Call of Duty: Warzone
Best guns in Warzone: Every Season 3 weapon ranked
Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific has over 150 weapons to choose from, so we’ve ranked every primary gun and counted down the top ten.

Using the best Call of Duty: Warzone weapons is key to picking up victories in the popular battle royale, and we’ve put together a list of the most powerful guns in Warzone Pacific Season 3 and ranked the weapons from best to worst.
In Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific Season 3, there are well over 150 weapons to choose from. Guns, knives, and explosives from Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War, and Vanguard are available to take into Caldera and Rebirth Island, offering a ton of choice.
Warzone Pacific Season 3 brought two new weapons, the Nikita AVT and the M1916, so there’s even more choice across Caldera and Rebirth Island. Plus, the Sniper Rifle meta changed considerably following all of the buffs and nerfs.
While you want to optimize your graphics settings and controller settings in Warzone, everyone wants to know the best weapon to use. We’ve ranked all 126 primary weapons in the game and counted down the top 10.
Best guns in Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific ranked list
Before we count down the top 10 weapons in Warzone, we’re ranking every single primary weapon available in the game. Some weapons clearly shine above the rest and some should be avoided at all costs.
Here’s every primary weapon in Warzone Pacific Season 3 ranked from best to worst.
- AK-47 (Cold War)
- Owen Gun
- XM4
- Vargo 52
- ZRG 20mm
- HDR
- MP40
- STG44
- CR-56 AMAX
- JAK-12
- FARA 83
- Welgun
- LAPA
- Armaguerra 43
- Cooper Carbine
- 3-Line Rifle
- AX-50
- Automaton
- Grau 5.56
- Milano 821
- Pelington 703
- EM2
- PP19 Bizon
- PPSh-41 (Cold War)
- MAC-10
- OTs 9
- Type 100
- Bullfrog
- RAM-7
- Grav
- Bren
- Kar98k (Modern Warfare)
- Swiss K31
- FFAR 1
- PPSh-41 (Vanguard)
- MP5 (MW)
- M4A1
- M13
- MP7
- SPR-208
- MP5 (Cold War)
- Bruen Mk9
- Krig 6
- Nikita AVT
- MG42
- KG M40
- M1928 Thompson
- AS44
- NZ-41
- BAR
- Kar98k (Vanguard)
- Whitley
- LC10
- DP27
- MG 82
- QBZ-83
- ITRA Burst
- Sten
- AS VAL
- Oden
- Stoner 63
- AUG (MW)
- Fennec
- Volkssturmgewehr
- Gallo SA12
- PKM
- Type 11
- Kilo 141
- Type 99
- RAAL MG
- TEC-9
- Nail Gun
- CX-9
- M1916
- DMR 14
- LW3 – Tundra
- Einhorn Revolving
- Combat Shotgun
- M16
- AK-74u
- Gracey Auto
- Origin 12
- Groza
- Streetsweeper
- Riot Shield
- SA87
- M1 Garand
- SVT-40
- FN SCAR 17
- M82
- AUG (Cold War)
- FiNN LMG
- G-43
- Uzi
- P90
- RPD
- Holger-26
- AN-94
- CARV.2
- R-90
- Combat Shield
- Crossbow
- Double Barrel
- VLK Rogue
- Marshal
- M60
- MG34
- Hauer 77
- ISO
- Striker 45
- FAL
- 410 Ironhide
- M91
- Type 63
- FR 5.56
- Dragunov
- Rytec AMR
- EBR-14
- KSP 45
- SKS
- Gorenko Anti-Tank Rifle
- MK2 Carbine
- R1 Shadowhunter
- AK-47 (MW)
- Model 680
- 725
Best guns in Warzone Pacific Season 3
10. JAK-12 – Best Shotgun in Warzone
If you’re looking to absolutely obliterate your opponents at close-range, then Warzone’s JAK-12 is the Shotgun for you.
This fully automatic Shotgun boasts the fastest time to kill in the game, meaning any enemies you face at close-range simply don’t stand a chance. Its only downside is that its damage falls off quickly, so it’s not as versatile as a trusty SMG.
However, if you enjoy finessing opponents in the confines of Rebirth Island, then you should give the JAK-12 another shot.
9. CR-56 AMAX
Modern Warfare’s CR-56 AMAX has come and gone from the meta, but changes in Warzone Season 3 mean that it’s back.
Although it has more recoil than some of the other weapons on this list, the AMAX packs a serious punch. If your shots land, you’ll find it absolutely shreds enemies’ armor and health, having a better TTK than Cold War’s AK-47.
