Optimizing your loadout in ARC Raiders often comes down to how you mod your weapons, and the Anvil hand cannon is a prime example of a gun that can completely change roles depending on what you slap onto it. It is a highly customizable weapon, relying on standard muzzle pieces and rare tech mods to shift from a pocket sniper to a close-range heavy hitter.
If you are looking to squeeze the absolute most out of this weapon, here is a breakdown of how the mods actually perform, backed by the numbers.
The Legendary Tech Mod: Anvil Splitter
The most notable modification for this weapon is the Anvil Splitter, a Legendary Tech Mod that transforms the weapon’s single, high-damage projectile into four separate projectiles.
While each individual pellet deals reduced base damage (30% per bullet), hitting a target with all four projectiles scales your total close-quarters damage output up to 120%. It also grants high mechanical knockback, which effectively disrupts flying enemies.
However, the community is somewhat split on it. Because the Anvil is prized for its base 50.2-meter effective range and pinpoint precision, turning it into a pocket shotgun strips away its long-range viability. On the plus side, it is excellent for breaking enemy shields in PvP because the first few pellets can shatter the shield while the remaining pellets in the exact same trigger pull blow through to health. It is worth noting that you cannot simply U4N,buy arc raiders blueprints for the Splitter mod at a vendor; it has no craftable blueprint and relies entirely on high-tier RNG loot drops in areas like the Plaza Rosa Pharmacy or the Spaceport breachable doors.
Top Muzzle & Barrel Attachments
For the regular attachment slots, player builds are optimized using specific combinations that alter fire rate, recoil, and dispersion. Here is how the top three muzzle choices perform under testing:
1. Compensator (Tier II / III)
This is the definitive choice for precision PvP gunfights. When you upgrade from an Anvil I to higher tiers, the weapon’s fire rate jumps significantly—Anvil III boosts fire rate by 50% and Anvil IV increases it by 75%.
To actually land shots at those speeds, you need help handling the gun. The Compensator III reduces per-shot dispersion by a massive 60% and max shot dispersion by 30%. It greatly decreases your dispersion recovery time, allowing the crosshairs to snap back faster so you can land consecutive headshots. The only catch is a 20% penalty to durability burn, meaning you will burn through the gun’s 120–130 durability pool quicker during long raids.
2. Extended Barrel
This attachment optimizes your weapon for long-range performance. It adds a 25% boost to bullet velocity and eliminates noticeable bullet drop even out to 200 meters.
It reduces base dispersion, turning the weapon into a tight, long-range pocket shotgun when combined with the Splitter mod. If you prefer to stay at a safe distance on massive open maps, this keeps your target tracking incredibly tight. It does add a 15% penalty to vertical recoil, but because the Anvil is a single-shot weapon, you have plenty of time to adjust.
3. Silencer (Tier II / III)
This option is preferred for solo PvE raiding. It lets you isolate and eliminate individual ARC units without drawing aggro from the entire swarm or alerting nearby enemy players.
While it does not give you the raw accuracy buffs of the Compensator, it completely hides your sound profile on the map, making it the safest option for solo players who rely on stealth to extract with their hard-earned loot.
For a deeper look into the recoil patterns and to see exactly how these muzzle attachments change the gun’s crosshair behavior in slow motion, check out this comprehensive Arc Raiders Anvil Weapon Guide. This video breaks down the exact dispersion numbers and testing data across every weapon tier to help you pick the perfect muzzle setup.