The game’s meta is always shifting and thanks to the introduction of new weapons from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the hierarchy of weapons in Warzone is no longer the same as well. Of course, before anything else, we’ll be the first to tell you that weapons in Warzone are fairly balanced. What we mean by this is that you can still stick with your favorite weapon, own with it, and get a lot of kills. However, just as with any other Call of Duty title and previous Warzone seasons, there are definitely some weapons that are objectively better or worse even if only by a slight margin. To know more about the best weapons in Warzone, scroll down to read through our Warzone Season 1 weapons guide below.
What are the Best Weapons in Warzone Season 1?
Because Warzone has become an entirely separate game from both Modern Warfare and Black Ops Cold War, finding out the best weapon in Warzone Season 1 is no longer as simple as taking the best guns from either of those two games. With the December 2020 update the biggest update to Warzone yet, the best weapons in Warzone are no longer the same as well. Here are the best weapons in Warzone Season 1 for each weapon class.
Best Assault Rifle in Warzone
The Grau 5.56
How to unlock: Eliminate 5 players using an assault rifle within a minute, 25 times. When it comes to sheer versatility and functionality, nothing beats the Grau 5.56. While it’s true that the 5.56 doesn’t have the range of a Sniper Rifle nor the firing rate of an SMG, it is far more reliable than both, with a healthy mix of power and fire rate without sacrificing accuracy nor mobility at just about any range.
Best Sniper Rifle in Warzone
AX-50
How to unlock: Reach Level 37 The AX-50 isn’t the easiest weapon in Warzone to learn. But, then again, if you plan on using sniper rifles in Warzone, you best bet that you should take the time to learn how to use the weapon. In particular, many players struggle with the AX-50’s bullet drop and travel time. With that said, if you put in the effort, the AX-50 is one of the few guns in Warzone capable of downing anyone with just one single shot. What makes the AX-50 unique from other sniper rifles is that, for a weapon so powerful, it has a fairly fast fire rate with an equally speedy sight speed with proper attachments. This gives you a bit more freedom to be aggressive with your shot selection.
Best Marksman Rifle in Warzone
KAR98K
How to unlock: Reach Level 33 Don’t let its antique looks fool you, the KAR98k packs a hell of a wallop with fast-moving bullets and excellent range that will help you down anyone in your path so long as you know how to land headshots. While it’s slightly less forgiving in that body shots don’t do nearly as much damage as headshots, it’s got much better handling than the AX-50.
Best Tactical Rifle in Warzone
M16
How to unlock: Reach Level 10 The introduction of Black Ops Cold War weapons to Warzone brought an entirely new weapon class in Tactical Rifles and the best one by far is the M16. Anyone who’s ever had a chance to try out the M16 can tell that it’s a weapon that’s due for a nerf because of its power, accuracy, and ease of use from long range in a game where you’re mostly shooting other people from afar while moving is unparalleled.
Best Shotgun in Warzone
R9-0
How to unlock: Automatic The R9-0 is arguably the most gimmicky gun in Warzone because of how much fun (and powerful) it is with the Dragon’s Breath Rounds attachment. Don’t worry. The attachment is easy to get. It’s unlocked by getting ten kills while you’re sliding with the R9-0, which is surprisingly easy given how powerful the weapon by default is. The only reason why we’re recommending it with the attachment is because of how much more damage it inflicts when you get hit because of the damage over time from the fire. So, basically, even if you survive the first shot or two, you’re bound to die anyway because of the fire.
Best SMG in Warzone
MP5 (Black Ops Cold War)
How to unlock: Automatic Not to be mistaken for the older MP5 variant, the newer one fires faster, which is enough of a reason to give it the nod over the modern variant, which was already a capable weapon in close quarters and mid-range encounters.
Best LMG in Warzone
Stoner 63
How to unlock: Automatic Obnoxious doesn’t even begin to describe the Stoner 63, and we’re not just talking about its name. Although the recoil pattern is one of the worst in the game, it’s worth learning is based on how much damage you can inflict in a surprisingly short time with this weapon. Just keep in mind that it’s an LMG, so expect to move slower with this weapon in tow.
Best Launcher in Warzone
MGL-32 Grenade Launcher
How to unlock: Found randomly in chests There’s a legitimately good reason why the MGL-32 Grenade Launcher can only be found in chests and why some players go dozens of games without ever seeing a single one. The thing is that if there’s a good example of an OP weapon in Warzone, this is it - it can one-hit kill even the most decked-out enemies in Warzone and is spammable. This is a squad killer and can take down anything from trucks to cars and perhaps even tanks when they’re added in the future.