8. STG44
The STG44 has always been an extremely easy Vanguard Assault Rifle to use in Warzone, and it became top-tier with Season 3.
Although Black Ops Cold War Assault Rifles are dominating the meta right now, it’s hard to go wrong with the STG44. Its VDD 760mm 05B barrel, its most popular one, received a substantial buff in Season 3, with its damage range and velocity seeing a major increase.
This has made the STG one of the best guns in the game again, and it’s also perfect for a ‘regain’ loadout as you can take Fully Loaded without sacrificing any other important attachments.
7. MP40
It’s hard to go wrong with the MP40 in Warzone Season 3, even though its most popular barrel received a slight nerf.
The MP40 has been one of the most popular weapons in Warzone since it arrived thanks to its low recoil and competitive time to kill. You’ll find that it’s still an excellent choice in Season 3, and it will likely remain one of the best options until it’s nerfed again.
6. HDR
The HDR has always been the go-to Sniper Rifle for players looking to snipe players from extremely long-range, and it’s returned to the meta with Season 3.
Warzone Pacific Season 3 nerfed some of the more lightweight Sniper Rifles such as the Kar98k and Swiss K31, removing their ability to one-shot headshot enemies at any range. Now, it’s only the heavy rifles such as the HDR that have this ability.
Although you won’t be quickscoping players with the HDR, you’ll be unstoppable over range.
5. ZRG 20mm – Best Sniper Rifle in Warzone
Warzone weapon experts like JGOD and TrueGameData have long been singing the ZRG‘s praises, and Season 3’s major Sniper Rifle changes have brought it into the meta.
The ZRG is dominant in almost every way, boasting a fast ADS speed and high bullet velocity. It has also retained that all-important one-shot headshot at any range, which has catapulted it ahead of the now-nerfed Kar98k and Swiss K31.
4. Vargo 52
The Vargo 52 was a surprise drop for Black Ops Cold War in 2022, and it immediately joined the meta.
The Vargo is almost exactly the same as the XM4, but loses out thanks to the XM4 having a slightly faster TTK. However, it’s still one of the top Assault Rifles in the game, and you might actually prefer it since its recoil pattern was adjusted in the Season 3 update.
3. XM4
The XM4 dominated Verdansk back during Cold War seasons, and it has barely lost any of that power since, dominating both Caldera and Rebirth Island Reinforced.
Black Ops Cold War’s Assault Rifles have remained consistently powerful choices thanks to their range, mobility, and low recoil. The XM4 is almost a perfect example of this, where it can be fitted to be both a long-range beamer and a versatile sniper support weapon.
The XM4’s damage got nerfed slightly in Season 3, but it’s a barely noticeable change.
2. Owen Gun – Best SMG in Warzone
Previously underrated, almost every player now knows about the Owen Gun‘s exceptional power in Warzone Pacific Season 3.
Boasting the highest K/D in the game, Raven Software nerfed the Owen Gun slightly in the Season 3 update, but it barely made a difference. What makes the Owen so powerful is its high damage-per-mag, which is an extremely important stat to consider since Raven Software have given Caldera players an extra 50 HP.
1. Cold War AK-47 – Best Warzone gun right now
It took some time for Cold War’s AK-47 to join Warzone’s meta but once it did, it secured its place. Remaining untouched in the Warzone Pacific Season 3 update, the AK-47 has become the best weapon in the game again.
With extremely fast TTK, Cold War’s AK-47 has remained the perfect choice for either a long-range or sniper support build. It may take some time to get used to the relatively high recoil, but there are few weapons capable of outgunning it.
Those are the top 10 weapons you should be using in Warzone Pacific Caldera. Expect this list to keep on changing as weapons are buffed and nerfed.
And if classic multiplayer is more your cup of tea, you can check out the top 10 Vanguard weapons.
Image Credits: Activision / Raven Software / Sledgehammer Games
Call of Duty: Warzone
Best controller settings for Warzone Pacific Season 3 Reloaded
To improve your accuracy and movement in Warzone, here are the best controller settings after the Season 3 Reloaded update.
Call of Duty: Warzone offers players many controller settings to fine-tune, such as Aim Assist and movement. We’ve put together a guide to help you find the best settings to use in Warzone Pacific’s Caldera and Rebirth Island.
