Season 2 of the ranked meta cycle has settled, and the current Warzone weapon tier list tells a pretty clear story. The Maddox RFB sits at the top of the long-range category, the Carbon 57 leads close-range play, and the Hawker HX is the undisputed number one sniper. These three have pulled ahead of everything else in the pool, and if you are running anything significantly different in ranked, you are already at a disadvantage.
This is the same Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 weapon pool that has been evolving through Warzone for several seasons now, and the Season 4 balance pass has reshuffled things enough to matter. Several guns received nerfs, a handful got buffs, and four brand-new weapons entered the rotation.
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Assault rifles: Maddox RFB on top, EGRT-17 falling off
The Maddox RFB holds the number one long-range spot and has done so consistently heading into this season. The M8A1 marksman rifle sits at number two overall in long range, which is an interesting placement for a marksman, and reflects how much the current map pool rewards semi-auto precision at distance.
The EGRT-17 is still in the top 5, but it absorbed a nerf this cycle and has slipped. The M15 MOD 0 also took a hit and dropped to the number 4 AR slot. The AK-27 went the other direction, picking up a buff that pushed it to number 5 in long range after sitting lower in previous weeks.
For players who want something in the A tier without committing to the absolute meta, the DS20 Mirage and MXR-17 both received buffs and are sitting comfortably in the 8th and 9th long-range slots respectively.
SMGs: Carbon 57 leads, Kogot-7 nerfed but still viable
Close-range play is where the meta feels most competitive right now. The Carbon 57 is the clear number one SMG, but the gap between it and the Kogot-7 is not enormous. The Kogot-7 did receive a nerf, which dropped it from where it was performing previously, but it still holds the number 2 close-range spot.
The REV-46 is worth flagging specifically because it got buffed this season and climbed to number 3 close range. That is a meaningful jump, and players who slept on it before should take another look. The Razor 9mm rounds out the top 4 without any notable balance changes, which suggests it was already in a solid spot.
Further down, the Dravec 45 and MPC-25 both received buffs and are now sitting in the A tier at close range. The Sturmwolf 45 holds the number 5 SMG slot without any recent changes, meaning it has just been consistently good.
Snipers and marksmen: Hawker HX is the only S-tier option
The sniper category is the least contested in the current meta. The Hawker HX is the number one sniper by a clear margin, with the VS Recon at number 2 and the XR-3 Ion and Shadow SK filling out the A tier below it. None of the top snipers received nerfs or buffs this cycle, which means the ranking reflects genuine performance consistency rather than recency bias.
On the marksman side, the M8A1 is pulling double duty as both the top marksman and the second-best long-range option overall. The M34 Novaline and Warden 308 are A-tier alternatives. Two new additions, the KRS-7.62 and Swordfish A1, entered the pool this season but both landed in the D tier, so they are not worth building around yet.
New weapons and what they mean for the pool
Four weapons arrived with Season 4: the CBRS-3 (SMG), KRS-7.62 (marksman), GRIMHAWK (special), and VX Compact (assault rifle). All four currently sit in the D tier. That is not unusual for new additions, since they typically need a patch or two to find their footing, but it does mean the established meta guns are not under immediate pressure from the new arrivals.
Here's the thing: the four new weapons being D tier actually stabilizes the meta rather than disrupting it. Players can focus on refining their Maddox RFB or Carbon 57 builds without worrying about a new gun invalidating their setup overnight.
For players looking to go deeper on loadout builds and attachment choices across all these weapons, the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 guides collection covers the weapon pool in detail. The meta is refreshed regularly as balance patches land, so checking back after each update is worth the habit. You can also find broader weapon and loadout breakdowns across all shooter games in our guides hub.
