The AP Scalar Mk3 is the best SMG for raw output in Rob Run, while the RC 5.56 Mk3 is the better-value rifle.
These Early Access rankings weigh firepower, magazine capacity, and replacement cost. The strongest gun for a fight is not always the smartest purchase, especially when losing it would empty your budget.
Weapon ranking criteria
Weapons rank on three practical measures:
- Damage output: Damage per shot and fire rate determine theoretical output. Paper DPS is damage × RPM ÷ 60, before reloads, armor, range falloff, and missed shots. Shotgun calculations assume every pellet connects.
- Magazine capacity: More ammunition lets you maintain fire longer before reloading. Several Mk3 variants increase capacity without changing damage or fire rate.
- Purchase value: A cheaper, replaceable weapon can be a better progression choice than a premium gun with a narrow advantage.
The tiers describe purchase priorities, not guaranteed duel results. S-tier weapons offer standout performance for their purpose. A-tier weapons are strong alternatives or especially useful budget buys. B-tier weapons work, but have clearer compromises. C-tier weapons are lower-priority purchases on their damage, capacity, and cost.
Variants with matching damage, fire rate, capacity, and base value receive the same rank. A higher Mark alone does not earn a promotion.
Weapon tier list
This table ranks 46 weapon variants. Base values are in-game cash values, not guaranteed Black Market quotes. Check the purchase screen before spending.
| Tier | Weapon | Magazine | Base value | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | AP Scalar Mk3 | 45 | $115,000 | Highest SMG fire rate with the Scalar’s largest magazine. |
| S | TAG-12K Mk3 | 8 | $110,000 | Fastest shotgun, with capacity matching the ORDR-12 Mk3. |
| S | SR Reaper Mk3 | 40 | $120,000 | Strong rifle output with twice the earlier variants’ capacity. |
| S | LM 249 Mk2 | 200 | $209,600 | Exceptional capacity, offset by cost and a five-second reload. |
| S | PDW90 Mk1 | 50 | $30,800 | High fire rate and generous capacity at an Epic base value. |
| S | PDW90 Mk2 | 50 | $30,800 | Matches Mk1’s damage, fire rate, capacity, and base value. |
| S | PDW90 Mk3 | 50 | $30,800 | Shares the earlier PDW90 variants’ strong capacity and output. |
| S | RC 5.56 Mk3 | 50 | $32,000 | Strong rifle value with a larger magazine than earlier Marks. |
| S | ORDR-12 Mk3 | 8 | $28,000 | Strong shotgun output without the TAG-12K’s premium base value. |
| A | AP Scalar Mk1 | 25 | $115,000 | Excellent SMG output, but limited ammunition between reloads. |
| A | AP Scalar Mk2 | 25 | $115,000 | Shares Mk1’s output and its restrictive magazine. |
| A | TAG-12K Mk1 | 5 | $110,000 | Top shotgun fire rate, but frequent reloads limit pressure. |
| A | TAG-12K Mk2 | 5 | $110,000 | Matches Mk1’s firepower, capacity, and steep base value. |
| A | SR Reaper Mk1 | 20 | $120,000 | High rifle output with a small magazine for its cost. |
| A | SR Reaper Mk2 | 20 | $120,000 | Matches Mk1’s damage, cadence, and capacity. |
| A | RC 5.56 Mk1 | 30 | $32,000 | Useful rifle output without a Legendary purchase commitment. |
| A | RC 5.56 Mk2 | 30 | $32,000 | Shares Mk1’s practical balance of output and base value. |
| A | ORDR-12 Mk1 | 6 | $28,000 | Faster than the Harris 500, with a higher replacement cost. |
| A | ORDR-12 Mk2 | 6 | $28,000 | Matches Mk1’s useful middle-ground shotgun performance. |
| A | JP-7 Mk3 | 40 | $29,000 | Strong SMG damage output with improved magazine capacity. |
| A | STAR-H Mk3 | 40 | $27,500 | Harder rifle hits with twice the earlier variants’ capacity. |
| A | KL-545 Mk3 | 45 | $6,000 | An affordable rifle upgrade with a useful magazine increase. |
| A | Harris 500 Mk3 | 7 | $3,500 | Low-cost shotgun with the family’s best capacity. |
| A | DP-9 Mk1 | 14 | $300 | Lowest base value makes starter equipment easier to replace. |
| A | DP-9 Mk2 | 14 | $300 | Matches Mk1’s inexpensive, practical starter package. |
| B | JP-7 Mk1 | 25 | $29,000 | Good output, but less ammunition than comparable Epic alternatives. |
| B | JP-7 Mk2 | 25 | $29,000 | Shares Mk1’s damage and limited magazine capacity. |
| B | STAR-H Mk1 | 20 | $27,500 | Strong individual hits, but limited capacity for a rifle. |
| B | STAR-H Mk2 | 20 | $27,500 | Matches Mk1’s damage, fire rate, and magazine. |
| B | KL-545 Mk1 | 30 | $6,000 | Affordable rifle performance, below the RC 5.56’s output. |
| B | KL-545 Mk2 | 30 | $6,000 | Shares Mk1’s budget appeal and lower damage output. |
| B | Harris 500 Mk1 | 5 | $3,500 | Inexpensive shotgun, but the slowest-firing shotgun family here. |
| B | Harris 500 Mk2 | 5 | $3,500 | Matches Mk1’s low cost and slow follow-up shots. |
| B | MC-10 Mk1 | 20 | $3,500 | Cheap automatic fire with a restrictive magazine. |
| B | MC-10 Mk2 | 20 | $3,500 | Shares Mk1’s low-cost firepower and capacity limitation. |
