The top picks on any Apex Legends gun tier list are the R-301, R-99, Wingman, and Nemesis. These weapons reward good fundamentals and perform consistently across most ranges and skill levels. Everything else either fills a niche or falls short in key situations.
Apex Legends has one of the most varied weapon rosters in battle royale, and with the game constantly receiving balance patches, keeping up with what's actually worth using can feel like a job. Not every gun you find in a drop is worth picking up, and making smart weapon choices in the early game often determines how far you go in a match.
This Apex Legends gun tier list focuses on overall performance across the full range of situations you'll encounter: close-range fights, mid-range poke, and the long-distance pressure that comes with late-game ring situations. A weapon that only works in one specific scenario, no matter how well it works there, is a liability in a game that forces you to adapt constantly.
Here's where every weapon category stands and which specific guns are worth prioritizing when you're looting and fighting your way to the final ring.
How This Apex Legends Gun Tier List Is Structured
Tier lists are only useful when you understand what they're measuring. This list ranks weapons on a combination of damage output, ammo availability, ease of use, range versatility, and how well each gun performs without attachments. A weapon that requires a purple barrel stabilizer and extended mag to feel good is less valuable than one that works decently straight out of a crate.
Care package weapons are excluded from this Apex Legends gun tier list since they're not consistently available and balancing them against floor loot isn't a fair comparison. The focus here is on what you can realistically find and use in any given match.
Skill ceiling also plays a role. Some weapons have a high skill floor that makes them harder to recommend for most players even if they're technically powerful in the right hands. Those cases are noted where relevant.
Apex Legends has surpassed 130 million registered players globally, making weapon knowledge and gunfight fundamentals more competitive than ever at every level of play.
S-Tier: The Best Guns in Apex Legends
These are the weapons you build your loadout around. S-tier guns in this Apex Legends gun tier list excel in multiple situations, are easy to find ammo for, and give you a genuine advantage whether you're pushing or holding position.
R-301 Carbine
The R-301 has been one of the best assault rifles in Apex Legends for most of the game's lifespan, and for good reason. It has one of the lowest recoil patterns of any automatic weapon in the game, fires light ammo which is everywhere, and deals consistent damage at mid-range where most fights in Apex actually happen. The first few bullets go almost perfectly straight, which means even players who haven't mastered recoil control can land meaningful damage. It's the most forgiving S-tier weapon on this Apex Legends gun tier list and a strong pick regardless of skill level.
R-99 SMG
When a fight collapses to close range, the R-99 is among the best tools available. Its fire rate is extremely high and its damage per second output when bullets are hitting is enough to delete a full health bar faster than most weapons can respond. The trade-off is that missing shots hurts significantly and the magazine empties fast. Players who can maintain accuracy under pressure get enormous value from it. Pair it with anything that handles mid-range and you cover almost every situation the game can throw at you.
Wingman
The Wingman is the highest skill ceiling weapon on this Apex Legends gun tier list, and also one of the highest reward. A fully accurate Wingman player puts out damage that feels almost unfair. Each shot hits for 45 damage to body and significantly more to the head, and the pistol can be used at almost any range if you know how to pace your shots. Its ammo type changed to sniper ammo, which is less plentiful than light, but the sheer impact of each bullet makes it worth the investment for players who can hit their shots consistently.
Nemesis Burst AR
The Nemesis rewards precise trigger control and has a unique mechanic where its fire rate increases the longer you maintain a burst-fire rhythm. At peak speed it deals damage comparable to the best automatic rifles, but at longer ranges where you're using single bursts, it still competes with dedicated marksman rifles. It's one of the more flexible weapons on any Apex Legends gun tier list because it genuinely covers multiple ranges without feeling weak in any of them.
A-Tier: Strong Picks Worth Using
A-tier weapons are strong and will carry you through most fights. They may have a narrower range of effectiveness than S-tier options or require slightly more from the player to perform at their best, but none of them are a bad choice.
In Apex Legends, a gun you can aim well is always better than a gun that's technically stronger on paper. The best weapon in any match is the one you land bullets with.
