Best Warzone guns: the top weapons to use in Call of Duty battle royale

Warzone guns are, unsurprisingly, pretty key to victory. Even if you win your Warzone Gulag fight right at the end of the match and parachute in, you’ll still need to scrounge together some weapons to stand a chance at winning the match. Warzone guns behave very differently than they do in core multiplayer modes, so the knowledge base doesn’t transfer. Besides, with the largest map in Call of Duty history, 149 other players to outlast, and new mechanics like an armour plate system, your needs are very different than in a match on Rust or Crash.

So, what are the best Warzone guns and weapons to pickup and fight with, or to base your best Warzone loadout drop around? We’ve secured several wins in Warzone, watched even more streamer wins, and lost many more matches on top of that, so we’re confident we can present you with a list of the best Warzone guns to use in Call of Duty’s sophomore battle royale experience.

Naturally, personal preference does play a huge role here, so if you disagree with some of our picks then there’s nothing wrong with you racking up headshots and team wipes with a different gun in Warzone.

The Warzone mid-season update has adjusted the values for a number of important attachments and tweaked a few underused weapons. There weren’t as many nerfs as we initially expected, meaning the meta might not be radically different following this latest update. Expect to see a few more SMGs in Verdansk, but anyone else using an assault rifle can rest easy knowing their weapon of choice has gone untouched.

Here are all the Warzone guns:

• MGL-32 Grenade Launcher
• CR-56 AMAX
• Kar98k
• Fara 83
• Grau 5.56
• Cold War MP5
• RAM-7
• HDR
• LC10
• Swiss K31
• Krig 6
• Groza
• Diamatti
• FFAR 1
• DMR 14
• Type 63
• Mac-10
• FAL
• Fennec
• AS VAL
• AX-50
• SP-R 208
• M4A1
• PKM
• R9-0
• Jak-12
• Kilo 141
• Bruen MK9
• ORIGIN-12
• M13
• MP7
• RPG-7
• SA87
• AUG
• MK2 Carbine
• Crossbow
• Bizon
• Uzi
• .357

Best Warzone guns

CR-56 AMAX

The CR-56 AMAX finally received a nerf prior to the Season 3 Reloaded update, but this barely had an impact overall. This weapon handles like a combination of the AK-47 and Scar – the CR-56 AMAX can be transformed with the right attachments to create a heavy-hitting, relatively manageable AR. Our CR-56 AMAX Warzone setup massively improves its long-range effectiveness without making it unusable in close-range skirmishes.

Kar98k

The Kar98k has been the gold standard for sniper rifles in Warzone as its the best long-range option in Warzone. It’s impressive damage, range, and bullet velocity makes it as lethal and effective over long ranges as the other top snipers, while also having superior handling.

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The caveat is, you’ll need to achieve headshots, as shots to the body are significantly weaker, but that’s true of sniping in Warzone anyway. Check out our build for the best Warzone Kar98k loadout.

Fara 83

Remember how powerful the FFAR was back in Season 1 and 2? The Fara 83 isn’t on the same level as that unstoppable weapon, but it controls near enough the same.  If you’re looking for a weapon with the mobility of an SMG without having to sacrifice the damage output of an assault rifle, the Fara 83 is your best bet. Give our best Fara 83 loadout a read to see how to get the most out of this deadly assault rifle.

Grau 5.56

This AR wouldn’t merit such a high spot in our list of the best Warzone guns if we only went by its DPS stats. However, if your aim isn’t perfect then you’ll find the Grau 5.56 is one of the easiest to use and most reliable weapons in its class for mid to long-range full-auto fire.There’s almost no recoil when using this AR, so you can rely on it to pick apart squads at distance. A recent nerf means it’s no longer the very best weapon in its class, but if you’re looking for ease of use and a very quick time to kill then you can’t go wrong with the Grau. Check out our dedicated guide for the best Grau Warzone loadout.

Cold War MP5

There isn’t much of a difference between the Cold War MP5 and the Modern Warfare variant, but if you want any advantage you can get, the Cold War version is for you. Compared to the Modern Warfare MP5, this gun features a higher TTK, speedier ADS, and better recoil. Head on over to our best MP5 Warzone setup to see how to get the most out of this deadly SMG.

RAM-7

While the M4A1 dominates in core multiplayer, the RAM-7 is also a top option in Warzone for a fast-firing, accurate, and versatile assault rifle. You can equip it with a 50-round mag, which is solid, and in close to mid-range fights it’s an absolute laser beam. Here’s our full Ram-7 Warzone loadout if you fancy taking this AR for a spin.

HDR

The HDR has faster bullet velocity, especially with the right barrel, so you can treat it almost like a hitscan gun during long-range battles. Long range battles generally aren’t worth it in Warzone as you don’t get a chance to loot your victims and can lose a lot of armour and bullets in the process, but if that’s how you want to play then you’ll find this the best gun for the job. Here’s the best Warzone HDR class setup.

