Sidearms

Don’t write off these sidearms as mere peashooters. The pistols pack a serious punch and can save your life during desperate close-quarter duels—remember, it’s faster to draw your pistol than it is to load a fresh magazine in your primary weapon. The pistols can be equipped by any kit, filling the sidearm slot in the loadout screen.

Sidearm Unlock Progression

Fundamentals

• Sidearms are equipped by all classes. By default, all classes begin with the P226.
• The pistols are most effective within 50 meters—don’t fire the Shorty 12G until you’re within 5 meters of your target.
• The semi-automatic pistols have the least recoil, making it easier to accurately fire follow-up shots.
• While the sidearms have excellent hip fire accuracy, they’re even more effective when equipped with a Laser Sight.
• The Shorty 12G, .44 Magnum, and M412 REX provide high damage output. But their harsh recoil and small magazine capacities are serious drawbacks.

* = unlocked in campaign

P226

• Ammo: 9x19mm
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 15
• Unlock: Default Sidearm

The Swiss P226 was originally designed as a replacement for the US military’s aging M1911, but lost out to the M9 during the 1984 trials. Despite this setback, the P226 has gone on to build a solid reputation among armed forces and police agencies around the world, lauded for its reliability and ease of use. It has also been adopted by several Special Forces units, including the US Navy SEALs.

Unlock Progression

M9

• Ammo: 9x19mm
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 15
• Unlock: 1,000 Sidearm Score

The M9 was selected as the primary sidearm of the entire United States military in 1985. Developed in Italy, the M9 was selected in a series of often disputed trials, only narrowly beating out other contenders, including the P226, because of its high quality and low price. The M9 is the primary sidearm of the USMC.

Unlock Progression

QSZ-92

• Ammo: 5.8x21mm DAP-92
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 20
• Unlock: 2,000 Sidearm Score

Designed in the mid-1990s, the Chinese QSZ-92 pistol is also known as the Type 92 handgun. The pistol fires the special 5.8x21mm DAP-92 round, designed to pierce body armor while providing the same stopping power as a 9mm round. This 5.8mm variant of the QSZ-92 is largely issued to officers within the People’s Liberation Army. It has also been exported to the armed forces of Bangladesh.

Unlock Progression

MP443

• Ammo: 9x19mm
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 18
• Unlock: 3,000 Sidearm Score

Designed to replace the dated PMM pistol, the MP443 pistol was developed in 1993 and fires high-powered armor-piercing 9mm Russian rounds. The pistol is a combined construction of polymers and steel and has been adopted by select Special Forces units in the Russian military.

Unlock Progression

Shorty 12G

• Ammo: 12 Gauge
• Rate of Fire: Pump Action
• Magazine Capacity: 3
• Unlock: 4,000 Sidearm Score

The American-designed Shorty 12G is essentially a miniaturized version of a pump action-shotgun. Due to its compact size, it can be deployed as a sidearm, offering much higher damage output than its pistol counterparts. Firing 12-buckshot and only capable of holding three shells in its tubular magazine, the Shorty 12G is best deployed during extreme, point-blank engagements.

Unlock Progression

G18

• Ammo: 9x19mm
• Rate of Fire: 1,100 rpm
• Magazine Capacity: 3
• Unlock: 5,000 Sidearm Score

Essentially an automatic version of the G17, the G18 was developed for the Austrian EKO Cobra counter-terrorist force. Classified as a machine pistol, the G18 has been equipped with a number of modifications to allow greater control over its very rapid fire. Regardless, the G18 in automatic is incredibly difficult to fire effectively at anything other than extremely short ranges.

Unlock Progression

FN57

• Ammo: 5.7x28mm
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 20
• Unlock: 6,000 Sidearm Score

The Belgian FN57 was developed alongside the P90 PDW, designed as companion pieces and marketed to militaries and police agencies. Both weapons fire the same proprietary 5.7x28mm round, designed to have a greater range and higher velocity than the larger 9mm round. The smaller round also allows for a larger magazine capacity, always a welcome feature during fire fights.

Unlock Progression

M1911

• Ammo: .45 ACP
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 8
• Unlock: 7,000 Sidearm Score

The M1911 is one of the most popular pistols in the world. Adopted in 1911 for the US armed forces, the M1911 served as the primary sidearm until 1985. Many clones and copies of the M1911 exist, and the internal action is used in nearly all modern pistols. Modernized and updated versions of the M1911 are still in use by MEU(SOC) US Marine Corps Special Forces.

Unlock Progression

93R

• Ammo: 9x19mm
• Rate of Fire: 1,100 rpm
• Magazine Capacity: 20
• Unlock: 8,000 Sidearm Score

A modified version of the M9 pistol, the 93R is able to fire in three-round bursts. The 93R is equipped with a forward folding fore grip and an extended barrel, which is ported to reduce recoil. Trained shooters are able to fire busts in rapid succession, and the pistol is typically seen in service only with elite special purpose units.

Unlock Progression

CZ-75

• Ammo: .40 SW
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 12
• Unlock: 9,000 Sidearm Score

Developed in the 1970s, this innovative Czech pistol was one of the first handguns to utilize a staggered magazine feed configuration, allowing for greater capacity. This variant of the CZ-75 is chambered in .40 SW, giving slightly more stopping power than its 9mm counterparts. But the larger round results in a smaller magazine capacity too.

Unlock Progression

.44 Magnum

• Ammo: .44 Magnum
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 6
• Unlock: 10,000 Sidearm Score

A .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, this particular model features a ported barrel, a compact frame for easy carry, and of course, a round that will blow your head clean off. The .44 Magnum is the most powerful available sidearm, but the recoil and weight of the weapon makes fast follow-up shots extremely difficult.

Unlock Progression

Compact 45

• Ammo: .45 ACP
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 15
• Unlock: 11,000 Sidearm Score

Chambered in the powerful .45 ACP round, the German-developed Compact 45 is the smaller variant of a pistol originally designed to replace the US armed forces’ M9. Given the larger round, the 45 Compact exhibits impressive stopping power and surprisingly manageable recoil, putting it in the same territory as the M1911, albeit with a larger magazine capacity.

Unlock Progression

M412 REX

• Ammo: .357 Magnum
• Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
• Magazine Capacity: 6
• Unlock: Campaign Unlock

Developed for export in Russia (REX stands for Revolver for Export), the M412 is a compact .357 Magnum handgun with an interesting tilt open and auto extraction design. While not as powerful as the .44 Magnum, the .357 Magnum round from the M412 offers excellent stopping power and the compact package offers a slightly higher rate of accurate fire.

Unlock Progression

Battlepacks are available for this class of weapon at the following kill counts: 210, 310, 360, 410, 460 and 510.

• Flash Hinder
• Green Laser Sight
• Laser/Light Combo
• QSW-06 Suppressor
• TGPA-5 Suppressor
• Tactical Light
• Tri Beam Laser