Warzone 2 Best Guns | Tier-Ranking Every Weapon In Warzone 2 Season 5

Just to be absolutely clear, this is a tier-ranking of weapons in Warzone 2, not in Modern Warfare 2. We do have a tier-ranking of all weapons in MW2's multiplayer, if you're interested, but that list is quite different to this one. In Warzone we need weapons to have better range, lower recoil, and higher-capacity mags than in the standard 6v6 experience, generally speaking.

We haven't included secondary weapons because in Warzone 2 getting full loadouts is far rarer, and more commonly players will just be buying individual primary weapons anyway. Also, our tier-ranking is based on how these weapons will perform for a mid-skilled player. Higher-skilled players can get away with using less forgiving weapons, which might have a more impressive TTK, and lower-skilled players will need to restrict themselves to weapons with particularly low-recoil. But this list is based on how good these weapons will be in the hands of the "average" Warzone 2 player.

Note: The Warzone 2 stats API is currently available, so we can't provide you with win rate or k/d ratio stats for these weapons. This list is currently therefore based on our opinion of the weapons after testing. We will update the list accordingly when we have the full data.

Best Guns In Warzone 2 | Ranking

Here we have a complete list of all currently available weapons in Warzone 2, and since we love you all, we've also included a loadout guide to go with them.

S-Tier Guns In Warzone 2 | The Absolute Meta

This is the best of the best, these are the "meta" weapons. Ideally, all of your custom class slots will be occupied by a primary weapon from this category. And if you're only interested in the absolute meta weapons and not the complete tier-ranking, we do actually have a smaller article that's focused on the hard-meta in Warzone 2 right here.

S-Tier: RAPP H (HK21) / LMG

The RAPP is the best long range option for Resurgence right now, thanks to a ridiculous rate-of-fire, good damage, and decent recoil control. It's more of a mid-range than long-range weapon, hence we recommend it for Resurgence, but it's absolutely an S-Tier candidate.

• We love the RAPP, you can find the best RAPP H loadout here.

A-Tier Guns In Warzone 2 | Competitive

All of these guns are solidly viable, and you shouldn't feel like you need to change them for S-Tier weapons if you enjoy them. They're slightly worse than the S-Tier weapons, of course, but they will beat pretty much all ground loot and the vast majority of other weapons in Warzone 2.0.

A-Tier: Lachmann-556 (HK33) / Assault Rifle

The Lachmann was an awesome long-range AR. It had low recoil and a good TTK, but it sadly just had it's damage nerfed compared to other options. So for now, only A-Tier.

• Here is our complete loadout guide to the Lachmann-556.

A-Tier: ISO 45 (UMP45) / SMG

The ISO 45 was nerfed in Season 4: Reloaded, and it simply cannot compete with the S-Tier options right now.

• Here's the best Warzone loadout for the ISO 45

A-Tier: Vaznev 9K (PP19 Vityaz) / SMG

The Vaznev has an impressive TTK and is, above all, extremely mobile. In our opinion, the Vaznev is still the high-skill meta for players who can benefit from good movement. With it, you can outmaneuver your enemies and achieve some nice plays.

• Here's the best Warzone loadout for the Vaznev.

A-Tier: Lachmann Sub (MP5) / SMG

The Lachmann Sub is incredibly forgiving and comfortable to use, with naturally low-recoil and great handling. It also has a decent TTK at the moment, but it was nerfed at the start of Season 5.

• And if you're looking for a Lachmann build, here's the best Lachmann setup in Warzone 2.

A-Tier: MX Guardian / Shotgun

The MX Guardian is the first fully automatic shotgun in Warzone and has damn good range for a shotgun. With the right attachments and tuning this gun deletes fully plated enemies. Definetly the new shotgun meta.

• Here is our MX Guardian guide

A-Tier: Victus XMR (L115A1) / Sniper Rifle

The Victus is one of the three snipers that can one-shot headshots in Warzone, which are all S-Tier. We think the Victus is the best option for extreme long-range on Al Mazrah, thanks to the incredible velocity.

• These are the attachments you want on the Victus XMR.

