Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 boasts a huge weapon pool — and that number will only increase with each new season. But not all guns are created equally. Some melt lobbies, while others feel more like pea-shooters. Plus, with so many options on the table, it’s hard to know what’s meta and what’s filler.

To make things easier for you, we’ve broken down every weapon category and ranked each gun from weakest to strongest to give you a clear path to the best weapons in Black Ops 7.

Best Black Ops 7 Assault Rifles Ranked: Most Versatile Weapons

To kick off the Black Ops 7 weapons tier list, we’ll first rank the Assault Rifles (ARs). This category of guns is the bread and butter of every Call of Duty game — and it’s no different in this iteration.

The M15 Mod 0 has low damage, but its low recoil and great fire rate compensate for that shortcoming. This makes it a good pick on any map, which is why the M15 is the leader in the Black Ops 7 AR meta.

The AK-27 comes up right beside the M15. It has crazy damage, but the high recoil makes it difficult to control for some players. Similarly, the DS20 Mirage has good damage and is fair in every other aspect, but the added grenade launcher attachment makes it great for crowd control.

In the same vein, the MXR-17 and Peacekeeper both pack a punch, but the former is slow to fire, and the latter has poor range. Lastly, the X9 Maverick is a burst-fire rifle, which isn’t ideal in any scenario.

Best Black Ops 7 Shotguns Ranked: Top Short-Range Weapons

The Akita checks all the boxes of an S+ shotgun. It’s fully automatic, has respectable stopping power, and low recoil. At close range, the weapon is simply unstoppable.

A close second is the M10 Breacher. The gun’s pump-action spread means it becomes more accurate the longer you hold the trigger. The Echo 12, on the other hand, is a double-barreled shotgun that hits like a truck. However, its short range and large bullet spread place it in the lower B-tier in this Black Ops 7 weapon tier list.

Best Black Ops 7 SMGs Ranked: Top Medium-Range Weapons

Besides ARs, submachine guns (SMGs) are the most commonly used guns in Call of Duty. In most cases, the best SMGs are just as good as the best ARs and lead the current Black Ops 7 meta.

Out of the six available SMGs in the game, the RK-9 is the one you should avoid at all costs. It’s a burst-fire gun with high recoil, which is a buzzkill. Likewise, the Carbon 57 features a massive 50-bullet magazine size, but it has low damage. In contrast, the MPC-25 has high damage but poor range.

The SMGs that rank in the S and S+ Black Ops 7 gun tier list are what you should get.

They include the Dravec 45, Ryden-45K, and Razor 9mm. All three are well-balanced, with solid firepower and manageable handling. They are amazing at short to mid-range and are super easy to control, making them the best weapons for beginners in Black Ops 7.

Best Black Ops 7 Sniper Rifles Ranked: Top Long-Range Weapons

Both the Shadow SK and VS Recon are meta-tier Black Ops 7 sniper rifles. The Shadow SK is semi-automatic, which makes it easy to hit enemies with follow-up shots, while the VS Recon has a longer reload time—but even a torso shot with it can kill most enemies!

If not for its firing delay, the XR-3 Ion would easily sit in the meta. Its three-round burst can delete enemies instantly when all shots connect. The problem is that its delay throws off your timing so much that landing a clean burst feels more like wishful thinking than a reliable kill.

Best Black Ops 7 Marksman Rifles Ranked: Top Mid/Long-Range Weapons

Marksman Rifles are great for mid to long-range combat. However, all Black Ops 7 Marksman Rifles are either burst or have a firing delay.

The M34 Novaline fires in two-round bursts. It deals high damage, but the caveat is that it has a super slow fire rate. The Warden 308 is a semi-automatic rifle, but it also has a two-second fire delay after every shot.

Lastly, the M8A1 has a four-shot burst fire. But if you miss that, then you’d better say your prayers. The damage is good on one side; however, the delays and slow fire rates make the Marksman Rifles poor choices compared to the ARs and SMGs. They simply aren’t a part of the Black Ops 7 meta.

