DexertoChoosing the right weapons in Apex Legends is crucial to racking up wins. To help, we’ve compiled a detailed tier list for the best weapons in Season 26 of the battle royale.
Apex Legends has a whole host of weapons with each receiving various nerfs and buffs as seasons progress. But Season 25’s change list was massive, and Season 26’s balance changes have shifted things around even further, pushing players toward long-range spam while making shotguns the go-to closers.
So, here is our ultimate Apex Legends weapon tier list for the best guns to use in Apex Legends
Apex Legends Ultimate weapons tier list for Season 26
| Tier | Weapons |
|---|---|
| S | Nemesis, Devotion (Turbocharged), Volt SMG, Bocek Bow, Peacekeeper, P2020 Akimbo, G7 Scout, 30-30 Repeater, R-99, RE-45, Kraber .50 |
| A | Hemlok, Rampage, Flatline, CAR SMG, EVA-8, Sentinel, Mozambique Akimbo, R-301 Carbine |
| B | Havoc, Wingman, Alternator, Prowler, Mastiff, L-Star, Spitfire |
| C | Longbow |
| D | Charge Rifle |
Apex Legends weapon tiers explained
Our tier list follows a simple system that divides weapons based on their overall efficacy in combat:
- S: The absolute best weapons in the game.
- A: Excellent weapons that provide a substitute for other options.
- B: There may be situations in which these weapons are effective.
- C: Best to avoid unless you get the right hop-ups or have a strong preference for them.
- D: Tragic.
S-Tier weapons in Apex Legends
Nemesis — Energy Assault Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 16
- Head damage: 28
- Legs damage: 12
- Base mag size: 20
- Reload: 2.7s
The launch of Season 16 brought with it the Nemesis AR. In comparison to the rest of the weapons in Apex Legends, this gun truly stands out.
It needs some attachments to get going, but the Nemesis’ mag size, high damage per shot, high fire rate, low recoil, and almost non-existent bullet drop make it a laser beam both literally and figuratively.
Once you get the hang of its 4-shot burst pattern and get into the rhythm of using this weapon properly, it hits incredibly hard. At close range it shreds with hipfire, and at mid-range a clean headshot or two can end fights instantly.
Devotion — Energy LMG
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 16
- Head damage: 23
- Legs damage: 13
- Base mag size: 54
- Reload: 2.8s/3.63s
The Devotion is a very difficult weapon to place on a tier list. If you can find the right attachments for it and get it to ramp up in the right scenario, it can genuinely feel impossible to fight a player wielding this gun.
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With the Turbocharger attached, the Devotion transforms into one of the scariest close-to-mid-range weapons. It requires some spin-up time, but once going, it can erase entire squads with insane DPS. Great in ranked for holding choke points or winning team pushes.
Volt — Energy SMG
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 15
- Head damage: 19
- Legs damage: 12
- Base mag size: 19
- Reload: 1.44s/2.03s
The Volt is the king of SMGs in Apex Legends. It’s got great insights and high DPS for early-game fights, and it does just as well with attachments. It’s pretty much the best all-round SMG you can grab, and it doesn’t really sacrifice anything for its high power level.
It’s really, really hard to go wrong with the Volt. As long as you’re within 50 meters of your opponent, it’s one of the best weapons you can have in your hands. Even with some slight nerfs in Season 25 and 26, it’s an incredibly strong gun.
Bocek — Care Package Compound Bow
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 25-55/25-40 + 25 with Grenade
- Head damage: 40-88/40-64 + 25 with Grenade
- Legs damage: 20-44/20-32 + 25 with Grenade
- Base mag size: N/A
- Reload: N/A
The Bocek Bow came into Apex Legends as a monstrous weapon, one that broke the meta and was an absolute terror in mid-range engagements before getting nerfed. It has since gone through several iterations to get where it is now: A grenade launcher.
Its other hop-ups have since been removed, and its overall damage has been lowered. However, having the ability to launch grenades at people and do AoE damage from that far away is invaluable and can easily flush a team out. Sure, it’s not a 2 shot kill to the head like it used to be, but it’s still a very strong pickup.
