Black Ops 3 – Best Guns to Use for Every Weapon Type

In any FPS game one of the keys to success is figuring out which weapons work the best for your playing style. This holds true in Black Ops 3 as well. Once you find a few guns that you consistently do well with you’ll be well on your way to racking up kills and getting a better K/D.

But how do you do about determining which weapons are the top of their class? Well, it’s not incredibly simple. The problem is that while one particular gun may be awesome for one player, it may be an absolute dud for another.

Best Guns in Black Ops 3

It’s extremely important to find guns that work well for YOU. That being said, many people will have differing opinions about which weapons are the best. Nevertheless, the majority usually agree that one or two guns from each category are superior to the rest.

Down below we’ve outlined what we believe are the BEST guns to use in each weapon category. Keep in mind, though, that you should take every gun out for a test speed yourself to get a feel for how YOU play with them. The list below just gives you an idea of what weapons generally perform best for MOST people.

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Best SMGs

Submachine guns are one of the most popular and powerful weapon types in BO3. They rip through enemies quickly and, due to their lightweight construction, allow you move around maps with great speed.

A good SMG typically has low recoil, a decent fire rate, and deals moderate damage. MOST of the SMGs in Black Ops 3 are pretty good, but a couple really stand out.

#1 – VMP

The VMP is by far our favorite of the bunch. It packs decent punch, spits out bullets pretty quickly, and has very manageable recoil. This makes it an insanely deadly weapon – especially on smaller maps. It works quite well on maps where a lot of foot traffic passes through tight corridors and small rooms, too.

The iron sights on this gun aren’t terrible, but throwing on the Reflex sight or another optic of your choosing will slightly improve accuracy. You may also want to consider using Extended Mags so you can wipe out 3+ enemies per clip.

Recommended Use: CQC (close quarters combat). Works very well in short to medium range engagements. It can, however, be used to pop off enemies from afar by burst firing the weapon.

#2 – Weevil

Most people would say that the second place spot should go to the Kuda, but we’ve grown rather fond of the Weevil. It has a moderate damage output, a decent size magazine, and just a touch of recoil. It performs well in most mid range firefights.

At close range the Weevil often falls prey to faster firing SMGs like the VMP. Skilled players with excellent aim can still eliminate less talented foes even in these close engagements, though. The range on this gun is rather impressive, too. Burst firing is somewhat effective at greater distances with this weapon.

Recommended Use: Mid-range combat. Excellent weapon for protecting objectives or taking down enemies at medium range.

Best Assault Rifles

ARs are a bit beefier than submachine guns and are better suited for mid to long range combat. They still allow your player to move around somewhat fast, but you won’t be quite as nimble as players carrying SMGs or shotguns. Nevertheless, they’re very versatile weapons.

Below we’ve outlined what we believe are the two best assault rifles in Black Ops 3. Just remember that these are our opinions. You’ll want to play around with all of the guns in the game to get a feel for them yourself.

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#1 – KN-44

In the beta this gun was called the ARK-7. In the final build of the game, however, it’s been renamed to the KN-44. Either way – it’s basically Black Ops 3’s version of the AK-47. It looks and plays a lot like the traditional AK we’ve all come to love in previous titles.

 

The KN-44 boasts a decent rate of fire, moderate damage, and moderate recoil. It’s available to players right away and is easily one of the best ARs in the game. The gun is fully automatic, has decent iron sights, and works especially well with the Grip attachment equipped.

Recommended Use: Practically anything. This is a very versatile weapon. The biggest thing is avoiding engagements with SMG or shotgun users in close quarters scenarios. The KN-44 performs well at medium to long range, though.

#2 – XR-2

The XR-2 is one of our favorite weapons in the entire game. It’s a 3-round burst firing rifle with a relatively fast firing rate. It excels in mid to long range combat typically requiring only two body shots to eliminate any enemy at most distances.

This is a very accurate weapon that, if used correctly, is ridiculously deadly. The damage it deals makes it a borderline OP gun. Seriously, it’s super strong. If you’ve got great aim and fast trigger finger, you’ll definitely want to equip this bad boy and take it for a spin. Just put on a different sight. The iron sights aren’t great for this gun.

Recommended Use: Most mid to semi-long range engagements. Is even able to rival some snipers with well-placed shots.

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Best Snipers

Sniping doesn’t seem to be as prevalent in Black Ops 3 as it has been in previous installments of the series, but we get the feeling that’s just because players haven’t gotten used to it just yet. BO3 offers up a handful of new sniper rifles. Most of them are decent, but one has really stolen the spotlight.

