The M92 Pistol is the sidearm you find in airdrops and pull off heavy scientists. It is a military grade semi-auto pistol that hits harder than the P2, holds 15 rounds and stays accurate well past the range where most pistols fall apart.
Like the other military guns, you can’t craft it. This M92 Pistol Rust guide covers the real stats, how many shots it takes to kill, every place it drops and the drop chances, the Bandit Camp price, the best ammo and attachments, how it compares with the Prototype 17, Semi-Automatic Pistol and Python, and what it gives back in a recycler.
What Is the M92 Pistol in Rust?
The M92 is a military grade semi-automatic pistol. The in-game description says it “fires rapidly and with good accuracy”, and that is the whole pitch: it is the pistol you can actually land shots with at mid range. In the game files it is pistol.m92 with item ID -852563019 (see our Rust item IDs list).
It sits in the high tier loot pool with the Prototype 17, M39 and M4 Shotgun, so it turns up in airdrops, elite crates and on heavy scientists rather than at a workbench. Scientists on the roads, in the train tunnels and in the Underwater Labs also shoot at you with one, which is why it is a familiar sound even if you have never held one.
In our Rust best weapons tier list the M92 is A tier, the best pistol at range. It fits every pistol attachment and every pistol round, so anything you crafted for a P2 or Revolver works in it too.
M92 Pistol Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Damage (Pistol Bullet) | 45 per bullet |
| Headshot multiplier | 2x (90 per bullet) |
| DPS | 300 if you click at the 400 RPM cap |
| Magazine | 15 rounds (18 with an Extended Magazine) |
| Rate of fire | 400 RPM, semi-auto |
| Bullet speed | 300 m/s (400 with HV ammo) |
| Reload / draw | About 2.4 s / 0.5 s |
| Stack size / despawn | 1 / 40 minutes |
| Craftable / researchable | No / No |
| Repair | Repair Bench, about 7 HQM for a full repair |
How many shots does the M92 take to kill?
A naked player has 100 HP. With normal pistol bullets that is 3 body shots, or 2 hits if one of them is a headshot (90 + 45). Armour changes that fast: against a player in a metal facemask and chest plate you need two to three times as many body hits, so aim for the head and use the full magazine before you reload.
Compared with the Semi-Automatic Pistol the M92 does 5 more damage per bullet, has 5 more rounds in the magazine and keeps its accuracy at range. That small damage bump matters: the P2 needs 3 body shots too, but the M92 gets there with less recoil and more bullets left over for the next player.
Where to Find the M92 Pistol in Rust
There is no M92 blueprint. It isn’t on the tech tree and you can’t put it in a research table. Some item sites show a Workbench 3 recipe of a Semi Automatic Body, 25 HQM, a Metal Pipe and a Metal Spring; that hidden recipe only exists so the recycler knows what to give back. These are the real sources, from the current loot tables:
| Source | Chance per crate or kill |
|---|---|
| Supply Drop (airdrop or Supply Signal) | 18.3% |
| Christmas present drops (seasonal) | 9.6% |
| Elite Crate | 2.0% |
| Underwater Lab elite crate | 2.0% |
| Patrol Helicopter crate | 1.6% |
| Heavy Scientists (including Bradley heavies) | 1.6% |
| Bradley APC crate | 0.9% |
| Bandit Camp Black Market | 250 scrap, when stocked |
Supply Drops are by far the best bet. Roughly one airdrop in five or six has an M92 in it. Elite crates are the next best regular source because a monument run hits several of them, and heavy scientists at the oil rigs, Cargo Ship and Launch Site add a small extra chance with every kill. See our scientists guide for where each type spawns.
Buying an M92 at Bandit Camp
If you have scrap and no luck with crates, the Black Market vendor at Bandit Camp sells the M92 for 250 scrap. You don’t need a blueprint and it comes at full condition. Stock is limited and refills over time, so it is not always on the shelf, especially later in a wipe on busy servers.
For 250 scrap it is a fair deal next to the other Black Market guns: the Spas-12 costs the same, the M39 is 400 and the LR-300 is 500. If you are farming scrap for it, our scrap guide covers the fastest routes.
Best M92 Ammo
| Ammo | Damage | Speed | DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol Bullet | 45 | 300 | 300 |
| HV Pistol Ammo | 45 | 400 | 300 |
| Incendiary Pistol Bullet | 50.4 | 225 | 336 |
Normal Pistol Bullets are what most players run, because they are cheap and do the same damage as HV. HV Pistol Ammo is the pick for the M92’s job, fighting past 30 metres: the bullet flies a third faster, so you lead targets less. Incendiary rounds hit 12% harder but drop fast and cost sulfur. Full recipes are in our Rust ammo chart.
