In Battlefield 6 you can play with over 60 different weapons. If you don’t have time to test them all, we provide you here with a summary of the best weapons, so you can decide which firearms to level up first.
How is this list compiled? In this list we show you the best weapons. However, since there are no weapons in Battlefield that are outstanding in every situation, we looked at which weapons can be played as versatile as possible. Therefore, you will mainly find all-rounders in this list that perform well at short, medium, and long distances.
Since Battlefield 6 relies on both open and limited weapon modes, and many strong weapons are only unlocked late, this list features the best starter weapons as well as the best weapons of each type, such as the best assault rifle or the best SMG. The selection is based on the author’s experiences and research within the community.
As a bonus, we also mention the weapons with the lowest recoil.
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Update, October 22, 2025: We have updated the list of the best weapons and swapped some weapons out.
The best starter weapons
At the beginning, weapons that you can unlock relatively quickly or even have unlocked from the start are especially suitable. With the following four weapons, you will be equipped for short, medium, and long distances at the beginning with every class.
Here are our recommendations:
The M4A1 (Carbine)
What makes the weapon so good:
- Excellent time-to-kill due to high fire rate and solid damage – even at medium range.
- Becomes noticeably better and more versatile the longer you play it. The attachments significantly improve precision and recoil.
- While the recoil is quite high, it is very vertical, making it easy to control with a bit of practice. Here lies the advantage in direct comparison to the M433, which has a stronger horizontal recoil.
SGX (SMG)
What makes the weapon so good:
- Precise SMG with low recoil, melts enemies at close range, and is also well controllable at medium distances.
- Overall, a weapon with strong time-to-kill in close combat.
- Players in the open beta can play the SGX in the so-called “Domination” configuration. This variant already has attachments like a strong suppressor and a quick reload magazine unlocked, which you would otherwise have to unlock through weapon mastery.
M87A1 (Shotgun)
What makes the weapon so good:
- Shotgun with high damage. Not as good as in the open beta, but still capable of dominating at close range.
M2010 ESR
What makes the weapon so good:
- The three sniper rifles all deal the same damage, making the M2010, available from level 1, competitive right from the start.
- With the extended barrel, it has a better projectile speed than the SV-98 and the PSR, making it easier to hit moving targets at long distances.
- Has a comfortable sweet spot of around 80 meters that allows you to one-shot enemies with body shots – on the maps of Battlefield 6, you often have targets in sight that are about 80 meters away.
- Buyers of the Phantom Edition can play the M2010 ESR from the start in the so-called “Shadow Strike” configuration. This variant is equipped with attachments like a suppressor, rangefinder, and extended barrel that you would otherwise have to unlock through weapon mastery.
Why we don’t recommend an assault rifle or LMG? Especially in the first hours of the game, the M4A1 surpasses the M433 and the L110 in terms of flexibility due to its high time-to-kill and its more vertical recoil. However, both weapons have their own strengths and should not be underestimated. This also depends on your own preference and playstyle. The M433 has its strengths at short to medium range. All three weapons benefit from unlocking and equipping new attachments. However, since you can play the M4A1 with the class regardless of the mode, it is advisable to prefer the carbine over the assault rifle and the LMG.
Below you will find the overall best weapons of Battlefield 6. Some of them you may need to unlock first through your level or challenges. How to level up fastest can be read here:
The best weapons of Battlefield 6 by weapon type
The best assault rifle – TR-7
What makes the weapon so good: The TR-7 has a very good time-to-kill. Together with the B36A4, it is the assault rifle with the third highest fire rate while also being the assault rifle with the highest damage alongside the AK4D. You notice it while playing: This thing hits hard.
This strength comes at the cost of relatively high recoil and a rather small magazine of only 20 rounds – which is usually sufficient to take out multiple enemies. You can compensate for the high recoil by switching to single shot mode at greater distances. With the good damage, you can still get kills that are typically too far away for an assault rifle (and other assault rifles).
Alternative: The KORD 6P67 is an alternative that you should definitely keep an eye on. For slightly reduced damage, it offers the highest fire rate of all assault rifles, along with a controllable recoil and more rounds in the standard magazine. In theory, this sounds very strong, but in practice, the weapon felt inconsistent and was more affected by the so-called “weapon bloom.”
The best carbine – M4A1
What makes the weapon so good: As already described with the starter weapons, the M4A1 is a strong all-rounder that is good at short distances, excels at medium distances, and is still decent at somewhat greater distances since its relatively high recoil is easy to control with practice due to its vertical alignment. Additionally, with its strong time-to-kill, you are not as dependent on hitting the head as with the AK-205.
