Assault Rifles
Assault Rifle Strengths
- Solid damage at range
- Customizable for short or long range combat
Assault Rifle Weaknesses
- Less effective than specialized close or long range weapons at their preferred engagement distances
Reliable, Accurate, Powerful
Assault Rifles are flexible weapons, and the changes to mobility in Black Ops III demand that you pay careful attention to which rifle you use for specific combat situations, and how you customize it to suit those engagements.
Because of the speed that players can move around the map (with guns up and ready to shoot at any time), it is easier than ever for highly mobile SMG or Shotgun rushers to get into close range—and if you are using a weapon with slower handling and a lower time to kill against those dedicated CQC guns, you’re in trouble.
Thankfully, Assault Rifles can be customized to suit a more aggressive close range role using some combination of Quickdraw, Laser Sight, Rapid Fire, Stock, and possibly a Suppressor or Extended Mags.
Likewise, you can double down on Assault Rifles ranged superiority with Grip, High Caliber, FMJ, and Long Barrel.
If you are planning on trying to play at mid to long range, your situational awareness is as important as the gun you choose to use—you need to be aware of where your teammates are, and where enemies are likely to attempt to flank you.
Choose an Assault Rifle that suits your preferred playstyle, customize it to fit that role, and your rifle will treat you well.
Assault Rifle Notes
- There are three types of Assault Rifle: full auto, burst, and semi-auto. On top of that, one weapon, the XR-2, is a fully automatic burst weapon—an unusual trait shared with the Pharo SMG and 48 Dredge LMG.
- The KN-44, HVK-30, IMR-1, and Man-O-War are traditional full auto rifles, varying in rate of fire, accuracy, and damage. Examine the weapon charts here to get a feel for their differences and experiment with them in-game to test their recoil.
- The XR2 and M8A7 are burst-fire weapons, but the XR2 can fire its bursts automatically by holding the trigger. Both can potentially kill extremely quickly if all shots from the burst land, giving you the ability to ‘shotgun’ enemies up close on occasion.
- The Sheiva is a marksman weapon, a semi-auto rifle with very high damage and a low fire rate. Paired with High Caliber, you can potentially kill a single headshot. Think of the Sheiva as a more mobile Sniper Rifle and you aren’t far off the mark.
- Suppressors cut Assault Rifle range significantly, so expect an extra shot to kill at any distance past short range fights. If you plan on keeping your distance, skip the Suppressor and/or add High Caliber.
Kn-44
Full-auto Assault Rifle. Fast fire rate with moderate recoil.
A well rounded Assault Rifle, the KN-44 has three-shot kill potential at short ranges, never drops below four. With a fire rate second only to the HVK-30, it’s an effective weapon if you can control its moderate recoil, which kicks left and right.
Customized with CQC attachments, the KN-44 performs well at short range. With ranged attachments, it works out to a medium distance as long as you can handle the recoil.
HVK-30
Full-auto Assault Rifle. Fastest fire rate in class.
The bullet hose of the Assault Rifle family, the HVK-30 has the best fire rate, which it pays for with the worst damage profile among its Assault Rifle siblings.
You may wish to embrace its RoF advantage fully, and make use of Rapid Fire and High Caliber to boost its killtime. Just be aware of the cost to long range accuracy and use controlled bursts at a distance.
ICR-1
Fully automatic Assault Rifle. Modest damage with minimal recoil.
The most accurate of the full auto Assault Rifles, the ICR-1 is surprisingly stable, and with a Grip attached, is competitive at long range.
The ICR-1 has average damage for the class, starting at four and dropping five shots only at long range.
Man-O-War
Full-auto Assault Rifle. Strong damage with a slow fire rate.
The high damage option, the Man-O-War can kill with three shots out to a great distance, at the cost of a slower rate of fire. Keep your enemies at arms-length with this weapon to make it perform well.
The Man-O-War also has a distinctive kick up and to the left, which can be a benefit if you’re more comfortable compensating for predictable recoil in one direction (vs. the left/right bounce exhibited by the KN-44 and HVK).
XR-2
Three-round auto-burst Assault Rifle. Bursts cycle automatically by holding the trigger.
The first of the two burst Assault Rifles, the XR-2 is unique in that it is both fully automatic and burst, affording the accuracy benefits of a burst weapon with the ease of trigger usage of a full-auto weapon.
