Talk about spoiled for choice. Currently, there are 75 primary weapons available in Call of Duty: Warzone, each stemming from either Modern Warfare or Black Ops Cold War. While most Warzone weapons are viable and can function in many scenarios, there are a handful you’ll absolutely want to avoid, along with a small selection that are objectively better than the rest.
In this list, we’ll go through all 75 primary Warzone weapons, ranking them from F tier to S tier, with F-tier status accorded to those best avoided at all costs, and S being “meta.” Meta weapons are those that are objectively the best at any given point in an evolving game’s life cycle. The word “meta” is sometimes used as an acronym for “most effective tactics available.” In short, meta weapons aren’t necessarily the most popular, but instead are the most useful. For instance, when a new weapon is added, you might see lots of players using it, but that doesn’t make it meta.
Below, we’ll denote which game each weapon is from: CW for Cold War, and MW for Modern Warfare. Here are all 75 primary Warzone weapons, ranked from worst to best.
F-Tier Call of Duty Warzone weapons
725 (MW) -- Shotgun
While the 725 packs a serious punch, the fact that it can only fire two slugs before needing to reload makes it wholly impractical. Maybe if you’re playing Solos you can get away with it, but aside from that, we advise avoiding this weapon at all costs.
Crossbow (MW) -- Marksman Rifle
It’s a sad thing that the Crossbow is so terrible. The weapon looks cool and is fun to use, but in a practicality sense, is not feasible. Its excruciatingly long reload time, incredibly slow rate of fire, and low bullet velocity make it practically unusable.
Dragunov (MW) -- Sniper Rifle
There’s no reason to use the Dragunov. It deals low damage and has high recoil, to the point where every other sniper rifle beats it. It’s a fun weapon to mess around with, but you aren’t going to win many gunfights with this one.
MK2 Carbine (MW) -- Marksman Rifle
It’s puzzling to think about why the MK2 Carbine is even in the game. You can’t use it up close and from afar, there are numerous options that overtake it in more ways than one. It has a slow rate of fire, low damage, low bullet velocity, and high recoil.
R1 Shadowhunter (CW) -- Marksman Rifle
The R1 Shadowhunter is the Cold War version of a Crossbow. Much like its counterpart, it’s awful. Its stats almost mirror the Modern Warfare Crossbow, but with even slower reload speeds.
Riot Shield (MW) -- Melee
The Riot Shield is barely a weapon in the eyes of many Warzone players. Sure, you can use it to hide in a corner and protect yourself, but if you’re against a decent player, you’re not going to stand a chance while using a Riot Shield.
D-Tier Call of Duty Warzone weapons
EBR-14 (MW) -- Marksman Rifle
You should avoid using the EBR-14, due to its high recoil and low damage. You’ll likely lose most gunfights at medium range with it because of its recoil and rate of fire, and you won’t have much luck at long range due to its low bullet velocity.
FN Scar 17 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
The FN Scar 17 has so much going against it. It has a low magazine size, slow fire rate, and is hard to control. It’s like a worse version of the AK-47, so we recommend avoiding this one if you can.
FR 5.56 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
Here’s the problem with the FR 5.56: It’s really difficult for all three of its shots to actually connect. With it being a triple burst weapon, you’d assume it would be effective, but since it’s so hard for all three bullets to land, it makes it hard to use in practice. You'll lose most gunfights when using this weapon, sadly.
Hauer 77 (CW) -- Shotgun
Once again, the Hauer 77 is a shotgun that is far too inconsistent to be useful in the heat of battle. It packs a punch, but you have to be within point-blank range to take advantage of that.
KSP 45 (CW) -- SMG
As with many of the low tier SMGs, the KSP 45 doesn’t stand a chance against the likes of the MAC-10 or MP5. Its other problem is that it’s a triple-burst weapon, which is awful when used up close. And at range, it won’t get you far since it has a low TTK.
M60 (CW) -- LMG
Unfortunately, the M60 is far too slow to compete with other LMGs or assault rifles in Warzone. When it hits, it deals high damage, but the M60 is just far too difficult to handle.
