Where to Find Canto Blueprint ARC Raiders New SMG

The Canto Blueprint is one of two new weapon blueprints added to ARC Raiders in the Flashpoint update, and right now the best way to get it is by farming First Wave Caches during the Hurricane map condition. The Canto is a Rare fully-automatic SMG that runs on medium ammo and shreds in close quarters – making it a strong pick for both PvE and PvP. If you’ve been hunting blueprints during Hurricane before (for the Tempest or Il Toro), the process is going to feel familiar. Check the Event Timers to see when Hurricane is active and head to our Interactive Maps to plan your route.

Why You Need the Canto Blueprint in ARC Raiders

The Canto is a fully-automatic SMG that uses medium ammunition, which already sets it apart from most other submachine guns in the game. Medium ammo gives it more stopping power than typical SMGs while keeping it firmly in the close-to-medium range role. It handles well against both ARC machines and other Raiders, making it a solid all-rounder for aggressive playstyles. With Shredders now spreading to every map in the Flashpoint update, having a reliable close-range weapon like the Canto is more useful than ever.

The Canto is a Rare rarity weapon, so once you have the blueprint you can upgrade it through levels I, II, III, and IV at the Gunsmith. It also accepts weapon mods, so you can customize it to fit your loadout. Check the Canto Blueprint page in our database for current trade values, and head to Loadouts for build ideas once you’ve got it crafted.

Best Method: First Wave Caches During Hurricane

Right now, the only confirmed source for the Canto Blueprint in ARC Raiders is First Wave Caches, which only spawn during the Hurricane map condition. If you’ve farmed these before for the Tempest, Bobcat, or Vulcano blueprints, you already know the drill – the Canto now joins the pool of blueprints that can drop from these caches.

First Wave Caches are unique containers that only appear when Hurricane is active. They’re scattered across the map and have a distinct sound cue – a low humming or pulsing noise that you can hear when you’re nearby. Learn that sound and you’ll find them way faster. They tend to spawn in open areas and near points of interest, but they’re randomized each raid so there’s no single route that works every time. For a full breakdown of how these caches work, check out our First Wave Caches guide.

The Hurricane map condition itself makes things trickier. Visibility is lower, wind and debris can mess with your movement, and your shield degrades faster from the environmental effects. But that’s also what keeps a lot of players away – meaning less competition for caches. Use MetaForge Event Timers to track when Hurricane is active and jump in as early as possible for the best cache availability.

How to Farm the Canto Blueprint Efficiently

The most efficient way to farm the Canto Blueprint (and any First Wave Cache blueprint, really) is naked runs. Here’s the strategy:

Drop into a Hurricane raid with no gear – just bring some Adrenaline Shots to keep you moving. Your only goal is to sprint around the map, listen for the First Wave Cache sound cue, loot as many as you can, and get out. If you find the Canto Blueprint, immediately put it in your Safe Pocket so it’s protected even if you die. Once it’s safe-pocketed, you can either extract normally or just surrender and requeue for another run.

This approach works because you’re not risking any valuable gear, and you can cycle through raids quickly. The blueprint drop isn’t guaranteed from any single cache, so volume is key – the more caches you open across multiple runs, the better your odds. If you spawn into a raid that’s already well into its timer, consider surrendering and requeuing to get into a fresh one with untouched caches.

What About Raider Containers?

Since the Canto is a weapon blueprint, it would logically follow the same rules as other weapon blueprints in ARC Raiders – meaning it should also drop from Raider Containers like Weapon Cases, Raider Caches, Ammo Crates, and Grenade Cases. However, as of right now, there are no confirmed drops from Raider Containers. The only verified source is First Wave Caches during Hurricane.

We’ll update this guide as the community confirms additional drop sources. If you find the Canto Blueprint in a Raider Container or anywhere else outside of First Wave Caches, let us know in our Discord – it helps the whole community narrow things down faster. For now, Hurricane farming is your best bet.

How to Craft the Canto SMG in ARC Raiders

Once you’ve found and extracted the Canto Blueprint, you’ll unlock the crafting recipe at your Tier 3 Gunsmith Workbench. Here’s what you need:

• 2x Advanced Mechanical Components: Get these by recycling spare parts of Rare (Blue) or Epic (Purple) rarity. You can also find them by scavenging mechanical loot areas.
• 5x Magnets: Available from scavenging or you can buy them from Celeste at Speranza.
• 3x Medium Gun Parts: Loot these from lockers and cupboards, or buy them from Celeste. You can also craft Medium Gun Parts if you have the blueprint for them.

The crafting materials here are pretty reasonable compared to Legendary blueprints. If you’ve been playing for a while, you might already have most of what you need sitting in your stash. The new crafting improvements in the Flashpoint update also help – you can now fulfill missing materials directly from the crafting screen by recycling, refining, or purchasing without jumping between tabs.

Tips for Finding the Canto Blueprint in ARC Raiders

1. Run naked and run fast. Don’t bring gear you can’t afford to lose. The whole point of blueprint farming during Hurricane is speed – grab some Adrenaline Shots, sprint to First Wave Caches, loot them, and get out. You’re not here to fight, you’re here to find the blueprint. If another player is already at a cache, move on to the next one rather than risking a fight.

2. Safe Pocket the blueprint immediately. The second you see the Canto Blueprint in a cache, put it in your Safe Pocket. This protects it even if you die. Don’t run around with it in your regular inventory – one unlucky encounter with a Vaporizer or another Raider and it’s gone. Safe Pocket first, worry about everything else after.

3. Check the raid timer before committing. If you load into a raid and the timer is already well past 25 minute point, most First Wave Caches have probably been looted already or someone is on the way to one near you! Consider surrendering and requeuing to get into a fresh raid with untouched caches. Your time is better spent on fresh runs.

4. Learn the First Wave Cache sound cue. These caches make a distinct humming or pulsing noise. Once you recognize it, you can locate caches way faster than just running around hoping to spot them visually – especially in Hurricane where visibility is low. Turn up your game audio and keep your ears open.

5. Be patient – this is a numbers game. The Canto Blueprint isn’t guaranteed from any single cache. You might find it on your first Hurricane run, or it might take a dozen. That’s just how blueprint farming works in ARC Raiders. Stick with the naked run strategy, cycle through raids quickly, and you’ll get it eventually. If you want to farm other blueprints at the same time, remember that First Wave Caches can also drop the Tempest, Bobcat, and Vulcano blueprints – so every cache you open is a chance at multiple valuable finds.

More ARC Raiders Resources

For a full breakdown of how Hurricane caches work, check out our First Wave Caches guide, or see how the same farming strategy applies to the Tempest Blueprint. If you’re hunting for other rare blueprints, browse our How to Find Every Blueprint in ARC Raiders guide or How to Get the Dolabra Blueprint. Explore loot locations using our Interactive Maps, and join our Discord to share drop locations or find a squad!