A-Tier: MCPR-300 (M98B) / Sniper Rifle

Where the Victus is for extreme long-range, the MCPR is the shortest-range/fastest sniper that can one-shot down. We recommend this puppy for Ashika Island or Vondel.

• This is the perfect loadout for the MCPR-300.

A-Tier: FJX Imperium (Intervention) / Sniper Rifle

This is the newest sniper, and it just feels awesome. It's almost as fast the MCPR and it has almost as much bullet velocity as the Victus, what's not to love?

• Here is a complete loadout guide to the FJX Imperium.

A-Tier: Tempus Razorback / Assault Rifle

The new assault rifle is pretty dope. It has low recoil, a high fire-rate, good damage, and great handling.

• Here's the best Warzone loadout for the Tempus Razorback

A-Tier: STB 556 (AUG) / Assault Rifle

The AUG is great in both Warzone and multiplayer, but it’s not outstanding because the damage dropoff over range is just a bit too poor for an AR. Whereas on the 6v6 maps you don’t really notice that dropoff as much. However, since the gun was buffed, it really shreds. Just give it a try!

• For the best loadout, here's our complete attachment setup for the STB 556.

A-Tier: ISO Hemlock / Assault Rifle

The ISO is very reliable and comfortable to use. You don't need to go for upper-chest or headshots, and the recoil is very manageable.

• Here's a complete loadout guide to the ISO Hemlock.

A-Tier: TAQ-56 (SCAR-L) / Assault Rifle

It's with great pleasure that we can announce the SCAR is back in CoD, and unlike MW2019, it's actually really good again! Yep, in both multiplayer and Warzone, the SCAR's low-recoil and admirable damage over range makes it a great choice. Even the ground-loot version of this is decent, which is rare.

• You can find the best setup for the TAQ-56 here.

A-Tier: SAKIN MG38 (M249) / LMG

The SAKIN is one of the really big and heavy LMGs, but as with all LMGs in Warzone 2, this is not as big a disadvantage as it was in Warzone 1. And in return for the slightly higher weight, we get a damn good range paired with great damage output here.

• We go with this setup on our Sakin in Warzone.

A-Tier: RPK / LMG

The LMGs in Warzone 2 are pretty good and the RPK is a good example. It has a huge magazine and a damn long range. Although it's slower than an assault rifle, of course, the RPK has been the absolute meta for a long time. The damage is just outstanding and the accuracy is really nice too. In the course of Season 2, however, it has now been replaced by the SAKIN and the ISO Hemlock.

Here's a complete loadout guide to the RPK.

A-Tier: Kastov 762 (AK-47) / Assault Rifle

• These are the attachments you want on the Kastov 762.

A-Tier: Kastov 74u (AK-74u) / Assault Rifle

The 74u absolutely slaps in standard multiplayer, and might be the best 6v6 weapon that exists in MW2. But it's also great in Warzone, as a support weapon to long-range options like the RPK. Think of it like the best AR/SMG hybrid.

• This is the meta Kastov 74u build right now.

A-Tier: M4 / Assault Rifle

The M4 has swung into relevancy thanks to recent buffs. It’s pretty “bouncy” still thanks to all the visual recoil, but it's now far more competitive. We like to use it as a mid-range / Resurgence-style option, more than a classic long-range AR.

• We have a complete loadout guide for the M4 here.

A-Tier: TAQ-V (SCAR-H) / Battle Rifle

This heavier version of the SCAR is more viable than we expected in Warzone, and it hits like a truck, with great damage-per-mag. Thankfully it uses AR ammo, unlike the TAQ-M. But it's too situational to go into the S-Tier.

• The TAQ-V can be made incredible in Warzone with this class.

A-Tier: Kastov 545 (AK-74) / Assault Rifle

The 545 is basically just a worse, lower-damage version of the Kastov 762. But since a recent buff, it's just about good enough to scrape A-Tier.

• Looking for the best Kastov 545 loadout?

A-Tier: Fennec 45 (KRISS Vector) / SMG

The Fennec was once completely broken, but after the Season 2 patch it was brought into line with the other SMGs. It's still strong, but it's definitely not the absolute meta nymore.

