The Bruen Mk9 currently dominates Call of Duty: Warzone. Many players forget that there are other LMGs that can still be powerful. Pro player Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff has showcased a build for one of these rarely used LMGs that allows him to excel.
What kind of LMG is this? The PKM was the strongest LMG until the release of the Bruen Mk9 and was listed as one of the best weapons in each category. However, since the Bruen came out, it is hardly used anymore.
Although it still ranks among the strongest weapons in terms of damage and handling, its long reload time poses problems. This was also one of the reasons why the Bruen has replaced it, as the Bruen can be built into a faster, more mobile weapon.
What kind of build is this? Nickmercs relies on the PKM’s strengths in his build: taking down enemies with a few shots while maintaining high accuracy, especially at medium range.
According to him, the PKM in this setup aims quickly, allowing you to squeeze a bit more range out of the weapon. You can learn more about the weapon in our detailed guide to the PKM with the best attachments and setups.
PKM Build for Warzone – A Rival to the Bruen
How to recreate the build: You will need the following attachments:
- Muzzle: Suppressor (Monolithic)
- Barrel: Extended 26.9″ Barrel
- Laser: Tactical Laser
- Optic: VLK 3.0 Optic
- Underbarrel: Grip
The suppressor has become a standard attachment that mainly increases damage and range, and only incidentally suppresses noise. The barrel and optic provide more range.
With the laser, you don’t have to rely on aiming at shorter distances, allowing you to shoot accurately even from the hip.
However, the major feature is the grip. It is not one of the best underbarrel attachments for better aiming since it is specifically available for the PKM at level 45. It not only improves aiming but also allows you to aim more quickly.
What are the advantages? With this setup, you focus entirely on damage and accuracy – at the expense of mobility. This allows you to fully exploit the strengths of an LMG. The advantages of the setup are:
- a relatively low TTK – About 15 bullets are enough to kill an enemy
- 100 rounds in the magazine – More than most weapons, and it’s enough for 2 squads
- high accuracy at longer distances without compromising close combat
You should primarily use the PKM in more open areas where you can spot enemies well – such as in open fields or at the airfield. Here, other players should pose little threat to you. Nickmercs showcases his setup impressively in action in the video:
What are the disadvantages? You need almost 8 seconds to reload, which is more than enough time for most enemies to take you out if you can’t kill them. If you need to reload without cover or fire protection from teammates, you are essentially left completely unprotected.
Although the setup is strong, the Bruen is still better mainly for this reason. The PKM does surpass it in damage and precision, but the reload time and lack of mobility negate the benefits. Pro player Vikkstar has already explained what makes the Bruen so powerful.
In general, however, the two weapons are designed for slightly different playstyles. This PKM build is more suitable for players who prefer “traditional” LMG gameplay, while the Bruen behaves more like an assault rifle, also due to the (typically equipped) smaller magazine. If you want to compare the weapons further, you can find our detailed guide to the Bruen Mk9 here.