Best Black Ops 7 LMGs Ranked: Top Short/Mid-Range Weapons

Out of the 30 Black Ops 7 launch weapons, only two are Light Machine Guns (LMGs). If you’re an LMG main, then you’re probably used to being treated as a second-class citizen in Call of Duty games—and in Black Ops 7, it’s kind of the same.

Both the MK.78 and XM325 boast high mag sizes of 75 and 60, respectively. They are perfect when you need crowd control in smaller Black Ops 7 maps in modes like Gunfight. However, when you try taking out enemies from afar, both guns show miserable accuracy.

Paired with the long reload times, LMGs become a double-edged sword. So, unless you want the best gun in Black Ops 7 multiplayer to go berserk with, LMGs are tough to recommend.

Other Useful Black Ops 7 Items and Melee Weapons

Pistols, Launchers, and Knives are situational tools, but when the moment calls for them, they shine. For example, a knife at melee range is basically a guaranteed kill—and when your primary runs dry, swapping to a pistol is almost always the faster (and smarter) play.

Similarly, the Launcher is an insane damage single-shot weapon. When groups of enemies are together in a mode like Skirmish, you can eliminate all of them with one shot using the A.R.C. M1 or AAROW.

So, while the Pistols, Knives, and Launchers are great, they are situational secondary weapons. Compared to the primary weapons listed above, they are not even close and would rank in the bottom tier. As a compromise, we’ve ranked them in a category of their own: Black Ops 7 beta weapon tier list.

Best Black Ops 7 Meta Loadouts

These are the top Black Ops 7 meta loadouts for the three strongest guns in the game. Keep in mind that some attachments are only available as high-level unlocks, so you’ll need to grind a bit before you can equip the full meta setup.

Best M15 Mod 0 AR Loadout

• Muzzle: Redwell 5.56 Compensator
• Barrel: 18″ Bowen Watchtower Barrel
• Optic: EMT3 Holo MK.2
• Underbarrel: Axis Shift Vertical Foregrip
• Stock: Bowen Linchpin Stock
• Fire Mods: Buffer Spring

Best Dravec 45 SMG Loadout

• Muzzle: Bowen .45 Suppressor
• Barrel: EAM Horizon Barrel
• Rear Grip: Herald-Z1 Grip
• Stock: Serval Q-step Stock
• Fire Mods: Accelerated Recoil System

Best Shadow SK Sniper Loadout

• Muzzle: Swf Tishina-11
• Barrel: 20″ Bell-X1 Barrel
• Optic: EAM Dual Zoom
• Laser: 5MW Lockstep Laser
• Fire Mods: LW Trigger

FAQs

How do you determine the best weapons in Black Ops 7?

The best weapon in Black Ops 7 varies from player to player. If you’re skilled at landing long-range shots, try using the Sniper or Marksman Rifles; otherwise, Shotguns, ARs, and SMGs are universally effective at close range.

What is the strongest S+-tier gun in Black Ops 7 right now?

There are multiple S-tier guns in Black Ops 7, depending on the category. They include: VS Recon, Shadow SK, Ryden 45K, Dravec 45, AK-27, M15 Mod 0, and Akita.

Why are some Black Ops 7 weapons ranked lower in the tier list?

Black Ops 7 weapons like the Knife, Jager 45, and XR-3 Ion are ranked lower in the tier list because they aren’t as versatile. That is, they have a limited range, low fire rate, poor mobility, or damage compared to higher-ranked weapons.

Which weapon is best for beginners in Black Ops 7?

The SMGs and ARs Black Ops 7 weapon categories are the most beginner-friendly because they are well-balanced. They also output serious damage with minimal drawbacks, making them easy to learn for newcomers to Call of Duty.

How often does the Black Ops 7 weapon meta change?

The meta shifts whenever balancing patches land, which can shake up the pool of Black Ops 7 meta guns. That said, major changes are uncommon and usually happen only during the first week after launch or with seasonal updates.