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How to Pick he Best Guns in Apex Legends

Find out which Apex Legends weapons are keepers, and which ones you should ditch.
This article is over 5 years old and may contain outdated information

To survive in Apex Legends, you’ll need to move quickly and pick up the best weapons and resources for taking out your opponents before they can get to you. But with the clock ticking down, the battle royale arena shrinking, and enemy squads hunting you down, choosing the right weapon can be difficult. Read on to find out the best weapons in Apex Legends, including the best guns to take down enemies!

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But whether you prefer to run with a pistol, assault rifle, submachine gun, or sniper rifle, this guide will let you know which guns are the best to hold on to while others may be traded in or left behind.

Weapon Of Choice

Each gun performs differently, and they’re all equally effective at filling enemies full of holes. So, if you have a weapon that you’re comfortable with using, then feel free to stick with it, even when another weapon technically has better stats. However, it is almost always worthwhile to pick up powerful rare weapons from supply drops and choice loot locations. So, keep an eye out for them.

Some of the best all-around weapons are:

  • Mastiff (Shotgun)
  • Kraber (Sniper Rifle)
  • Wingman (Pistol)
  • Spitfire (LMG)
  • Peacekeeper (Shotgun)
  • Devotion + Turbocharger

Picking The Best Assault Rifle

Credit: Respawn Entertainment

Apex Legends currently features three assault rifles to find: The R-301 Carbine, VK-47 Flatline, and Hemlock Burst. Of them, we recommend picking up the R-301 or VK-47 if you come across them because the Hemlock’s burst fire could give you trouble in up-close encounters. The VK-47 deals extra damage using its heavy rounds, and it makes a good substitute for snipers if you need more range. But the R-301 Carbine stands out from the rest with its high rate of fire and room for more attachments.

Picking The Best Shotgun

Credit: Respawn Entertainment

Mastiff shotguns are notoriously difficult to find, and they usually only arrive in supply drops. So, if you spot one, we recommend grabbing it up immediately. However, similar to the Kraber sniper rifle, it fires unique ammunition that can’t be replenished. Once you empty it, that’s it. But it’s currently the most powerful shotgun in the game and it has decent range to it. Just make sure to account for its slow firing rate and try not to miss.

You’re far more likely to come across the Peacekeeper, which is the second-best shotgun in the game. Although the EVA-8 has a better firing rate, it doesn’t do a whole lot of damage. Meanwhile, the Peacekeeper lets you fire a charged shot that deals immense damage. You’ll be able to take out players with just a few hits. But keep in mind that the gun also has a slow firing rate and reload speeds are significant drawbacks.

Third place goes to the Mozambique, which is a pistol shotgun hybrid. Its high mobility and swap rate makes it extremely valuable as a backup weapon, but its small magazine means you won’t be getting much use out of it before having to duck out and reload. 

Picking The Best Sniper Rifle

Credit: Respawn Entertainment

The Kraber 50-Cal is the only other weapon besides the Mastiff shotgun to use specialized, irreplaceable, ammunition. So, make every shot count before you have to ditch this weapon because it is easily one of the most powerful weapons in the game right now. But the only way to get it is to be lucky enough to find one in a supply drop.

Although it isn’t as powerful, the Longbow DMR will be easier to find and it still hits pretty hard. It also has a relatively high firing rate and a lot of room for mods. To get the most out of the gun, add the skull-cracker attachment and aim for the head.

Some might say that the strange but odd Triple Take might technically be more powerful than the Longbow, since it fires three shots at once in a horizontal spread. But keep in mind, that’s only true if all three bullets hit the target, which is difficult to do from range. Otherwise, you’re just hoping that squads stand very close together so that you can at least get one bullet into each person. But some players might get by with adding the precision choke attachment to decrease the spread.

Picking The Best LMG

Credit: Respawn Entertainment

There are only two light machine guns in Apex Legends, and they’re both worth carrying at your side. Both feature gigantic magazines, so you won’t have to reload them as often, and they do a lot of damage. You can’t go wrong with either LMG, but the Spitfire is slightly more desirable because it fires heavy rounds without a lot of recoil.

Some might prefer the Devotion because its firing rate increases the longer you hold the trigger. This is great for mowing down enemies as long as you can keep them in your sights. But the feature isn’t as beneficial if they’re hiding behind cover. The weapon also uses energy rounds, which are harder to find than standard bullets. But if you can accept those limitations, then fire away! If you’re fortunate enough to come across a turbocharger, attaching it will ramp the firing rate to incredible speeds, turning the LMG into one monster of a weapon.  

Picking The Best SMG

Credit: Respawn Entertainment

Apex Legends has slim pickings for submachine guns right now. It’s safe to say that the entire category is the weakest of all the weapons in the game and should generally be skipped over. But in a battle royale game, you’re often forced to play the hand you’re dealt. SMGs are generally good in up-close combat situations with high rates of fire, but one weapon to avoid when you can is the Alternator. It has a small magazine, meaning that you’ll have to reload every other second.

It might be tempting to pick up the Prowler since it fires heavy rounds. However, it only has a burst mode setting, which reduces its usefulness in close-quarters combat. So, if you’re limited to using an SMG for some reason, we recommend sticking to the R-99, since it’s fairly decent at close and medium range. Try to pick up an extended magazine to get the most from it.

Picking The Best Pistol

Credit: Respawn Entertainment

For the most part, pistols are weapons of last resort in Apex, or ones that should be traded out at the earliest opportunity. The only exception is the Wingman, which is the one standout among them. This high precision weapon deals an incredible amount of damage. Unfortunately, you can’t attach a long-range sight to it, but it’s still worth putting your aim to the test if you have one. Given its mobility and damage, the Wingman is one of the best guns in the game.


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