Ammo, Ammo, AMMO!!!!

[LEOMITEplays]

Ok, please some one explain the ammo system here. I know it may seem like an easy task and such however, I’m confused. I thought you needed cases and or hulls only for making more ammo. Then I though you need those things and lead to make more ammo. I was wrong. I started to make ammo out of the case and it just took ammo away from my 10mm gun. So please explain the system step by step on how to make 10mm pistol ammo. (No mods) I would appreciate it big time!

[Scythia]

You need cases, powder, primers, and lead.

For 10mm specifically you need 10mm cases, small pistol primers, pistol powder, and lead.

Once you have those things, go to a reloading bench.

Then make 10mm rounds the same as you would make anything else at a crafting station. Don't pick "Breakdown 10mm" because that wil take 10mm ammo you're carrying apart into the components.

[this_is_petro]

You have to sacrifice one caliber for another.
Example: I've got some .44 but I don't actually have one and I need 10mm.
I'd breakdown the .44 and convert the components to 10mm.
Just keep in mind that depending upon the caliber you're making you're gonna need the corresponding components. To put it bluntly, big ammo can make different big ammo

[LEOMITEplays]

Ohhh ok, @scythia So where is the best place to get primer, powder and lead? Also when it says small pistol or large pistol. What does that mean?

[LEOMITEplays]

And that is a really good idea @this_is_petro it’s like forcing you to play a certain play style as in, witch gun type you want to use (two handed, one handed) and so on. I was shooting for a two handed character build (assault rifles/snipers)

[LEOMITEplays]

Can you get lead from those brown (I think, tin) cans that are laying around everywhere??

[Valden21]

Originally posted by DyingBreed:

Can you get lead from those brown (I think, tin) cans that are laying around everywhere??

You can't get lead from those containers, as those ones contain ammo that's already been manufactured. They don't give you lead or any of the other components. However, you can get the components at places like the general store in Goodsprings or the Gunrunners Vendortron, as well as a lot of other places. Human enemies will also carry the cases for ammunition on them, if they were using a gun.

As for small pistols and big pistols, those are the two different umbrella groups of pistols in the game. Small Pistols includes things like the .22 pistol and the 9mm pistol, and Large Pistols includes the 10mm pistol, the 12.7mm pistol (hard to get), as well as some of the revolvers. The two groups basically organize the pistols based on size and damage.

[ghpstage]

When you fire your bullets have a chance to leave a hull for that ammo type (so 10mm round can leave a 10mm hull behind when fired). Different ammo types will have different chances at this, some at zero but all are doubled with the Hand Loader perk.

Tin cans can't be turned into lead, but scrap metal can.

The gun runners often sell a decent quantity and variety of primers and powders.

The easiest source of what you need tends to be bulk buying of a different ammo type.
The best example being 20 gauge shot shells, which give excellent amounts of lead (for anything) and pistol powder (for pistols, SMGs and shotguns), plus a shotshell primer which can be used in a 12 gauge round all for a dirt cheap 1 cap cost.
Just remember that you can only break down the basic ammo type, so you can breakdown 9mm rounds but not 9mm +P


Energy weapons work a little differently being simpler in resources required.
Firing them gives a chance to give a 'drained cell' in the same way you can have hulls from bullets, which can be recycled when you have enough without any other components.
SEC, MFC and ECP can all be changed between each other, and can be stepped up without additional component types, just more ammo.
Vigilant Recycler is the energy version of the Hand Loader perk, it doubles the chance of collecting drained cells, and also cuts the number of drained cells needed to recycle them.

[LEOMITEplays]

Ok guys thank you all, this helps!

[Operation Iraqi Freikorps]

Making ammo can be fun, but unforantely is often more expensive then purchasing the ammo you want. Several merchants that sell weapons have ammo available for sale, the Quartermaster at Hoover Dam having large quantities at any given time. Find a reliable source of buying small or buy in bulk and have enough for a while, long enough for the bulk to restock.

[LEOMITEplays]

Is this ammo system the same in fallout 4 in terms of breaking down for selected type of ammo?

[Valden21]

Originally posted by DyingBreed:

Is this ammo system the same in fallout 4 in terms of breaking down for selected type of ammo?

Are you talking about the idea of breaking down certain types of ammo to get specific components, like breaking down certain items in FO4 gives you certain specific building materials? No, not exactly. In FO:NV, the chances of getting any particular amount of components from breaking down ammo are more randomized then they are in FO4 unless you have one of two specific perks (Hand Loader for projectile weapons, and Vigilant Recycler for energy weapons), and you can't break down weapons. Also, breaking down a particular type of ammo only gives you the components for that type of ammo, with a few exceptions (loading screens in the game might tell you what some of those exceptions are).

[LEOMITEplays]

Oh damn