Peacekeeper — Shotgun
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 11×9
- Head damage: 14×9
- Legs damage: 11×9
- Base mag size: 5
- Reload: 2.5s/3.5s
The Peacekeeper is an incredibly popular Shotgun choice, and for good reason. Its high damage, accuracy at range, and incredibly satisfying 2-hit kill potential make it a weapon that truly rewards skill.
Its one-shot potential is unmatched, making it the best swap-to finisher after spraying with an SMG. Strong hipfire and surprising range keep it ahead of other shotguns this season.
If you’re calm and collected in the most hectic of close-range fights and can maintain a steady hand, the Peacekeeper is the Shotgun for you.
P2020 — Light Pistol
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 18
- Head damage: 27
- Legs damage: 16
- Base mag size: 14
- Reload: 1.25s (2.1s/2.6s for Akimbo)
The P2020s are-package only, but outrageous when found. Laser accuracy, slide-to-reload uptime, and huge damage-per-mag make these pistols play like a pocket SMG that never runs dry. Perfect clean-up tool in hectic endgames and hilariously strong in buildings.
The limitation is access, not power. If you open a drop and see them, insta-equip and bully close-quarters fights. They out-trade most ground-loot secondaries while keeping pistol movement for slipperiness.
G7 Scout — Light Marksman Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 33
- Head damage: 58
- Legs damage: 25
- Base mag size: 10
- Reload: 2.16s/2.7s
The G7 Scout is an absolute workhorse. It’s a mid-range bully that prints damage and breaks heals. Minimal attachments, clean irons with a 2x, and reliable spam make it the poke king on open maps.
You won’t one-tap like 30-30, but you will force constant bats and burn enemy resources. Close-range weakness is real, so pair with PK or SMG. In ranked’s slower pacing, G7 sets tempo, chips reds, and enables safe KP. Low risk, high pressure, always useful.
30-30 Repeater — Heavy Marksman Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 43-65
- Head damage: 69-104/86-130 with Skullpiercer
- Legs damage: 37-55
- Base mag size: 6
- Reload: 0.33s per bullet
What the 30-30 does well, it does really well. Its range, damage, and accuracy are all top-class, and, unless you’re face-to-face with an enemy, it’s usually a great pick. If you can pair the Repeater with a shotgun, or something small and in a different ammo type like the R-99 or Volt SMG, you’ll be ready for almost any firefight.
The 30-30 has historically been a bad weapon, but it’s currently the best Marksman rifle you can pick up if you don’t mind waiting for the charge time.
R-99 — Light SMG
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 14
- Head damage: 18
- Legs damage: 12
- Base mag size: 30
- Reload: 1.62s/2.21s
The R-99 has spent a few seasons at the bottom of the barrel, with it struggling to full 100-0 targets even if you land every shot in a mag. However, after a mix of Season 24 buffs and nerfs to armor, the R-99 is still the pure TTK king in Season 26.
Recoil is snappy but learnable, hip-fire is money, and one-mags are common with decent mags. It loses steam past true SMG distance and can be unforgiving on whiffs versus RE-45’s bigger mag. Pair with PK or a marksman for a perfect two-range kit.
RE-45 — Light Machine Pistol
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 12
- Head damage: 18
- Legs damage: 11
- Base mag size: 16
- Reload: 1.5s/1.95s
The RE-45 plays like an SMG with pistol mobility in Season 26. Enormous damage-per-mag, great handling, and near-R-99 TTK make it the most forgiving close-range option.
Pre-firing around corners elevates it, and it frees a bit of light ammo for your teammates. Downsides are energy competition and charge-up timing awareness, but for ranked endgames with multiple targets, RE-45’s sustain wins trades.
Kraber .50 CAL — Care Package Sniper
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 140
- Head damage: 280
- Legs damage: 112
- Base mag size: 4
- Reload: 3.2s/4.3s
Even after several nerfs a few seasons ago, the Kraber is still the absolute best long-range weapon you can pick up. And, to add insult to injury, it’s been given the ability to immediately one shot through white armor.
Thanks to armor changes back in Season 24, it remains deadly in Season 26, giving it the one-shot potential it deserves. The Kraber hasn’t been this good in a very long time.