LC10

When it comes to SMGs, you won’t find a more accurate and mobile weapon than the LC10. This weapon was largely ignored when it was first released in Warzone’s Season 2 Reloaded update, but the buffs it received in Season 3 pushed it up a number of tiers.

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All it took was a slight tweak to the LC10’s bullet velocity to make it one of Warzone’s most used weapons. Check out our best LC10 loadout to add this deadly weapon to your arsenal.

Swiss K31

Looking for something other than the Kar98k? The mid season update drastically improved the Swiss K31, making it a viable alternative to Warzone’s best sniper rifles. The flinch resistance was far too low on the Swiss which made it awkward to handle from a distance. These changes help to bring the Swiss in line with the Kar98k, providing two excellent bolt-action options. Head on over to our best Swiss loadout to see which attachments take this sniper rifle to another level.

KRIG 6

The Krig 6 has always been a solid pick for players since it was brought over from Black Ops Cold War, but it has become the go-to assault rifle in Season 3. When using the best Krig 6 Warzone loadout, it’s easy to see why this weapon is so popular. It packs a punch, has minimal recoil, and has massive magazines which is always important in Warzone.

PPsh-41

The PPSh-41 is an instant classic to anyone who grew up playing the Black Ops series. The best PPSh loadout focused on the weapon’s high mobility, as well as its surprisingly fast TTK. Though the PPSh is largely used as a secondary weapon, you can run this as a primary weapon when playing on Rebirth Island.

ALL WARZONE GUNS

COLD WAR AUG

The Cold War AUG is without a doubt the best long-ranged weapon in the game, even after the Season 2 Reloaded nerf. There’s no other weapon in Warzone that offers this level of power in just a few bursts. The last weapon to feature this much power across all ranges was the DMR 14, and we all know how that story ended. The nerf has made the weapon less accurate at range, but the damage output is still high enough that you should be able to down an enemy within two bursts. Here’s our best AUG Warzone setup.

MGL-32 grenade launcher

There’s a reason this launcher only has a minuscule drop rate and can only be found in chests – it’s legitimately OP. The MGL-3 Grenade Launcher uses the same ammo as rocket launchers – it carries six in the drum and six spare – so you’ll want your team to give you any and all rockets they pick up. Its range isn’t great and you’ll need to get used to arcing your shots if you want to drop players at mid-range, but it’s a one-hit kill to fully-armoured enemies and can be spammed.

The damage potential is unmatched – if a squad pushes up on you, then you can wipe them out in seconds. It’s also incredibly useful for taking down cars and trucks as it only takes two shots to completely blow up even a truck.

Mac-10

If you’re looking for a weapon with high mobility coupled with a fast time to kill, there aren’t many SMGs better than the Mac-10. This SMG really shines when fighting at a close range – enemies will struggle to win 1v1 encounters against the Mac-10 thanks to its lightning fast aim down sight speed. When paired with the correct attachments, the Mac-10 becomes an instant pick for anyone looking to rack up loads of kills. Be sure to check out the best Mac-10 loadout to understand how to get the best out of this weapon.

DMR 14

Despite receiving two nerfs, the DMR 14 has managed to keep its place in the Warzone meta. The DMR 14 excels at medium to long range, making it perfect for picking off enemies in Verdansk. What makes the DMR 14 so powerful is the incredible accuracy coupled with the high damage output – it only takes a few bullets to put someone out of their misery. Take a look at our DMR 14 Warzone loadout guide to understand just how deadly this weapon can be in the right hands.

AX-50

The AX-50 is one of the best Warzone sniper rifles  for one key reason: it’s capable of downing enemies with a single headshot. This bolt-action sniper rifle allows you to take ambitious shots, safe in the knowledge that you can land the second shot at least as fast as your opponent. Its aim down sight speed is also incredible with the right attachments, so this is definitely a sniper for more aggressive, active players. Here’s our best Warzone AX-50 class setup guide to help you create this deadly sniper rifle loadout.

Groza

As one of the fastest firing assault rifles in Warzone, the Groza will win most 1v1 confrontations with ease. One of Groza’s biggest problems is that you have to use specific attachments in order to fight against groups of enemies, but that isn’t an issue if you have the best Groza loadout. Coupled alongside long ranged weapons like a sniper or tactical rifle, you should be able to handle any encounter no matter how far the enemy is.

Krig 6

The Krig 6 is far and away the most accurate assault rifle in Warzone, largely due to the incredibly high bullet velocity. There is a trade off for all of this accuracy, however, as the damage output of the Krig 6 can’t compete with some of the other weapons. If you have steady hands, you should be able to land enough headshots to make great use of this assault rifle. Be sure to check out our Krig 6 Warzone loadout guide to get the most out of this weapon.

