How to Craft Timed Explosives in Rust

Go out with a boom!

Rust Timed Explosive Charges
Screenshot by Prima Games

Rust is a game about looting, raiding, base-building, and efficiency. If you can master even one or two of these mechanics, you’ll succeed on any server. To start, here’s how to craft Timed Explosive Charges in Rust.

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How to Craft C4 in Rust

To craft C4, or Timed Explosives, in Rust, you will require:

  • 20 Explosives.
  • 5 Cloth.
  • 2 Tech Trash.

Cloth is relatively easy to find. You can loot Hemp on the ground to obtain abundant cloth in the early game. But Explosives and Tech Trash will take longer, as you’ll gain the latter from scrapping items such as Targeting Computers, CCTV Cameras, and MLRS Aiming Modules. As for Explosives, you need Gun Powder, Low-Grade Fuel, Sulfur, and Metal Fragments.

With all of these items prepped, visit a Level 3 Workbench.

As one of Rust’s more expensive and most powerful explosives, Timed Explosive Charges typically require a group to ensure a steady supply of all key components. If you’re playing solo, you can still obtain C4, but it will take a bit longer and prove a little more challenging. But not impossible!

Alternatively, if you don’t want to spend the time crafting Timed Explosive Charges, you can always loot them from:

  • Helicopter Crate.
  • APC Crate.
  • Supply Drop.
  • Locked Crate.
  • Elite Tier Crate.
  • Underwater Lab Elite Crate.
  • Heavy Scientist.

The chance is relatively small the lower down the list you go, of course. A Helicopter Crate offers a 26% chance to drop C4, while a Heavy Scientist offers only 0.4%.

How to Raid With Timed Explosives in Rust

Assuming you’ve come to the point in the wipe in which you have plenty of resources and explosives, prepped a few C4s, and now you’re geared up for a raid, here’s what you’ll need to know:

DamageExplosion RadiusExplosion Delay
5504m10 Seconds

With that information in mind, let’s see how much boom it takes to get through the walls and doors of Rust.

ObjectTimed Explosive Charges
Wood Wall1
Stone Wall2
Sheet Metal Wall4
Armored Wall8
Wooden Door1
Wood Double Door1
Sheet Metal Door1
Sheet Metal Double Door1
Armored Door3
Armored Double Door3

As you can see, it’s often more efficient to go through doors than walls, especially if the base in question has yet to upgrade from Sheet Metal Doors.

About the Author

Brandon Morgan

Brandon began writing in 2012, for websites such as OnlySP, before transitioning to digital marketing in 2016 to learn the ins and outs of SEO. In mid-2023, Brandon returned to write strategy guides for Prima Games, IGN, DualShockers, and more, with a focus on ARPGs, RPGs, and Survival games. His past coverage includes Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Starfield, Skull and Bones, and many more!