If you’re lucky enough to come across it, someone on your squad should take it. Even if you aren’t the best sniper, playing against someone who’s good with the Kraber can be an absolute nightmare.
A-Tier weapons in Apex Legends
Hemlok — Heavy Assault Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 19
- Head damage: 33
- Legs damage: 14
- Base mag size: 18
- Reload: 2.16s/2.57s
The Hemlok has long been passed over by many players for its full-auto cousins like the R-301 and the Flatline. And, while those weapons are still easier to use for the average player, the Hemlok is exceptionally strong in the hands of the right player.
If you’re able to get used to semi-auto firing this gun at a distance, it’s got almost no recoil with a barrel stabilitizer. You can just whittle people into submission shot by shot with one of the most pinpoint accurate weapons in the game. And if you’re able to get close enough to swap to burst and land a solid group of shots, it’s lethal.
Strong gun, but not S because it’s harder to use than most other weapons like it.
Rampage — Heavy LMG
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 26
- Head damage: 39
- Legs damage: 22
- Base mag size: 28
- Reload: 3.1s/4s
While its lack of prowess at close range, everything else about the Rampage is good. Low recoil, massive mag size, high damage per shot, and it does well even with no attachments.
What’s more, its ability to rip through doors if you’ve got a Thermite grenade to charge it up with makes it easy to catch opponents off guard. Combined with its increased fire rate when charged, the Rampage is great for players who enjoy holding down the shoot button and putting rounds down range. This thing shreds.
If DMRs like the Scout and 30-30 don’t appeal to you as single-fire weapons, the Rampage is a great choice with its higher fire rate and general ease of use. Just be careful up close, that low fire rate makes it a lot harder to use than most other options in S-tier.
VK-47 Flatline — Heavy Assault Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 18
- Head damage: 32
- Legs damage: 14
- Base mag size: 19
- Reload: 2.4s/3.1s
The Flatline used to be one of the best Assault Rifles in Apex Legends in terms of raw damage output. Its ironsights are clunky and the recoil is tougher to manage than the R-301, its Light ammo counterpart, but it still earns a solid A-tier spot in Season 26.
It’s slightly outshined by Nemesis or G7 in the current poke-heavy meta, but in pubs and brawls, Flatline still feels like a trusty workhorse. Pick it up when you want a weapon that can flex into nearly any situation.
C.A.R. — Light/Heavy SMG
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 19
- Head damage: 15
- Legs damage: 10
- Base mag size: 19
- Reload: 1.7s/2.13s
Designed to carry light or heavy ammo, and attachments from either gun line, the CAR SMG is the perfect secondary weapon to stuff in your pocket to avoid those pesky moments when you’re starved of ammo.
Though it’s had a fair few nerfs and lacks the ability to take a laser sight like its other SMG counterparts, it’s been able to stay in A tier due to being a reliable, consistent, all-around great firearm. That said, its nerfs haven’t gone unnoticed.
A somewhat underwhelming magazine size combined with recoil that, while consistent at ~50 meters or less, falls off at longer ranges. This weapon will never be a bad pickup, but it does have its weaknesses.
Eva-8 Auto — Shotgun
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 7×8
- Head damage: 9×8
- Leg damage: 7×8
- Base mag size: 8
- Reload: 2.75s/3.0s
The EVA-8 saw some substantial changes going into Season 25, with it getting its damage nerfed and fire rate increased across the board. It’s a shell of the weapon it was in the Care Package, but still not necessarily bad. Especially considering you can just grab it off the ground now.
Now you’ll probably need an entire mag to take someone out on average, but the fact that it shoots so much faster allows you to miss a shot or two and not get punished too hard for it. It’s now the low-risk option in the category and isn’t too bad, so we’re putting it in A-tier for now.
Sentinel — Sniper Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 70/88 (Charged)
- Head damage: 126/141 (Charged)
- Legs damage: 63/79 (Charged)
- Base mag size: 4
- Reload: 2.5s/3.6s
Sentinel is the standout long-range option in Season 26. Bolt action snipers are incredibly satisfying and fun to use.