Diamatti

Though the Akimbo version of the Diamatti was nerfed, the regular version is still as powerful as the day it was released. The Diamatti pistol is arguably the best secondary weapon in the game thanks to its high damage and accuracy stats. Definitely give our best Diamatti Warzone loadout a try if you haven’t checked this pistol out already.

Type 63

The Type 63 has been overshadowed by the stronger DMR 14, but this tactical rifle shouldn’t be ignored thanks to its short to medium range dominance. Compared to the DMR 14, the Type 63 features higher accuracy when hip firing, as well as more bullets per magazine and a faster reload time. If you can control the Type 63’s recoil, this powerful weapon can be highly effective depending on what distances you want to cover.

FAL

The FAL has experienced quite the fall from grace. It was once one of the best guns in Warzone thanks to a headshot damage multiplier that resulted in the fastest theoretical time-to-kill in the game. That has since been nerfed so that the FAL performs more like other semi-auto rifles – try our best FAL Warzone build for the best possible setup.

Fennec

The Season 4 SMG is an extremely popular pick in multiplayer and Warzone, and it’s easy to see why: with the fastest rate of fire in the game this Vector-like gun can eliminate an enemy in the blink of an eye. It definitely has its drawbacks, like awful bullet velocity and small mags, hence why it’s not our number one pick. However, if you’re an extremely close-quarters fight then you really can’t beat the Fennec.

Check out our Fennec Warzone build for a 40-round, highly mobile SMG that’s ideal for clearing out buildings.

FFAR 1

Warzone Season 3 finally addressed the FFAR 1’s lethal power by decreasing its damage output across the board. After going through four rounds of nerfs, this weapon has finally been knocked off the top spot, but it’s still good enough to use in loadouts. There are three key areas where this gun truly excels: mobility, accuracy, and rate of fire. The FFAR dominates in all three of these categories, and when using the best FFAR 1 Warzone loadout it behaves similarly to an SMG.

AS VAL

The Season 6 assault rifle landed with a bang, or more of a pew thanks to its integral suppressor. There are a few different ways to spec your Warzone AS VAL loadout, but if you kit it out for mobility and close-range combat you’ll find it offers a phenomenal time-to-kill that scales up to mid-range better than most SMGs.

It’s tricky to recommend in Warzone because of its small magazine capacity and its poor performance over medium and long range – as it will occupy an assault rifle ammo type you’ll have to rely on a marksman or sniper rifle for those ranges.

SP-R 208

The new marksman rifle simply outshines the Kar in practically every category, but it’s the improved damage range and bullet velocity that makes it so effective in Warzone. You can use our Warzone SP-R 208 loadout if you want a snappy one-hit kill rifle for medium and long range, but you can also build this into a extremely long-range sniper.

M4A1

While the M4A1 has one of the fastest TTK stats for its class in Warzone, it’s not our top pick for the best assault rifle in Warzone. The reason is it has a lot of visual noise when firing, and with some pretty unpleasant iron sights, spotting and tracking targets in a fight is no mean feat. Sure, you can use an optic, but this means sacrificing some crucial aim down sight speed, muzzle velocity, or damage range depending on which attachment you replace it with. Check out our M4A1 Warzone loadout for the best setup.

PKM

We also have a lot of love for the MG34 in Warzone, but our best Warzone PKM loadout is the way to go if you want to use a proper LMG in battle royale. What makes this gun so much fun to use is its superb performance over long ranges.

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Set it up with a heavy barrel and some attachments to minimise recoil and you’ll find you’re able to destroy enemies crossing open ground, even if they’re at sniper range.

R9-0

The R9-0 with Dragon’s Breath rounds is a two-shot down in close-quarters scenarios, and thanks to its unique double pump mechanic, you can fire the first two shells almost simultaneously. If you somehow don’t secure the down with those two shots the lingering burn effect should finish the job. This can be a very difficult shotgun to use as there is a delay between each two-shot cycle, but once you perfect the art of quickly peeking with this then you’ll find it’s the best shotgun for Warzone.

Jak-12

The newest shotgun in Warzone is a close second thanks to its full-auto ease of use, decent up close damage, and the option to strap a 20 or even 32 round mag to it. Mobile, highly customisable, and a monster when it comes to marching through buildings – here is our top Warzone Jak-12 loadout.

KILO 141

The Kilo has been overlooked and overshadowed since the game launched, but it’s gaining in popularity since the Grau was nerfed. The issue with the Kilo 141 is that it remains very mediocre while several other assault rifles offer either better time-to-kill stats, performance over range, or accuracy. It will definitely get you kills, but there are better options. For the best setup, here is our best Warzone Kilo 141 class.