MG34 (MW) -- LMG
The MG34 is one of the worst LMGs in the game due to its slow reload times, slow ADS speeds, small mag size, and high recoil. Skip this one.
Model 680 (MW) -- Shotgun
When it comes to unreliable shotguns, it doesn’t get much worse than the Model 680. This thing is slow and has low range. There’s no reason to use this weapon when others are so much better in every regard.
PP19 Bizon (MW) -- SMG
The PP19 Bizon is particularly misleading since it looks and feels similar to the Bullfrog, but it’s nowhere near as good as its counterpart. Its TTK is just far too low up close, and is worse than most other SMGs in Warzone, even if it has a high mag count.
Striker 45 (MW) -- SMG
The Striker 45 is just all-around bad compared to other SMGs (and really any automatic weapon in general). It has a low TTK, and slow fire rate that make it practically unusable.
C-Tier Call of Duty Warzone weapons
AK-47 (CW) -- Assault Rifle
The biggest problem with the AK-47 is that it’s slow and has a lot of recoil. If you can land your shots, it’ll feel like it hits hard, but so many other weapons are more efficient.
AK-47 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
The Modern Warfare AK-47 is basically a mirror image of the Cold War version, only with a slower rate of fire. Pick this up if you need a secondary weapon, but we recommend swapping it as soon as you can.
AN-94 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
If not for its low TTK, the AN-94 would absolutely be a meta weapon. It’s laser accurate, easy to use, and lightweight. Again, it just can’t compete with other automatic assault rifles due to its disappointingly low TTK.
FARA 83 (CW) -- Assault Rifle
As much as players wanted the FARA 83 to be the next meta weapon, it’s not. The FARA isn’t awful, but it’s high recoil is hard to manage, especially for anything at 100 meters.
Holger-26 (MW) -- LMG
We don’t recommend the Holger-26. You can deck it out to feel like an assault rifle, but with only 30 mags, it’s tough to win firefights. If you use it as an LMG, it’s just too slow to compete.
ISO (MW) -- SMG
A high rate of fire makes the ISO seem attractive, but at the end of the day, there isn’t much reason to use it when so many SMGs are better up close, and at medium range. It also has a really low TTK.
Krig 6 (CW) -- Assault Rifle
There isn’t anything noteworthy about the Krig 6. It has too low of a TTK to make it viable against any of the top-tier assault rifles.
M91 (MW) -- LMG
If the M91 had better handling and accuracy, it would be a top-tier LMG. Sadly, it’s difficult to control and is essentially a worse version of the PKM, so we’d advise skipping it.
Milano 821 (CW) -- SMG
The Milano 821’s slow rate of fire isn’t doing it any favors. That, and the fact that it doesn’t compete with most SMGs up close, along with assault rifles at mid-range make this a bad choice.
QBZ-83 (CW) -- Assault Rifle
The theme of many of the C-tier weapons is that they don’t have a competitive TTK against the higher-tier weapons and that’s the same case with the QBZ-83. It’s not as good as something like the M4A1 up close or from afar, despite its relatively low recoil.
RPD (CW) -- LMG
As with many of the LMGs, the RPD is very slow and isn’t competitive compared to other top-tier weapons. Its TTK isn’t awful, but there isn’t much of a reason to use this one.
Rytec AMR (MW) -- Sniper Rifle
Many players consider the Rytec AMR to be a niche weapon, and while we certainly think it's much more usable than players give it credit for, there’s no reason to use it when the HDR or Kar98k do what it can do but better.
SKS (MW) -- Marksman Rifle
The SKS is a single-fire rifle, and is a lot like the FAL, only worse. Its biggest issues are its fire rate and low TTK, so if you want to use a single-fire weapon, just stick with the FAL.
Streetsweeper (CW) -- Shotgun
This weapon would be a lot better if its reload speed wasn’t so slow. In the heat of battle, you’ll likely find yourself running out of ammo within your drum, putting you in a bad position while you take time to reload. Aside from that, other shotguns beat it in terms of damage, so we recommend skipping this one, even if it does have a high fire rate.
