The best assault rifle loadouts in Black Ops 6

Assault rifles have always had a place in the Call of Duty meta i Black Ops 6 is no exception, where they are one of the most versatile and powerful weapons in the game.

However, not all ARs are built the same, some dominate multiplayer and others are secondary options you’ll want to avoid. Figuring out what can be difficult, especially with constant buffs and nerfs. Not to mention, it’s still early days and the meta hasn’t stabilized yet, so not everyone will figure out which weapon is best for them yet.

To make sure you’re using the right builds and weapons, we’ve compiled a list of the best assault rifle builds in Black Ops 6, including attachments and rankings for each.

The best Black Ops 6 assault rifle loadouts

1.XM4

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The ultimate XM4 load

• Optical: Kepler’s microflex
• Mouth: Compensator
• Barrel: Long barrel
• Underbarrel: Ranger front grip
• Rear handle: Ergonomic grip

The XM4 is a versatile assault rifle that anyone can use and dominate. It has low recoil, high accuracy and long damage range, making it one of the best options at both medium and long range. However, it also performs up close thanks to its fast fire rate of 800 RPM, which is the best of any AR in Black Ops 6.

This loadout takes advantage of the previously mentioned accuracy while maximizing recoil control. This particular version makes XM4 incredibly easy to use, so you’ll be able to beam enemies across the map with little to no effort. The compensator is crucial here, and the metal barrel reduces the weapon’s recoil by as much as 31%.

2.AK-74

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The best AK-74 load

• Optical: Merlin’s reflex
• Barrel: Reinforced barrel
• Underbarrel: Vertical front grip
• Warehouse: Expanded Mage I
• Rear handle: Quick pull handle

If you’re a big fan of hard-hitting ARs with slower fire rates, Black Ops 6 has the perfect gun for you. The AK-74 is the latest interpretation of the iconic Kalashnikov in Call of Duty, and it is very powerful. It offers an incredibly fast TTK at the cost of increased recoil, but if you can control that kick, there’s little that can outperform this weapon.

Naturally, you want to use a version of the AK-74 that improves recoil control, and our recommended kit provides just that. In particular, the vertical foregrip helps a lot as it reduces horizontal recoil by 40%, allowing you to simply pull the stick or use the mouse to control the weapon. Vertical recoil has always been easier to predict than horizontal recoil, and this gun is no exception.

3. AS A VALUE

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The best AS VAL equipment

• Barrel: Damped, reinforced barrel
• Underbarrel: Vertical front grip
• Warehouse: Extended magazine II
• Rear handle: Ergonomic grip
• Fire Mods: Recoil springs

In many ways, the AS VAL is similar to the AK-74 in that both hit extremely hard but have greater recoil than their counterparts. However, the AS VAL is a more extreme example of this, as the returning assault rifle has the fastest TTK of any weapon in this category, but also by far the highest recoil. However, those who can control it will dominate the lobby and sometimes even outdo the submachine guns.

The AS VAL will always be good at mid-range, but you’ll need to control its recoil if you want to compete at longer ranges. Since there is no barrel mounting hole, this can be tricky, but our kit handles it using a vertical foregrip and recoil springs. Combined, they make the AS VAL accurate enough to compete at any distance.

4. Goblin Mk2

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The best equipment for the Goblin Mk2

• Optical: Kepler’s microflex
• Mouth: Moved compensator
• Underbarrel: Vertical front grip
• Rear handle: Commando handle
• Fire Mods: Rapid fire

While MW3 didn’t have the semi-auto AR meta, they are usually a staple of Call of Duty, with the FAL, G3, and SKS being serious meta contenders in years past. In Black Ops 6, the Goblin Mk2 stands out as the best semi-automatic weapon in the game, providing a devastating TTK of just 233ms if you use the Rapid Fire add-on.

This outperforms not only every other assault rifle, by a wide margin, but also most submachine guns. Of course, this comes at the expense of it being a semi-automatic weapon, so it won’t be for everyone. It also has decent recoil, which the equipment improves but cannot completely mitigate. This is a high-skill and high-reward option for those who are confident in their goal.

5. Model L

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The best equipment of the Model L

• Optical: Kepler’s microflex
• Mouth: Silencer
• Underbarrel: Vertical front grip
• Rear handle: Quick pull handle
• Fire Mods: Recoil springs

If accuracy is your priority above all else, Model L can be a weapon for you. It’s hard to justify this for the XM4, but there’s a certain appeal to a weapon that’s so easy to use. In many ways it is similar to last year’s MCW, and it was one of the most popular weapons. The L model isn’t quite as good, but it seems similar and some people will really enjoy using it.

Our equipment gives the Model L an almost completely vertical recoil, making it very easy to control. Even at long range you shouldn’t miss a shot, and the vertical foregrip and recoil springs make it laser accurate. Another advantage of using this assault rifle is that it is so accurate that you don’t need the barrel to further reduce the recoil, so you can freely use the suppressor and flank the opposing team.

All Black Ops 6 assault rifles ranked

There are currently 7 assault rifles available in Black Ops 6, and each of them offers something unique. Some are more accurate, others deal a lot of damage, but a few of them definitely stand out and are definitely the best options.

Here’s a ranking of the ARs in the game from best to worst, as well as their individual TTK and maximum damage range to help you figure out what to use:

Meta-analysis

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At launch, the early meta favors the XM4, which is the best all-around assault rifle in Black Ops 6. It offers a good balance of accuracy, damage, range, and ease of use, meaning anyone can use it and dominate their lobbies.

However, those who want a more powerful gun should consider using the AK-74 or AS VAL, both guns hit hard but are more difficult to control. Similarly, the Goblin Mk2 has a fantastic kill time of 260ms, but won’t be for everyone due to its limitations as a semi-automatic weapon. Right now, these four guns are ahead of the curve and defining the AR meta.

Honestly, the Model L and AMES 85 are still competitive options that make up for the lower damage with high accuracy. These aren’t top-tier options per se, but they’re still in the top half of the game’s meta as assault rifles in Black Ops 6 are generally strong.

The only exception is the GPR 91, which is the worst AR in the game. You want to avoid these low damage weapons if possible, so we recommend only using them to level up weapons and Mastery of camouflage.

You can find more options to use in your sets on the website best submachine guns that currently dominate, as well as ours full list of weapon tiers to find out where the entire weapon rank is located. You will also want to make sure you use best sound settings, best computer settingsAND best controller settings to improve your experience.