Highlights
- Assault rifles are a popular choice in Rainbow Six: Siege due to their versatility and effectiveness in close-quarters combat.
- Different operators have access to various assault rifles, each with their own stats and attachments, allowing players to customize their playstyle.
- Key assault rifles in the game include the L85A2, 556xi, C7E, 552 Commando, SC3000K, AK-12, Para 308, M762, Mk17 CQB, and ARX200, each offering unique advantages and playstyles.
For many players in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege, assault rifles will be the go-to weapon of choice for many different operators. These versatile weapons, capable of engaging targets at a variety of different ranges, represent the standard weapon for soldiers worldwide, regardless of what tasks they are carrying out. In a close-quarters situation, as is often the case in Rainbow Six: Siege, they can still be extremely effective.
Most operators will have access to both an assault rifle and an alternate weapon. While it generally comes down to the playstyle which operators players wish to use, the weapons themselves can be ranked irrespective of the qualities and tech of the operator wielding them.
10 L85A2
The L85A2, also known as the SA-80, is a standard-issue British assault rifle distinguished by its design with a magazine behind the weapon's main grip and trigger. Ideal for mid to long-range encounters, this weapon boasts a very respectable 47 Base Damage with a reload speed of 1.2 seconds.
As a British Forces weapon, this rifle can only be equipped by SAS operators Sledge and Thatcher, though it can also be used by the Attacking Recruit if these operators have not been unlocked yet.
9 556xi
The 556xi is a Swiss-American rifle developed by manufacturers Sig Sauer and commonly used by NATO forces. With a Base Damage of 46 and a high rate of fire as well as manageable bullet spread and recoil, this weapon is a very solid choice for the operators it is available to.
This assault rifle can be equipped by either Thermite or Osa, both of which are attacking operators. The weapon can be equipped with a range of attachments including 3 scopes, 4 barrel attachments, 2 grips, and a laser.
8 C7E
The C7E is a Canadian assault rifle and was introduced as part of the Operation Velvet Shell expansion. This versatile weapon includes a range of firing modes and has a base damage of 42, but a high fire rate and accuracy make up for the lack of stopping power and slightly smaller magazine size.
This weapon is only available for the operator Jackal, but it has a range of attachments including 2 scopes and 4 barrel modifications. This rifle can be used from several different ranges, but its high rate of fire makes it ideal for breaching and clearing at close quarters.
7 552 Commando
The 552 Commando is a compact version of the SIG SG 550 originating in Switzerland but often used by NATO forces too. With a base damage of 48, this weapon is particularly strong with ACOG-style scopes, and still delivers heavy damage in single shot or burst mode, as well as with a silencer.
This weapon can be equipped by the German operator IQ and is perhaps one of the best aspects of picking her as an operator. With 9 total attachment choices, players can customize the weapon to suit their particular playstyle.
6 SC3000K
The SC3000K is a unique assault rifle produced in Belgium that plays more like a powerful submachine gun than many other assault rifles do. With a very high rate of fire and a very respectable base damage of 45, this rifle packs enough punch that a single, well-placed burst is often enough to drop most enemies.
Available the operator Zero, this rifle has a range of attachments that players can change in order to customize it to their preference, including 3 scopes, 5 barrel modifications, and 2 different styles of grip.
5 AK-12
The AK-12 is the latest in the Russian-produced Kalashnikov series and is immediately recognizable with its unique design. The AK-12 delivers a solid 45 base damage and is equally effective in both single-shot and fully automatic firing modes.
Available to the operators Fuze and Ace, this rifle is extremely well-balanced in terms of power, accuracy, and rate of fire. With a total of 10 potential modifications, the weapon can be altered to suit a range of different playstyles, though typically it is best used at medium-to-long range.
4 Para 308
The Para 308 is a Brazilian-made assault rifle that was introduced as part of the Operation Skull Rain expansion. Delivering a base damage of 48, this variation of the FN-FAL trades rate-of-fire for high stopping power, and as a result, is best utilized at range due to its accuracy.
Available to the Brazilian operator Capitao, the Para 308 is a great weapon overall and has 10 attachments for players to choose from to modify it to their preference. Given that Capitao's alternative weapon is a crossbow, the Para 308 can be a more appealing option in most scenarios.
3 M762
The M72, also known as the FB Beryl, is a Polish assault rifle produced by the Lucznik Arms Factory. Capable of taking out even the most heavily armored operators, the M762 has 45 base damage which remains high at 38 when equipped with a silencer.
Available to the attacking Polish operator Zofia, this weapon has a high damage output and a range of versatile attachments to choose from. The only downside is its slow reload time and limited range of just 25 meters after which damage begins to drop off.
2 Mk17 CQB
The Mk17 CQB is a variation of the popular SCAR originating in Belgium. One of the main advantages of this weapon lies not in its damage output, but in the ability to deploy a shield along with it while still being able to fire the assault rifle - unlike riot shields which require the user to fire a secondary weapon.
Available to the operator Blackbeard, this weapon is perhaps responsible for more kills than any other weapon in Rainbow Six: Siege, and it almost seems unfair when pitted against it. However, with a low magazine capacity and an average damage output and rate of fire, this tends to balance out.
1 ARX200
As well as being arguably the best-looking assault rifle in the game, the ARX200 also boasts the best statistical advantages. The Italian-made rifle has a base damage of 47 balanced with a high rate of fire, low recoil, and above-average accuracy.
This weapon can be equipped by both Nomad and Iana and offers a range of attachments including scopes ranging from x1.0 to x2.5 zoom. Best utilized at long range, this rifle is capable of taking down even the most heavily armored operators with just a few shots.
Rainbow Six: Siege is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.