Type 63 (CW) -- Tactical Rifle
It’s hard to recommend using the Type 63. While it does hit hard, its recoil is extremely tough to manage, and with it being a single-fire weapon, it’s already hard to use as it is. There are so many better choices.
VLK Rogue (MW) -- Shotgun
While the VLK Rogue does have decent range to make it seem worthwhile, it runs into the consistency problem of the other shotguns. You’ll likely lose more gunfights than you expect with this weapon.
B-Tier Call of Duty Warzone weapons
AK74u (CW) -- SMG
On paper, the AK74u should be one of the best choices for close range, but it struggles to compete with the MAC-10 or FFAR, and is not great at range. It isn’t bad, and is worth picking up as floor loot — it’s just not recommended as part of a loadout since so many weapons beat it in any given situation.
AS VAL (MW) -- Assault Rifle
Here’s the thing with the AS VAL: It’s excellent, but is capped at 30 rounds. This means you’ll be placing yourself in a bad spot if you’re facing more than two enemies at a time. Granted, its fire rate is one of the fastest in the game, but you’ll need to land all your shots to make it worth your time, which is easier said than done. Unless you’re highly skilled, we recommend using the FFAR or MAC-10 instead.
AUG (MW) -- SMG
If you want to use the Modern Warfare AUG, you have to use the 5.56 rounds for added damage, which takes up a precious attachment slot. Much like the AK74u, this weapon is fine, but so many other SMGs beat it.
AX-50 (MW) -- Sniper Rifle
You’ll see the trend with the B-tier weapons is that they’re all mostly great, but struggle to compete with others. That’s the case with the AX-50, a sniper that feels great to use, but doesn’t have the speed of the Kar98k or the bullet velocity of the HDR.
DMR 14 (CW) -- Tactical Rifle
The DMR used to be a meta weapon in Warzone, but after a nerf that increased its recoil, has dropped substantially. It’s still good and if you like to take slower, more deliberate shots, you’ll feel right at home with this weapon. You’ll just have a harder time keeping your crosshairs on your target, especially at over 200 meters away.
FAL (MW) -- Assault Rifle
While the FAL hits hard, its single-fire shots keep it from standing toe-to-toe against other long-range options. You can equip the triple burst shot on it to give it a boost, though.
Fennec (MW) -- SMG
The Fennec is excellent up close thanks to its fast rate of fire, but -- much like the M13, you’ll blow through ammo quickly while using it. Its downside is its low bullet velocity, meaning you have to be within 13 meters or so to make it worthwhile.
FiNN LMG (MW) -- LMG
With the FiNN, you’ll find a weapon that is mostly fine in many regards, but not remarkable in any way. It’s biggest fault is that it’s slow and has a long ADS time, so we can’t recommend this one over any of the faster assault rifles or LMGs.
JAK-12 (MW) -- Shotgun
The JAK-12 is rough because it’s inconsistent. Sometimes, it can eliminate enemies quickly, and other times it seems like you can’t win a gunfight with it. It’s not the worst shotgun in the game, but we’d advise sticking to the FFAR up close.
LC10 (CW) -- SMG
It’s a shame the LC10 isn’t just slightly better because it feels great to use and has a lot going for it. You’ll find it to be a great sniper complement for close to medium range, but good luck winning gunfights against the FFAR or MAC-10.
M82 (CW) -- Sniper Rifle
The M82 gets a bad rap from the community because it isn’t as good as the HDR or Kar98k. That’s true, but it’s a good sniper to practice with since it does deal high damage and has a fast rate of fire.
Oden (MW) -- Assault Rifle
To be frank, the Oden has a lot going against it. It’s not terrible, but is much harder to use than you might hope. It packs a serious punch, but has a low magazine size, high recoil, and a slow rate of fire. It deals the highest base damage of any assault rifle, so if you can keep up with your target, you’ll be in good shape.
Origin 12 Shotgun (MW) -- Shotgun
Like many of the shotguns we’ve covered thus far, the Origin 12 is just too inconsistent to recommend against the MAC-10 or others. It’s certainly viable, but you’ll likely lose more gunfights than you’d hope with it.
