When Battlefield was released, it was one of the first true war simulation games. Unlike Call Of Duty and other popular FPS titles, Battlefield provided a raw sandbox experience. Players were thrust into massive arenas with dozens of other users, a feature that was not common in the early 2000s.
As with any long-running game, Battlefield was far from perfect. There have been a handful of Battlefield games with glaring issues. Despite a few hiccups along the way, DICE have put together one of the longest-running and most successful franchises ever. Looking back, weapon balance was always a key focus for the developers, who wanted gamers to find their favorite weapons organically. Although, the below list will reveal that a few weapons have slipped through the cracks. In an era where analytics plays a huge role in online multiplayer games, a lot of people are anxiously awaiting the release of Battlefield 2042.
Updated July 15, 2021 by Payton Lott: This article has been updated to include all the games in the Battlefield franchise. Picking the so-called best gun in each Battlefield game is quite the task, and surely some of the picks below will be controversial. However, it's hard to deny that each of the following guns were meta choices during the life cycle of each respective game. Unlike some FPS games on the market, DICE generally did a stellar job making most of the Battlefield weapons viable. Battlefield is a much more strategic experience than some would think, and each weapon fills a particular role in a class. Players will enjoy the nostalgia of looking back at the weapons and games that defined the early 2000s. There are many in the community that are begging for the original titles in the series to be remastered, and there are plenty of reasons why.Â
16 No4Sniper - Battlefield 1942
It has been almost 20 years since the first game in the series was released. One of the most enjoyable weapons to use in the original Battlefield was the No4Sniper. It was like the Martini-Henry from Battlefield 1. Players could run the weapon as more of a rifle than a sniper with bare iron sights. Skilled marksmen were able to hit one shot kills from short to medium range and it was an absolute blast to use. Sure, there were a ton of great weapons to choose from, but in the Scout class, this weapon brings back great memories.
15 M60 (Pre-Nerf) - Battlefield Vietnam
Early in the game's life cycle, the M60 was an absolute menace. The LMG has a massive magazine and would drop enemies in an instant. The recoil was no joke, but if just a few shots hit a target, it would get the job done. Eventually, DICE released an update that toned down the damage of the M60. Before the nerf, it may have been the most overpowered weapon in the history of Battlefield. Kill feeds were littered with M60s for months before the developers caught on.
14 Krylov FA-37 - Battlefield 2142
The Krylov was one of the fan favorites because of its high fire rate in the assault class. While the gun is supposed to have high recoil, it was very controllable in-game. The combination of 27 headshot damage with a top-tier ROF made it dominate in intermediate gunfights.
All of the early games in the series had relatively balanced weapons, which makes this list excruciatingly hard to compile. The game's servers are long gone as well. Looking back, the Krylov was the most memorable gun in the third game of the franchise.
13 XM8 - Bad Company
Bad Company had one of the most balanced metas in the series. It is very difficult to find a weapon that was glaringly superior to the rest. That being said, the XM8 was a reliable option in a number of scenarios. It has decent iron sights, controllable recoil, and enough damage to get the job done. If anyone is still playing the game, the XM8 is one of the top weapons in 2021. Bad Company can be a difficult game to revisit after playing the recent titles in the series for a number of reasons. However, being able to blow everything up on the map makes the first Bad Company an enjoyable sandbox experience.
12 AN-94 (Pre-Nerf) - Bad Company 2
Before DICE decided to nerf the AN-94 into the ground, it was far and away the best option. While it did not have the highest rate of fire, the AN-94's two round burst packed a punch. By tapping the trigger, players could melt through a horde of enemies with just one clip. It was regarded in the community as the best Assault class weapon for some time. Headshot damage with magnum ammo was just too good, and DICE had to step in to balance the meta. The AN-94 makes another appearance in this list, as it is one of the most iconic Battlefield weapons.
11 AKM - Battlefield Hardline
The AKM was one of only two weapons in the game that could kill an enemy in just three shots. It has a fast fire rate and controllable recoil as well. The best players were using this or the FAL in competitive matches. There are a few other guns that could have been included, but the AKM is a classic.
AK variants have always been good in Battlefield games, and this list needed at least one. It would be hard to argue that there was a more powerful fully automatic weapon in the game.
10 M97 Trench Gun - Battlefield 1
*The Trench Gun has very balanced stats for a shotgun, with improved range compared to other guns in the class. Players can pull out the shotgun at 15 or even 20 meters and weaken opponents. Likewise, it has a tight pellet spread and high damage at point blank range. Those that are not concerned about accuracy will love the fact that the shotgun fires faster than any of the other pump action shotguns in BF1. The versatility and range of the Trench Gun make it one of the best weapons in Battlefield 1.