The XR-2 deals high damage, capable of killing in a single burst out to long range, though you are likely to need a few bursts to score the hits needed at greater distances against fast moving targets.
The XR-2 has a tight recoil pattern, but it bounces slightly more left-right than the M8A7’s predictably upward bounce, which can be challenging to manage at longer ranges.
The XR-2 exhibits slightly superior handling to other Assault Rifles, with quick reloads and a very slight movement speed advantage.
M8A7
Four-round burst rifle. High cycling rate of fire with minimal recoil.
A powerful burst weapon, the M8A7 has controllable and predictable vertical recoil, and can kill in a single burst out to long range.
Because of the M8A7’s recoil pattern and high rate of fire, it is particularly lethal against stationary targets, making it a strong weapon against players camping behind cover or in windows at a distance.
The high cyclic rate does demand rapid trigger presses to fully utilize, which makes it slightly more challenging than the XR-2 to control while fighting on the move.
Sheiva
Semi-auto marksman Assault Rifle. Eliminates enemy infantry in two shots.
A powerful marksman Assault Rifle, the Sheiva is a cut-down Sniper Rifle in many ways. With the High Caliber attachment, you can down enemy players with a single headshot at shorter distances.
The Sheiva has worse handling characteristics than other Assault Rifles, with very slightly slower ADS times and slow reloads. Because of these traits and the low rate of fire, stay out of CQC.
The Sheiva is a tack driver at any range, so its pinpoint accuracy serves you well if you can keep your enemies at range.
Assault Rifle Charts
Assault Rifle Shots to Kill
Assault Rifle Rate of Fire
Assault Rifle Reload Times
Assault Rifle Ammo
Assault Rifle Recoil Plots
First Shot
Light Machine Guns
LMG Strengths
- Deep magazines
- High damage at range
- Good penetration
LMG Weaknesses
- Slow handling
- Poor hipfire accuracy
- Loud and highly visible
High Impact Monsters
LMGs are powerful suppression weapons, capable of locking down a lane as effectively as Sniper Rifles. Dealing high damage at long range and with good penetration and large magazines, LMGs can mow down multiple targets with ease, and take out targets behind light cover.
The enhanced mobility in Black Ops III has had a significant effect on LMGs’ ability to get into (or change) position quickly, and it is now quite easy to traverse a map swiftly and get into a commanding defensive position.
However, while LMGs have many advantages at a distance, they aren’t quite as good up close. Their sluggish handling and poor hipfire accuracy do them no favors against dedicated CQC weapons.
It is still possible to win fights up close, but give serious consideration to taking a backup Pistol so you have a suitable weapon for handling a rush.
LMG Notes
- The Gorgon, BRM, and Dingo are fully automatic with increasing rates of fire from the very slow and highly damaging Gorgon to the rapid fire, quick killing Dingo.
- The 48 Dredge is a full auto burst gun, firing in extended bursts of six shots at a time. Like the burst Assault Rifles, the 48 Dredge can kill extremely quickly if most of the shots from the burst impact.
- The Gorgon is one of the only full auto weapons in the game that can kill in two bodyshots, balanced by a low rate of fire.
- Like Assault Rifles, Suppressors absolutely tank LMG range. Expect an extra shot to kill at any distance outside CQC.
BRM
Full-auto Light Machine Gun. Strong damage with balanced recoil.
A powerful weapon, the BRM can kill in three shots out to extremely long range. With only moderate recoil, it’s accurate enough to get those shots on target reliably.
The BRM’s time to kill is eclipsed by CQC focused weaponry, but at the middle distances, it is dominant over all SMGs and most Assault Rifles, as well.
Take advantage of this weapons generous ammo and good penetration to keep the bullets raining on any target trying to hide behind, or duck in and out of cover.
Dingo
Full-auto Light Machine Gun. Fast fire rate with moderate recoil.
The Dingo has a higher rate of fire than the BRM, but it pays for this by requiring an extra shot to kill. It also has slightly more intense recoil and a smaller magazine.
Make use of the Dingo at shorter ranges than the BRM to benefit from its slightly improved TTK, and avoid the difficulty of wrangling its recoil to score the extra hits at a distance.
48 Dredge
Six-round auto-burst machine gun. Each burst fires at a rapid fire rate.
