Warzone Pacific Season 2 has arrived, bringing with it new weapons, new map locations, and the recent reversion of the unpopular Loadout Change. But what exactly should you be putting in that loadout drop?

On Caldera, long-range rifles have proven to be the best AR options, since the map is dominated by wide-open landscapes with plenty of medium to long-range fights. With the knowledge that we have gained from last season with all the new Vanguard weapons, we have a lot better idea of what the meta will be in Warzone Pacific Season 2.

Here is our assault rifle tier list ranking all the best ARs to use in Warzone Pacific Season 2.

Tier S

• C58
• Grau 5.56

• Kilo 141

• Cooper Carbine

• STG44
• M13
• M4A1

C58

Warzone Pacific has seen a revival in interest for the C58, which is well known for its longer-range prowess. This weapon has proven quite effective on the open landscape of the island map. While this gun is more difficult to use than some of the other Tier S options, those who have mastered its recoil and can hit headshots consistently can get some serious work done with the C58 in Warzone Pacific: Season 2.

Grau 5.56

The Grau 5.56 assault rifle is one of the best long-range fully automatic rifles in Warzone Pacific Season 2. The Grau features very low first shot recoil, an impressively fast reload that keeps you always in the action. On top of that, it is capable of dealing solid damage at any range, making it very versatile. There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles on this weapon, it’s just a reliable rifle that does its job well.

Kilo 141

The Kilo 141 is a strong but somewhat unexciting rifle to use in Warzone.  This weapon is best used at longer ranges, due to its high damage at range potential and its reliable accuracy. The Kilo 141 came up in the last Warzone season, proving it has a lot of potential in Warzone Pacific. If you do run this weapon, consider putting a magnifying scope on it to maximize its usefulness against snipers and burst rifles at range.

Cooper Carbine

The Cooper Carbine came out of nowhere last season to claim its spot near the top of the AR meta. Even after receiving multiple nerfs, it remains a highly respected weapon. What the Cooper Carbine lacks in raw damage per shot, it makes up for with a high fire rate potential and accuracy that gives it a very good realistic time to kill. Featuring many of the qualities that made the Krig-6 so dominant for multiple seasons, you are definitely going to want to grind out your attachments for this incredible Vanguard weapon.

STG44

Another Vanguard weapon that dominates the battlefield, the STG44 has proven to be quite deadly in medium and closer ranges. It won't outrange most of the other S-Tier weapons, but what sets this gun apart is its ability to be competitive in medium ranges, while also being able to take duels with MP40 SMGs in close ranges. With one of the highest AR pick rates in the game, the STG44 is not a gun you want to sleep on in Warzone Pacific Season 2.

M13

The M13 remains a very solid AR in Warzone Pacific Season 2. The M13 is a versatile weapon that excels in mid-range confrontations and is a solid choice for players who enjoy medium-range combat or just anyone who wants to switch up their gun pick. It's not quite the best in the game, but it is near the top of the pile for sure.

M4A1

The M4A1 is the most consistently good weapon in Warzone history. Since even before the first season, this gun has been more than viable and is one of the best Modern Warfare weapons in the game. The M4A1 is pretty much on par with the XM4 in many respects, serving as a versatile weapon that is ready for a variety of circumstances. If you enjoy the M4A1, rejoice, because it is very much a contender in Warzone Pacific Season 2.

Tier A

• AK-47 (CW)
• XM4
• FARA 83
• BAR
• Automation
• Krig 6

AK-47 (CW)

The AK47 Cold War has risen to power in recent Warzone seasons. This gun is similar to the EM2 in that it has relatively high recoil, but in exchange, you get an accurate at-range, heavy-hitting performer. With the fastest time to kill of any assault rifle, this gun looks very strong for Warzone Pacific Season 2, though it does struggle at longer ranges in comparison to some of the more accurate rifles that make up the S-Tier.

XM4

The XM4 remains an elite weapon, though it lags behind the M4A1 in regards to overall efficacy. This weapon is easier to use than the AK-47, with relatively easy to control recoil and decent damage, but it won’t kill as fast as the AK-47. Players who struggle to control the recoil on the AK will likely enjoy using the XM4 this season, but it is probably better to grab the M4A1. That said, the  XM4 is still highly respectable.

FARA 83

The FARA 83 is great at long-range and okay in close range but will lose the fight to most of the Tier S guns in an equally close-range fight. The FARA 83 has always been a good gun since it was added to Warzone, and it will continue to hold its own in Warzone Pacific Season 2 when used in the right circumstances.

BAR

Anticipated to be one of the strongest weapons in Warzone, due to its amazing performance in Vanguard, the BAR ended up dominating Warzone Pacific Season 1 before receiving a quick nerf that increased its recoil. Coming into Season 2, it is still considered a strong weapon choice, but it is not quite the S-Tier weapon it once was.

Automation

The Automation is a fully automatic rifle added to the game from Vanguard. This gun can definitely slap at longer ranges and has risen in popularity since it was added to Warzone last season. It has relatively mid-tier in stats, but when they combine together this gun is impressively well rounded.

Krig 6

While the Krig 6 has fallen from grace compared to its former death grip on the Wazone meta, this gun is still super solid in Warzone Pacific Season 2. It has very easy to control recoil, making it an awesome weapon for low-stress, long-range confrontations. It will be outgunned by harder-hitting rifles, but it is an amazing beginner weapon for someone who wants to worry more about their movement and position, and less about taming high recoil on guns like the C58.

