The best Black Ops 6 guns to use in Season 3

Three seasons in and the best guns in Black Ops 6 continue to shake up the meta, with plenty of new additions joining the pack. There isn’t a whole lot of variety here — as usual, the best guns in this Call of Duty game are typically short to mid-range automatic weapons, due to their versatility, and since Black Ops 6 stripped back the loadout system, there aren’t as many unique builds.

However, each of these top ten guns does have its own strengths and weaknesses, and we’ve tested each and every gun in the game to discover what the best loadouts are. From assault rifles and SMGs to shotguns and sniper rifles, not all of them feature here, but we’ve put them through their paces to identify the very best. If you’ve played a Call of Duty game before, some of these will feel very familiar because, as usual, plenty of these guns are almost identical to prior inclusions, albeit with a different name.

Here’s our ranking of the top ten best guns in the Black Ops 6 meta in Season 3.

Black Ops 6 best guns in the Season 3 meta

The best guns in Black Ops 6 right now are:

While the assault rifle meta is still alive and kicking, there’s been a fair amount of shuffling with the specific guns featured. The Krig C and the XM4 still take the top two spots, but they’re followed up with three all-new entries to the list. The Kilo 141, obtainable by simply booting up Warzone now Verdansk has returned, enters the fray in the final podium spot.

This is followed by the KSV, a launch weapon that has had a surge in performance and can now be considered the best SMG in the game, and the CR-56 AMAX, another brand new Season 3 addition. The bottom half of the list doesn’t feature any new additions, but the order has seen some changes, with the AS VAL dropping down to sixth place.

The Jackal PDW is still a solid SMG in the seventh spot, followed by the PPSh-41. Rounding out the list is the Cypher 091, Season 2’s third-placed best gun, and the only marksman rifle in the list, the AEK-973. This means both the LW3A1 sniper rifle and the Saug SMG have dropped out of the top ten. (Press F to pay respects.)

Here’s some more info on each of the ten best guns in Black Ops 6:

1. Krig C (assault rifle)

Choosing between the Krig C and the XM4 is mostly down to personal preference because they both fill the same role, but the Krig C is the new kid on the block, why not take it for a spin? This is a gun that can perform in every situation, so the best Krig C loadout focuses on that. Now that Season 2 has finished, you can unlock the Krig C via the armory.

You’ll want to try and manage the recoil with attachments such as the Ported Compensator, Vertical Foregrip, and Recoil Springs, as all of these contribute to the accuracy. Stick on a Long Barrel for the extra damage range and voila! You’ll have a laser beam that will decimate enemies at range.

2. XM4 (assault rifle)

When it comes to jack-of-all-trades, you can’t look further than the XM4. We have the best XM4 loadout covered in a separate guide, but what you’re getting with this gun is your bog-standard assault rifle that can do everything. Fighting through hallways and tight corners? Posted up behind cover? Running and gunning? The XM4 is your weapon, especially when you factor in that it unlocks at level four, making it the perfect choice for new players.

It doesn’t truly excel at any one thing, but what that means is you will want to kit it out to deal with any situation. A decent optical sight is a necessity, then we’d recommend going for attachments that improve the damage, range, and recoil control. A foregrip is essential, as is the Long or Reinforced Barrel when you unlock them.

3. Kilo 141 (assault rifle)

The Kilo 141 initially debuted in Modern Warfare and Warzone. Much like the top two guns on this list, it’s another fully automatic assault rifle, albeit with a slightly faster fire rate but more recoil to compensate. To unlock the Kilo 141, you just have to install and load up Warzone, as the gun has returned alongside the original Verdansk map.

Our best Kilo 141 loadout in Black Ops 6 utilizes Gunfighter to permit eight attachments, turning it into an absolute machine. The goal is to minimize the recoil and allow it to shred at range, because there are enough guns in the game already to handle combat at close range. A reliable optical sight alongside attachments such as the Compensator, Long Barrel, and Vertical Foregrip are essential.

4. KSV (SMG)

The first SMG in the list, the KSV is somewhat of a late bloomer in Black Ops 6. In the current meta, this is the best performing gun at close range as it has a lot of recoil, but it deals very impressive damage with a high fire rate to compensate. You can unlock the KSV at level 7 in Black Ops 6, making it another solid option for players new to the game.

When building the KSV, since it already has excellent damage, you want to equip attachments like the Compensator and Long Barrel to enhance its accuracy. You’re not losing any handling capabilities by doing this, you’re simply enabling the gun to compete at both short and mid-range.

5. CR-56 AMAX (assault rifle)

The other brand-new gun in Season 3 makes its way onto the list too, as the CR-56 AMAX is another assault rifle worthy of your time. It’s slightly more difficult to unlock compared to the Kilo 141 as you need to complete page six of the Season 3 battle pass, or if you’re reading this after the season has finished, you’ll need to unlock it via the armory.