P90 (MW) -- SMG
We wish we could rank the P90 higher, but other SMGs are better in nearly every way. The nice thing is that it has a high magazine size and a high rate of fire, so if you’re accurate with your shots, it’s possible you could come out on top. But it’s much harder to use than some of its counterparts. Still, the P90 isn’t bad, and is quite fun to use.
PKM (MW) -- LMG
The PKM is a great weapon, especially at longer distances. If you mount it, you’ll feel unstoppable. It’s just unfortunate that it’s so slow, seeing as how it’s an LMG, which could cost you a gunfight.
R9-0 Shotgun (MW) -- Shotgun
You might find that the R9-0 is slightly more reliable than the shotguns we’ve discussed so far in the B tier. It still isn’t recommended when taking on someone with the MAC-10, but it’s a decent option.
SA87 (MW) -- LMG
We really love the SA87, even if it struggles to compete with other automatic weapons. The benefit is that it’s one of the lighter LMGs, making it easy to move around with. It also deals lots of damage, but that’s sadly offset by a slower fire rate.
Uzi (MW) -- SMG
The Uzi is an alright choice and has one of the higher bullet velocities compared to most SMGs. It has a decent damage profile and is mostly easy to control. Again, there are just so many better choices in this case.
A-Tier Call of Duty Warzone weapons
AUG (CW) -- Tactical Rifle
Without a doubt, the Cold War AUG is fantastic, even after its recent nerf. Raven bumped up its recoil, so it isn’t as viable as it once was, but it’s still a solid choice that rivals most medium- to long-range weapons in the game. Its triple burst hits hard, as long as you can land your shots and manage the recoil.
Bruen Mk9 (MW) -- LMG
The main reason the Bruen Mk9 is so good is that it’s very mobile and light, rivaling even the best assault rifles. It’s not quite as effective as the AMAX in terms of TTK, but some may find it’s easier to use.
Bullfrog (CW) -- SMG
The Bullfrog has everything going for it. It’s got high bullet velocity, a fast rate of fire, and deals lots of damage, making it one of the best (and underrated) SMGs in Warzone. While it might have trouble standing toe to toe with the FFAR or MAC-10, it takes the best of each, falling somewhere in the middle.
Gallo SA12 (CW) -- Shotgun
We normally wouldn’t advise using a shotgun in Warzone, but the Gallo SA12 deals enough damage and is consistent enough to recommend, especially to combat the MAC-10 or FFAR up close.
Grau 5.56 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
While the Grau 5.56 doesn’t hit as hard as you might like, it’s laser accurate, making it easy to use, especially at medium range. Its recoil is almost non-existent, so if you’re looking for a weapon that feels good to control, we recommend the Grau.
Groza (CW) -- Assault Rifle
The Groza is yet another underappreciated assault rifle, partly because of the likes of the FFAR. But if you want something that is easy to control with a competitive TTK and rate of fire, try the Groza.
Kilo 141 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
If you look at the Kilo 141 in a vacuum, it’s great in nearly every regard. The problem is that a lot of weapons do what it does, but better. Thankfully, its low recoil makes up for some of its shortcomings, allowing it to be a viable weapon that is easy to use, especially at medium to long range.
M4A1 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
In Warzone, you need lots of versatility in your loadout. That’s where the M4A1 shines. It’s not the best in any particular category, but works well up close, at medium range, or even at long range, and is one of the most well-rounded weapons in the game.
M13 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
The main thing to know about the M13 is that it has a fast rate of fire, which results in a relatively high TTK. This is a blessing and a curse, as it blows through ammo quickly. With that in mind, you’ll want to keep lots of ammo handy when using it.
MP5 (CW) -- SMG
Few weapons can compete with the MP5 up close. It deals high damage and has a fast rate of fire. The Cold War version has a slightly faster rate of fire, with lower damage than the Modern Warfare counterpart, so the difference between the two is hardly noticeable.
MP5 (MW) -- SMG
The Modern Warfare MP5 is a classic Warzone weapon, beat only by a handful of weapons up close. Use this weapon if you want something that packs a punch with manageable recoil.