M92 vs Other Pistols
| Pistol | Damage | Magazine | Fire | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M92 Pistol | 45 | 15 | Semi, 400 RPM | Loot or Bandit Camp |
| Prototype 17 | 40 | 18 | 3 round burst, ~533 RPM | Loot only |
| Semi-Automatic Pistol | 40 | 10 | Semi, 400 RPM | Craft at WB2 |
| Python Revolver | 55 | 6 | Semi, heavy recoil | Craft at WB2 |
| Revolver | 35 | 8 | Semi | Craft at WB1 |
Inside 20 metres the Prototype 17 wins, because one click puts three bullets into the target. Past that the M92 is the better pistol: it does more damage per bullet, kicks less, and you don’t waste two rounds a click. The Python hits harder per shot but only holds six and climbs hard, so it is a poke gun, not a fight gun. If you have both an M92 and a P17, keep the P17 for building fights and the M92 for open ground.
Best M92 Attachments
| Attachment | Effect on the M92 |
|---|---|
| Holosight | Aim cone -20%, 1.5x zoom |
| Weapon Lasersight | Aim cone -20%, hip fire cone -50%, aim sway -90% |
| Extended Magazine | Magazine +25% (15 to 18) |
| Muzzle Brake | Recoil -50%, damage -15% |
| Gas Compression Overdrive | Damage +20%, bullet speed +30%, fire rate +20%, recoil +10% |
| Burst Module | 3 round burst, recoil and aim cone -35%, fire rate -30% |
| Military Silencer | Damage and bullet speed -25%, much quieter |
| Muzzle Boost | Fire rate -10% on the M92 |
The best all round setup is a Holosight plus Lasersight, which gives you the tightest aim cone for mid range fights. Add an Extended Magazine if you can spare the slot. The Gas Compression Overdrive pushes each bullet to 54 damage and is a big upgrade if you have one. Skip the Muzzle Boost: on the M92 it actually lowers fire rate. Silencer options are compared in our Rust silencer guide.
Recycling the M92 Pistol
| Output | Monument recycler | Safe zone recycler |
|---|---|---|
| High Quality Metal | 15 | 10 |
| Semi Automatic Body | 60% chance | 40% chance |
| Metal Spring | 60% chance | 40% chance |
| Metal Pipe | 60% chance | 40% chance |
Fifteen HQM and a likely Semi Body is a solid return, but most players keep the gun. A broken M92 is usually better fixed at a Repair Bench for about 7 HQM than fed into a recycler. Monument numbers are for a powered recycler; see our recycler guide for how efficiency changes with the Power Plant.
M92 Pistol Tips
- Use it as your mid range sidearm. Pair it with a shotgun or SMG for close fights and let the M92 handle anything past 30 metres.
- Load HV ammo for long shots so you lead targets less.
- Repair it, don’t recycle it. About 7 HQM at a Repair Bench is cheap for a gun you can’t craft.
- Call airdrops. A Supply Signal gives you an 18% shot at one, plus the rest of the drop.
- Check Bandit Camp early. 250 scrap for a full condition military pistol is good value on day one, before the stock runs out.
M92 Pistol Rust FAQ
How do you get an M92 Pistol in Rust?
You loot it or buy it. The M92 has no blueprint, so it comes from Supply Drops (18.3%), Elite Crates and Underwater Lab elite crates (2%), Patrol Helicopter crates and Heavy Scientists (1.6%) and the Bradley crate (0.9%). The Bandit Camp Black Market also sells it for 250 scrap when it is in stock.
Can you craft the M92 in Rust?
No. The M92 cannot be crafted or researched and is not on the tech tree. The Workbench 3 recipe some sites show only exists so the recycler knows what to return.
How much damage does the M92 do in Rust?
The M92 does 45 damage per bullet with Pistol Bullets or HV Pistol Ammo, 90 on a headshot, and 50.4 with Incendiary Pistol Bullets. That is 300 DPS at its 400 RPM cap.
How many bullets does the M92 hold?
The M92 holds 15 rounds, or 18 with an Extended Magazine.
How much is the M92 at Bandit Camp?
The Black Market at Bandit Camp sells the M92 for 250 scrap, the same as the Spas-12. Stock is limited and refills over time, so it is not always available.
What does the M92 recycle into?
A monument recycler gives 15 high quality metal and a 60% chance each at a Semi Automatic Body, a Metal Spring and a Metal Pipe. A safe zone recycler gives 10 HQM and 40% chances.
Is the M92 better than the Prototype 17?
At range, yes. The M92 does 45 damage per bullet and is easier to control past 20 metres. Up close the Prototype 17 is stronger because it fires a 3 round burst from an 18 round magazine.
Is the M92 better than the Semi-Automatic Pistol?
Yes. The M92 does 45 damage instead of 40, holds 15 rounds instead of 10 and is more accurate. The P2 is still useful because you can craft it at a Workbench 2.