P250 | Cartel (Battle-Scarred)

Skin overview

Cartel's dark tones and engraved surfaces hide damage better than bright, painted finishes, which is what makes the lowest grade wearable. In Battle-Scarred the steel parts are dull and scratched and the fine engraving is worn down in places, but the overall dark silhouette and the grip remain recognisable. It is the cheapest entry to this skin for players who care about the theme more than condition.

Item type: pistol. Classified is the second-rarest weapon tier, only Covert sits above it.

Patina: an aged metal surface; wear is part of the design, so the gap between qualities is less visible.

The remaining qualities of this skin: Factory New, Minimal Wear, Field-Tested and Well-Worn.

Appearance in Battle-Scarred

The slide is a dark gunmetal grey with recessed panels along its side filled with dense ornamental engraving, framed by smooth polished bands and serrations at the rear. The frame, trigger guard and trigger are bright polished steel, which gives the pistol a two-tone look against the darker slide.

Wear covers the slide edges, muzzle, frame and trigger guard, with the polished steel dull and scratched. The engraving on the slide is worn down across larger areas and reads more as texture than ornament. In game the pistol looks dark and rough, though the silhouette and grip remain recognisable. Recessed areas hold the pattern best.

Battle-Scarred wear: float 0.45–0.75

The float of P250 | Cartel ranges from 0 to 0.75; the Battle-Scarred quality covers 0.45–0.75 — 40% of this skin’s scale. Within the range, copies with a lower float look cleaner and are valued higher.

Where the skin comes from: collection and case

P250 | Cartel belongs to The Vanguard Collection, which holds 14 skins.

It drops from Operation Vanguard Weapon Case (on sale since Nov 5, 2014).

Price by quality

Among 8 skins of the P250 in the Classified grade and this quality, this skin ranks 5th by price, counting from the dearest.

StatTrak™ and Souvenir

There is also a the StatTrak™ version: the counter on the weapon tracks kills. Right now it is 1.6× dearer than the regular one. There is also a the Souvenir version with tournament stickers.

Which stickers suit it

Stickers in silver, black, bone white or muted gold match the engraved metal and the skull motif. Small accents of deep red or marigold orange can echo the Day of the Dead theme without breaking the restrained palette. Placing them on the slide keeps the engraved grip emblem visible.

What to look at before you buy

• Check where the float sits within the wear range, since copies near the cleaner end keep noticeably more shine on the steel.
• Inspect the slide edges, muzzle and trigger guard, as these parts show wear first.
• Look at how readable the engraving on the slide panels is in the inspect view.
• Note any applied stickers or name tag and whether they suit the dark metal theme.

Who the Battle-Scarred quality suits

• Players looking for the cheapest entry to this pistol finish.
• Fans of rough, weathered weapons where the dark tones hide much of the damage.
• Conclusion: the budget option for those who value the theme over condition.