Core Crafting Requirements
To craft ammunition in Fallout 4, you need a valid workstation, raw materials, and the recipe unlocked. Ammo crafting is gated by workbenches and connects to the broader crafting systems for components, chems, and repair. Understanding these prerequisites helps you plan settlements and progression so you can reliably produce the rounds you need.
Essential Prerequisites
- A settlement with a linked crafting station (most commonly a Weapons Workbench for ballistic and energy ammo, a Chemistry Station for chems)
- Required components (typically fabricated items, steel, aluminum, gunpowder, and sometimes electronics)
- Optional: Companions with relevant SPECIAL or traits to reduce crafting costs or time
Make sure your workstation is installed, powered, and assigned to a settler with the Crafting skill to reduce material costs and prevent stoppages. This foundation supports long-term ammo production across all playstyles.
Standard Ammo Recipes and Materials
Fallout 4 organizes ammunition into common types that share recipes and components. Each round type has a defined crafting cost in fabricated items, steel, aluminum, and gunpowder. Knowing these costs lets you estimate how much loot and scrap you must funnel into your workshop.
| Ammo Type | Required Station | Base Components (per 5 rounds) | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10mm Auto | Weapons Workbench | 1 Fabricated, 1 Steel, 1 Aluminum, 1 Gunpowder | Common early-game option |
| 9mm | Weapons Workbench | 1 Fabricated, 1 Steel, 1 Aluminum, 1 Gunpowder | Wide pistol availability |
| 7.62mm | Weapons Workbench | 1 Fabricated, 1 Steel, 1 Aluminum, 1 Gunpowder | Rifle and LMG use |
| .308 | Weapons Workbench | 2 Fabricated, 2 Steel, 1 Gunpowder | Sniper rifles and hunting rifles |
| .50 Cal | Weapons Workbench | 2 Fabricated, 2 Steel, 1 Gunpowder | Heavy machine guns |
| Laser Rifle Cell | Weapons Workbench | 1 Fabricated, 1 Steel, 1 Aluminum | Energy weapon dependency |
| Shotgun Shells (12ga) | Weapons Workbench | 1 Fabricated, 1 Steel, 1 Gunpowder | Scrap Shotgun builds |
| Needles | Chemistry Station | 1 Steel, 1 Aluminum, 3 Chem | Chems used in recipes |
| Speer Rounds (Steady Eddie) | Weapons Workbench | 2 Fabricated, 1 Aluminum, 1 Gunpowder | Quest reward |
Settlement Layout and Efficiency
The placement of your Weapons Workbench and Chemistry Station affects production speed, because stations must be powered and connected to a crafting settler. A compact, efficient layout minimizes travel time for your companion and maximizes throughput when you batch craft.
Optimized Workshop Setup
- Place the workbench near a generator or solar array with direct power lines to avoid uptime loss.
- Allocate a dedicated settler with the Crafting skill to the station to prevent stoppages.
- Build storage containers close to the bench for quick component retrieval and surplus scrap.
- Use conveyor systems or assign a companion to haul materials if you plan to produce in bulk.
Component and Material Sourcing
Crafting costs scale with progression, making early-game rounds forgiving and late-game rounds resource-intensive. Securing stable sources of steel, aluminum, gunpowder, and fabricated items is essential for consistent output. Scrapping low-tier weapons and armor can subsidize material deficits.
- Scrap everything non-essential: assault rifles, pistols, and leather gear are high-yield.
- Loot caravans, settlements, and containers to supplement gunpowder and fabricated parts.
- Use companion perks like Strong Back and Local Leader to improve haul yield and reduce costs.
Perks and Mods That Improve Crafting
The right build choices and workshop mods can make a meaningful difference in long-term sustainability. Focus on traits, companion skills, and workshop upgrades that lower material costs or reduce time per batch.
Key Perks and Crafting Traits
- Chemist: Reduces chem usage in ammo recipes that require chem components.
- Kid(ME)T: Reduces all ammunition crafting costs significantly at higher ranks.
- Iron Fist: Not directly tied to ammo, but frees up weapon loadouts for melee-focused builds.
Workshop modifications can further streamline crafting, especially in high-volume production setups.
- Auto-Crafting Bench: Automates production when resources are present.
- Material Processors: Reduce steel and aluminum usage in fabrication.
- Efficient Industry: Lowers overall material costs at the workbench.
Loadout Planning and Practical Usage
Effective loadout planning ties ammo crafting to combat needs. By matching your crafted reserves to enemy types and engagement ranges, you avoid wasted rounds and unnecessary downtime. Ammo weight also factors into carry capacity, so balance convenience with survivability.
- Shotguns and hunting rifles for early caves and radiated zones.
- 10mm and 9mm for versatile pistol use and common protection.
- .308 and .50 Cal for long-range threats and heavy armor.
- Laser cells for energy-based encounters and low-gunpowder scenarios.