A six-round burst LMG that auto-cycles as you hold the trigger, the 48 Dredge has a very high rate of fire within the burst. If you can manage the vertical recoil, it can kill extremely quickly, on par with the burst Assault Rifles.
Gorgon
Full-auto Heavy Machine Gun. Two-hit kill at a slow fire rate.
The hardest hitting automatic in the game, the Gorgon can kill in two shots out to extreme range, and still manages pinpoint accuracy due to its low rate of fire.
This power is reined in by that rate of fire, though, as you will find it cannot compete with dedicated CQC weapons up close. It also still loses to most Assault Rifles at a medium range if they are on point with their accuracy.
However, customized with ranged attachments and a good optic, this is a deadly lane control weapon—only Sniper Rifles and marksman configured Assault Rifles have a chance of engaging you effectively if you keep your distance.
LMG Rifle Charts
LMG Shots to Kill
LMG Rate of Fire
LMG Reload Times
LMG Ammo
LMG Recoil Plots
First Shot
Submachine Guns
SMG Strengths
- Accurate hipfire
- Best base mobility, effective in mobile combat
- Fast handling
SMG Weaknesses
- Low damage and poor accuracy at long range
- High RPM drains ammo quickly
For all your quad-feed needs
SMGs have traditionally occupied a role as CQC masters in Call of Duty, and that remains true in Black Ops 3, but the realities of guns up mobility have enhanced their overall performance and power.
On top of that, with the range of attachments and SMGs at your disposal, it is possible to create a straight bullet hose that is a borderline shotgun of a weapon, or an accurate and stable weapons platform that can compete at a medium distance.
SMGs best suit an aggressive playstyle. If you enjoy the front line of conflict, rushing objectives, or flanking the enemy team, SMGs are the right tool for the job.
Pairing stealth perks with a silenced SMG makes for an effective flanking weapon, while selecting performance enhancing attachments can give you a weapon capable of lethal wetwork up close or respectable strength at a distance.
In all cases, take full advantage of SMGs handling when using your mobility options. Whether wall running, power sliding, boost jumping, or speed mantling, SMGs perform better than almost all other weapon types at snap firing and downing targets at short ranges.
SMGs’ movement speed, handling speed, accuracy, and rate of fire are all perfectly suited to take down opponents using slower Assault Rifles, LMGs, or Sniper Rifles—as long as you get into close range.
Don’t play the medium to long range cover shooting game with enemies who are using weapons that can kill faster and shoot more accurately at a distance. It’s perfectly effective to watch an objective or a common traffic point from behind cover, but your strengths lie in rapid repositioning and assault at short ranges. You want to be the one flushing other players out of cover!
SMG Notes
- The Kuda, Razorback, VMP, and Weevil have similar rates of fire, with the VMP being the most ‘baseline’ of the four.
- In comparison, the Kuda has increased damage at very short range, the Razorback has superior accuracy at a distance, and the Weevil has a large magazine.
- The other two serve more distinct roles—the Pharo firing in full auto 4-shot bursts, while the Vesper has the highest rate of fire of all SMGs.
- For longer range combat, the Razorback and Pharo are good choices, while the Vesper excels at extreme CQC, and the Kuda is decent as well. Among the others, experiment to find which suits your personal preferences the best.
Kuda
Full-auto Submachine Gun. Steady fire rate with balanced recoil.
An all-around performer, the Kuda has the only three-shot kill potential of the SMGs (albiet at very short ranges), and maintains its four-shot kill potential out to the best range, as well.
The Kuda has a moderate fire rate and recoil, making it a controllable weapon, but its range actually causes some awkward problems.
At very close range, its killtime is good, but it’s then eclipsed by other SMGs until the tail end of its four-shot kill range. To perform best with this weapon, you must be very aware of distances on different maps, and control engagement ranges carefully. Using a Suppressor and a Long Barrel is a viable option to stay out of reach of the VMP, Vesper, and Weevil, and get in close off the radar for very short range kills.
Razorback
Full-auto Submachine Gun. Best accuracy in class, ideal for mid-range engagements.
A very stable SMG, particularly with the Grip attachment, the Razorback has the second best damage range profile in the SMG class, making it a great choice if you prefer mobile combat using ADS for kills.
The Razorback pays for this accuracy with its killtimes in comparison to other SMGs, so you need to make it count—stay mobile and make good use of cover.
