Best Battlefield 6 guns: All weapons you can unlock and which ones to use

Battlefield 6 has a whopping 45 weapons to unlock across all its categories (including sidearms), so you're spoilt for choice—plus, they can be used on any class in standard Open Weapons playlists. It's a big improvement over the measly launch offerings of BF1, BF5, and BF2042, and it makes progression significantly more rewarding.

With so many weapons to unlock, both through career ranks and assignments, it's a no-brainer to sort the wheat from the chaff to find out the best guns. So, I've put every weapon to the test, including playing around with attachments, to help you out in the field.

Best Battlefield 6 guns

The best guns I've used so far in BF6 are:

• M4A1 (rank 2, carbine)
• M87A1 (rank 0, shotgun)
• PW7A2 (rank 19, SMG)
• DRS-IAR (rank 9, LMG)
• M277 (rank 11, carbine)
• SG 553R (Danger Close assignment, carbine)

M4A1

The M4A1 carbine, unlocked at just Rank 2, is one of the best weapons in the entire game. Thanks to its high fire rate and solid damage, the M4A1 is capable of dropping enemies blazingly fast.

Now, you might think that these positives must mean the M4A1 is weak at range. It should be, but it's not. With just a converter and vertical grip, you can negate most of the recoil without hurting your accuracy. In other words, you've got the raw firepower and mobility of an SMG with the range of an assault rifle.

M87A1

The killer shotgun from the beta returns with a vengeance. Despite a nerf, the M87A1 is still a reliable one-hit kill in close range, and has access to slug rounds for picks at further ranges.

It's strong in its own right given how many of BF6's maps are relatively small and dense, but it really shines as a backup for the Assault class. Using this class's unique assault sling 'gadget', you can carry a long-range primary like an assault rifle, with the M87A1 in your back pocket for when things get messy. Let's just say I wouldn't disagree if people called for this synergy to be dialled back somehow or removed entirely.

PW7A2

Based on the MP7, the PW7A2 (not to be confused with the PW5A3, based on the MP5, though that's still good) is a very odd SMG. It boasts a brisk 947RPM fire rate, outpacing even the M4A1, and you'd think that would come with a boatload of recoil. However, it's the exact opposite: the PW7A2 is one of the most accurate, controllable weapons of the bunch. Despite its low damage per shot, this SMG's superb accuracy and fire rate mean you can burst people down at further ranges than you'd expect.

Of course, this high DPS, paired with very good mobility, also lends itself to close quarters, where the PW7A2 is similarly devastating. Plus, since you don't need to use any attachments to rein in the recoil, you're free to focus on even more mobility, or chuck on a suppressor for easier flanking.

DRS-IAR

The DRS-IAR is a very odd LMG in that it's basically an assault rifle. With more sprightly handling and a typical 30-round magazine, this gun effectively blurs the boundary between the categories, and it's all the better for it.

The DRS has the stopping power of an LMG, but it's much more nimble and versatile, which is better suited to Battlefield 6's often smaller maps. Once you get rid of the god awful default 3.5x scope and attach a Double-Port Brake and Vertical Grip, much of the kick is gone too, so it can hold its own at range as well.

M277

Like the M4A1, the M277 carbine unlocked at Rank 11 is the perfect blend between an SMG and an assault rifle. It hits incredibly hard even at further ranges, though it does have more recoil than the M4A1 even with optimised attachments, and it has a smaller magazine size.

With that in mind, I recommend reining in the recoil with a converter/brake, vertical grip, and 50MW blue laser, and then bumping up the magazine size to standard levels. Admittedly, it does take quite a bit of effort to fully gear up, but it's still a cut above the rest with just a muzzle and grip.

SG 553R

With damage on par with assault rifles (higher than every carbine except the M417 A2, which it ties with) but better mobility, and still a relatively high 720RPM, the SG 553R can throw a lot of damage down range. Even better is that it's designed for mid-ranges, so it's not sacrificing a great deal of precision or control either—both of which you can improve with attachments as well, anyhow.

The hurdle you'll run into is that the SG 553R is locked behind a lengthy grind, as it's the reward for the Danger Close 2 assignment. Using carbines, you'll need to get 250 ADS kills and 10,000 damage, then 300 headshots, and 100 kills with the QBZ-192 or M277 specifically. It's a lot.

All Battlefield 6 weapons

Here are all 45 weapons you can unlock in Battlefield 6 and what level you need to reach to add them to your arsenal, organised by category. It's worth noting that this doesn't include weapon packages, which are essentially different versions of these weapons with pre-allocated attachments (though you can still change them).

Remember that Battlefield 6 features both an Open Weapons and Closed Weapons playlists. Open weapons means all four classes can use any weapon, but each class has a preferred weapon type, for which they'll gain unique benefits when using. Closed weapons, on the other hand, locks certain weapon types to specific classes.

Battlefield 6 M4A1 loadout: Set for life.
Battlefield 6 B36A4 loadout: Ol' reliable.
Battlefield 6 M433 loadout: Unwavering barrage.
Battlefield 6 SGX loadout: Simple and snappy.
Battlefield 6 L110 loadout: Heavy duty.
Battlefield 6 M2010 ESR loadout: Sniping made simple.
Battlefield 6 M277 loadout: Jackhammer carbine.
Battlefield 6 dog tag locations: Earn some freebies.
Battlefield 6 campaign missions: How long to beat.