• For the best attachments and tuning, here is our loadout guide for the Fennec.

A-Tier: VEL 46 (MP7) / SMG

Much like MW2019’s MP7, this isn’t an SMG with a crazy TTK, or even the best mobility. But it’s easy-to-use and thanks to such low recoil, effective out to pretty admirable distances for an SMG. Additionally, the VEL 46 was recently buffed, so give it a try!

• Here's the best meta setup for the VEL 46.

A-Tier: RAAL MG (XM250) / LMG

Much like the RPK, the Season 2 nerf was enough to bring the RAAL down a tier. This is still a great gun, but there are better options now.

• You can find the best attachment setup for the RAAL in Warzone here.

A-Tier: Signal 50 (GM6 Lynx) / Sniper Rifle

The Signal is the really fast-firing sniper, and it doesn't have to sacrifice much damage for that increased rate-of-fire. It did get nerfed recently, but it still deserves A-Tier because it works so well in a game that requires multiple headshots.

• After a Signal loadout? We got you: the best Signal 50 loadout for Warzone.

B-Tier Guns In Warzone 2 | B-Viable

These weapons are right on the borderline of viable. They can compete with most of the ground loot, and they'll beat the C and D tier weapons, but you shouldn't use these in any of your 10 custom class slots.

B-Tier: Chimera (Honey Badger) / Assault Rifle

The Chimera is a decent sniper support, and it works well with the heavy LMGs as well. This is because it occupies that sweet-spot between ARs and SMGs, and we could see it rising even higher on the list if other weapons are nerfed in a future update (the Kastov 74u in particular is a direct rival).

• Here is our best Chimera loadout.

B-Tier: M13B (SIG MCX) / Assault Rifle

The M13 is back, and it's a solid AR that particularly excels at long-range thanks to it's very low recoil. Sure, the damage per round isn't impressive but with Warzone 2's incredibly low TTK the M13 is still viable.

• We've got a complete guide to the M13 for you here.

B-Tier: FR-Avancer / Famas

The new assault rifle is strictly close and medium range, like the Chimera and the 74u, but it's decent in this role. The recoil is a lot, but in exchange for that recoil you get a respectable close-range TTK, thanks to it's best-in-class Fire Rate. Still, too much recoil for most.

B-Tier: Cronen Squall / Battle Rifle

The Cronen Squall is like the TAQ-V, but worse. Basically a really heavy AR. It has an okay TTK, but the recoil isn't great.

• Here's a complete guide to the best Cronen Squall loadout.

B-Tier: Minibak (PP19 Bizon) / SMG

The Minibak was higher on the list in the past but IW unexpectedly nerfed it very harshly in a recent patch. That said, 64 rounds by default and great strafe speeds are still such an advantages that the Minibak can’t reasonably be placed any lower than B-Tier.

• You can find the best Minibak loadout for Warzone 2 here.

B-Tier: PDSW 528 (P90) / SMG

The P90 has a 50-round magazine by default and great bullet velocity, but it’s too much of a pea shooter to use effectively against armored targets. Certainly more of a multiplayer gun.

• Follow this link to find the best P90 setup for Warzone.

B-Tier: FSS Hurricane (AR-57) / SMG

The FSS Hurricane is stable, and it has 50-round mags by default. But unlike the P90, which also has 50-round mags, the FSS Hurricane actually does enough damage to win gunfights at the 15-25 m range.

• Follow this link to find the best FSS Hurricane loadout in Warzone 2.

B-Tier: HCR-556 (AUG HBAR) / LMG

This is probably the lightest of the LMGs and so you could even risk using it as a main. The tradeoff is a poorer TTK at range than the other LMGs, but it’s still enough to qualify for the B-Tier.

• You want these attachments for the best HCR.

B-Tier: 556 Icarus (MCR) / LMG

The Icarus, like the HCR, is on the lighter side. And as you would expect this means it has a slightly worse TTK at long range than other options. It also has poor recoil control for an LMG, but thanks to decent handling speeds, this is surprisingly effective at close and mid-range.

