Knowing the Apex Legends best weapons is the way to succeed in the game. You can only carry two guns at a time and you’re inevitably going to be faced with the choice of what you should carry. This guide should help you determine which guns to take with you and which to leave behind.
Thankfully, there is a nice variety of guns in Apex Legends. While we’ve tried to categorize things roughly into Tiers, many of the game’s various firearms are situationally useful. Some have special firing modes or limited amounts of ammunition. No amount of information can beat out better judgment in the field, so choose your Apex Legends best weapons wisely!
Apex Legends Best weapons | Pistols
RE-45 Auto (Tier 1)
- Body Damage: 11
- Headshot Damage: 16
- Ammo: Light Rounds
- Magazine: 15 rounds
- Firing Mode: Automatic
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic
The RE-45 Auto is a good weapon in a pinch, but its low damage and fast fire rate means you’ll burn through ammo fast. It’s like a less-useful SMG.
Mozambique (Tier 1)
- Body Damage: 45
- Headshot Damage: 66
- Ammo Type: Shotgun Shells
- Magazine: 3
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: Mag, Optic
The Mozambique is a pistol-class weapon that uses shotgun shells. While the close-quartes damage is certainly nice, the puny 3-round magazine and reload time makes this a risky weapon to use.
P2020 (Tier 2)
- Body Damage: 12
- Headshot Damage: 17
- Ammo Type: Light Rounds
- Magazine: 10
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: Mag, Optic
Consistency is king and the P2020 is the best example of that. While it only has a little more damage than the Re-45 Auto, the P2020 is much more consistent and precise. This makes for an excellent sidearm.
Wingman (Tier 3)
- Body Damage: 45
- Headshot Damage: 90
- Ammo Type: Heavy Rounds
- Magazine: 6
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: Mag, Optic, Hop-Up
If you’re keen on carrying a handcannon, the Wingman is the only option. This six-shooter does a hefty amount of damage for a pistol.
Apex Legends Best weapons | SMGs
Alternator SMG (Tier 1)
- Body Damage: 13
- Headshot Damage: 19
- Ammo Type: Light Rounds
- Magazine: 16
- Firing Mode: Automatic
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic, Stock
The Alternator is an SMG that does okay damage but has a strange firing pattern using alternating battles. It would do well enough in closer quarters, but you’ll be better served by one of the other options.
Prowler Burst PDW (Tier 2)
- Body Damage: 14
- Headshot Damage: 21
- Ammo Type: Heavy Rounds
- Magazine: 20
- Firing Mode: 5-Round Burst
- Attachments: Mag, Optic, Stock, Hop-Up
The Prowler Burst PDW makes use of burst fire. (It’s right there in the name). The damage would certainly be decent enough otherwise, but the delay between bursts means that you’re not going to be able to put as much damage downrange as you’d like.
R-99 SMG (Tier 3)
- Body Damage: 12
- Headshot Damage: 18
- Ammo Type: Light Rounds
- Magazine: 18
- Firing Mode: Automatic
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic, Stock
SMGs are all about getting a lot of bullets out very quickly at short ranges. The R-99 SMG is the finest example of that. While the Prowler and Alternator beat the R-99 SMG in damage, the R-99 SMG is much more accurate with a speedy fire rate.
Apex Legends Best weapons | Shotguns
Peacekeeper (Tier 1)
- Body Damage: 110*
- Headshot Damage: 165*
- Ammo Type: Shotgun Shells
- Magazine: 6
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: Mag, Optic, Hop-Up
The Peacekeeper is touted as a lever-action shotgun, but it lacks one of the main advantages of such a weapon: the ability to load shells one at a time. If you need a shotgun, this is pretty much the worst option.
* Damage assuming all pellets hit
Mastiff Shotgun (Tier 2)
- Body Damage: 144*
- Headshot Damage: 288*
- Ammo Type: Limited
- Magazine: 4**
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: None
The Mastiff Shotgun is a pump-action firearm that is everything a shotgun should be. Unfortunately, it uses special ammo that you can’t get anywhere. Once the 4 rounds in the pipe and included 16 reserve rounds are gone, that’s it.
