Want to know the best assault rifles in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War? You will unlock a variety of ARs through your levels, some of which make a return from previous CoD games. There are more customization options than ever in Cold War, with six choices for each attachment slot, at a minimum. Additionally, you equip an attachment in every single slot, thanks to the Gunslinger Wildcard.
The Cold War weapons will eventually make their way into Warzone. So, if you’re a fan of the CoD BR, it might be a good idea to pick some weapons to master before the time comes on December 10. Here’s a list of the best Black Ops Cold War assault rifles in the game right now, ranked from best to worst.
Best assault rifles in Black Ops Cold War
Here are the best five assault rifles in Black Ops Cold War:
- AK-47
- FFAR 1
- Krig 6
- XM 4
- QBZ-83
AK-47
The AK-47 has the highest damage output in the game out of any of the assault rifles. You also unlock this weapon at level 7, so you have access to it almost immediately. With the right loadouts, this weapon is unstoppable and useful in any situation. It can have a bit of a learning curve due to the recoil, but it’s easy to take care of that with some attachments.
Here are some attachments to consider:
- Muzzle: Spetsnaz Compensator
- Barrel: 18.2″ VDV Reinforced
- Body: Steady Aim Laser
- Grip: Foregrip
- Magazine: VDV 50 Rnd Fast Mag
- Handle: GRU Elastic Wrap
- Stock: KGB Skeletal Stock
For all loadouts, the optics depends on your preference. Run whatever you like on this attachment slot because it comes down to what’s comfortable for you. The AK-47 has a lot of bounce, so the Spetsnaz Compensator is an excellent option to reduce it a bit. The 18.2″ VDV Reinforced is a superb option to increase range and bullet velocity for the barrel.
Next, you’ll always want to throw on a Steady Aim Laser because hip-fire is not easy to use in Cold War. To handle the horizontal recoil a little better, we’re also going to throw on a Foregrip. For the handle, go with the GRU Elastic Wrap to add some flinch resistance and mobility. Finally, the KGB Skeletal Stock adds some sprint-to-fire and ADS speed.
FFAR 1
A toss-up with the AK-47, the FFAR 1 is a fantastic weapon at any range. It excels in mid-range, and while it does not have as much damage output as the number one assault rifle, it does have a high rate of fire to make up for it.
The FFAR 1 is an all-around beast, and you can’t go wrong with it. Here are some attachments to consider:
- Muzzle: Infantry Compensator
- Barrel: 19.5″ Reinforced Heavy
- Body: Steady Aim Laser
- Grip: SFOD Grip
- Magazine: Salvo 44 Rnd Fast Mag
- Handle: Airborne Elastic Wrap
- Stock: Raider Stock
Some good optics are the Millstop Reflex, but the choice is up to you. We recommend either the Infantry Compensator or the suppressor if you feel you need to stay stealthy. The 19.5″ Reinforced Heavy barrel helps more with effective damage range and bullet velocity. Again, we go with the Steady Aim Laser for hip-fire accuracy.
The horizontal recoil can be problematic, as is the case with most ARs, so you may want to throw on the SFOD Grip to counter it. Next, you’ll also be needing ammo, so equip the Salvo 44 Rnd Fast Mags to handle that. Airborne Elastic Wrap is another good option for ADS and flinch resistance, along with the ability to pull out some drop shots. Finally, the Raider Stock helps with sprint-to-fire and ADS speed.
Krig 6
One of the most versatile assault rifles in Black Ops Cold War is the Krig 6. The Krig also has some of the lowest weapon recoil in the game, and you can drop enemies at any distance almost instantly. It’s an all-around excellent weapon choice and a viable contender for your main loadout’s primary weapon.
Here are some good Krig 6 attachments you could run:
- Muzzle: Agency Suppressor
- Barrel: 19.7″ Takedown
- Body: Steady Aim Laser
- Grip: Field Agent Grip
- Magazine: Salvo 50 Rnd Fast Mag
- Handle: Airborne Elastic Wrap
- Stock: Raider Stock
Weapon optics are all about personal preference. You may like the Millstop Reflex or a different scope; the choice is up to you. As far as muzzle goes, you likely want to throw on a suppressor, especially if you’re doing a lot of pub matches. Staying hidden on the radar is essential. The 19.7″ Takedown barrel provides a 1.5x effective damage range increase, making the weapon even more useful at longe range.
Next, throw on the Steady Aim Laser for those hip-fire moments. The Field Agent Grip is another good option because you’ll want to take advantage of the Krig 6’s low recoil and shoot as far a distance as possible. Then we have the 50 Round Mags because we can never have enough ammo. Finally, the Airborne Elastic Wrap opens up the possibility of doing drop shots, and the Raider Stock helps our mobility.
XM4
Up next is a weapon you unlock early on in your game at level 4. At number four, we’re throwing in the XM4, which is a solid weapon but lacks in the damage department. For that reason, time-to-kill is a little slower than some other options in this category. The recoil is also rather noticeable, especially considering the low damage. It’s not a poor weapon choice by any means, but there are some better alternatives.
Here are some good XM4 attachments to consider:
- Muzzle: Infantry Compensator
- Barrel: 15.5″ Reinforced Heavy
- Body: Steady Aim Laser
- Grip: Field Agent Grip
- Magazine: Salvo 50 Rnd Fast Mag
- Handle: Airborne Elastic Wrap
- Stock: Raider Stock
We’re looking at pretty standard attachments here compared to the other assault rifles. The focus is mainly on bullet velocity and recoil control and higher mobility to provide some competitive advantages in close and mid-range fights.
QBZ-83
While all the ARs in Black Ops Cold War are relatively balanced, the QBZ-83 has nothing that sets it apart from the others. The time-to-kill on this weapon is moderate and about on par with the other weapons. Maneuverability is average as well, and so are all the other stats. All-around, it performs mediocre compared to all the other assault rifles. If you like the playstyle, you might prefer this over some others.Â
In terms of best loadout for QBZ-83, here are some excellent options:
- Optic: Millstop Reflex or Default
- Muzzle: Infantry Compensator
- Barrel: 15.5″ Reinforced Heavy
- Body: Steady Aim Laser
- Grip: Field Agent Grip
- Magazine: Salvo 50 Rnd Fast Mag
- Handle: Airborne Elastic Wrap
- Stock: Raider Stock
The default optic is not bad by any means, but the Millstop Reflex is a good option on all assault rifles. An Infantry Compensator helps for the recoil, but the suppressors are also viable. The 15.5″ Reinforced Heavy doubles the damage and increases the bullet velocity by 40%, making the QBZ-83 more effective at long ranges.
Steady Aim Laser helps with hip-fire, a stat that is lacking in Cold War with most guns. For the Grip, we go with Field Agent Grip to help with both vertical and horizontal recoil. Throw on the 50 Rnd Mags because ammo is essential for any AR. The handle is variable, and you can throw on whatever you like depending on how you play. Finally, the Raider Stock add some sprint to fire and aim walking movement speed.