MP7 (MW) -- SMG
The MP7 has taken a backseat to the likes of the FFAR and MAC-10, but it’s still a great weapon, due in part to its high rate of fire and mobility.
Pelington 703 (CW) -- Sniper Rifle
It’s hard to recommend the Pelington 703 over something like the Kar98k or Tundra, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great weapon. It has high damage and fast ADS speeds that place it at the top of the sniper list, even if it isn’t the absolute best.
RAM-7 (MW) -- Assault Rifle
You’ll want to use the RAM-7 during medium- to long-range engagements, which is where it shines the most, thanks to its fast rate of fire and respectable TTK. Plus, it’s relatively easy to use.
SP-R 208 (MW) -- Marksman Rifle
The SP-R 208 is slightly worse than the Kar98k in a couple categories, but is still a top-tier sniper. You might like the way it handles, and it technically does deal marginally more damage than the Kar98k, so it’s not a bad choice at all.
Stoner 63 (CW) -- LMG
The Stoner 63 is an excellent choice for those who want to use an automatic weapon at medium to long range. It’s slow since it’s an LMG, but due to its high TTK, we recommend giving this a try.
XM4 (CW) -- Assault Rifle
With the XM4, you’ll find another great all-around weapon. Like the M4A1, it doesn’t particularly shine brightly in any area, but works well in a lot of situations. Its TTK is decent, it has good bullet velocity, and a competitive rate of fire against other assault rifles.
ZRG 20MM (CW) -- Sniper Rifle
The newest sniper in Warzone is the ZRG 20mm, and it’s fairly competitive against the best in the game. It has a fast rate of fire, great bullet velocity and high damage. The only thing holding it back is slow ADS speeds.
S-Tier Call of Duty Warzone weapons
CR-56 AMAX (MW) -- Assault Rifle
Let’s finish off with one of the best fully automatic assault rifles, the CR-56 AMAX. This weapon has an extremely fast time to kill (TTK), and is great for medium to long-range scenarios. There is a bit of a learning curve when using this weapon, as it does have moderately high recoil. But its TTK is so fast that it’s relatively forgiving, since you only need to hit five to eight shots to eliminate a fully plated enemy.
FFAR 1 (CW) -- Assault Rifle
Although Raven nerfed the FFAR 1 slightly, it’s still one of the absolute best weapons in the game. This is due to its fast TTK, absurd rate of fire, and lightweight form that allows it to function as an SMG. Full stop, you’ll likely win any gunfight up close with the FFAR.
HDR (MW) -- Sniper Rifle
When it comes to long-range snipers with high bullet velocity, it’s tough to beat the HDR. This is the sniper you’ll want to use for long distances of over 400 meters and beyond. It’s slow and heavy, but its bullet velocity makes up for it.
Kar98k (MW) -- Marksman Rifle
Serving as sort of the antithesis to the HDR, the Kar98k is a much lighter rifle, meant for fast-paced engagements. It’s primarily used at long range, but you’ll want to stick within 200 meters to use this weapon effectively.
LW3 - Tundra (CW) -- Sniper Rifle
A less-used sniper rifle, the LW3 - Tundra is one of the absolute best in the game, due in part to its high damage and bullet velocity. It’s pretty much the only thing that can even rival the HDR in terms of range. What’s even more ideal about this is that you can use the Royal & Cross 4x scope to negate sniper glint.
M16 (CW) -- Tactical Rifle
Previously, players gravitated towards the AUG as the go-to burst rifle, but now that it has been nerfed, the M16 has taken its place. The great thing about this triple burst rifle is that its recoil pattern goes in one direction: Up. This makes it easy to manage, allowing you to take down opponents in two bursts if you land your shots.
MAC-10 (CW) -- SMG
If you’re looking for an effective close-range option, the MAC-10 should be at the top of your list. This is due to its high rate of fire, lightweight form, and ease of use. Its fire rate is slower than the FFAR’s, but thanks to the MAC-10’s mobility, you can aim down sights (ADS) faster with it, which makes it a competitive choice up close.