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#1 – Locus

The Locus is definitely the go-to sniper for most players right now. It’s a bolt-action style rifle that is capable of disposing of enemies in a single shot so long as you hit your target on the chest or higher. It’s great for both traditional sniping and quickscoping.

The Locus gives players access to 8 rounds per clip and is relatively easy to aim. Once you figure out how to adjust your sights on the fly you can literally pop off enemies left and right with this weapon. It deals excellent damage, can be fired at a decent rate despite the bolt-action, and will likely be the dominate sniper for most players in the game.

Recommended Use: Hardscoping or quickscoping. Great overall sniper.

#2 – SVG-100

Some would argue that the SVG is actually the best sniper in Black Ops 3, but we’ve decided to give it the silver medal. Why? Well, it’s a great sniper, but the biggest drawback is the rechamber time after each shot. It really slows down your momentum.

The SVG deals a ridiculous amount of damage. Seriously, you can pop an enemy in the shin or toe with this baby and still get a kill. It’s really good – there’s no doubt that. But, the slow bullet chamber time makes it a bit harder to use, especially if you’re wanting to quickscope.

Overall, it’s an excellent sniper and you should definitely try it out – but we do believe the Locus is slightly better because you can fire it a bit faster.

Recommended Use: Superb for hard scoping. Works semi-well for quickscoping but requires a bit more patience between each shot.

Best Shotguns

Unlike in previous Black Ops titles, shotguns don’t seem to be getting much love in BO3. This is partly due to how maps are setup in the game. There are smaller, tighter maps but shotguns don’t seem to prevail against the high-powered SMGs and Assault Rifles unless you catch your opponent off guard.

Nonetheless, the shotguns are somewhat decent. You just have to master using them. Below we explain which shotguns we think are the absolute best.

#1 – KRM 262

This particular shotty has been hailed as the “new R870”. In our honest opinion, it’s nowhere near as good as the shotguns we’ve had the pleasure of using in Black Ops 2, but the KRM is probably the best there is in BO3.

The range isn’t great nor is the firing rate – but it packs serious punch when you’re up close and intimate with your foes.

Recommended Use: CQC for sure. Best used on small maps with tight choke points. Be wary of challenging enemies with other weapon types at distances greater than a couple yards. Really.. the range is not ideal even with long barrel equipped.

#2 – ARGUS

The ARGUS is another decent option if you’re wanting to roll a shotgun class. While it doesn’t technically fire a slug, the spread is very tight making it almost feel like a single slug. It operates somewhat similarly to the KSG seen in BO2.

If you can aim well this will probably be your go-to shotty. It deals moderate damage, has better range than all the other shotguns, and is pretty accurate. In the hands of a skilled player it can be a very lethal weapon.

Recommended Use: While the range is slightly better on this one it’s still best suited for close quarters combat. The firing rate is a tad slow, though, so don’t think you can go wild popping off enemies with a “sniper shotty” like you could with the KSG.

Best LMGs

Light machine guns have often been the least used weapon type of any Call of Duty game. Perhaps the biggest exceptions to the rule were the LSAT in Black Ops 2 and the M27-IAR in Ghosts. That may change with BO3.

LMGs in this game pack some serious punch. A few of them are capable of wiping out enemies with just a few bullets. And that’s with body shots. The biggest drawback with these weapons, however, is that having one equipped significantly reduces your character’s mobility.

#1 – Gorgon

The clear winner here is the Gorgon. Yes, it fires painfully slow… but it is INSANELY powerful. This gun is able to take out opponents with just 2 bullets at nearly any range. You don’t even have to fire it full-auto to utilize it. A simple tap-tap is all it takes – plus burst firing gives you better accuracy anyway.

This LMG is so strong we actually believe it’ll likely get a nerf in a future patch. Probably the only reason it hasn’t yet is because many people automatically skip over the light machine gun category to pick an SMG, AR, or sniper instead.

Recommended Use: This thing does fire very, very slowly so you’ll want to take on your opponents from mid to long range and try your hardest to be the first one landing shots to win the firefight. In most cases, though, the Gorgon will outgun other weapons in mid to long range engagements.

#2 – 48 Dredge

This is a truly unique LMG. The Dredge is a 6-round auto-burst weapon. That’s right, a light machine gun that bursts. And… it’s quite possibly a gun that people will think is OP. Why? Well, it does decent damage, it’s pretty accurate, and the burst fire is relatively quick.

The 48 Dredge is probably the perfect weapon for noobs to be perfectly honest. It doesn’t have much recoil at all, it’s easy to aim (especially with a red dot sight), and it destroys enemies at medium to long range with just a few bullets.

Recommended Use: Same as any LMG – stick to mid to long range. Find your opponents before they find you. Aim true. That’s the secret to success with a gun like this.

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