The Waterpipe Shotgun is the first real shotgun most players craft in a wipe. It is a length of water pipe with a wooden stock, it holds one shell, and it costs nothing but wood and metal fragments. Land that one shell at point blank and it ends the fight. Miss it and you are stuck in a 4.5 second reload while the other player walks up to you.
This waterpipe shotgun Rust guide covers its full stats, how much damage each shell does, the craft cost and blueprint, where it drops, which attachments fit, how it compares with the Double Barrel, Pump and Eoka, what you get from recycling it, and the habits that make the one shell count. Planning your first Workbench 1 rush? Our Rust force wipe countdown shows when the next fresh wipe starts.
- What It Is
- Stats
- Damage
- Best Ammo
- Crafting
- Where to Find It
- vs DB, Pump, Eoka
- Attachments
- Recycle & Repair
- Tips
- FAQ
What Is the Waterpipe Shotgun in Rust?
The in-game description is one line: “A Shotgun. Fires a single round before reloading.” That is the whole design. The Waterpipe is a single shot, break-open shotgun built from scrap plumbing, and it fires every 12 gauge shell in the game. The pirate English translation calls it a Blunderbuss, which is a fair description of how it feels to use.
It sits in the cheapest corner of Rust’s weapon roster. You can have one in your hands a few minutes after placing a Workbench Level 1, long before anyone has the metal pipes for a Double Barrel or the high quality metal and spring for a Pump. That is why it shows up in every early doorway fight, and why our best weapons tier list puts it in C tier: great on day one, a donation by day three.
Waterpipe Shotgun Stats
These are vanilla numbers from the current game files and the Facepunch wiki. Modded servers can change damage, loot and craft costs.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Weapon type | Single shot shotgun |
| Damage (buckshot) | Up to 180 a shell, 15 a pellet |
| Damage (slug) | 80, x2 headshot for 160 |
| Capacity | 1 shell |
| Reload time | 4.5 seconds |
| Rate of fire | About 13 RPM (one shot per reload) |
| Aim cone | 1 degree |
| Ammo | 12 Gauge Buckshot, Slug, Incendiary Shell, Handmade Shell |
| Crafting | 150 Wood, 75 Metal Fragments, Workbench 1, 15 seconds |
| Research cost | 40 scrap |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Despawn time | 20 minutes on the ground |
| Short name / item ID | shotgun.waterpipe / -1367281941 |
How Much Damage Does the Waterpipe Shotgun Do?
A buckshot shell from the Waterpipe does 15 damage a pellet, for a ceiling of 180 damage when every pellet hits. That ceiling is lower than the 210 you get from the Double Barrel and Pump Shotgun, so the Waterpipe is the weakest of the crafted shotguns per shell as well as the slowest.
- Point blank (under about 5 m): nearly every pellet lands. One buckshot shell kills a player in cloth, hide or wood armour, which is what most people wear on day one.
- Close range (5 to 10 m): the spread opens up and you start losing pellets. An unarmoured 100 HP player usually still drops, an armoured one usually does not.
- Past 15 m: buckshot is close to useless. Load a slug instead.
A 12 Gauge Slug is one projectile that does 80 damage, doubled to 160 on a headshot. That turns the Waterpipe into a slow, short range rifle that can one tap an unarmoured head at 20 to 40 metres. Against anyone in a Metal Facemask and road sign gear, neither shell is a one shot, and you will need a second one you do not have loaded.