BRUEN MK9

The Bruen MK9 handles like an assault rifle but has a lot more versatility when it comes to the potential Warzone Bruen MK9 builds you can create. It’s damage profile is superb, too, so if you’re looking to extend your AR range then try this instead.

The Bruen has recently been nerfed in Warzone, edging it out of the meta a little. However, rapid reloads, decent mobility, superior ranged performances, and easy recoil mean it remains one of the best Warzone guns around.

ORIGIN-12

This shotgun deals marginally less damage than the R9-0, but it comes with a more forgiving magazine size and better pellet spread. Either way, in close-quarters, you should be able to secure the down in 2-3 shots on a fully-armoured enemy.

With a drum mag attached you can easily wipe a whole squad if you’re fighting in a large building, particularly around staircases. If you know you can hit your shots then the R9-0 will definitely drop an opponent a little faster, but mistakes are easy to make in this fast-paced mode, so our best Warzone Origin 12 loadout is still a great pick.

M13

The best M13 Warzone build has been increasingly popular as players look for alternatives to the Grau and M4A1 meta, but while it has its strengths, it remains the weaker option for long distance fights. What we will say in the M13’s favour is that its TTK stats, rate of fire, and minimal recoil make it feel like fighting with a laser beam and if you’re an aggressive player then you’ll love it.

MP7

SMGs don’t see a huge amount of use in Warzone, but the MP7 is a standout and is essential in the final circle. It’s rate of fire and recoil mean you won’t struggle to meet its potential DPS, plus it can be equipped with a 60-round magazine, allowing you to take fights with multiple enemies without needing to reload several times. On top of all of this, it’s highly mobile, so if you’re a big fan of flanking then you should definitely consider equipping this for your next drop. The MP7 is the best SMG for Warzone – and it’s even better if you use the best MP7 Warzone setup.

RPG-7

If you don’t mind getting your kills the cheap and easy way then the RPG-7 is the way to go – if you’re playing trios or squads then you should have at least two players running the RPG-7 at any given time. Why? The RPG-7 is oddly accurate over long distances in Warzone, and landing a shot close to an enemy will either knock them of scrap their armour. A direct hit on a trio can even result in an instant team wipe.

All you need to do with the RPG-7 is fire it, spot the armour cracked hit marker, then rush your enemies as they’re plating up again.

SA87

This LMG is picking up where the Bruen left off, offering really strong damage over long distances, but with the mobility of and assault rifle. It’s got some tricky recoil, but there’s a mighty weapon if you adopt our Warzone SA87 loadout.

MK2 Carbine

The majority of the the Warzone player base is sleeping on this marksman rifle, despite it being available as floor loot. This is a great pick if you want to be able to deal with snipers, but don’t want to actually sniper. The mix of accuracy, damage, and range means you can often get a very damaging snapshot onto an enemy sniper that will keep them pinned back.

In mid-range fights you can knock armor off with a single shot and the mobility makes doing so while moving around easy. You’ll want a reflex sight, monolithic suppressor, FSS 24.0” Factory barrel, and a laser that improves ADS time to get the most out of this.

Crossbow

If you get good with the Crossbow and are confident that you can land your first shot, then this is easily one of the best Warzone guns around. While the HDR and AX-50 both possess the ability to down an enemy with a single headshot, the Crossbow can achieve the same result with a body shot. Better still, if you’re using explosive or Thermite bolts, the resulting explosion or fire will usually finish off the player you downed.

It’s definitely a flair pick, but if you can get the bolt drop right then this is a ruthlessly efficient killer. Check out our Warzone Crossbow class here.

Bizon

This SMG is very weak in terms of its time-to-kill stats, but a big magazine as standard means you get a free attachment slot to tune the weapon’s weaker stats. However, if you’re like us, and just want more rounds at hand, then you’ll follow our Warzone Bizon loadout and attach 84-round mags to this SMG.

Uzi

If you follow our Warzone Uzi loadout then you’ll find this deals some impressive damage for its class, but we still find the kick and slow rate of fire too much to cope with and can’t recommend it for the average player.

.357

This entry comes with the caveat that you play the .357 with Akimbo and Snake Shot, which turns this ordinarily mediocre sidearm into a close-range destroyer. With the rest of your attachments set up to increase sprint to fire speed you’ll find these pistols are pretty much unstoppable in close-quarters. For more Akimbo pistols in Warzone, we’ve got a rundown of several builds.

Snake Shot turns the .357 into a shotgun, combine that with Akimbo and you have a shottie in each hand, granting you the fastest time-to-kill with body shots of any gun in the game. If you don’t like the damage drop-off these offer then removing Snake Shot still leaves you with some serious stopping power. Here’s our guide on getting the 357 Warzone Snake Shot setup for yourself.

Alternatively – seeing as these have been nerfed a little – we suggest you try out our Akimbo Renetti Warzone class.

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