Vesper
Full-auto Submachine Gun. Fastest fire rate in class.
A true bullet hose, the Vesper has the best kill times up close in the SMG class. It also boasts the highest potential to be customized into a hipfiring CQC beast. The Vesper suffers from intense recoil and rapid damage falloff, though, making it a very poor choice for engaging at a distance.
Given its limited range to begin with, silencing it with a suppressor and forcing close range engagements is a good way to maximize its strengths.
VMP
Full-auto Submachine Gun. Strong damage output at the cost of a smaller magazine.
A slightly less intense cousin to the Vesper, the VMP has good killtimes up close, but maintains its damage slightly better at a distance.
The VMP still has strong recoil, but it is predictably up and to the left, which you may find manageable with some practice.
Weevil
Full-auto Submachine Gun. Large magazine capacity with modest damage.
With middle of the road damage for the SMG class, the Weevil is also in the middle in terms of recoil, with strong vertical recoil, but less wildly out of control than the VMP or Vesper.
It’s still more intense than either the Kuda or Razorback, so if you engage at a distance, make those extra bullets count and don’t let up until your target is down.
The Weevil excels at engaging multiple targets in a row without needing to reload, make sure you don’t reload unnecessarily early when using the Weevil!
Pharo
Four-round auto-burst SMG. Reliable damage and accuracy, cycles burst automatically by holding the trigger.
A unique SMG, the Pharo fires auto-bursts like the XR-2 and the 48 Dredge.
The Pharo has quite good killtimes, even at a distance, so if you can get used to its rhythmic cycling and up-left kick, the Pharo can perform quite well up close or at a distance.
Submachine Gun Charts
SMG Shots to Kill
SMG Rate of Fire
SMG Reload Times
SMG Ammo
Submachine gun Recoil Plots
First Shot
Shotguns
Shotgun Strengths
- One shot kills
- Good handling
Shotgun Weaknesses
- Short range
- Completely ineffective outside their effective range
Brute force CQC
When you absolutely want to dominate close range combat, Shotguns should be your go to weapon choice. The slug and auto shotguns can also be used fairly reliably out to greater distances.
Because Shotguns work best at close range, your build and your playstyle both need to emphasize sneaking around and flanking the enemy team to get into range.
Likewise, learn the maps well and figure out where you can use a Shotgun effectively—interior areas, blind corners, and lots of cover are your friends; wide open spaces and long sight lines are not.
A Shotgun makes a great backup weapon for a long range primary, but you must either scavenge such a weapon on the battlefield or burn up perk points on Overkill to carry an extra primary yourself… and even more points if you want both weapons customized heavily.
Also keep in mind that (unlike a Pistol) Shotguns don’t switch as quickly, so try to have a shotgun in hand before you enter a likely CQC engagement area.
Shotgun Notes
- There are four unique Shotgun models: the pump action KRM-262, the slug firing Argus, a semi-auto 205 Brecci, and the full auto Haymaker 12.
- The KRM-262 is your most reliable one-shot kill weapon at very short ranges, while the other three trade range, rate of fire, and damage in different amounts.
- The Argus is notable for firing slugs, so you should always be firing it ADS. It’s also much less tolerant of hipfiring than other Shotguns. The 205 Brecci shares this preference for ADS fire, though if you are trying to kill a target anywhere outside very short range, ADS with all of the Shotguns.
- The Haymaker 12 and KRM-262 Shotguns are both quite effective when hipfired at very short range.
Haymaker 12
Fully-automatic Shotgun. Fast fire rate with modest damage.
A bullet hose of a Shotgun, the Haymaker 12 trades off instant lethality for extreme ease of use.
Hold the trigger down and keep your crosshairs on target to drop an enemy very quickly. Don’t bother trying to line up for a perfect shot; just get the lead on target ASAP!
KRM-262
Pump-action Shotgun. One-hit kill against enemies in close quarters.
A reliable and powerful Shotgun, the KRM-262 is the easiest of the four to use up close and on the move, whether hipfired at very short range, or ADS at targets near the edge of its effective range.
However, it pays for this ease of use with the lowest reliable range for one-shot kills, so always be ready for a follow up shot if you think they may be on the fringe of your effective range.
Unlike the other Shotguns, the KRM-262 is reloaded one slug at a time, which can be beneficial if you need to cancel a reload and take a shot at a sudden surprise attacker, but you don’t have the ability to fully refresh your load in one go.
