Canto SMG Guide for Arc Raiders

The Canto is the only Arc Raiders SMG on Medium Ammo: a rare, fully automatic gun with moderate ARC armor penetration, crafted at the Gunsmith.

Published 31 March 2026. Updated 23 October 2026.

Canto Overview

The Canto is a rare, fully automatic submachine gun that its in-game description calls a submachine gun "with a larger caliber". It is the only SMG on Medium Ammo: the Bobcat and the Stitcher both take Light Ammo. The wiki gives it moderate ARC armor penetration, and it has no tiers, so there is one Canto rather than a I to IV ladder.

Where to Get the Canto

The wiki lists crafting as the way to get the Canto: the Gunsmith at level 3 builds it from Advanced Mechanical Components, Magnets and Medium Gun Parts once you have learned the Canto Blueprint. The blueprint is itself researched at the Research Station, from Skulker Targeters and Steel Springs plus Research Points. No map or loot zone is on file where the weapon itself drops.

How It Compares With the Other SMGs

On the wiki's figures the Canto has a longer effective range and a smaller magazine than the Bobcat or the Stitcher, and it is less stable than either. Its damage per bullet matches the Stitcher's and is above the Bobcat's. No fire rate is on file for the Canto, so this page does not say how fast it empties a magazine or which SMG deals more damage over time.

What the Numbers Mean in a Raid

The smaller magazine means more reloads than the Bobcat or the Stitcher over the same number of shots, so carry spare Medium Ammo. Medium Ammo is also what the Tempest takes, so one ammo stack can feed both.

Canto Against Other Weapons

For the Canto against the Dolabra, see Dolabra vs Canto. For the Bobcat against the Stitcher, see Bobcat vs Stitcher, and the full stat lines are on the weapons list.