guide Complete Guide to Picking Ammo Belts (Updated May 2023)

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

Post updated 

 

On 29/03/2019 at 06:13, RangerThunder said:

Although some options are subjective overall the guide is pretty good! Thanks!

 

Welcome  

[The_RedTails 4]

i-16 type 27 20mm shvak only has air target rather than ground target

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

8 hours ago, The_RedTails said:

i-16 type 27 20mm shvak only has air target rather than ground target

 

They changed the name so I'll update it

[The_RedTails 4]

On 24/08/2019 at 03:03, EpicBlitzkrieg87 said:

 

They changed the name so I'll update it

other prop planes ammo belt still is ground target rather than air target to better mark airtarget/ground target

[Lambs_Ice 2]

13mm MG 131: IAI/Stealth

 

I would like to know when to choose one or another.

When i use them it feels like using a 7.7mm gun 

[GrizzlyHamster 0]

Are these belts still the best/updated ? the FAQ on reddit about belts says that other belts are better...

Edited February 1, 2020 by v0gdan

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

Updated

On 31/01/2020 at 14:52, v0gdan said:

Are these belts still the best/updated ? the FAQ on reddit about belts says that other belts are better...

 

Link?

 

On 02/01/2020 at 22:52, Lambs_Ice said:

13mm MG 131: IAI/Stealth

 

I would like to know when to choose one or another.

When i use them it feels like using a 7.7mm gun 

 

Yes it is a very weak gun tbh. Air Targets are ineffective, and IAI has the same effect as stealth. 

[AdjectiveNounNum 0]

On 06/01/2018 at 00:47, EpicBlitzkrieg87 said:

20mm Hispano Mk.II: Air Targets

Aren't the HEF-SAPI rounds bugged (hisparkos)? All the advice I get is to use stealth or ground targets. 

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

4 hours ago, AdjectiveNounNum said:

Aren't the HEF-SAPI rounds bugged (hisparkos)? All the advice I get is to use stealth or ground targets. 

 

I've used a griffon spitfire today and I instantly set a Ta 152 on fire 

[WilderHans 415]

Aren' tracer belts not better in terms of damage output for the .50 cals?

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

6 hours ago, WilderHans said:

Aren' tracer belts not better in terms of damage output for the .50 cals?

 

Tracers are a huge early giveaway to your shooting, and I don't believe they are the best for damage output. This isn't 2013 - 2015 when lighting fires with tracers was very common.

[Uber_Zoldaten@psn 0]

Hey!, The 7.7s Breda Safat doesn't have air targets, so whats the best belt?

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

On 30/04/2020 at 11:35, *Uber_Zoldaten said:

Hey!, The 7.7s Breda Safat doesn't have air targets, so whats the best belt?

 

I suppose they removed them, try universal. 

[derbo81 1,042]

Hey, what kind of ammo belt are You recomennded to use in 12.7 mm LKk/42 machine gun from Pyörremyrsky (this machine gun isn't noticed in first page of this topic) ?

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

On 29/05/2020 at 23:33, derbo81 said:

Hey, what kind of ammo belt are You recomennded to use in 12.7 mm LKk/42 machine gun from Pyörremyrsky (this machine gun isn't noticed in first page of this topic) ?

 

Air targets, but if you like sneaking up on players stealth is also a good option

[Maj_Fox@psn 522]

Hi picBlitzkrieg87.

 

Just thinking, would it be posible to add the following info.

• Velocity in m/s. This would be useful for multi gun a/c. You would know if it you would be better to fire them seperately or at the same time.
• Effect range. Would help with setting convergence.

Don't thinking it would help if that info is available.

 

Cheers

[THEHORROR 1]

Thank you! This really save my time!

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

On 03/06/2020 at 10:53, *Maj_Fox said:

Hi picBlitzkrieg87.

 

Just thinking, would it be posible to add the following info.

• Velocity in m/s. This would be useful for multi gun a/c. You would know if it you would be better to fire them seperately or at the same time.
• Effect range. Would help with setting convergence.

Don't thinking it would help if that info is available.

 

Cheers

 

I'm considering it we'll see, it will need some digging. 

 

On 14/06/2020 at 23:19, THEHORROR said:

Thank you! This really save my time!

 

np!

[Unaimed73509 44]

For the M61 20mm, if you use Air targets it's all "hit hit hit". Ground belts work 100% better in air rb (Phantoms, F104)

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

On 16/06/2020 at 14:59, Unaimed73509 said:

For the M61 20mm, if you use Air targets it's all "hit hit hit". Ground belts work 100% better in air rb (Phantoms, F104)

 

I didn't experience this, and you have to hold the trigger for a bit longer, since it's a single 20mm gun and RPM only makes a difference if you use it. 

[phurry95 0]

The 20mm Lincoln Turret only has Default, Ground, Universal.

