Call of Duty: Warzone‘s Season 3 update couldn’t have come at a better time. As the Overwatch 2 beta starts to gain steam, Fortnite‘s new “no-build mode” begins to take on a life of its own, and Apex Legends remains strong, many Warzone players were starting to look elsewhere for their multiplayer fix.
This latest patch should be reason enough for lapsed Warzone players to return to the game, which means that it’s yet again time to take a look at the battle royale’s best guns and loadouts.
While some recent Warzone updates have failed to substantially alter the game’s competitive meta, this latest patch features a series of sweeping changes that should force players to finally start trying some new guns. While a few fan-favorite weapons remain roughly as powerful as they were before, we are finally starting to see a few previously unlikely names work their way into contention.
So if you’re trying to jump back into Warzone for Pacific Season 3 and don’t know where to start, here’s a look at some of the game’s best guns and loadouts in the early days of this update.
Cooper Carbine
While the latest Warzone update really tried to shake up the battle royale’s meta by targeting some of the game’s “must-have” weapons, the Cooper Carbine remains a hard gun to beat.
Fast, accurate, and surprisingly capable at both short and long ranges, the Cooper Carbine is that rare Warzone gun that you can rely on during pretty much whatever may come. It’s not as broken as some of the most powerful guns in Warzone history, but it’s as consistent as a Warzone gun gets in the modern era.
Swiss K31
Several sniper rifles took a pretty big hit in Warzone’s Season 3 update, but the Swiss K31 managed to survive the latest patch and stands tall as the best sniper/marksman rifle option in Warzone.
While not the most powerful rifle in the game on a per-shot basis, the Swiss K31’s accuracy, speed, and versatility easily elevate it above pretty much every other option in its class. Honestly, there will be times when you’ll score a few quick kills with this one without even looking through the scope.
MP-40
The best Warzone SMGs tend to work about as well at close ranges as they do at medium ranges. While the Warzone team has tried to nerf that class a few times to ensure that SMGs are really only valuable at closer ranges, the MP-40 remains one of the few SMGs that still feel truly deadly in a wide variety of situations.
The MP-40 isn’t quite the “do it all” gun that some SMGs in Warzone’s past have been, but you’ll be amazed by how often you’ll be able to rely on this thing without having to even think about swapping to a long-range option. It’s hard to go wrong with this gun if consistency and reliability matter most to you.
Owen Gun
If the MP-40 isn’t the best SMG in Warzone at the moment, that honor would have to go to the Owen Gun.
While the Owen Gun lacks some of the range you get from the SMG, its large magazine and devastating stopping power make it an ideal close-quarters companion. This thing just shreds through anything that is standing in front of you, which makes it the ideal secondary weapon for snipers everywhere.
Bren
While assault rifles tend to be favored over LMGs in many Warzone updates (they’re just a little more versatile and a touch more reliable), it’s hard to replace what a good LMG does. While there are a few viable LMGs in Warzone at the moment, the Bren is really in a class of its own.
The Bren is a powerhouse, pure and simple. While it’s not the gun you’ll want to turn to when accuracy matters most, it is possible to tame this weapon’s wild nature if you manage to get a feel for how it works. Mostly, though, you’re turning to this thing when you need to put out a lot of bullets in as little time as possible.
Automaton
While I tend to prefer the AK-47 over the Automaton, it’s worth noting that both ARs offer similar benefits and (more importantly), relatively few drawbacks.
The Automaton is that powerful, fast, and accurate assault rifle that you’re usually looking for whenever you choose to roll out with an assault rifle in the first place. Again, the choice between this and the AK often comes down to your personal preferences, so don’t be afraid to try both and see what feels better.
Kilo 141
While there are very few guns in Warzone that are so difficult to wield that they’re really only intended for pro players, it is nice to have a gun that is easy to use and still viable in the majority of situations.
That’s what you get with the Kilo. This gun almost never tries to fight you, which means that it’s incredibly easy to simply depend on it without having to worry about your aim suddenly going wonky through little fault of your own. It’s a great option for Warzone beginners and a surprisingly good one for everyone else.
JAK-12
It’s usually pretty difficult to recommend a shotgun in Warzone and still keep a straight face. Shotguns in this game are too often replaced by SMGs or even ARs. The choice to go with a shotgun in Warzone over other options typically comes down to the fact that you happen to prefer using them.
If that is the case, then the JAK-12 is the shotgun for you. With its large magazine and manageable recoil, the JAK-12 is designed to address some of the biggest reasons why you may ignore the shotgun class entirely. You shouldn’t dare dream of trying to use this thing at anything but the closest ranges, but it’s close to unstoppable in close quarters
