ARC Raiders 1.36.0: Why Barrels, Grips & Stocks Are Spiking

Yes — weapon mods like the Extended Barrel III, Vertical Grip III, Stable Stock III, Lightweight Stock and Shotgun Silencer are genuinely worth chasing right now, and demand for them jumped the moment Live Update 1.36.0 landed. If you've noticed everyone suddenly hunting attachments, you're not imagining it. Let me walk you through what changed, why these specific mods matter, and how to get them without burning a weekend.

What changed — and when

As of Live Update 1.36.0 (July 7, 2026), ARC Raiders shipped alongside the Fourth Expedition and Trials Season 5. Live Update 1.36.0 significantly increases ARC Turbine loot value, adds separate Solo/Duo/Trio matchmaking tracking, launches the ARC Raiders x THE FINALS crossover, and ships alongside the Fourth Expedition and Trials Season 5.

Two things quietly pushed mods to the top of everyone's shopping list. First, weapons now show their installed mods when dropped on the ground, making it easier to spot a fully-kitted weapon before picking it up. That means players can see the value of a modded gun instantly — and they want theirs to match. Second, the Fourth Expedition rewrote how you earn progression. The Fourth Expedition overhauls Skill Point rewards again — the Expedition Challenge no longer grants Skill Points directly. Instead, earn Blueprints and Raider Tokens across five damage thresholds from 5,000 to 100,000 total damage, with duplicate protection on Blueprint rewards. More blueprints in circulation, more crafting, more demand for the mods that actually change fights.

Field note: Every Expedition resets your learned blueprints. So the players scrambling for mods right now aren't just new — plenty are veterans rebuilding a loadout from scratch. That's a big chunk of why the "Equipment" category lit up this week.

Quick-start checklist

1. Upgrade the Gunsmith to Level 2 first. It's your biggest early power spike and gates most useful mods.
2. Farm mod blueprints in high-density interiors — Dam Battlegrounds and Buried City are the go-to zones.
3. Prioritise green/uncommon tiers for most guns; only chase Tier III where it genuinely pays off (more on that below).
4. Learn & Consume blueprints the moment you extract — an unlearned blueprint dies with you.
5. Three-star your weekly Trials — they drop blueprints on top of your farm runs.

Why these specific mods matter

Here's the honest breakdown, because not every trending mod deserves your materials equally.

Extended Barrel III

The Extended Barrel got a real buff in a recent patch, which is a big reason it's hot again. Bullet Velocity Bonus has been increased from 25 to 30%. Increased the damage fall off distance by 15%. Renamed to Extended Barrel III. On snipers and slow-firing long-range guns it's a clear pick — on the Osprey, you're sniping at range, so the velocity increase is the most valuable muzzle option. Faster bullets mean less lead on moving targets at distance.

Vertical Grip III & the grips generally

Grips are the quiet MVP of recoil control. While bullet dispersion is more annoying than recoil, the various grips are surprisingly effective — even the common Vertical Grip I is great for narrowing overall spread, especially with full-auto weapons. The Vertical Grip III adds an ADS-speed bonus on top, which is why it's showing up on Tempest and Venator builds.

Stable Stock III & Lightweight Stock

Stocks have the most dramatic effect on feel. Stable Stock reduces recoil and spread recovery time; Lightweight Stock improves aiming and switching speed. The Stable Stock III is a semi-auto specialist — but read the fine print. Stocks greatly improve recoil and dispersion recovery, but the Stable Stock III also slows down equip and unequip speed. If your playstyle is break-shield-then-swap, that penalty can cost you a fight.

Shotgun Silencer

With audio detection getting sharper across recent patches, quiet shotgun play is more valuable. The Shotgun Silencer sits in the muzzle slot as a shotgun-exclusive option alongside the Shotgun Choke — pick the silencer when staying invisible to ARC and other Raiders matters more than tightening your pellet spread.

Field note: After enough runs you learn the real secret — the sweet spot is often green. Uncommon attachments offer the most bang for your buck, as rare attachments often come with drawbacks that outweigh the positives, with a few exceptions like the Lightweight Stock for the Ferro and the Stable Stock III for close-range guns. Don't reflexively chase Tier III on every slot.

If you want the deeper priority order across grips, stocks and silencers, our S5 mod blueprints priority guide breaks it down slot by slot, and the S5 weapon mod rush explainer covers exactly why grips and barrels spiked.

How to get them — the updated method

There are three reliable routes, in order of how much control they give you:

1. Craft at the Gunsmith. This is the most dependable path. Once you have the required Gunsmith level and materials, you can craft any unlocked attachment. Some special modifications require blueprints found during raids before they become available for crafting. Tiers gate cleanly: Tier I mods are available at Gunsmith Level 1, Tier II mods require Gunsmith Level 2, and Tier III mods require Gunsmith Level 3. Tier III also costs rarer Mod Components and often carries a drawback.
2. Loot blueprints in raids. Players can typically find weapon mod blueprints in red lockers, metal breachable containers, and dresser drawers. Build a circular route through a dense zone and hit every cache and locked room.
3. Buy Tier I from Tian Wen. Purchasing from Tian Wen is a convenient option before heading Topside — the trader sells select Tier I attachments for coins, though Tier II and III mods aren't available through traders.

The catch that trips people up: each blueprint is a one-time consumable — you pick it up, use it, and the recipe stays available. A blueprint becomes permanent after you consume it in your inventory. If you die before extraction, you lose it. Learn it immediately after a successful extract.

What to expect: rates and cost

Be realistic about the grind. Mod blueprints are RNG, and the recipes require a steady material feed — almost all blueprint recipes require basic materials like Mechanical Components, Simple Gun Parts, Duct Tape, Wires, and various Gun Parts. Community consensus is blunt about the time cost: relying on luck to get the blueprint you want can easily take dozens of hours depending on drop rates, which is why many players choose to buy blueprints to skip the RNG.

One genuine upside of the current loop: duplicates aren't wasted. If you get repeat blueprints, you can sell them for 5,000 coins or donate them to your Expedition once you reach the fifth step.

Quick answers

Is Extended Barrel III worth it over a Compensator? Only on ranged, slow-firing weapons. On most automatic and burst guns, a Compensator is the safer default — the Extended Barrel shines on snipers and long-range picks where its velocity buff cuts down on target lead.

Should I always chase Tier III mods? No. Uncommon (green) mods are frequently the best value with no drawbacks, while Tier III versions often add penalties like slower ADS or faster durability loss. Save Tier III for slots where the payoff is proven, like the Stable Stock III on close-range guns.

Will I lose my mods on an Expedition? Yes — learned blueprints reset when you send your Raider on an Expedition, which is exactly why so many players are rebuilding attachment sets right now. Keep unlearned blueprints in safe storage before risky runs.

What's next

With the THE FINALS crossover running July 9–30 and the Fourth Expedition registration window closing July 21, expect mod demand to stay elevated through the month as players finish challenges and rebuild loadouts post-Expedition. Barrels, grips and stocks aren't a passing fad — they're the backbone of every competitive kit in Season 5.

Farming mod blueprints and the materials to craft them can eat dozens of hours if the RNG doesn't cooperate. If you'd rather spend that time actually raiding, a stack of ARC Raiders Coinsfrom $0.80 covers the crafting materials, vendor buys and duplicate-blueprint costs so your Season 5 loadout comes together in a fraction of the time.