Argus
Lever-action shotgun. Highly accurate buckshot spread, extremely effective when aiming down the sight.
A slug firing Shotgun, the Argus demands ADS usage and good accuracy.
In exchange, you get the best range potential of any Shotgun, still capable of one shot kills up close, and with headshots, at an even greater distance.
205 Brecci
Semi-automatic Shotgun. High damage and range, best used when aiming down the sight.
A mix between the KRM-262’s brute force and the Argus’ superior range, the 205 Brecci works best when ADS at targets that are outside the KRM’s easy hipfire kill range.
Shotgun Charts
Shotgun Shots to Kill
Shotgun Rate of Fire
Shotgun Reload Times
Shotgun Ammo
Shotgun Recoil Plots
First Shot
Sniper Rifles
Sniper Strengths
- Long distance one shot kill capability
- Can engage effectively outside the effective range of almost all other weapons
- Some models can be used effectively for snap fire shots at medium ranges
Sniper Weaknesses
- Poor performance in CQC
One shot, one kill
For the marksman, Sniper Rifles are the weapon of choice. If you can consistently land shots on target, they will reward you with the fastest kills and the longest ranges in the game.
However, they are demanding weapons—a single missed shot can result in a lost firefight, and other players hate getting taken out repeatedly by a sniper, so expect them to come hunting for you if you’re hanging back.
Like LMGs, Snipers benefit from having a backup Pistol on hand, so you can quickly pull it out and dispatch anyone rushing you.
The different Sniper Rifle models support a different playstyle, so experiment with each and see what suits you best—it’s possible to play a highly mobile on the go shooter with a Locus, or you can hang back and pick off players with the SVG-100.
Unlike other weapons, Sniper Rifles are instantly lethal in one shot if they hit high enough on the body. Headshots are always lethal, but depending on the model you are using, you may need to hit anywhere from the stomach to the upper chest to score a one-shot kill.
Suppressors pay a steep price on Sniper Rifles, as they reduce effective damage and demand headshots or quick double taps to finish a target.
Sniper Notes
- The SVG-100, Locus, and Drakon trade off improved damage with rate of fire and mobility.
- The SVG-100 can kill with a single shot to the stomach or above, but has slower handling than the other Snipers.
- The Locus has the fastest ADS time and makes for the best on-the-go Sniper for quickscopes.
- The Drakon has the best fire rate and works well for quick two-shot kills, though it can also kill in one shot with an upper chest hit.
- The P-06 is an oddity. You hold the trigger to ‘charge’ a shot, releasing it to fire a three-round burst. This behaves somewhat similarly to the Drakon 2 shot kill, in that you are trading the instant lethality of the SVG-100 or Locus for a slower but easier to land burst of shots to down a target.
Drakon
Semi-auto Sniper Rifle. One-hit kill to the upper chest and above.
The fastest firing Sniper, it has the weakest damage profile, requiring an upper chest hit to score the one-hit kill.
However, with its high rate of fire, it’s actually the best candidate of the Snipers for suppression—you trade off one-shot kills for the ability to silently take down targets at great range in two quick shots.
Locus
Bolt-action Sniper Rifle. One-hit kill to the ribs and above.
The fastest handling of the four Snipers, the Locus has the best ADS time, making it the quickest of the four for rapid on the move shots.
With good one-shot killing potential, if you are confident in your accuracy, the Locus works well for mobile combat, quickly scoping in to down targets and moving again.
P-06
Charge Burst Sniper Rifle. Hold the trigger to charge up and fire three deadly rounds at a rapid fire rate.
A singularly unusual weapon, the P-06 is a burst-fire Sniper that requires charging the shot, which means it is a poor choice for rapid mobile sniping.
However, it requires only two of the three shots to hit to score a kill. It also has relatively low recoil, so it’s a forgiving weapon if you can keep your distance.
SVG-100
Bolt-action Sniper Rifle. High damage and zoom, with reduced handling speed.
The slowest ADS time of the Snipers, it also has commanding power, capable of one-shot kills anywhere above the hips.
If you prefer staying at long range and picking your targets and lines of sight carefully, this is your best choice among the Sniper Rifles.
Sniper Charts
Sniper Rate of Fire
Sniper Reload Times
Sniper Ammo
Sniper Recoil Plots
First Shot
