Best SMGs in Black Ops 6
Your best options for on the go action in Multiplayer.
If you're favouring the run and gun approach or just want an extra bit of mobility, it's good to know the best SMGs in Black Ops 6 to succeed in multiplayer.
Although selecting the best weapon can be subjective based on your playstyle, there are some SMGs that simply perform better than others. We've selected the top three, using base stats and gunsmith customisation to assess how effective each one is in multiplayer.
So let's take a look at our recommendations for the best SMGs in Black Ops 6, along with the attachments we recommend using for them.
Best SMGs in Black Ops 6
The three best SMGs we recommend using in Black Ops 6 multiplayer are the Jackal PDW, C9, and Tanto .22.
As mentioned earlier, bear in mind that we've selected these weapons based on their base stats and potential when customised in the gunsmith. These are still subjective choices though, and you may find another SMG works best with your playstyle.
Here's a detailed breakdown of the top three SMGs in Black Ops 6.
Jackal PDW
How to unlock: Reach Level 43
Base Rate of Fire: 682 rpm
Base ADS Speed: 195 ms
Base Damage: 32 Headshot, 27 Upper Torso, 27 Lower Torso
Base Range: 14.6m for effective damage range, and 26.0m for minimum damage range, with 530 m/s Bullet Velocity
We'd recommend the Jackal PDW as the best SMG in Black Ops 6. While the gun was an absolute beast in the beta, it's still one of the strongest guns in the game at the moment. Thanks to its strong rate of fire and decent damage, it's really effective at close and medium range.
However, we'd advise you to bring some attachments that help with recoil, otherwise you'll be missing a lot of your shots. Here are our recommended attachments for the Jackal PDW in Black Ops 6:
- Optic: Dobrych MF Reflex
- Muzzle: Compensator
- Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
- Rear Grip: Quickdraw Grip
- Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
If you'd prefer to be a sliding menace, be sure to swap Quickdraw Grip with CQB Grip to help with aiming while sliding and diving.
For more details on how to use the Jackal PDW to its fullest potential, check out our dedicated Jackal loadout page.
C9
How to unlock: Reach Level 4
Base Rate of Fire: 732 rpm
Base ADS Speed: 210 ms
Base Damage: 31 Headshot, 29 Upper Torso, 29 Lower Torso
Base Range: 12.7m for effective damage range, and 27.3m for minimum damage range, with 550 m/s Bullet Velocity
The C9 is useful for those still in the early levels of the multiplayer. With a fast fire rate and tight spread between damage breakpoints, you should definitely run this in any SMG loadouts until you unlock more powerful weapons.
The best way to build it for longer ranges is by using attachments that enhance the accuracy and mobility of the weapon. Below are the attachments we'd recommend using for the C9 in Black Ops 6:
- Optic: Pinpoint Holoscout
- Muzzle: Ported Compensator
- Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip
- Rear Grip: Commando Grip
- Stock: Balanced Stock
Alternatively, if you'd prefer more accuracy over mobility, you could swap the Balanced Stock for a Recoil Springs Fire Mod which will give it a bit more of an edge at longer ranges. Consider also packing the Long Barrel attachment too which increases the Damage Range to 16.5m for effective damage and 35.5m for minimum damage.
For more information on how to use the C9, see our dedicated C9 loadout page.
Tanto 22
How to unlock: Reach Level 16
Base Rate of Fire: 441 rpm
Base ADS Speed: 200 ms
Base Damage: 45 Headshot, 38 Upper Torso, 38 Lower Torso
Base Range: 6.3m for effective damage range, and 25.4m for minimum damage range, with 560 m/s Bullet Velocity
The Tanto is a bit of a rogue choice amongst its peers. Its slow fire rate may take a while to get used to, but it makes up for it with high damage and decent accuracy. While we wouldn't recommend you run this in mobility builds, it does have its uses in clearing rooms and dealing with close range threats.
If you'd like to run this weapon in one of your loadouts, here are the recommended attachments for the Tanto 22 in Black Ops 6:
- Muzzle: Compensator
- Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip
- Rear Grip: Quickdraw Grip
- Stock: Balanced Stock
- Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
If you're not keen on the iron sights for the Tanto, swap out Balanced Stock for an Optic of your choice. While the fire rate of this weapon leaves a lot to be desired, it isn't worth grabbing the Rapid Fire Fire Mod with all the downsides it brings to accuracy and damage.
If you'd like details about running this weapon in a build, see our dedicated Tanto 22 loadout page for more.
Good luck piling up those SMG kills in Black Ops 6!