• You can find the meta 556 Icarus loadout here.

B-Tier: EBR-14 (Mk 14 EBR) / Marksman Rifle

Yep, the EBR has made it. Shocking right? This weapon was pointless in Warzone 1. But, in Warzone 2, this weapon does significantly more damage per shot. You will need a good trigger finger, and it’s definitely a situational weapon (hence B-Tier and not A), but given the longer time it takes for gunfights at range, the M14 EBR can finally compete with other options.

• The EBR-14 will need the right attachments to be effective. You can find the best EBR-14 loadout here.

B-Tier:Tempus Torrent (SR 25) / Marksman Rifle

The Tempus Torrent is kind of like a bad version of the old FAL. It feels quite similar, and it's fairly effective, but the weapon suffers from a harsh recoil pattern and a worse rate of fire. Still, definitely B-Tier.

• Here is our current best Tempus Torrent Warzone build.

B-Tier: BAS-P (MPX) / SMG

The BAS-P was one of the Season 1 weapons, and it’s an SMG from the same family as the M13B. So it’s worth levelling for attachments. Other than that it is pretty average in every category. It’s certainly viable enough to class as B-Tier but it doesn’t excel at any one thing in particular.

• Here's a complete loadout guide to the BAS-P.

B-Tier: KV Broadside (Saiga-12)

This is by far the best shotgun. It can have up to 24 shells in the magazine, the rate-of-fire is fantastic, and the range is impressive for a shotgun. In other words, the KV Broadside has everything a shotgun needs to be good. We still can't justify higher than B-Tier however, because it is still a situational weapon compared to SMGs.

• Here's a complete loadout guide to the KV Broadside.

B-Tier: LA-B 330 (M85?) / Sniper Rifle

This is too slow of a sniper with too poor of a rate-of-fire to ever be worth using over the other options. Still it has good damage, so for us B-Tier.

• Here's our favorite LA-B 330 loadout!

B-Tier: SP-X 80 (M2010 ESR) / Sniper Rifle

Exactly the same story as the LA-B 330. If you’re going to use a sniper and expose your position with a big optical glint, you might as well use a sniper that has a chance of getting the kill. But the SP-X at least is relatively fast for a heavy sniper.

• Looking for the setup? We got you: the best SP-X 80 loadout.

C-Tier Guns In Warzone 2 | Better Than A Pistol

These weapons are noticeably poor, and will likely be outgunned by most other weapons in the game. However, they aren't the very worst weapons, and might have one or two situational advantages.

C-Tier: M16 / Assault Rifle

The M16 got a huge buff in the first ever Warzone 2 patch, but it’s still at a huge disadvantage being burst-fire. Even if you have great gunskill, this weapon just cannot outgun the full-auto ARs. But thanks to those recent buffs, and when compared to every weapon in the game, we still have to put it in the C-Tier.

• Here's the best M16 loadout.

C-Tier: Lachmann-762 (G3) / Battle Rifle

People hate the 762 in MW2’s multiplayer, but thanks to this weapon’s access to the Lachmann platform, it can have 50-round mags. That gives the Lachmann 762 one of the highest potential damage-per-mag values in the game, and this means we can drop whole squads in a single mag-dump. However, that only works if you can controll that recoil and don't get outgunned by faster weapons...

• Follow this link for the meta Lachmann-762 loadout.

C-Tier: FTAC-Recon (AR15 in 6.5 Creedmoor) / Battle Rifle

The FTAC is really not great, but when you put it in full-auto and use it like a weird mid-range AR, you can shred through triple plate in milliseconds. But the lower-capacity mags and the terrible recoil make it a C-Tier gun.

• You can find the FTAC Recon loadout for Warzone here.

C-Tier: SO-14 (M14) / Battle Rifle

This can take 50-round mags and be set to full-auto! So why have we put it so low? Because the recoil is insane. This thing kicks like a mule, and requires excellent gunskill to use effectively.

• Here's our favorite SO-14 Warzone loadout.

