Was the R-301 secretly buffed in Apex Legends? Side-by-side comparison shows difference

Following the recent patch, a lot of Apex Legends players are convinced that the R-301 feels stronger, but did the weapon actually receive a secret buff?

Every major patch in Apex Legends brings new content to the game, but they also provide balancing changes to the game’s wide variety of weapons.

The Evolution Collection Event was no different, with the Bocek Bow, Hemlok, and L-STAR all receiving changes.

Despite this, after testing out the R-301 after the patch, Apex players were convinced that the gun’s fire rate had been buffed, and Respawn had accidentally missed it off the list.

So, did the weapon receive a secret buff, or is there something else that can explain why R-301’s fire rate feels different?

Has the R301’s fire rate been buffed in Apex Legends?

After widespread speculation that the R-301 had received a secret buff, Twitter user Mav1cHavoc decided to take the matter into their own hands and solve the mystery for good.

Heading into Apex, they created a side-by-side comparison of the R-301 firing before and after the update. They then slowed the clips down and synced them together to find out whether the gun was shooting any faster than before.

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As showcased by the post below, Mav1cHavoc revealed that there had not been a secret buff to the R-301, meaning the gun did not get stronger following the patch.

Of course, this still begs the question, why does the gun feel different to a lot of players?

https://twitter.com/Mav1cHavoc/status/1438352450466033664

Well, it appears that the devs have made changes to the R-301, but only when it comes to its audio. Before the patch, the R-301’s gunfire audio sounded slightly out of sync with the bullets, so Respawn decided to amend the issue.

This likely explains why so many players assumed the gun’s fire rate had been increased following the patch.

So, although the R-301 won’t be moving any higher up the tier list, the changes to the audio certainly make the gun feel more impactful.