Warzone Pacific Season 3 Reloaded has been one of the most game-changing updates Warzone has ever received, with Raven Software introducing a ton of weapon buffs and nerfs, even more ways to respawn, reducing the player count, and giving the squad HUD a highly-requested overhaul.
Despite the update, aim and movement remain the most important mechanics to master, so you’ll need the best settings in order to dominate. Whether you play with a controller on PC or consoles, here are the best Warzone controller settings to improve your accuracy and movement in Caldera and Rebirth Island.
- Best Warzone controller settings
- Best Warzone Aim Response Curve
- Best Warzone Aim Assist type
- Best Aim Assist for Sniping in Warzone
- Does FOV affect Aim Assist?
- How to find best Warzone controller settings
Best Warzone controller settings
General
- BR Button Layout: Tactical flipped
- Stick Layout Preset: Default
- Invert Vertical Look: Disabled
- Deadzone: 0 (then increase as required)
- Horizontal Stick Sensitivity: 7
- Vertical Stick Sensitivity: 7
- ADS Sensitivity Multiplier (Low Zoom): 0.75
- ADS Sensitivity Multiplier (High Zoom): 0.85
- Aim Response Curve Type: Standard/Dynamic
- Controller Vibration: Disabled
For your button layout, Tactical is the best choice. When playing Warzone, you’ll constantly be crouching, slide canceling, and going prone. Tactical maps your crouch/slide button to the thumbstick, so you don’t need to move your thumb and can be as quick as possible when using the best Warzone controller settings.
You also want Deadzone to be as low as possible for maximum response time while aiming. Start with your Deadzone set to 0 and keep increasing it until you no longer have any stick drift. This depends entirely on how old your controller is.
Weapons
- Aim Assist: Precision
- Scale Aim Assist with FOV: Enabled
- Weapon Mount Activation: ADS + Melee
- Weapon Mount Movement Exit: Enabled
- Aim Down Sight Behavior: Hold
- Equipment Behavior: Hold
- Use/Reload Behavior: Tap to use
- Depleted Ammo Weapon Switch: Enabled
- Armor Plate Behavior: Apply One
Tap to use is a godsend. Your game will prioritize whether you reload or interact based on your situation. You’ll be able to instantly open crates and reload, making it a vital setting to enable.
Movement
- Slide Behavior: Hold
- Auto Move Forward: Disabled
- Automatic Sprint: Auto Tactical Sprint
- Vehicle Camera Recenter: Enabled
- Parachute Auto-Deploy: Disabled
When using Parachute Auto-Deploy, you want to get comfortable with having it Disabled. You’ll be able to pull your chute lower to the ground, meaning you can reach the ground as fast as possible. It can be daunting knowing there’s no safeguard, but pulling your chute close to the ground is extremely worthwhile.
Best Warzone Aim Response Curve
Warzone has separate Aim Response Curves, so you can fine-tune your aim to something you’re comfortable with. Their titles can be confusing, so we’ll break down exactly what they mean and what’s best for you.
- Standard: Standard curve from aim stick to aim rate. When you initially aim, there will be a slight delay in speed when the stick is pressed all the way in a specific direction.
- Linear: Removes initial speed delay when the stick is pressed all the way in a direction. More for aggressive, fast movements at the cost of precision.
- Dynamic: Hybrid system between linear and standard. Your aim will speed up slightly when initially moving the stick.
The majority of players use Standard. Whether you’re new to Call of Duty or a returning player, this will feel the most natural to you.
If you’re confident in your aim and can transition between targets quickly, we’d recommend using Dynamic. Many of the top players use this response curve because of the fine aim rate control it provides.
Best Warzone Aim Assist Type
Warzone offers four Aim Assist types, so you can find what comes most naturally to you. We would never recommend turning Aim Assist off, but here’s a breakdown of the options available to controller players when it comes to the best Warzone controller settings.
- Disabled: You will have no Aim Assist.
- Standard: Traditional aim slowdown near the target. A wider area where your aim will slow around an opponent. Best for regular Call of Duty players who want some extra time to lock on the target.
- Precision: Strong aim assist slowdown that only kicks in when close to an enemy player. Only use this option if you’re a skilled and accurate player. The slowdown area is minimal and casual players will not like this.
- Focusing: Strong aim slowdown that kicks in when narrowly missing targets. If you’re new to Call of Duty, this is your best bet to improve on a controller.
The majority of players should use Standard Aim assist. It provides the perfect aim slowdown near targets while still allowing for precise adjustments if you need to make them.
If you’re new to FPS games and aren’t used to aiming with a controller yet, you should use Focusing until you feel the Aim Assist is stronger than you need, then use Standard.