Best Ammo for the Waterpipe Shotgun
The Waterpipe fires any 12 gauge shell. Every recipe below makes 2 shells.
| Shell | Damage (Waterpipe) | Recipe (2 shells) | Workbench | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Gauge Buckshot | 15 a pellet, up to 180 | 5 Metal Fragments, 10 Gun Powder | Level 2 | Doorways, point blank |
| 12 Gauge Slug | 80, x2 headshot | 5 Metal Fragments, 10 Gun Powder | Level 2 | 20 to 40 m pokes |
| Handmade Shell | 9 a pellet | 5 Stones, 5 Gun Powder | None | Day one, before WB2 |
| 12 Gauge Incendiary | 15 a pellet plus fire | 5 Metal Fragments, 10 Gun Powder, 20 Sulfur | Level 2 | Burning wood doors and deployables |
Handmade shells are a default blueprint and need no workbench, so they are what most players load into a fresh Waterpipe. They are slow and weak, but a full stack costs almost nothing in gun powder. Once you have a Workbench 2, switch to buckshot for close fights and keep a few slugs on your belt for anything further out. Incendiary shells cost 20 sulfur each and are only worth it for setting fire to a wooden door.
How to Craft the Waterpipe Shotgun
The Waterpipe is not a default blueprint, so you need to learn it first. You have two ways:
- Research it. Put a found Waterpipe in a Research Table with 40 scrap. The gun is consumed and you learn the blueprint. This is the cheapest route if a teammate or a dead player hands you one.
- Unlock it in the tech tree. It sits in the Workbench 1 tech tree. The node itself costs 1 Blueprint Fragment, but you have to buy the nodes before it, and the full path from the start of the tree is about about 10 Blueprint Fragments.
Once you know it, craft it near a Workbench 1 for 150 Wood and 75 Metal Fragments. It takes 15 seconds. That is the cheapest gun recipe in the game after the Eoka Pistol, and one node of wood plus a couple of metal ore nodes covers it.
Where to Find a Waterpipe Shotgun
The Waterpipe is in the loot tables, but the odds are low outside the Christmas event.
| Source | Chance | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Medium Present | 10.6% | Comes with 10 Handmade Shells |
| Large Stocking | 3.2% | Christmas event |
| Underwater Labs advanced crate | 1.1% | Inside the Underwater Labs |
| Brown (basic) crates | 0.4% | Roadside, Underwater Labs and wagon crates |
| Scientists | About 0.2% | Rare corpse drop |
Crate drops spawn with 25 to 75% condition. Christmas players get the best shot at one: a full stack of medium presents turns up a Waterpipe about one time in ten. It is not sold at Outpost or Bandit Camp.
Waterpipe vs Double Barrel vs Pump vs Eoka
| Stat | Waterpipe | Double Barrel | Pump Shotgun | Eoka |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckshot damage | 180 | 210 | 210 | Handmade shells only |
| Capacity | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| Fire rate | 13 RPM | 120 RPM | 55 RPM | Random flint strike |
| Reload | 4.5 s | 5.5 s | 5.5 s | Slow |
| Recipe | 150 Wood, 75 Frags | 175 Frags, 2 Metal Pipes | 15 HQM, 2 Metal Pipes, 1 Spring | 75 Wood, 30 Frags |
| Workbench | Level 1 | Level 1 | Level 2 | None |
| Research | 40 scrap | 100 scrap | 100 scrap | Default blueprint |
- Waterpipe vs Eoka. The Waterpipe is a clear upgrade. It fires the moment you click, takes every 12 gauge shell and accepts sights. The Eoka has to strike its flint first, which can take several clicks.
- Waterpipe vs Double Barrel. Both are Workbench 1 guns, but the DB does 210 a shell and fires a second one straight away. The only things holding you back are 2 metal pipes and 60 scrap. Get them and the Waterpipe goes in the box.
- Waterpipe vs Pump. Not close. The Pump holds 6 shells and is the best cheap shotgun in the game, but it needs a Workbench 2 and high quality metal. The M4 Shotgun and Spas-12 are loot only.
Waterpipe Shotgun Attachments
The Waterpipe takes sight and underbarrel mods: the Holosight, Simple Handmade Sight, Weapon Lasersight, Weapon Flashlight, 8x Zoom Scope, Variable Zoom Scope and Targeting Attachment. It has no muzzle slot, so it cannot take a silencer, muzzle brake or muzzle boost.
- Holosight (best pick): cuts the aim cone by 20%, which tightens your buckshot spread a little and helps slugs land.