Tier B

• FFAR 1
• CR-56 AMAX
• RAM-7
• AS44
• NZ-41
• EM2

FFAR 1

Another former staple of the meta that has seen enough nerfs to crush its pick rate, the FFAR 1 remains a favorite for a small but devoted group of Warzone players. This gun dominates the short and medium-range fights but is limited on the Warzone Pacific map Caldera, since it struggles to compete at longer distances. This is a great weapon to run in place of an SMG, but with the MP40 around, it makes more sense to run that. All that being said, the FFAR 1 is still viable.  

CR-56 AMAX

Otherwise known as the Galil, the CR-56 AMAX is an excellent heavy-duty rifle that features a large amount of recoil. If you can learn to control that recoil and hit your shots with this weapon, it can deal a large amount of damage very quickly. This isn’t the best AR in the game, but it is definitely viable and can be a fun change of pace for anyone looking to switch things up in Warzone Pacific Season 2

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RAM-7

The RAM-7 is a decent bullpup assault rifle in Warzone Pacific Season 2, but it isn't anything special. The biggest challenge with this weapon is that it has a bizarre recoil pattern that kicks upward for the first 8 bullets, then kicks up and to the left for the rest of its magazine. Once you learn the timing on this, this weapon is basically a laser that is effective at a variety of different ranges. You can use attachments to reduce the impact of the recoil, to make it even more effective.

AS44

This gun recently got a buff, reducing the formerly insane amount of recoil that left is basically unusable last season. The AS44 in its new form is much easier to use, and serves as a decent sniper support weapon that pairs well with the Swiss or the Kar98k. Its still best to avoid using this gun at longer ranges, but in short and medium ranges the AS44 is decently viable.

NZ-41

The NZ-41 AR is a decent, but not great, Vanguard weapon in Warzone Pacific Season 2. It is limited by heavy recoil in its stock form. With the right attachments, however, you can pull back the recoil, leaving you with a decent, if a little underwhelming, medium or long-range rifle.

EM2

This gun was looking really strong at the start of last season, but then saw a steady drop in performance and usage over the course of the season, as players learned the viability of others guns like the Cold War AK-47, the C58, and the M4A1. The EM2 is by no means a bad weapon, but it also isn't a particularly special weapon. If you like it, it is viable, but it isn't a stand out this season.

Tier C

• Volkssturmgewehr
• AK-47 (MW)
• AS VAL
• AN-94
• FAL

Volkssturmgewehr

The Volk has a very fast time to kill that feels extremely powerful in close-range scenarios. The biggest downside to this gun is that it comes with a high kick recoil that makes it hard to control in medium and long-range scenarios. This gun has some real potential once you get used to it, but it would probably be better to just use an OTs 9 or MP40 instead.

AK-47 (MW)

The Modern Warfare version of the AK-47 is much worse than its S-Tier counterpart. You should maybe just use the better one if you have it. But if you are a true F2P player, the AK-47 is available to you and it is usable, even if it is slightly underperforming in the current meta.

AS VAL

The AS VAL just doesn't pack the punch that I wish it did. While it still has a small but dedicated fan base, this gun is not a top-tier AR and is outperformed by most SMG's in close range, its most effective range. The use case for this gun is pretty limited, so it lands in C-Tier.

AN-94

On paper, the AN-94 is a solid rifle with a fast time-to-kill. However, it can’t keep up with guns like the AK-47 CW or the C58 at range, and it is basically useless in close-quarters combat. While the AN-94 shreds in Cold War due to its high initial damage, it is much less effective in Warzone where armored players have over 200 health. So while the AN-94 is usable, it shouldn't be your first choice.

FAL

The FAL is a high damage model weapon that can be used to good effect, but it is outclassed by essentially every other long-range assault rifle in Warzone Pacific. It is just too clunky and below-average to justify using this gun unless you just like it, in which case, more power to you.

Tier D

• Oden
• QBZ-83
• Groza
• Grav

• FN Scar 17

• ITRA Burst
• FR 5.56

Oden

The Oden can be a powerful weapon in the hands of a skilled player, but it is not a very reliable gun. It is capable of very fast kills, but if you miss any shots then you are in deep trouble with this rifle, since its low rate of fire is pretty punishing. Unless you are an experienced player who prefers a low rate of fire gun, I would skip this one.

QBZ-83

The QBZ-83 used to be a relatively low recoil alternative to the Krig-6 and the M4A1, but with changes made during the Warzone Season 5 reloaded patch, this gun's value dropped steadily. This gun is pretty bad nowadays, with meh recoil, below-average damage, and overall low potential. Don’t expect it to give you the edge in Warzone Pacific Season 2.

Groza

The Groza has fallen out of favor of late. Like the FFAR, it is decent at shorter ranges, but overall this gun just isn't delivering the results in Warzone Pacific Season 2. Perhaps we will see some balance changes to it this season, but for now, the Groza is a bit of a no-go.

Grav AR

I made a bold prediction that this gun would be high tier in Warzone Season 6, and I was just... so wrong. This gun is trash, don't use it unless you like it for some reason.

FN Scar 17

As I have said for seasons now, just... Why? Why have the devs forsaken this gun? It just seems like it will never be good, and it's time to accept that and move on with our lives. 

Itra Burst

Burst weapons aren't everyone's thing. This 4-round burst rifle is definitely interesting, but it can be hard for burst weapons to find their place in the modern, fast-paced meta of Warzone Pacific Season 2. I haven't found this gun to be very useful, so it's a pass.

FR 5.56

The FR 5.56 is a burst rifle with a low time-to-kill and a difficult-to-control recoil pattern. As a result, it’s not a good option in Warzone, especially when the M16, AUG, or Itra Burst are already must superior burst rifles. There is no reason to select this gun based on its stats or performance.