C-Tier: MX9 (AUG Para) / SMG

The MX9 is mobile and has an impressive TTK, but its fatal flaw is the magazine. The extended mag only takes 32 rounds. That’s the extended… the base only takes 25 rounds. This just isn’t enough for Warzone.

• You can find the best MX9 loadout here.

C-Tier: SPR-208 (M24 SWS) / Marksman Rifle

Remember what we said earlier about there being no point using a sniper, which is going to make you vulnerable, if it isn’t powerful enough to down enemies? Yeah, that applies here too, but worse. The SPR-208, even within close range, will require multiple shots to get a down, and you’ll be killed before then.

C-Tier: SA-B 50 (FN-Ballista) / Marksman Rifle

Everything we just mentioned about the SPR-208 applies here too, but this is somehow even worse because it’s slower to aim-down-sight. Now if they give all bolt-actions the potential to one-shot down with a headshot, this could shoot right up to A-Tier, but right now it’s not worth using.

C-Tier: TAQ-M (SCAR-H PR) / Marksman Rifle

The TAQ-M would be a decent battle rifle, but as a marksman rifle it uses sniper ammo. Given that this is such a low-power / fast rate-of-fire marksman rifle, the sniper ammo is used up very inefficiently. Too inefficiently for Al Mazrah, at least.

• This is the current meta TAQ-M loadout.

C-Tier: Carrack .300 (WA 2000) / Sniper Rifle

Tis sniper has a fast rate-of-fire, but very low damage (3 shots to the upper chest will be needed past 50 metres). We don't see many people enjoying it, even in Ranked where the one-shot builds are we banned, most will just choose the Signal 50 instead.

D-Tier Guns In Warzone 2 | Leave It On The Ground

These weapons are never worth using, unless you've literally just dropped in, and you need to exchange your pistol for something.

D-Tier: Expedite 12 (Benelli M4) / Shotgun

Shotguns are either broken or trash in Warzone, and in Warzone 2 so far they seem pretty trash. The Expedite is slightly more viable than most shotguns because you’ve got decent magazine capacity and a fast enough rate of fire. But there are simply too few situations where this is going to win gunfights.

• Here's the best Expedite 12 loadout.

D-Tier: Bryson 890 (Mossburg 590M) / Shotgun

This shotgun is slightly worse than the Expedite in every way, but it is magazine fed. The ability to reload quickly makes it ever so slightly less trash.

• We advise this Bryson 890 loadout.

D-Tier: LM-S (PSG1) / Marksman Rifle

This will require three, sometimes even four shots to down an opponent. Given how slow and cumbersome the weapon is, the tradeoff is never worth it for that kind of poor damage output.

• You can find a solid LM-S loadout here.

D-Tier: Lockwood 300 (Beretta 686) / Shotgun

Two rounds. That’s it. That’s all you get. Put simply, that is not enough for Warzone. Even in the unlikely circumstance you get a down, you’re then completely vulnerable.

• Here's the best Warzone 2.0 Lockwood 300 setup.

D-Tier: Bryson 800 (Mossburg 500) / Shotgun

This is just the slower-to-reload and therefore worse version of the Bryson 890. I really can’t think of any reason why you would use this, and I can’t see it ever becoming the meta even with some outrageous buffs.

• And for the meta attachments, here is best Warzone 2 Bryson 800 loadout.

D-Tier: Lockwood MK2 (Marlin 30-30) / Marksman Rifle

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: the Lockwood MK2 is a badass weapon… but it’s not worth using. It’s definitely going to be more popular than the other D-Tier weapons because it is so cool, but when push-comes-to-shove, there’s no reason to use a weapon this slow when the damage is so comparatively poor.

And there you have it folks, our complete tier-ranking of all the guns in Warzone 2.0. Please let us know in the comments if there are any low-tier weapons that you think the community are sleeping on. Just put the weapon and the attachments needed below, and we'll test the build.

Do you agree with most of the ratings? Or, do you think we were too harsh? Oh, and if you still need to get the S-Tier weapons levelled, here's a guide on the fastest way to level (spoiler alert, you will need to buy a copy of MW2).

But buying MW2 could be well worth it if you already enjoy Warzone...