![The Division: The best assault rifle [Update]](https://images.mein-mmo.de/medien/2016/04/division-bestes-st.jpg){kind=small}
In The Division, a video has been released that thoroughly examines the assault rifles. The aim is to find an answer to the question: Which is the best assault rifle in The Division?
In The Division, everything revolves around weapons and armor pieces: The agents roam through the post-apocalyptic New York, always on the lookout for fresh, better items. Presumably, every agent has once asked themselves which weapon is the best. After all, no one really believes that all weapons should be equally powerful.
This question was addressed by the YouTuber WOBO: He thoroughly examined which assault rifle stands out in The Division. He describes his video as the “ultimate guide to assault rifles in The Division”. The comments and opinions below the video and in the Reddit forum are overwhelmingly positive; every agent must have seen this video. Apparently, the YouTuber has done a great job. We present his results.
These are the assault rifles in The Division
First, WOBO lists all the assault rifles in The Division. These can be categorized into six types:
ACR, AK, FAL, P416, M4, and SCAR [Update: And G36]
What are the differences among these assault rifles?
What makes the ACR assault rifles in The Division special
Among the ACR assault rifles, there are the ACR, the Enhanced ACR-E, and the Tactical ACR. All three weapons have the same stats:
- Rate of fire: 760
- Mag: 30
- Precision: 55
- Reload speed: 2.7s
- Range: 27m
- Stability: 34
The ACRs exhibit high vertical and horizontal stability; however, the reticle quickly spreads, making multiple headshots in succession nearly impossible. Although the sound of these weapons is promising, the base damage is low compared to the other assault rifles.
What makes the AK assault rifles in The Division special
Here we find the AK-74 – Black Market version, the Classic AK-47, and the Military AK-47M. All three weapons have the same stats, but the Classic AK-47 has a different character than the others. First, the stats:
- Rate of fire: 600
- Mag: 30
- Precision: 54
- Reload speed: 3.0s
- Range: 26m
- Stability: 37
The Classic AK-74 is the version on which the Warlord in The Division is based. It has been regarded as a disappointment by many agents. The Classic AK-74 seems to have a mind of its own; it is very difficult to control, and the bullets scatter wildly towards enemies. Precise shots are hardly possible. The other two AKs have fewer stability issues and are much more popular among agents.
Compared to the other assault rifles, the AKs have a lower optimal range and the longest reload time.
What makes the FAL assault rifles in The Division special
Among the FALs, you will find the Classic FAL, the Military SA-58, and the Tactical SA-58. All three have the same stats:
- Rate of fire: 650
- Mag: 20
- Precision: 47
- Reload speed: 2.8s
- Range: 32m
- Stability: 29
The FAL assault rifles have the best optimal range of all “assault rifles” and boast the highest base damage. However, mastering these weapons is quite challenging. They tend to pull upwards, making it hard to fire multiple shots in a row before you have to awkwardly realign the weapon at the enemies. The FALs do not allow for sustained fire; here it requires reactive shooting, which results in a realistic DPS value being lower than stated.
What makes the P416 assault rifles in The Division special
Here are the Custom P416 G3 and the Military P146. According to statistics, this type of assault rifle is the worst on the list: They have low damage and a low optimal range. Here are the stats:
- Rate of fire: 750
- Mag: 30
- Precision: 46
- Reload speed: 2.75s
- Range: 26m
- Stability: 39
Moreover, the P416 assault rifles tend to pull left when firing continuously, the YouTuber states, regardless of how much horizontal stability you add to the weapon. This type of assault rifle is likely to be regarded as mediocre; compared to the other featured weapons, the P416 assault rifles do not excel in any stats.
What makes the M4 assault rifles in The Division special
Among the M4 assault rifles, you will find the Lightweight M4, the Police M4, and the LVOA-C. These assault rifles differ significantly from one another. Here are the base stats:
- Rate of fire: 850
- Mag: 30
- Precision: 61
- Reload speed: 2.9s
- Range: 28m
- Stability: 38
The Lightweight M4 varies slightly in these stats, having a precision of only 60 and a stability of 37.
The M4 assault rifles have high base damage; however, their stability leaves much to be desired. At range, it is nearly impossible to land multiple hits in succession, even with appropriate mods. And since submachine guns perform better at short distances, the M4s do not impress significantly. With one exception:
The LVOA-C does not pull horizontally at all, but it has extreme vertical instability. The YouTuber claims that this weapon pulls upwards more than any other weapon in the game he has used so far. If you can control this, however, the LVOA-C is the best assault rifle of the M4 type.
What makes the SCAR assault rifles in The Division special
This type of assault rifle includes the SCAR-L, the SOCOM SCAR-L, and the Tactical MK 16. All have the same character, only the Tactical Mk 16 has a lower precision of 52. Otherwise, the stats are:
- Rate of fire: 625
- Mag: 30
- Precision: 59
- Reload speed: 2.7s
- Range: 28m
- Stability: 33
The SCARs have a high optimal range, fast reload speed, and good base damage. Stability is also remarkable. However, the rapidly opening reticle does not allow for precise shots in succession, which is a significant downside to this otherwise excellent type of assault rifle. However, this can be addressed.
Which is the best assault rifle in PvE and PvP in The Division?
As the YouTuber mentions, the submachine guns are superior to the assault rifles in The Division when enemies are no further than 20 meters away. Assault rifles need to shine at medium range, around 20-40 meters. However, all the presented assault rifles struggle in this regard, as either stability is wildly poor, or the reticle does not permit precise shots. So should we completely avoid assault rifles in The Division?
The YouTuber’s answer is: No! There is hope for the assault rifles in the form of a weapon talent that only two types of assault rifles can benefit from.
This talent is called Balanced: The weapon reaches maximum precision faster when shouldered. This effect means that the reticles of the weapons no longer spread apart, making precise kills possible even at range. Thus, you can turn your assault rifle into a precise weapon of mass destruction, as the spread is significantly reduced even at distance.
The two types of assault rifles that can benefit from this are the slowly firing AKs and the SCARs, with the YouTuber excluding the Classic AK-47 for the aforementioned reasons.
Compared to the AKs, the SCAR assault rifles are somewhat more stable and deal more base damage, which is why the YouTuber concludes:
The SCAR assault rifles are the best assault rifles in PvE in The Division, provided they have the Balanced talent.
In PvP, in the Dark Zone, the YouTuber recommends the LVOA-C, an M4 assault rifle. In PvP, it’s all about headshots and burst damage, where the LVOA-C can shine. Don’t forget to utilize mods to maximize the effectiveness of your assault rifles.
You can watch the YouTuber’s video below:
Update: Since update 1.3, the G36 assault rifles are the best ARs in the game.
Which assault rifles are your favorites in The Division?
The SCAR assault rifles are among the best weapons in The Division.
In this article, we present the AK-74 – Black Market version in The Division in detail.