* Damage assuming all pellets hit
** Limited ammo type, meaning you can’t get any more ammo for the gun
EVA-8 Auto (Tier 2)
- Body Damage: 63*
- Headshot Damage: 90*
- Ammo Type: Shotgun Shells
- Magazine: 8
- Firing Mode: Automatic
- Attachments: Mag, Optic
The EVA-8 Auto has to be one of the most disappointing automatic shotguns I have ever used. The fire rate is only slightly higher than that of the Mastiff. The damage is lower, but the magazine is higher and that could save you from having to reload at an inopportune time.
* Damage assuming all pellets hit
Apex Legends Best weapons | Rifles
R-310 Carbine (Tier 1)
- Body Damage: 14
- Headshot Damage: 28
- Ammo Type: Light Rounds
- Magazine: 18
- Firing Mode: Automatic
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic, Stock
The R-310 Carbine is a simple enough rifle. It won’t do a lot of damage, but it’s better than nothing.
Hemlok Burst AR (Tier 2)
- Body Damage: 18
- Headshot Damage: 24
- Ammo Type: Heavy Rounds
- Magazine: 18
- Firing Mode: 3-Round Burst
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic, Stock
The Hemlok Burst AR does a little more damage than the R-310 Carbine, but you’re limited to 3-round burst for the firing mode. It’s a step-up, but there are better rifles out there.
VK-47 Flatline (Tier 3)
- Body Damage: 16
- Headshot Damage: 32
- Ammo Type: Heavy Rounds
- Magazine: 20
- Firing Mode: Automatic
- Attachments: Mag, Optic, Stock
This is basically the AK-47 of Apex Legends. That’s really all you need to know: it has a nice balance of damage, fire rate, and magazine size
Apex Legends Best weapons | LMGs
M600 Spitfire (Tier 1)
- Body Damage: 20
- Headshot Damage: 40
- Ammo Type: Heavy Rounds
- Magazine: 35
- Firing Mode: Automatic
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic, Stock
The M600 Spitfire is a gun that’s fantastic at laying down consistent fire. If you need to suppress a choke point, this is the perfect gun to do it with.
Devotion LMG (Tier 2)
- Body Damage: 17
- Headshot Damage: 34
- Ammo Type: Energy Rounds
- Magazine: 44
- Firing Mode: Automatic Ramp-Up
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic, Stock
While the M600 Spitfire is great at laying down a steady stream of bullets, the Devotion LMG uses an automatic ramp-up firing mode: it starts off slowly and then picks up in speed until the magazine empties. If you need to put a lot of damage on a target very quickly, this is the gun for you.
Apex Legends Best weapons | Sniper Rifles
G7 Scout (Tier 1)
- Body Damage: 30
- Headshot Damage: 60
- Ammo Type: Light Rounds
- Magazine: 10
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic, Stock
The G7 Scout is a semi-auto sniper rifle that doesn’t do much in the way of damage. It’s not the heaviest option out there, but it’ll give you the edge in a long-range fight.
Longbow DMR (Tier 2)
- Body Damage: 55
- Headshot Damage: 110
- Ammo Type: Heavy Rounds
- Magazine: 5
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: Barrel, Mag, Optic, Stock, Hop-Up
The Longbow DMR is a heavier semi-auto sniper rifle with the distinction of having five attachment slots. It’s an okay enough gun out of the box, but the customization possibilities can make it into a fearsome weapon.
Triple Take (Tier 2)
- Body Damage: 69*
- Headshot Damage: 138*
- Ammo Type: Energy Rounds
- Magazine: 5
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: Optic, Stock, Hop-Up
The Triple Take is a novelty sniper rifle that fires three bullets simultaneously in a tight horizontal spread. It uses much rarer energy rounds. The Longbow DMR might be a better choice depending on your tastes.
* Damage assuming all pellets hit
Kraber .50-Cal Sniper (Tier 3)
- Body Damage: 125
- Headshot Damage: 250
- Ammo Type: Limited
- Magazine: 4*
- Firing Mode: Semi-Automatic
- Attachments: None
The Kraber .50-Cal is the absolute king of long-range killing. If you need one shot to take someone down at a long range, this is the gun for you. Unfortunately, you can’t get any more ammo for the gun.
* Limited ammo type, meaning you can’t get any more ammo for the gun