Best Aim Assist for Sniping in Warzone
Some of the Warzone community believe that to be an accurate sniper. You need to play on a mouse and keyboard. This isn’t true, as with the right settings, you can down players from miles away and quickscoping with precision up-close.
For your Aim Response Curve, you should use Dynamic. You’ll be able to have finer control over how fast your crosshair is moving, allowing for easier flick shots and tracking far-off players.
For your Aim Assist Type, it’s the same situation as any other weapon. If you’re a confident player and need to make micro-adjustments to hit sniper headshots, you should use Precision. And if you’re comfortable with your aim and don’t have an issue sniping with Aim Assist, Standard will be the perfect choice.
You should also check out our ranked list of the best snipers to use in Warzone.
Does FOV affect Aim Assist?
Warzone PC players have the option to adjust the game’s field of view. Console players still don’t have this option as the devs announced it won’t be coming to console.
Increasing your FOV allows you to see much more of what’s in front of you. Console’s FOV is set to around 80 by default, while PC players can crank that value all the way up to 120. This gives PC players a major advantage in seeing more players off to the side of their screen.
Using such as high FOV will stretch and shrink everything in front of you, which can throw off your Aim Assist.
Activision has added a setting to combat this, which is well worth using if you play Warzone with a high FOV on a controller. It would be best if you had Scale Aim Assist with FOV set to Enabled, as this will keep your Aim Assist consistent, no matter your field of view.
How to find the best Warzone controller settings
Although we’ve provided the best Warzone controller settings you should try, there’s no setting that works perfectly for everyone. It’s tempting to find your favorite pro player or content creator and copy their settings, but they might not be the best for you.
We’d recommend jumping into a Custom Game of Modern Warfare and testing out some different controller settings to find the best Warzone controller settings for you, as they both use the same engine. If you don’t own MW, then Plunder, or any other respawn game mode will work well.
To maximize your time while testing out the settings, here’s what we’d recommend:
- Map: Shoot House
- Mode: Free-for-All
- Rules:
- Time limit: Unlimited
- Score limit: Unlimited
- Bots and players:
- Number of bots: 6
- Bot difficulty: Recruit
With these custom game settings, you’ll be able to practice shooting for as long as you like. Shoothouse is small enough that you’ll be able to fight constantly, and the Recruit level bots will hardly shoot back at you.
While you’re in this private mode, you should also try getting your Minimum Input Thresholds as low as they’ll go. Start at 0, and move it up one until you no longer receive stick drift.
For more in-depth Warzone guides, check out the best PC settings and FOV settings for Pacific Season 3 Reloaded.
Image Credit: Activision / Raven Software / Sledgehammer Games
Call of Duty: Warzone
Warzone May 26 update patch notes: Stim nerf, Whitley & Type 11 buff, bug fixes
Here are Warzone’s full May 26 patch notes which bring the Stim nerf, bug fixes, and confirm buffs to the Whitley and Type 11.
Warzone Pacific’s Season 3 Reloaded brought one of the most change-changing updates the game has ever seen, but the devs have brought more changes with the May 26 update. Here are the full patch notes.
Warzone Pacific Season 3 Reloaded is here, bringing the new Underground Transit System, reducing the player count, and changing up the weapon meta with buffs and nerfs.
However, it appears that a few issues made their way into the Season 3 Reloaded update, with the new H4 Blixen SMG being given the wrong name. Raven Software have released another patch on May 26 that fixes these issues, nerfs the Stim, and confirms buffs made to the Whitley and Type 11.
Although the patch notes said that the H4 Blixen SMG would arrive with the update, it hit Warzone under the name ‘Carl Gustav M/45.’ This was an error, and the new SMG will now be called the H4 Blixen in both Warzone and Vanguard.
Although Warzone’s Stim nerf was confirmed to arrive later in the season, players noticed the effects immediately after the update. This change has now been confirmed, with the Stim no longer healing you while you take damage, and the slide’s speed and duration have also been reduced.
You can check out the full patch notes below.
Warzone May 26 patch notes
RICOCHET ANTI-CHEAT
Update to the PC kernel-level driver detection systems and server-side security. Learn more about RICOCHET Anti-Cheat here.
GAMEPLAY
» Tactical Equipment «
- Stim
- Effect now removed when taking damage from Weapon attacks
- Slide Speed reduced by 40%
- Max Slide Time reduced from 1.9 to 1.3 seconds
BUG FIXES
- Fixed collision issues with various elements across Caldera allowing Players to exploit/peek/shoot through them.