 

[Boeing_787_8 0]

I may have misunderstood it, but most of the 20mm ShVAK cannon aircraft has no Air Target belt.
Only the I-16 type 27 has Air Targets
Unless that's what the tracer option was for :/

Oh and other question, are you sure it's the best to run ground targets in early 50. cals?
There's no incendiary in them
 

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

On 22/06/2020 at 11:56, phurry95 said:

The 20mm Lincoln Turret only has Default, Ground, Universal.

 

My bad, it's because I forgot to include the lincoln's hispano turret in the list. 

 

On 23/06/2020 at 06:30, The_Boeing_787_8 said:

I may have misunderstood it, but most of the 20mm ShVAK cannon aircraft has no Air Target belt.
Only the I-16 type 27 has Air Targets
Unless that's what the tracer option was for :/

 

It seems that they reverted the change; "ground targets" was replaced with air targets before. It's fixed now. 

 

On 23/06/2020 at 06:30, The_Boeing_787_8 said:

Oh and other question, are you sure it's the best to run ground targets in early 50. cals?
There's no incendiary in them

 

In low tier prop matches the damage models are weak enough for AP to deal the most damage, unless they changed something I'm not aware of :p

[C3NTUR1ON_ 1]

good information thank you!

 

[yqaqos@psn 3]

On 05/01/2018 at 11:17, EpicBlitzkrieg87 said:

As a player who has every plane in the game (excluding premiums, I have a lot but not all) and spent a huge chunk of my time into the game (registered Sept 2013), I think I know this game very well. I decided to share my knowledge with beginners and all other players with picking ammo belts to help them pick the correct ones. I see a lot of players picking tracers for every gun which is not correct although there are only a few guns that have tracers as the best ammo belt option.

 

Note #1: The listing is based on where the gun came from, not where it's located in the tech tree (for example the Lewis machine gun is found on the S.81 Italian bomber in the Italian tech tree but is of US origin and design so on this guide it's located under the US section).

 

Note #2: This list is mostly applicable for picking belts for enemy aircraft engagements. For guns capable of ground attacking non-soft targets (medium tanks, heavy tanks, light pillboxes etc) I included the appropriate belts for them too.

 

Note #3: This guide is not opinionated. The belts that were chosen in this list represent the maximum damage you can get out of the guns they are referred to. Some players would rather use tracers on the type 99 mk II Japanese 20mm for example as personal preference (I did that for a very long time too, thinking tracers were the best for Japanese 20mms but I was wrong), but Universal has the most damage output.

 

Note #4: This list also includes Stealth ammunition belts for specific guns because they're as good as the other best ammo belts but are better, in the sense of making surprise attacks on enemy planes because usually players only react to being shot at when they see tracers flying past them, and only react to stealth ammo when they're hit. If you are able to lead stealth ammo, that's great; it's another option for you rather than only Universal on MG 17s for example. 

 

 

 

Guns marked as "(turret only)" are available only as defensive armament/on turrets of bombers and/or attackers.

Hold CTRL then press F to search for the gun you want. Here's the guide!  

 

FRA:

 

 

7.5mm MAC 1934: Universal

7.5mm MAC 1934 (turret): Armored Targets

7.5mm Mle 33: Universal

7.5mm Mle 33 (turret): Armored Targets

7.5mm Mle 1923: Universal

7.5mm Mle 1923 (turret): AP-T

7.5mm Darne 1933: Universal

7.5mm Fabrique Nationale Mle 38: Universal

20mm Hispano HS.9: Universal

20mm Hispano 404: Universal

20mm Hispano 404 (turret): Universal

20mm M50: Air Targets

30mm DEFA: Air Targets

 

IT:

 

 

7.7mm Breda-SAFAT: Universal

7.7mm Breda-SAFAT (turret): Universal

12.7mm Breda-SAFAT: Air Targets

12.7mm Breda-SAFAT (turret): Universal

12.7mm Scotti (turret only): Universal

102mm 102/35 mod 14: Ground Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets (ground targets)

 

JP:

 

 

7.7mm type 89: Universal

7.7mm type 89 'special' (turret): Armored Targets

7.7mm type 89 (turret): Armored Targets

7.7mm type 92 (turret only): Armored Targets

7.7mm type 97: Universal

7.7mm type 97 (turret): Armored Targets

7.7mm Te-1 (turret only): Universal

7.92mm type 98 (turret only): Armored Targets

12.7mm Ho-103: Air Targets

12.7mm Ho-104 (turret only): Universal

13mm type 2 (turret only): Universal

13.2mm type 3: Ground Targets

20mm type 99 mk I: Universal

20mm type 99 mk I (turret): Air Targets

20mm type 99 mk II: Universal

20mm type 99-II mk. 5(turret only): Air Targets

20mm Ho-1 (turret only): Air Targets

20mm Ho-3: Universal

20mm Ho-5: Universal

20mm Ho-5 (turret): Air Targets

20mm JM61A1: Air Targets

30mm type 5: Tracers

30mm Ho-155: Tracers

37mm type 94: Default

37mm Ho-203: Default

40mm Ho-301: Default

57mm Ho-401: Default:

