Best Assault Rifles in Warzone: Every Season 5 Reloaded AR ranked

Liam Mackay
Best assault rifles in warzone pacific

Assault Rifles continue to dominate after the Warzone Season 5 Reloaded update the final major update ahead of Warzone 2. We’ve placed every Assault Rifle into a ranked list and counted down the top ARs you can run in Caldera, Rebirth Island, and Fortune’s Keep.

Assault Rifles are a staple in Call of Duty. Capable of dealing severe damage at almost any range, they’re the go-to for most players. They’re especially prominent in Warzone for their versatility, and through the Gunsmith system, you can build them any way you like.

With every season and update, Warzone’s meta shifts. With Season 5 Reloaded being the final update ahead of Warzone 2’s November 16 launch, the devs buffed some underused Assault Rifles and introduced the new BP50. This has changed the line-up of meta Assault Rifles, bringing some underused choices to the top of the list.

Here’s a ranked list of every AR as well as a summary of the best Assault Rifles in Warzone Pacific Season 5 Reloaded.

Best Warzone Assault Rifles ranked list

Warzone Season 5 Reloaded player using STG

This is our comprehensive list of every AR in Call of Duty: Warzone, and we’ve ranked them in ascending order to let you know which ones are worth using.

Even though Vanguard weapons make up many of the meta picks, you’ll find much more variety in Season 5 Reloaded after the buffs and nerfs.

Here is every Warzone Assault Rifle in Pacific Season 5, ranked:

  1. STG44
  2. Cooper Carbine
  3. Vargo 52
  4. Grau 5.56
  5. Automaton
  6. XM4
  7. QBZ-83
  8. KG M40
  9. Volk
  10. M13
  11. CR-56 AMAX
  12. M4A1
  13. BAR
  14. BP50
  15. Nikita AVT
  16. Cold War AK-47
  17. Vargo-S
  18. NZ-41
  19. EM2
  20. AS VAL
  21. AS44
  22. FFAR 1
  23. C58
  24. RAM-7
  25. FARA 83
  26. Kilo 141
  27. Krig 6
  28. Itra Burst
  29. Grav
  30. Groza
  31. Oden
  32. AN-94
  33. FN-SCAR
  34. FAL
  35. FR 5.56
  36. Modern Warfare AK-47

Best Warzone Assault Rifles

5. Automaton

Automaton assault rifle in warzone

The Automaton has come and gone from Warzone’s meta, never being the best choice but always far from the worst.

Even after receiving a slight nerf in Season 5 Reloaded it’s still a consistent weapon that most players shouldn’t have too much trouble controlling at long range. It’s especially powerful in Caldera’s wide-open areas where you can punish players from a distance.

4. Grau 5.56

Grau 5.56 Assault Rifle in Warzone

Warzone players absolutely love Modern Warfare guns and are delighted to see Grau 5.56 remain in the meta after remaining the same after the Season 5 Reloaded update.

The Grau 5.56 has been middle of the pack for several updates but firmly cemented itself in the top five with the Season 5 update. This low-recoil Assault Rifle had its damage boosted back in Season 5, and is perfect if you’re a player who prefers the feel and look of Modern Warfare guns.

Plus, players can now equip a new ‘King Grau’ Calling Card to celebrate the much-loved Assault Rifle.

3. Vargo 52

Vargo 52 in Warzone

Another Warzone Assault Rifle that wasn’t touched in Season 5 Reloaded, the Vargo 52 excels in almost every way.

With low recoil and fast bullet velocity, the Vargo 52 is the perfect choice for a no-frills get-the-job-done Assault Rifle that will serve you well no matter the map or mode.

The only thing holding the Vargo back is that it doesn’t have the 6x zoom that Vanguard’s SVT-40 PU Scope offers, but don’t let that dissuade you. The Vargo is a consistently powerful choice no matter which map you play.

2. Cooper Carbine

Cooper Carbine Assault Rifle in Warzone

The Cooper Carbine has always been a top choice thanks to its high fire rate and low recoil, and it’s remained a great selection for medium-range fights after Season 5 Reloaded.

The Cooper’s bullet velocity and damage aren’t the greatest, so you won’t be beaming players across Caldera, but take it into Fortune’s Keep or Rebirth Island and you’ll have a fantastic Assault Rifle in your hands. Being left as-is in the Season 5 Reloaded, it’s remained just as effective.

1. STG44 – Best Assault Rifle in Warzone Pacific Season 5 Reloaded

stg44 in warzone pacific

With all of the nerfs to the NZ-41 and KG M40, the STG44 hit the number one spot in Season 5 and has remained there even after all of the buffs and nerfs in the Reloaded update.

Low recoil, high bullet velocity, and a decent damage-per-mag all make the STG a fantastic Assault Rifle choice. There’s very little to say about it — no matter your skill level, give the STG another try in Season 5 Reloaded and you won’t be disappointed.


Bring any of these ARs into Caldera into the final season before Modern Warfare 2 and you’ll find yourself using some of the best Warzone Assault Rifles in Call of Duty’s battle royale.

If you’re looking for more on Warzone, be sure to check out everything we know about Warzone 2 and what’ll happen to the original Warzone after its launch.

Image Credits: Activision / Sledgehammer Games / Raven Software

About The Author

Liam is CharlieIntel's Editor who focuses on Call of Duty but also plays lots of fantasy RPGs or anything else in his massive gaming backlog. After graduating in Journalism from Edinburgh Napier University, Liam freelanced in games journalism before joining CharlieIntel in November 2020. You can contact Liam at [email protected].