite the convenient location for early game, players should come to Guns Unlimited with a solid plan. There is a high density of zombies in and around the store, many of whom are wearing armor themselves. To survive and successfully loot the location, a large group, use cars as weapons and/or use explosives. Of particular interest are noisemakers, which can be used to lure the horde away from the store before looting it.

While cars are a very effective and relatively safe way to kill large numbers of zombies, this usually damages the car so severely that it stops running. Keep an eye on the vehicle’s health, and bring multiple expendable vehicles to switch between for the best results.

3

Shooting Range, Valley Station

A Straightforward Way To Get Your First Guns

Situated south of Louisville with a nearby Hunting Lodge, the shooting range (coordinates 13272×5443) is ideal for players looking to acquire a lot of firepower while remaining in secluded areas. Because the Shooting Range lies in the smaller town of Valley Station, it is ideal for players looking to make a big score and only have to deal with a few zombies in order to do so.

With four military containers, players can expect to find an array of guns and ammunition. For survivors looking to further increase their loot efforts, consider bringing a vehicle with a large storage space, which will enable quick access to the Military Checkpoints to the north and the Hunting Lodge a short drive west.

2

Gun Store, Louisville

An Excellent Place To Restock In Louisville

The Louisville Gun Store (coordinates 12356×1719) is a very zombie-heavy location right in the heart of central Louisville. Players will be expected to deal with hordes of undead to safely loot the crates and military containers inside, which is certainly worth doing.

If players approach the gun store from the south, they’ll be able to get in through the back door, which is the easier, more quiet side to enter from. Like most gun stores, there is a metal barricade that will need to be destroyed with a sledgehammer to get inside, but once survivors manage to get in there, they won’t need to worry about guns and ammunition for a while.

1

A.A.Ron Hunting Supply, Louisville

Less Populated, But Requires A Sledgehammer

The A.A.Ron Hunting Supply store (coordinates 13951×3229) sits on a busy strip on the outskirts of southern Louisville. The Hunting Supply boasts a lot of weaponry but requires dedication to acquire it. Players looking to get their hands on the stores of valuables must bring a sledgehammer to destroy its barricades.

Those looking to take the arsenal must be prepared to eliminate every zombie along the strip if necessary, as the central location of the supply on the strip will attract dozens of zombies to the player’s location, and it is impossible to remain silent in Project Zomboid while busting down the building’s iron bars. However, dispatching the dead in this area frees up the other shops for looting, some of which can have notable resources, such as the E.P. Hardware Store.