The CAR SMG earns a spot in A-tier for its unique ability to use both light and heavy ammo, making it one of the most flexible weapons in the game for looting situations where ammo is scarce. The Flatline is a heavy ammo assault rifle with higher damage per bullet than the R-301, though its recoil pattern takes more time to learn. The Volt SMG is energy ammo only but has a clean recoil pattern and solid range for an SMG, making it a reliable secondary to any mid-range primary.
For longer ranges, the Longbow DMR remains one of the most consistent marksman rifles in the game. It fires heavy ammo, hits for meaningful damage per shot, and the recoil between shots is manageable enough that follow-up shots land where you expect them. The 30-30 Repeater is another strong option at range if you're comfortable with its lever-action timing and like the option to ADS-charge shots for extra damage.
The Full Apex Legends Gun Tier List at a Glance
Here's a full breakdown of where each weapon sits on this Apex Legends gun tier list, organized by category and tier.
| Weapon | Type | Ammo | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-301 Carbine | Assault Rifle | Light | S |
| R-99 SMG | SMG | Light | S |
| Wingman | Pistol | Sniper | S |
| Nemesis Burst AR | Assault Rifle | Energy | S |
| CAR SMG | SMG | Light / Heavy | A |
| Flatline | Assault Rifle | Heavy | A |
| Volt SMG | SMG | Energy | A |
| Longbow DMR | Sniper | Heavy | A |
| Mastiff Shotgun | Shotgun | Shotgun | A |
| Hemlok Burst AR | Assault Rifle | Heavy | B |
| Spitfire LMG | LMG | Heavy | B |
| Mozambique | Shotgun / Pistol | Shotgun | C |
B and C-Tier: What to Know Before You Pick These Up
B-tier weapons are usable and will get the job done in the right situations, but they come with meaningful trade-offs. The Hemlok hits hard in burst mode but requires more precise trigger timing than most players apply in the heat of a fight. The Spitfire has a huge magazine and sustained fire output but its slow movement speed while aiming and sluggish handling make it less practical in the fast-paced engagements Apex creates constantly.
The Peacekeeper and Eva-8 shotguns both occupy the B-tier as well. The Peacekeeper hits extremely hard per shot but requires precise aim to land a full spread and the bolt-action timing leaves a punishing gap if you miss. Eva-8 is more forgiving but deals less damage per shot than you want from a shotgun at closer ranges.
C-tier weapons like the Mozambique and the P2020 are early-game placeholders at best. The Mozambique in particular has a long-running reputation in the Apex Legends community for good reason: it rarely finishes the job on its own. If you're running either of these late into a match, finding a replacement should be a priority. That said, a hammered-point Mozambique late game is situationally useful, so never throw it away until you've found something better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on this Apex Legends gun tier list, the R-301 Carbine is the most consistently strong floor loot weapon across skill levels and situations. For players with strong aim, the Wingman competes for the top spot. The right answer also depends on what you pair it with since loadout composition matters as much as individual weapon strength.
The most popular and effective loadout pairing on any Apex Legends gun tier list is a mid-range primary like the R-301 or Nemesis with a close-range secondary like the R-99 or CAR SMG. This combination covers the majority of distances where Apex fights actually take place. A sniper plus an SMG works well for players who prefer long-range engagement and need a backup for when fights get close.
In most cases no, but certain legends benefit from specific weapon types. Legends with passive or tactical abilities that reduce recoil or speed up reloads naturally pair better with weapons that have high fire rates or large magazines. This doesn't drastically change the tier rankings but it's worth considering when deciding between two similarly rated weapons.
Respawn pushes balance patches regularly, and weapons can shift significantly between seasons. The broad strokes of any Apex Legends gun tier list tend to stay relatively stable since the core strengths and weaknesses of each weapon category don't change dramatically, but specific rankings can shift by a tier or two with major patches.
Care package weapons are generally the most powerful options available in any given match by design. However, since they're not guaranteed floor loot and require finding and opening a care package to access, they aren't included in a standard Apex Legends gun tier list for floor weapons. If you get your hands on one, use it, but building your game plan around finding one is not a reliable strategy.
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