Apex Legends’ light ammunition weapons may not be as deadly as their Heavy Ammo counterparts, but the R-301 offers a lot of killing potential if you’re willing to master it.
From February 2021, following the Season 8 update, the R-301 was added to the fully equipped weapons. The Anvil receiver was also brought back, which increases the AR’s semi-auto damage and doubles the shots the gun fires when the crane is fired.
Although the small size of the R-301 deters many players, it still remains an incredibly powerful option in Apex Legends. The R-301 is an extremely reliable assault rifle that boasts high accuracy, methodical firing speed and decent damage during near mid-range.
Whether you are looking for an automatic light ammunition pistol that has the R-99 or an AR that will not leave you in the dirt, then the R-301 is an excellent choice.
For more tips and tricks for Apex Legends Season 8, read our guides below:
30-30 Repetition Guide | All legendary lovers and nerfs | All gun lovers and nerfs | Security Guide | What’s up in the season 8 battle pass? | Season 8 Plaster Notes | How to Open Explosive Containers Spitfire Guide | R99 guide | Mastiff Guide | When is Apex for Switch out?
Apex Legends R-301 Damage Stats
The R-301 certainly does a lot of damage, provided you land most of the clip.
The R-301 may not have received any fans in season 8, but the reintroduction of the Anvil receiver has it increased lethality. This is especially true if you manage to find an Extended Light Mag. After all, it enables the R-301 to constantly block enemies with very accurate shots.
Due to the gun’s fairly vertical and horizontal recoil pattern, landing shots at a distance can be quite difficult, especially if you do not have a barrel stabilizer. This can be especially detrimental when considering how poor the R-301’s standard ammunition capability is.
To counteract this, it is often best to take near fire in the middle distance. The full breakdown of damage to the R-301 can be found below.
| Body part | Damage |
| Head | 28 (2x) |
| Body | 14 |
| Bene | 11 |
| Body DPS | 182 |
R-301 Power Attachments
One of the biggest weaknesses of the R-301 is the terrible cut size. In fact, you must land the majority of the Power to drop your opponent. It can be quite tricky if you miss a few shots or face a mobile opponent.
To help alleviate the faint standard Power size of the R-301, you should prioritize upgrading it as soon as possible. Below you will see the number of rounds each Extended Light Mag will give you.
- Stock: 18
- Wit Mag: 20
- Blue Mag: 25
- Purple / Gold Power: 28
R-301 optical attachments
Mediocre optics are often the best option for the R-301.
Here are the optics that can be fitted on the R-301:
- 1x Holo
- 1x HCOG “Classic”
- 2x HCOG “Bruiser”
- 1x-2x variable Holo
- 3x HCOG “Ranger”
- 2x-4x variable AOG
Get an Extended Light Force ASAP
The Extended Light Power is a must.
As you may have guessed, the R-301 does not really have the highest ammunition in Apex Legends. In fact, it’s AR’s biggest weakness. While the standard stock (18) of the rifle can be good for combat in a short term, it can quickly get you into big trouble during lengthy missions.
This is because you often have to land the entire clip of the R-301 if you want to drop fully armored opponents. To prevent you from recharging every second and relieving the pressure to be highly accurate, it is essential that you get an Extended Light Mag. Although the 28 rounds of the Purple / Gold Extended Light Mag are still fairly low, it will help increase the lethal potential of the rifle.
Tap fire at long range
Sometimes it’s best not to go automatic.
Like most weapons in Apex Legends, it may be best to avoid going automatic in various missions, especially during long range shooting. This is especially true for Light Ammo rifles, where the stopping power is lower. Not only can you fire the R-301 ammunition with the tap fire, but it will also give you greater precision.
The vertical and horizontal recoil can, after all, be incredibly difficult to handle when going full car. The reset of the Anvil Receiver also allows the R-301 to use two shots per shot, giving it even more damage when fired in single shots.
There you have it, everything you need to know about the R-301. If you follow these tips and tricks of the R-301, you will be able to get more kills in no time. Make sure you follow it @TitanfallBlog for all the latest news and updates from Apex Legends.