9 Ribeyrolles 1918 - Battlefield 1
One of 2 assault rifles that have a bipod attached, the Ribeyrolles takes the SMG to the long-range arena. Zooming past other guns in its class in terms of damage range, it remains the most consistent at all ranges. It's advised to stick to the outside, staying away from the shotgun fast action.
The gun really shines in surprise combat, close quarters trenches where enemies can be found in groups. Then it's time to fall back, reload, and choose the next step. Either picking off those that flee from the scene or setting up for another ambush tactic.
8 G36E - Battlefield 2
One of the most accurate guns in the entire game, its low recoil and boosted damage output makes it one of the easiest guns to get used to. Letting the player focus on the enemy's movements, this semi-automatic takes care of all the essentials and outperforms in almost every aspect.
Combined with the medic classes healing abilities, it almost breaks the game and covers all bases in a firefight. Moving from semi-auto to 3 round bursts, the G36E's increased damage will take down enemies in fewer shots and use less of its 30 ammo clip.
7 PKM - Battlefield 2
A gun that's so tweaked that many consider it to be unbalanced and requires a nerf, the PKM has damage output that competes with sniper rifles. This combined with its low recoil gives the light machine gun some incredible balance that takes down opponents.
A large ammo clip means that players will only have to suffer the long reload time if players are pinning the trigger and being reckless. The low spread makes the PKM one of the most consistent weapons across long distances, a rare attribute for this class.
6 SCAR - H - Battlefield 3
The Scar-H is notorious for painting its high power over any range, giving players a 2 shot kill no matter where they stand. The kickback comes in its slow rate of fire and big recoil, forcing players to control their shot more than usual.
If players can stay disciplined though, the Scar-H is a hand cannon that is near impossible to top. Serving as the most powerful gun at mid-range, it's spread makes up for some of the drawbacks as soon as the shot is fired. Rewarding those that take their time with massive damage.
5 M249 - Battlefield 3
Some of the highest damage per second in its class, the M249 matches some heavier guns at a distance. This combined with the vertical recoil makes for one of the biggest damage dealers in this zone, keeping the aim steady while dulling out some serious hurt.
One it's best aspects is the versatility, coming in handy at most points on the battlefield. Usually the cost of having a large magazine is the long reload times that come with, this gun even cuts back on that, having the fastest of other big clip alternatives.
4 ACW-R - Battlefield 4
Commonly considered the best carbine in the title, the ACW-R makes up for its average damage by having very fast RPM. Chopping out the big recoil that usually comes with heavy fire weapons, the sights are clear and players can stay on target with little effort.
Recoil is still the biggest concern, easily controlled with suppressors and grips. Nevertheless, the ACW-R functions best in close quarters, it's high damage and tendency to spray will mow down groups of enemies in no time. *The carbine is definitely one of the best Battlefield 4 weapons in 2021.
3 AN-94 - Battlefield 4
The AN-94 turns from a middle of the road assault rife when in automatic mode to one of *the best guns in BF4 once switched into burst mode. Increasing both the rate of fire and accuracy for the gun, it can then outperform with its effective aim.
The best benefit will come to those with good aim, the first 2 shots will hit the exact same spot. All but guaranteeing an instant kill if the player can land a headshot, this gun grants the player some security in knowing that they can take out enemies in record time.
2 M30 Drilling - Battlefield V
The M30 Drilling is a double edged sword, only suitable for confident players that keep their cool under pressure. Delivering some of the most devastating power from all ranges, the gun has 2 separate firing systems for both rifle and shotgun blasts.
While it's damage potential is incredibly high, the reload rate leaves players that miss frequently holding a useless chunk of steel a lot of the time. Picking a good shot is essential with the M30 but once it's taken it will blow a hole through anything it hits.
1 ZH-29 - Battlefield V
Another broken gun that can take out enemies in one shot at very close range or 2 shots at any, the ZH-29 not only trumps its competitor in damage but also reloads faster to ensure victory. It's self-loading mechanic both speeds up the process and gives some focus back to the player in the battle.
The double-tap recoil isn't too much of a hindrance when it's a guaranteed kill, aiming for the legs and letting the second shot hit the torso will take them out. If this is equipped with stabilizing mods then it becomes one of the most powerful weapons in the series.