Call of Duty: Warzone has a new sniper rifle – the ZRG 20mm. The piece shines with strong values and very good traits for long and medium ranges. An expert calls it “the new best sniper” and MeinMMO shows you why.
The ZRG 20mm is a sniper rifle with a bolt mechanism and was the last new weapon from the Season 2 of Black Ops Cold War to come to Call of Duty: Warzone. After a few days of leveling and testing, it turns out – this thing is a real force in Battle Royale.
For sniper players who use their sniper rifle for medium and long ranges, there is currently no better choice. At least that’s what the Warzone expert and CoD YouTuber “TrueGameData” says. In a video titled “ZRG is the new BEST SNIPER in Warzone!” he presents the advantages of the weapon and a meta setup, and MeinMMO summarizes his insights for you. We embed his English YouTube video here:
Forget the HDR – ZRG 20mm rocks the long ranges
Why is the ZRG 20mm the new best sniper rifle? At medium and long ranges, the HDR from Modern Warfare was considered the best alternative for sniper players for a long time. Despite its specialization, it is one of the 10 most popular weapons in Warzone (as of April 14, 2021 – via wzranked.com) and is a reliable partner in taking out targets that are far away.
However, the competitor ZRG leaves the old HDR behind and is now considered by “TrueGameData” to be the best sniper rifle you can use for great distances. He explains this with 5 reasons:
- The recoil of the ZRG is weaker
- “Re-Centering” after a shot
- The aim down sights (ADS) time is faster
- Bullet speed is higher
- Higher rate of fire
5 Reasons for the ZRG 20mm
Reason 1 – The recoil: While the HDR kicks hard after a shot and nearly throws you around, the ZRG remains smooth. The recoil is significantly lower, allowing you to reacquire your target much faster.
Reason 2 – Re-Centering: Along with the low recoil, the ZRG also offers pleasant re-centering. The weapon quickly returns to its starting position after a shot. This feature is almost completely absent in the HDR – after a shot, you look where the recoil has thrown you.
Reason 3 – ADS Speed: With a meta build of the HDR, you need almost 600 milliseconds to aim down sights. This value is high, but quite acceptable for a sniper rifle with high range. Strong setups of the ZRG bring you to aim down sights in about 550 milliseconds – a saving of around 10%, which makes the ZRG a bit more agile.
Reason 4 – Bullet Speed: The ZRG is slightly above the bullet speed of the HDR. The values at 500 meters are:
- 1,230 meters/second for the ZRG
- 1,210 meters/second for the HDR
The interesting thing: In Warzone, bullets lose speed at greater distances, and at 900 meters, the HDR comes out ahead. This means that the ZRG has better values than the HDR at shorter distances between 100 – 400 meters.
500 meters is already very far for a kill in Warzone – 900 meters even more so. At the important sniper distances below 500 meters, the ZRG has the edge even further.
Reason 5 – Rate of Fire: Lastly, the ZRG 20mm wins in rate of fire. It is more than 30% higher than the HDR’s rate, allowing you to fire more quickly. While the HDR only pumps out 32 shots per minute, the ZRG achieves 43.8 shots per minute.
Bonus Point – Headshot Hitbox: Another point raised by the seasoned Warzone player TrueGameData concerns strange experiences with the hitbox for headshots. He finds it easier to land headshots. And the hit area that counts as a headshot seems larger to him than with the usual sniper weapons in Warzone. He couldn’t measure it precisely, but for him, the ZRG has additional advantages here.
Advantages of the HDR and what about the Kar 98k?
Point for the HDR – Scopes: Currently, the Warzone data analyst recommends the standard scope of the ZRG 20mm. He would take a larger scope, but the large ultra-zoom scope is buggy and interferes in certain gameplay situations. Here, the HDR is still ahead, as with one of the variable zoom scopes, you can get much closer to your enemy.
What about the Kar 98k? TrueGameData explains that the World War weapon is still the best sniper rifle for players who use their sniper at short distances. However, the situation changes for all-round and long-range snipers:
- Without ZRG 20mm
- Short distance: Kar 98k
- All-round sniper: SP-R 208 (Norma ammunition)
- Long distance: HDR
- With ZRG 20mm
- Short distance: Kar 98k
- All-round sniper: ZRG 20mm
- Long distance: ZRG 20mm
If you are looking for a sniper rifle that is not specialized for short distances, then in the future go for the ZRG 20mm.
CoD Warzone: Expert ZRG 20mm Setup
- Muzzle: Agency Sound Suppressor
- Barrel: 43.9″ Combat Recon
- Underbarrel: Bipod
- Ammunition: 5-round
- Grip: Snake Wrap
With suppressor and barrel, you achieve the high bullet speed, which makes hits at long distances easier. The ZRG 20mm, according to TrueGameData, enters the second damage range at nearly 100 meters with this setup. From here, you need 3 chest hits for a kill (2 before). Headshots are always K.O. shots.
The larger magazine is important for the ZRG. The standard magazine only holds a meager 3 rounds and definitely needs an upgrade. The grip gives you a nice ADS boost.
However, the bipod underbarrel is not necessary. The advantages are minimal, and if you want to use a larger scope, save on the underbarrel. Currently, you should only resort to the “Rangefinder – 6x”. The very large 20x scope is buggy.
Since the introduction of the SP-R 208 in September 2020, there have been no major shifts among the best sniper weapons in Warzone, and with the ZRG 20mm, there is once again movement in the game. The weapon seems to still have a few quirks (scope/hitboxes), but for TrueGameData, the new sniper takes the throne of the best sniper rifles for long distances in Battle Royale.
It will be exciting to see how the meta evolves with Season 3. Currently, tactical rifles are in the spotlight – first and foremost, the M16, which is considered the best weapon in Warzone after the AUG was nerfed. However, the M16 is also facing diminishing returns, and further nerfs are expected. For medium and long ranges, the ZRG 20mm is ready to take on the fight.