- Fixed an issue causing the Fast Travel Tac Map icons to not appear correctly in certain game modes.
- Fixed the rarity label on various Blueprints, Calling Cards, and Charms.
- Fixed an issue causing the H4 Blixen (VG) Submachine Gun to appear ingame under the wrong name.
- Fixed an issue causing the “Enhanced Risk” Weapon Blueprint to not have the correct Gunsmith functionality.
- Fixed an issue causing the Axial Arms 3x Reticle Challenge to not track correctly.
- Fixed an issue causing the Swap Attachment options in the Gunsmith menu to not show the correct stat changes.
WEAPONS
Weapon Adjustments
The following changes went live with the initial release of Season Three Reloaded on May 25th, 2022.
» Light Machine Guns «
- Whitley (VG)
- Min Damage increased to 32, up from 31
- Max Damage Range increased to 38.1 meters, up from 33 meters
- Headshot Damage Multiplier increased to 1.7, up from 1.5
- Neck Damage Multiplier increased to 1.3, up from 1.24
- .303 British 45 Round Mags
- Firerate Scaler to decreased 5%, down from 18%
- Damage Penalty removed
- Bullet Velocity increased to -8%, up from -12%
- .50 BMG 150 Round Boxes
- ADS Time Scaler increased to 0.93, up from 0.88
- Bullet Velocity increased to 25%, up from 10%
- Damage Range increased to 30%, up from 20%
- CGC R4 Stock
- ADS Time Scaler increased to 0.97, up from 0.96
- Horizontal Recoil Control Increased by 3%
- Type 11 (VG)
- Max Damage increased to 26, up from 24
- Sakura 261mm
- Velocity Penalty removed
- Velocity Penalty removed
- Sakura 487mm Shrouded
- Bullet Velocity increased to 50%, up from 40%
- Bullet Velocity increased to 50%, up from 40%
- Warubachi 352mm
- Damage Range now increased by 10%
- Bullet Velocity now increased by 20%
- Max Damage increased to 26, up from 24
For more on Call of Duty, be sure to check out all of the actors set to appear in Modern Warfare 2 so far!
Source: Raven Software
Image Credit: Activision
Call of Duty: Warzone
Warzone players baffled by “most brutal” nerf in the game’s history
Players cannot understand the decision to deliver the most brutal nerf in Warzone history with the Season 3 Reloaded update.
While the Season 3 Reloaded update brought several weapon balancing changes to the game, one nerf in particular has been deemed the “most brutal” in Warzone history.
On May 25, players received the Warzone Pacific Season 3 Reloaded update that introduced an abundance of changes to the battle royale. New features like the Underground Transit System and Squad HUD were added to the game, alongside justifiable nerfs to Stims and the Roze skin.
While most players agreed with the devs’ various nerfs and buffs in an attempt to further balance the game, one weapon nerf isn’t sitting right with players.
The strange decision to nerf the CR-56 AMAX has left players stunned and utterly baffled following the Season 3 Reloaded update. The update’s Assault Rifle changes essentially buffed Vanguard ARs once again while nerfing some Modern Warfare and Cold War weapons.
The AMAX had its max damage decreased from 35 to 31, and its minimum damage decreased from 31 all the way down to 24. These are some pretty major nerfs that have essentially made the weapon “completely useless” as one Reddit user points out.
Since the AMAX had its damage decreased so heavily, players are questioning if it’s the “most brutal, unnecessary nerf in Warzone history?” While having its damage nerfed to such an extent is certainly brutal, the unnecessary nature of the nerf has also left players baffled.
The AMAX wasn’t exactly dominating the meta and it was far from a popular choice with a WZ Ranked pick rate hovering at around 0.68%. Players in the comments can’t seem to understand the odd decision to nerf the AMAX, “Were that many people even using the Amax that it needed a nerf? Haven’t seen one in a while.”
Other players were left wondering why an overpowered weapon like the STG44 with a pick rate of 16.21% was completely ignored in the latest update, “Meanwhile you will absolutely get lasered by an stg at any range.”
Whether you agree that the Season 3 Reloaded nerf to the AMAX is the most brutal in Warzone history or not, the weapon is sure to go from rarely used to never used by players.
As a result of these baffling Season 3 Reloaded weapon changes, Warzone players have also slammed the devs for forcing Vanguard weapons into the game’s meta.
Image Credit: Activision