If you are still looking for a strong build for the M4A1:
Alternative: The SG 553 R is currently probably the best alternative to the M4A1. The carbine, which you must unlock through challenges, causes higher damage at lower fire rate. However, opponents still go down at roughly the same speed. Thus, it’s up to you whether you prefer the high fire rate or opt for higher damage – of course, considering the recoil. If you can’t control the M4A1 at all, feel free to try out the SG 553 R.
The best SMG – SCW-10
What makes the weapon so good: The SCW-10 is nearly unstoppable in close combat. Due to its low recoil and high damage, it is also a solid choice at medium distances. It has a relatively high fire rate, though not as extreme as the KV9. This makes it easier to take down two enemies with one magazine using the SCW-10. The KV9, in contrast, runs out of ammo very quickly. If you miss a shot with it, it can quickly end badly. The SCW-10 offers easier magazine management without being less deadly. Additionally, you can quickly unlock a variable scope that allows you to choose a zoom level between 1x and 5x.
Alternative: No SMG shines in all respects without making significant sacrifices. Some have fewer rounds per magazine, others have lower damage per shot or lower fire rates. If you just want to melt enemies, the aforementioned KV9 is probably the best alternative. At close range, you will not lose a gunfight with it – unless you completely miss your shots.
The best LMG – M123K
What makes the weapon so good: The M123K has the highest fire rate of all LMGs and doesn’t have to make noticeable sacrifices. It has 100 rounds in the belt, deals average damage, and has controllable recoil. With its fire rate, you can play it relatively aggressively, but you can also use it for suppression fire, typical for LMGs, by firing in bursts.
Alternative: The KTS100 MK8 is an interesting alternative. The LMG plays fundamentally differently than the M123K and has a very low fire rate. However, the KTS is truly a laser, allowing you to take on even a sniper at long distances – because with the 60-round magazine, which can be reduced for faster reloads, you can keep the sniper at bay. This works particularly well because the LMG has a high projectile speed. Additionally, you can get on target relatively quickly and can reload relatively fast.
Since you don’t have to equip almost any attachments to reduce recoil, you can turn the KTS into a deadly long-range fighter, for example, with improved ammunition that increases your headshot multiplier.
The best DMR – SVK-8.6
What makes the weapon so good: Here we need to elaborate a bit more to explain why the SVK is the best DMR.
DMRs suffer in Battlefield 6 from the layout and size of the maps. Assault rifles, carbines, and LMGs are significantly stronger at short to medium ranges than DMRs, and at long ranges up to 70 meters, the fully automatic fire mode still makes them good enough that switching to a DMR would often be a disadvantage. And if you do want to cover longer distances effectively, reaching for the right sniper rifle often seems to be the better choice. These weapons deal more damage and can even kill with torso hits in their sweet spot with one shot. Therefore, DMRs have not yet really found their place on the current maps, where they could shine as a compromise.
However, the SVK deals significantly more damage, even if its fire rate is lower than that of other DMRs. The high damage allows the SVK to eliminate any opponent with two body shots. This makes it a sensible alternative to the otherwise superior sniper rifles at distances up to about 70 meters.
The best sniper rifle – M2010 ESR
What makes the weapon so good: All sniper rifles deal the same damage. However, the M2010 has the highest fire rate and, with the extended barrel, also the highest projectile speed. Additionally, you can play it from the start without having to unlock it through tedious challenges. The PSR requires about 150 headshot kills with sniper rifles over 150 meters.
Note: We have not yet tested the PSR and therefore cannot say if it plays significantly better than the other sniper rifles. On paper, however, the M2010 does not seem worse than the PSR, but it does not require challenges to unlock.
The best shotgun – M1014
What makes the weapon so good: The M1014 can, with the right attachments, replace the already very strong M87A2 as the best shotgun. It has a significantly faster fire rate and still deals enough damage at close range to send enemies to their demise with one shot.
The weapons with the lowest recoil
What are these weapons? Among automatic weapons, there is one firearm in each category that is extremely precise and has low recoil. These weapons, equipped with improved ammunition like hollow-point bullets or synthetic-tipped rounds, are true headshot machines and good alternatives for medium to long distances.
| Assault Rifle | SOR-556 MK2 |
| SMG | SL9 |
| LMG | KTS100 MK8 |
| Carbine | AK-205 |
Besides the best weapons, the right graphics settings are important in Battlefield 6. The goal should be to have as many FPS as possible while not ruining the game’s visuals. You also want to be able to recognize enemies well at greater distances. Which settings we recommend can be read here: Battlefield 6: The best graphics settings for PC – How to get the most FPS out