- Lasersight: the same -20% aim cone plus a 50% tighter hip fire cone, handy if you shoot from the hip in doorways. It is a Workbench 3 item, so you rarely see it on a Waterpipe.
- Flashlight: useful at night and in tunnels, and it costs only 3 HQM.
- Scopes: they fit, but a 4.5 second reload makes long range sniping pointless.
Recycle and Repair the Waterpipe Shotgun
| Recycler | Output from one Waterpipe |
|---|---|
| Monument recycler | 75 Wood, 50% chance of 37 Metal Fragments |
| Powered recycler | 90 Wood, 45 Metal Fragments |
| Safe zone (Outpost, Bandit Camp) | 60 Wood, 30 Metal Fragments |
It gives no scrap and no components, so recycling a found Waterpipe is barely worth the trip. Research it for 40 scrap if you do not know it yet, or keep it as a spare. A worn Waterpipe repairs at a Repair Bench for a small amount of wood and metal fragments, and each repair costs it some maximum condition, up to 20%.
Waterpipe Shotgun Tips
- Hold a doorway. The Waterpipe is a defender’s gun. Wait beside a door frame and let the other player walk into your shell at point blank.
- Never fight in the open. If your shell misses in a field, you have 4.5 seconds with nothing. Break line of sight before you reload, every time.
- Pair it with a sidearm. A cheap bow, Revolver or Nailgun covers the reload. Many players carry two Waterpipes and swap instead of reloading.
- Carry slugs. A slug headshot does 160 damage, enough to drop most early players at 20 to 40 metres.
- Add a Holosight. It needs a Workbench 2 and tightens the spread on every shell, which matters more on a gun that only gets one.
- Upgrade fast. As soon as you have 2 metal pipes, craft a Double Barrel. As soon as you have a Workbench 2, craft a Pump.
Waterpipe Shotgun Rust FAQ
How do you craft the Waterpipe Shotgun in Rust?
Learn the blueprint by researching a Waterpipe for 40 scrap or unlocking it in the Workbench 1 tech tree, then craft it near a Workbench Level 1 from 150 wood and 75 metal fragments. It takes 15 seconds.
How much damage does the Waterpipe Shotgun do in Rust?
Buckshot does 15 damage a pellet, up to 180 damage a shell if every pellet hits. A slug does 80 damage, or 160 on a headshot. The Double Barrel and Pump Shotgun do up to 210 with buckshot.
What workbench do you need for the Waterpipe Shotgun?
Workbench Level 1. It is one of the first guns you can craft in a wipe, alongside the Revolver and Double Barrel Shotgun.
How much scrap is the Waterpipe Shotgun?
Researching it costs 40 scrap. In the Workbench 1 tech tree the node also costs 1 Blueprint Fragment, but the full path from the start of the tree is about 10 Blueprint Fragments.
What ammo does the Waterpipe Shotgun use?
Any 12 gauge shell: Handmade Shells, 12 Gauge Buckshot, 12 Gauge Slugs and 12 Gauge Incendiary Shells. Handmade shells need no workbench, the others need a Workbench 2.
Can you put a silencer on the Waterpipe Shotgun?
No. The Waterpipe has no muzzle slot, so silencers, the muzzle brake and the muzzle boost do not fit. It does take the Holosight, Simple Handmade Sight, Lasersight, Flashlight, 8x and Variable Zoom scopes and the Targeting Attachment.
Is the Waterpipe better than the Double Barrel in Rust?
No. Both are Workbench 1 guns, but the Double Barrel does 210 damage a shell instead of 180 and fires a second shell straight away. The Waterpipe is only better on cost, since it needs no metal pipes.
What does the Waterpipe Shotgun recycle into?
At a monument recycler it gives 75 wood and a 50% chance of 37 metal fragments. A powered recycler gives 90 wood and 45 frags, and a safe zone recycler 60 wood and 30 frags. It gives no scrap.