75mm Type 88: Ground Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets ground targets)

 

GB:

 

 

7.7mm Vickers E: Universal

7.7mm Vickers K (turret only): Universal

7.7mm Browning: Universal

7.7mm Browning (turret): Universal

(British) 12.7mm M2 Browning (turret only): Universal

20mm Hispano Mk.I: Stealth

20mm Hispano Mk.II: Air Targets

20mm Hispano Mk.V (turret): Universal

20mm Hispano Mk.V: Air Targets

30mm ADEN: Air Targets

40mm Vickers S: Air Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets (ground targets)

47mm Vickers P: Default

57mm Molin Class M: Default

 

USSR:

 

 

7.62mm PV-1: Universal

7.62mm DA (turret only, on TB-3): Universal

7.62mm ShKAS: Universal

7.62mm ShKAS (turret): Universal

12.7mm UB Berezin: Air Targets

12.7mm UB Berezin (turret): Universal

20mm ShVAK: Ground Targets/Tracers (stealth can work for sneak attacks, but it's weaker in damage output)

20mm ShVAK (turret): Air Targets

20mm B-20M: Ground Targets/Tracers (stealth can work for sneak attacks, but it's weaker in damage output)

20mm B-20S: Ground Targets/Tracers (stealth can work for sneak attacks, but it's weaker in damage output)

20mm B-20E (turret only): Air Targets

23mm VYa-23: Universal

23mm NS-23: Air Targets

23mm NS-23K: Air Targets

23mm NR-23: Air Targets

23mm NR-23 (turret): FI-T

23mm GSh-23L: Air Targets

30mm NR-30: Air Targets / Ground Targets

37mm NS-37: Air Targets

37mm N-37: Air Targets

37mm N-37D: Air Targets

45mm NS-45: Default

 

GER:

 

 

7.92mm MG 15: Universal/Stealth

7.92mm MG 15 (turret): APT

7.92mm MG 17: Universal/Stealth

7.92mm MG 17 (turret): AP-T

7.92mm MG 81: Universal/Stealth

7.92mm MG 81 (turret): AP-T

13mm MG 131: IAI/Stealth

13mm MG 131 (turret): Default

15mm MG 151: Air Targets

20mm MG C/30L: HEFI-T

20mm MG FF: Air Targets

20mm MG FF (turret): Universal

20mm MG FF/M: Air Targets

20mm MG 151: Air Targets/Stealth

30mm MK 108: Universal/Stealth

30mm MK 103: Air Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets (ground targets)

37mm BK 3,7: Air Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets (ground targets)

50mm BK 5: Air Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets (HVAP-T) (ground targets)

50mm Mk.241a: Air Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets (HVAP-T) (ground targets)

75mm BK 7,5: Air Targets (enemy aircraft)/Amored Targets (HVAP-T) (ground targets)

 

USA:

 

 

7.62mm Browning: Universal/Stealth

7.62mm Browning (turret): Armored Targets

7.7mm Lewis (turret only, found on the Italian S.81): Universal

12.7mm M2 Browning (early war): Ground Targets/Stealth

12.7mm M2 Browning (mid+late war): Universal/Stealth

12.7mm M2 Browning (turret): Universal

12.7mm M3 Browning: Universal/Stealth

20mm T31: Air Targets/Stealth

20mm AN/M2: Air Targets/Stealth

20mm AN/M3: Air Targets/Stealth

20mm Browning-Colt Mk 12 Mod 3: Air Targets

20mm Mk 11 mod 5 (gunpod): Air Targets

20mm T-160: Air Targets

20mm M24A1: Air Targets

20mm M39A1: Air Targets

20mm M61: Air Targets

37mm M4: Ground Targets

37mm M10: Ground Targets

75mm T13E1: Ground Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets (ground targets)

75mm M10: Ground Targets (enemy aircraft)/Armored Targets (ground targets)

 

SWE:

 

 

8mm Ksp m/22: Air Targets/Stealth

8mm Ksp m/22 Fh: Air Targets/Stealth

8mm Ksp m/22 Fv: Air Targets/Stealth

8mm Ksp m/22-37 R (turret): AP-T

12.7mm Akan m/39A: Universal/Stealth

12.7mm Akan m/40: Air Targets/Stealth

12.7mm Akan m/45: Universal/Stealth

13.2mm Akan m/39: Air Targets/Stealth

13.2mm Akan m/39A: Air Targets/Stealth

13.2mm Akan m/39 (turret): Universal

20mm Akan m/41A: Air Targets

20mm Akan m/45: Air Targets

20mm Akan m/47B: Air Targets

20mm Akan m/47C: Air Targets

20mm Akan m/49: Air Targets

30mm Akan m/55: Air Targets

57mm Akan m/45: Ground Targets

 

If you find anything missing or incorrect, please inform me.  

 

I hope this is helpful  

 

 

What about hispanos on the p51???