Again, this is a gun that excels at being an all-rounder, but our recommended CR-56 AMAX loadout is actually a little unorthodox. It fits a much different playstyle as we opt for the M-67 10-R Mags, which mean each shot deals considerably more damage, but you’re limited to ten bullets per magazine and it can only be used in semi-auto mode. You’ll need to adopt a slower style of play, but when you have so many other guns filling that jack-of-all-trades role, why not switch it up for this gun since the option is here?

6. AS VAL (assault rifle)

The AS VAL is an interesting assault rifle because it has a built-in suppressor by default. This makes it perfect for those of you who like to keep a low profile when playing, but it also excels in Search & Destroy, as opposed to respawn modes, thanks to how slow the pace is. It’s a solid assault rifle choice though thanks to how much damage it puts out. You don’t unlock it until level 55, though, so it’s a bit of a grind.

That said, you don’t want to be running and gunning with this gun. You should be playing slowly and methodically, aiming around each corner and using cover. The goal should be to compete at mid-long range with it, so pick attachments that contribute towards that such as the Reinforced Barrel, Vertical Foregrip, and Recoil Springs. We’d also strongly suggest picking an Extended Mag; without it, the AS VAL only has 20 bullets per magazine.

You can read more about our picks in our best AS VAL loadout guide.

7. Jackal PDW (SMG)

While the Jackal PDW has been nerfed slightly since its domination during the first weekend of the Black Ops 6 beta, it’s still the second strongest SMG in the game overall.

Our best Jackal PDW loadout is the build you want to use with this fast-firing SMG, because it will shred your enemies to pieces up close, and if you utilize the attachments we recommend, you’ll be running and gunning without aiming down the sights whatsoever. However, it isn’t unlocked until level 43, so you’ll need to wait a little while before kitting it out.

For the most part, you want to use a laser (the Steady Aim Laser or Fast Motion Laser will do the job) alongside the CQB Grip and No Stock. This will make the Jackal PDW an absolute machine up close. For the final two attachments, we’d recommend one of the two Fast Mags, the Ranger Foregrip, the Short Barrel if you’ve leveled the gun up high enough, or the Suppressor.

8. PPSh-41 (SMG)

Another Season 2 gun that finds its way onto our list of the best guns in Black Ops 6 is the PPSh-41, a familiar face for anyone who has played any of the World War II-set Call of Duty games. It’s an absolute machine up close, but it does have a lot of recoil, so our guide to the best PPSh-41 loadout in Black Ops 6 takes advantage of that, maximizing your mobility options.

Since Season 2 has come to a close now, you can unlock the PPSh-41 via the armory. When you’ve got your hands on it, you should kit it out with attachments that enhance its mobility and firepower, such as the Short Barrel, Light Stock, and Strelok Laser. While you may be tempted to kit it out for mid-range engagements, we don’t recommend it because it shines when you lean into the up close and personal nature of it.

9. Cypher 091 (assault rifle)

The Cypher 091 is very similar to, uh, most of the other assault rifles in the game in that it can perform every job, but its major strength lies in its lack of recoil. Our guide to the best Cypher 091 loadout covers exactly how you should build this Season 2 assault rifle.

Thankfully, the iron sights on the Cypher 091 are pretty decent so you don’t need to opt for an optical sight, and when you pair that with the fact you only need a touch more recoil management, buff the damage range, then you can whack on the Rapid Fire mod to absolutely shred through foes with ease. You’ll need to acquire this one from the armory, though.

10. AEK-973 (marksman rifle)

Unlocked at level 34, the AEK-973 can tear through enemies with one burst if you’re lucky, and reliably with two. You need to be able to land your shots, so focus on managing the recoil, but once you do, the AEK-973 is perfect for playing slowly, tactically, and making your way around the map methodically.

We’d recommend the Ported Compensator and Reinforced Barrel attachments to assist with taking enemies out at range, along with the Vertical Foregrip to manage the horizontal recoil. The Commando Grip, on the other hand, buffs the aim down sight and sprint to fire speed so you have a little more mobility. An optical sight is necessary due to the poor iron sights on the gun, but the one you go for is personal preference – we like the Accu-Spot Ultra Holo due to the 3x zoom and unobstructed view.

Other loadouts we can recommend are the AMES 85 and the AK-74, plus it’s worth an honorable mention for our best C9 loadout suggestion. The MP5-inspired SMG isn’t worthy of inclusion on this list, but it is still very strong with the right attachments, and deserves your time once you’ve exhausted the KSV.

Elsewhere, we have explainers on maps and Double XP, as well as guides for the campaign, including safehouse puzzles and safe code locations.