With a charged shot, it can one-shot headshot enemies off drop or chunk health bars late game. It forces enemies to burn bats, making it valuable for attrition fights. Its weakness is pressure: slow reload and fire rate mean it’s not ideal for constant poke like G7 or 30-30.
But for players who love a true sniper feel, Sentinel delivers punch and satisfaction while still being relevant across all stages of a match.
Mozambique — Shotgun
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 15×3
- Head damage: 19×3
- Legs damage: 15×3
- Base mag size: 6
- Reload: 1.9s/2.4s (2.5s/3s Akimbo)
The Mozambique, once in D-tier, climbs up to A tier after buffs to fire rate and spread.
They act as mini-SMGs with high burst potential and surprisingly strong total damage-per-mag. They aren’t as consistent as PK or EVA for finishes, but in close fights, they can overwhelm enemies who underestimate them.
They’re more of a sidearm supplement than a true primary, but in scrappy fights, akimbo Mozams punch way above their weight class.
R-301 Carbine — Light Assault Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 13
- Head damage: 23
- Legs damage: 10
- Base mag size: 21
- Reload: 2.4s/3.2s
The R-301 had been an all-rounder since Apex Legends first dropped, but in Season 26, it has fallen from its former glory. While its capacity without a light magazine upgrade is pretty small at 21 rounds, its laser precision and high fire rate make it a rifle that’s hard to pass on. If you pick up the R-301, you know what you’re getting.
The R-301 isn’t particularly interesting or ground-breaking as a weapon, but its consistency and reliability make it a wonderful choice in any gunfight.
B-Tier weapons in Apex Legends
Havoc — Energy Assault Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 19
- Head damage: 25
- Leg damage: 15
- Reload: 3.2s
The Havoc has had one hell of a comeback story. It’s gone from being busted in Apex’s early days to being near-unusable after a hefty set of nerfs. After a series of buffs and nerfs, it was placed in the care package and received a major buff in Season 24. It was slightly nerfed again in Season 25, and that tuning has carried over into Season 26.
Its raw TTK is excellent if you can track well, but the small base magazine and lack of Turbocharger make it unforgiving. Missing a few pre-fire shots often means you’re left reloading mid-fight.
With Turbo it climbs to borderline A-Tier, but without it, Havoc struggles against more consistent rifles like Nemesis or Flatline. Great off-drop if you find attachments quickly, but unreliable in ranked where every bullet counts.
Wingman — Sniper Pistol
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 48
- Head damage: 72/96 with Skullpiercer
- Legs damage: 43
- Base mag size: 5
- Reload: 2.1s
The Wingman has historically been around the top of the Apex Legends meta, but it can be tricky to get full power out of; it’s a pistol that rewards pinpoint accuracy for players. We’re assuming you’re picking up the hard-to-handle handgun if you can land your shots.
However, the Season 24 changes weren’t kind to this weapon, and that didn’t change in Season 25 or 26. Unless you get a headshot somewhere, it’ll take 5 shots to kill a purple armor target. There are just better options than this weapon out there.
Alternator — Light SMG
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 18
- Head damage: 23
- Legs damage: 14
- Base mag size: 19
- Reload: 1.9s/2.23s
The Alternator has always struggled to shine behind its big brothers the R-99 and R-301 in the Light class, and, though it had a stint near the top of the tier list with Disruptor rounds, that time has long since passed.
Good hipfire, a slow-yet-consistent rate of fire, and some incredible ironsights make this weapon a strong early pickup. It doesn’t need attachments to shine. However, it fails to convert into being a useful late-game weapon due to its generally low damage.
If you’re a new player and you’re looking for an easy-to-use SMG, it’s worth picking up to learn the game with.
Prowler Burst PDW — Heavy SMG
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 16
- Head damage: 19
- Legs damage: 13
- Base mag size: 20
- Reload: 2.0s/2.6s
With the highest magazine capacity in the game when paired with an Extended mag, the Prowler is a great gun with a very fast TTK.
Though the Prowler still shreds enemies if you can land a solid grouping of shots on a target, it suffers at longer ranges due to its high recoil and strange burst pattern. It’s not impossible to control, but is much more difficult to use than its contemporaries.
