Black Ops Cold War best guns - the top weapons in multiplayer

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
(Image credit: Activision)

While there's plenty of discussion the best Black Ops Cold War guns stand clear of the general weapon selection. The 80s setting brings back a lot of familar names and classis, as well as a few new options in Black Ops Cold War but the Black Ops Cold Best gun options stand clear of the back. We'll those that survive nerfing because they're too good obviously.

Picking the best Black Ops Cold War guns can be complicated by all the different weapon types and attachments you can make use off. Some guns appear fairly ordinary until you realize a certain combination of add ons suddenly make it deadly accurate or powerful. Gunsmith options add some interesting variety to it all, and depending how you customize your gear, it possible to be playing against opponents with very  different version of the same weapon. To help you find the Black Ops Cold War best gun for you we've picked apart the options and come up with the following list. 

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Black Ops Cold War best assault rifle - Krig 6

Black Ops Cold War best guns: Krig 6

(Image credit: Activision)

A real all-rounder that can be used in just about any engagement if you get to know how long it takes to kill at close, medium and long range. Boasting practically no recoil (once you have Muzzle and Underbarrel attached), this gun can be readied up really quickly and can even come out on top if another player gets the drop on you. In a pair of hands with quick reflexes and a good aim, it’s probably the best gun in the game.

Stack this with the Law Breaker Wildcard and equip the Pelington 703 Sniper Rifle in your secondary slot to dominate the battlefield at all ranges. Don’t worry about your opponent’s getting close to you: you’ll be able to shred them with the Krig 6 in no time.

Black Ops Cold War best SMG - Mac-10

warzone best guns

(Image credit: Activision)

The Mac-10 has been around since season won but still dominates even now. If you want insane fire rates and fast kill times then this is absolutely the best Black Ops Cold War SMG for the job. While it's mainly a close distance bullet hose, things like the Agency Suppressor can reign in vertical recoil while the 6.1” Reinforced Heavy Barrel will improve damage range and bullet velocity if you want to extend it's effective range. 

Black Ops Cold War best tactical rifle - M16

Black Ops Cold War best guns: M16

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This burst-fire gun is best deployed at mid- to long-range if you set it up with the right scope and right barrel. You may be tempted to try and make it an all-rounder, but all that’s going to do is underplay the gun’s strengths. Play the marksman role with this weapon and make sure your secondary armament can deal with opponents that insist on getting up in your personal space.

Pop a 5.3” Rapid Fire barrel, a Fast Mage and a Front Grip on this gun to make it more consistent and more lethal, and attach a Millstop Reflex Optic to ensure you’ll be able to take down enemies at range. Get used to the fire pattern, go for accuracy over brute force, and you’ll be nigh-on unstoppable with this gun in distance encounters.

Black Ops Cold War best shotgun - Gallo SA12

Black Ops Cold War best guns: Gallo SA12

(Image credit: Activision)

If you’re using a shotgun in a Call of Duty game, there’s only one thing you really want: damage. The Gallo SA12 has proved to be the most lethal and consistent gun for us, often able to eliminate enemies in one shot. Other shotguns are a bit more hit and miss (no pun intended) and don’t quite have the range of the Gallo SA12, either. 

This is a shotgun, so of course it takes a while to reload. You want to use each pull of the trigger as effectively as possible – retreating to somewhere (relatively) safe before you start thumbing ammo back into the weapon. It’s probably smart to equip Law Breaker and have the Krig 6 in your other weapon slot so you’re dangerous at various distances, and dressing the Gallo SA12 up with a Quickdot LED optic, a Duckbill Choke and the 22.7” Extended Barrel is going to make it more lethal, more regularly.

Black Ops Cold War best sniper rifle - ZRG 20mm

Warzone best ZRG 20mm loadout

(Image credit: Activision)

While the Pelington 703 is still a great option and previously the go to sniper, the best Black Ops Cold War sniper is currently the ZRG 20mm. It's a heavy weapon with a fast rate of fire, good ADS speeds and a high bullet velocity. It's all about real long range engagements and hits hard with a single shots kills a real likelihood. It's worth swapping out the default scope for something like the Royal & Kross 4x if you want to avoid a giveaway glint. Things like the Raider Pad Stock and Serpent Wrap grip will also boost your ADS, but given the ranges you should be using this gun at that's less of a worry. The five round mag will also boost your ammo without penalizing ADS. Lastly, stick the Bipod Underbarrel on to reduce recoil in case you need a follow up shot. 

Black Ops Cold War best LMG - RPD

Black Ops Cold War best guns: RPD

(Image credit: Activision)

The LMG is a favourite for CoD players that like to stay a bit further back from the action and keep things a bit steadier. This full-auto light machine gun is an excellent choice for that kind of player thanks to its wonderful handling and predictable recoil. Whilst you may not get the ammo reserves with the RPD you’ll find in other guns in this class, the hipfire spread is more favourable in this weapon and its mobility is uncharacteristic for its weapon class.

Of course, as with any gun, you start to sacrifice control if you’re sustaining fire. The LMG is useful against vehicles, so the 22.3” Cavalry Lancer barrel is a useful tool if you’re going in against hardware, whereas the SWAT 5mW Laser Sight can improve your hipfire accuracy even more for ground troops. Tactical Stock and Fast Mag are both also recommended.

Black Ops Cold War best launcher - Cigma 2

Black Ops Cold War best guns: Cigma 2

(Image credit: Activision)

Your classic Call of Duty lock-on rocket launcher, this anti-vehicle weapon can provide you with some pretty nasty stopping power if you can actually get a rocket out of the chamber. Thanks to the popularity of Spy Planes and Counter Spy Planes in the game, a lot of players are rocking this launcher in their secondary slot. Just be aware of the weapon’s embarrassingly small ammo pool and lengthy firing time before you take it into battle… it always takes longer than you think to get this thing armed. 

Leon Hurley
Managing editor for guides

I'm GamesRadar's Managing Editor for guides, which means I run GamesRadar's guides and tips content. I also write reviews, previews and features, largely about horror, action adventure, FPS and open world games. I previously worked on Kotaku, and the Official PlayStation Magazine and website.