| B | MC-10 Mk3 | 40 | $3,500 | Better capacity, but modest damage output limits upgrade appeal. |
| B | CB45 Mk1 | 25 | $3,780 | Affordable SMG, with lower output than the MC-10. |
| B | CB45 Mk2 | 25 | $3,780 | Matches Mk1’s damage, cadence, capacity, and base value. |
| B | CB45 Mk3 | 40 | $3,780 | Improved capacity does not increase its damage output. |
| B | Vulture 50 Mk1 | 7 | $50,000 | Expensive pistol with strong individual hits and slow cadence. |
| B | Vulture 50 Mk2 | 7 | $50,000 | Matches Mk1’s high per-shot damage and small magazine. |
| C | DRM-14 Mk1 | 10 | $103,500 | High base value, low capacity, and modest theoretical output. |
| C | DRM-14 Mk2 | 10 | $103,500 | Shares Mk1’s expensive combination of limited capacity and cadence. |
| C | DRM-14 Mk3 | 20 | $103,500 | Capacity improves, but output remains low for its base value. |
| C | LBR-44 Mk1 | 6 | $20,000 | Slow pistol cadence and limited capacity weaken purchase value. |
| C | LBR-44 Mk2 | 6 | $20,000 | Matches Mk1’s damage and restrictive firing characteristics. |
Best weapons for beginners
Start with the DP-9, then upgrade deliberately
The DP-9 deals 18 damage per shot at 333 RPM. Its full-damage distance is 20 meters, with damage falling beyond that point. It earns its A-tier position through accessibility and replacement value, not exceptional combat output.
During robberies, keeping staff at gunpoint prevents them from raising the alarm. You do not need a premium weapon just to perform that job.
Check your first pistol purchase
For your first rifle purchase, consider the KL-545 Mk3 before committing to Epic or Legendary equipment. Move to the RC 5.56 Mk3 when you can support the higher replacement cost. Both provide more capacity than their earlier variants, but the RC also offers higher theoretical damage output.
Best weapons for close-range fights
AP Scalar for automatic fire
The Scalar’s combination of 14 damage and 1,000 RPM produces about 233.3 paper DPS. Its Mk3 carries 80% more ammunition than Mk1 or Mk2 without changing that output.
If you usually choose the fastest-firing gun in action games, compare its magazine here as well. The smaller Scalar variants exhaust their ammunition much sooner, making a missed burst more expensive.
The PDW90 is the stronger spending priority when you want substantial capacity without paying a Legendary base value. Its theoretical output is lower, but it costs much less to replace.
ORDR-12 for value, TAG-12K for speed
The Harris 500, ORDR-12, and TAG-12K each deal 9 × 8 damage. That is 72 damage per shot if every pellet connects. Their firing rates and capacities separate them, not their pellet damage.
The TAG-12K reaches 288 theoretical DPS under full pellet connection. The ORDR-12 reaches 205.2, but its Mk3 has the same capacity at about a quarter of the TAG-12K’s base value. Choose the ORDR-12 for repeatable purchases and the TAG-12K when maximum close-range output justifies the expense.
Best weapons for longer-range fights
RC 5.56 first, SR Reaper for a premium upgrade
The RC 5.56 is the practical rifle choice for fights that extend beyond an interior. Its 16 damage and 667 RPM produce about 177.9 paper DPS. The SR Reaper increases that figure to 212.5, but demands a much larger purchase commitment.
Neither number measures accuracy or damage falloff. Check the weapon’s range characteristics before paying for a gun intended for longer sightlines. A higher damage figure does not establish a range advantage.
The Vulture 50 is a pistol with the highest pistol damage per shot here, at 36. Its small magazine and slower cadence make it a specialized choice, not an automatic upgrade over a rifle. The DRM-14 and LBR-44 also sacrifice firing speed for individual hits, which makes them weaker purchase priorities when sustained output is your goal.
How availability changes a weapon’s value
Check access before saving for an upgrade
Weapons can spawn as city loot in Looty Bay. To buy equipment, visit Lenny for Black Market access or use the laptop at your base.
For locked goods:
- Press H to open Shipments.
- Check the item’s settlement-level or accumulated jail-time requirement.
- Meet that requirement, then check the current purchase price and availability.
Police-issued equipment follows a separate system. Badge progression improves access, while fresh-server patrols initially receive pistols and gain access to better equipment as the server ages. A personal Black Market purchase does not represent the department’s unlock schedule.
Budget for losing the weapon
Dying as a Criminal in Looty Bay costs your inventory. Surrendering to Police preserves equipped gear but forfeits bag contents. Weapons also reset during the seven-day Federal Raid wipe cycle, so consider how much time remains before committing to an expensive upgrade.
Keep enough cash to replace a working loadout. A cheaper weapon you can take on several runs is a better progression purchase than a premium gun you cannot afford to lose.