Mastiff — Shotgun
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 16×6
- Head damage: 16×6
- Legs damage: 16×6
- Base mag size: 5
- Reload: 0.9s per shell/1.6s per shell
In Season 26, the Mastiff has fallen from its former glory. Its horizontal spread makes it harder to land consistent damage compared to PK or EVA, and its slower fire rate can cost you in close-range duels.
The reload-one-shell-at-a-time mechanic can save you in prolonged fights, but in most cases, Peacekeeper’s one-shot or EVA’s rapid damage output are better.
Mastiff isn’t useless; it’s serviceable if you prefer its feel, but it no longer defines shotgun meta. Pick it if nothing else is around, but it’s no longer a go-to.
L-Star — Energy LMG
RESPAWN ENTERTAINMENT/ CRYSTAL YU Stats:
- Body damage: 19
- Head damage: 24
- Legs damage: 16
- Base mag size: N/A
- Reload: 2.45s
What a shame it is to see the L-Star down here. It was really, really strong for a while, arguably the best LMG in the game at certain points in Season 24. But, as you can see by its placement on the tier list, that is the case no longer.
Its no-reload mechanic is fun in pubs, letting you spam endlessly as long as you manage heat. At medium range, it’s effective, but recoil bloom and low DPS in close-range duels hurt it badly. Ammo efficiency is terrible too, often forcing you to burn through stacks in a single fight. In ranked, it’s outclassed by Volt, Devotion, or even Spitfire.
M600 Spitfire — Light Machine Gun
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 21
- Head damage: 26
- Legs damage: 18
- Base mag size: 35
- Reload: 3.4s/4.2s
The Spitfire’s main appeal in Apex Legends is its massive magazine size. In a game where most guns take almost an entire mag to take down a target, the Spitfire gives you a lot more breathing room at the cost of some nasty recoil, bad iron sights, and a middling fire rate.
It’s had a few buffs to its damage over the course of the past several months, but not enough to push it up and out of B-tier.
Triple Take — Care Package Energy Marksman Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 23×3
- Head damage: 37×3
- Legs damage: 21×3
- Base mag size: 12
- Reload: 2.6s/3.4s
The Triple Take is a weapon with a lot of potential. It can do a lot of damage, it’s easier to use in close quarters than other DMRs, and can be very powerful in the right hands.
However, the Triple Take rarely lives up to its potential. With the G7, 30-30, Bocek, and Rampage existing as solid options in a similar category, it just doesn’t stack up. And that’s without factoring in that you have to grab it out of a care package.
The Triple Take is fine, and coming across this weapon in a Care Package just feels like bad luck.
C-Tier weapons in Apex Legends
Longbow DMR — Sniper Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 60
- Head damage: 108/129 with Skullpiercer
- Legs damage: 48
- Base mag size: 6
- Reload: 2.66s/3.66s
Despite receiving a few nerfs and buffs, the Longbow is a consistent if unremarkable rifle. Though it has higher damage per shot than most other Marksman Rifles and a better rate of fire than typical snipers, this gun gets the worst of both worlds.
It requires 4 body shots to kill purple, has a very slow fire rate, and has tragically bad hipfire compared to the G7 or 30-30. It’s just not worth picking up in most cases.
D-Tier weapons in Apex Legends
Charge Rifle — Sniper Rifle
Respawn EntertainmentStats:
- Body damage: 75-110 (Based on distance)
- Head damage: 135-198 (Based on distance)
- Legs damage: 53-77 (Based on distance)
- Base mag size: 6
- Reload: 3.5s/4.6s
The Charge Rifle is Apex’s troll weapon in Season 26. It’s a bit counter-intuitive as a gun, with its damage increasing at long ranges rather than going down. However, despite it being designed as a long-range weapon, it can’t one-shot headshot targets with purple armor and above, making it a bit worse than the Kraber.
Additionally, this weapon is borderline useless at close range, doing very low damage for how much effort it takes to use. If you’re playing at a range where gunfights are happening 100+ meters away, there’s a use case. Otherwise, just leave this gun on the ground.
Remember, this tier list is subjective and subject to change depending on future updates with weapon buffs and nerfs. You can check out how many players play Apex Legends in 2025 or you can take a look at how to get Exotic Shards, which is the latest currency in the game.