Top 10 best weapons in Black Ops 6 Zombies ranked and explained

In classic Call of Duty Zombies titles, players only spawned with a pistol and a knife. You had to buy new weapons off the wall or open a Mystery Box to get new weapons. Black Ops 6 makes it easier for players by providing an option to create a custom loadout with eight attachments before every round.

In addition, players can spend Essence to improve weapon damage with increasing rarity at Arsenal Machines or add ammo mods. And it wouldn’t be Zombies without a Pack-a-Punch machine that improves damage and magazine capacity and adds special effects in some cases.

With new Zombies content coming for Season 1 that’ll include a ton of new challenges to contend with, you’ll want the best equipment you can get.

Yet, even though every weapon can be upgraded, some options stand out more than others.

Top 10 best Black Ops 6 Zombies weapons

Every weapon on our list is good in its base form, but they only truly shine after getting Pack-a-Punched. So, before diving into the best Zombies loadouts, check out our guides on the Pack-a-Punch locations for Terminus and Liberty Falls.

10. Knife/Bat

Yes, seriously, we’re putting the Knife here. It may seem like an odd choice if you’ve never had the opportunity to Pack-a-Punch this thing along with Melee Macchiato, you’re missing out. Even the tier 1 packed version of the knife with that perk will 1-shot most zombies past round 20, but that’s not why you’ll want to invest some essence into giving your knife some upgrades.

This thing shreds Maulers better than pretty much any weapon you can get in zombies. It almost completely ignores armor and cleaves right through them in just a few hits, even past round 50 if you put enough essence in to level this thing out completely. Not to mention, it’s great to have if you’re running low on ammo or you’re in a pinch and trying to run through a horde of zombies.

If you’ve never tried using a melee weapon in this mode, give it a shot. You may be pleasantly surprised.

9. XMG

Out of every LMG available in Black Ops 6, the XMG is probably your best pick for zombies. The GPMG-7 is outright terrible in this mode, the PU-21 is just ok, but the XMG is where it’s really at if you’re looking to put a ton of rounds downrange without reloading. It’s accurate with good damage, decent handling, and a whooole lot of ammo to burn through. What else could you want?

It’s worth noting that there’s no option to just put a magazine on this gun like you can with the PU, so you’re gonna have to contend with the long reload time on a box mag no matter what you run. You’ll want to take this paired a weapon that reloads quickly to avoid frustration at how long it takes to toss a new box in.

8. SVD

If you’re looking for a weapon that rewards accuracy and hits like a truck, this is the one. It’s your best bet if you’re looking for good ammo capacity, high damage per bullet, and a massive headshot multiplier. Although this weapon takes on a bit of a different role once you Pack-a-Punch it.

Rather than being a standard sniper, the SVD becomes a sort of long range shotgun. It has a pellet spread when hipfired, but that spread narrows into a huge burst of damage when scoped in. This gun has you covered up close and at range in its Pack-a-Punched form, making it a worthy pickup if you’re into single-fire weapons.

7. Tanto .22

Guns that do high damage per bullet with a low fire rate tend to be really, really good in zombies for the sake of preserving ammo and trimming through hordes quickly, and the Tanto is no different. Boasting a higher damage per shot than any other weapon in the SMG category, this is a wickedly good weapon if you can handle its kick and keep it under control.

But Pack-a-Punching only makes things better here with a fire rate increase and recoil reduction. There are some packed weapons that get gimmicks when you power them up. This isn’t one of them, but it doesn’t need it. If you’re looking for a steady, reliable, ammo-efficient option to

6. PP-919

All the benefits of an LMG’s mag size without the hassle of the weapon class’ poor reload speed and handling. With this SMG in hand, you’ll pretty much never have to reload. And, when you do, it won’t take long. And you won’t know its true power until you Pack-a-Punch it.

If you’ve got an extended mag equipped, you’ll be able to hold over 200 rounds in this thing easily. Even with only 2 reserve mags worth of ammo at max you’ll have close to 800 rounds to send downrange with some pretty decent damage and relatively low recoil to boot. If you’re looking for a reliable weapon to pair with a wonder weapon or specialist gun like the LR 7.62, this is the one.

5. Marine SP

Shotguns typically perform well in Zombies because of their high damage and ability to efficiently mow down hordes of enemies. BO6 only has two shotguns at launch, and both are excellent options.

When Pack-a-Punched, the Marine SP transforms into the Bakunawa, inspired by Philippine mythology. The upgraded shotgun no longer suffers from a slow reload time and has some of the best damage-per-second in the game mode.

4. AS VAL

ARs and SMGs reign supreme in Multiplayer, but they aren’t as effective in Zombies because of their lower damage-per-second and smaller magazine sizes. The AS VAL is a rare exception because it boasts the fastest time-to-kill speed in BO6.

Players will have no issue shredding through enemies with the AS VAL in later rounds, and it becomes even better after using a Pack-a-Punch. We highly recommend using the Extended Mag II to improve the ammo capacity and devoting most of the other attachment slots to mitigating recoil if you opt to take this weapon from round 1.

3. LR 7.62

Grizzled Zombie veterans will probably scoff at this ranking, but Black Ops 6 features a sniper rifle worth using. As a base weapon, the LR 7.62 isn’t all that impressive due to a slow rechambering speed and inability to deal with multiple enemies.

However, when you Pack-a-Punch the LR 7.62, a unique ability adds explosive ammunition. Instead of being a traditional sniper rifle, the upgraded version basically shoots grenades that can take out entire waves of Zombies.

You may also want to take this weapon as your starter so you can ensure you’ve got the attachments you want. Getting a bad scope on this rifle will irritate you, and it’s not a recommended wall buy unless you’re feeling lucky.

2. GS45

The Mustang & Sally is one of the most iconic weapons in CoD Zombies. The M1911 was widely regarded as the worst pistol available in older games, but a Pack-a-Punch turned it into the Mustang & Sally Akimbo pistols. Instead of regular bullets, the weapon fired grenades.

Treyarch brought the Mustang & Sally back with the GS45, and it’s just as strong as fans remember. As long as you’re able to survive with this gun’s lackluster base version and upgrade its rarity, you can net yourself one of the best weapons in the game. Or, if you’re willing to wait for later rounds and save up enough money, you can wallbuy this thing at rarity 5 and save yourself the trouble.

Check out our guide on how to get the best version of this weapon in Black Ops 6 Zombies.

1. ASG-89

You will not find a better weapon in BO6 Zombies than the ASG-89. Even some Wonder Weapons don’t stack up to it. The semi-automatic shotgun shreds through Zombies thanks to its impressive damage per second.

Rapid Fire is a must for this loadout as it increases the shotgun’s fire rate, and it’s always good to have more ammo in the magazine. The ASG-89 is the perfect option for solo players due to its ability to clear hordes while still dealing a ton of single target damage. AoE focused guns don’t typically do well against bosses, but this one is an exception.

For more on BO6 Zombies, check out our guide on completing the Liberty Falls and Terminus easter eggs.