Weapon Strategy Guides Directory
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) features various real-world weapons, ranging from pistols to machine guns and sniper rifles. A significant advantage in the game is learning how to use each weapon effectively, with good knowledge of its effective range, accuracy, ammunition and damage per shot.
Knowing which weapons to use
When first starting out, it can be hard to know which weapons have the advantage over a given situation in the game. If you’re playing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) for the first time, you might want to read our Recommended Weapons for Beginners article.
Not all weapons are equal
The current available weapons in the game are not exactly equal in usefulness and priority. As a general rule, you should almost always put pistols at the bottom of your list as they have the lowest damage in the game. This means that every other firearm category is better than the pistol, though having one is better than not having any gun at all. Click here to see which weapons are strongest in their category.
Assault Rifles (AR)
Assault rifles are currently the most balanced weapons in the game, allowing you to reliably shoot enemies up close or from a distance with precise aiming. Some of them may even work as good as certain sniper rifles for scoring head shots consistently during a match.
You can check out our assault rifles strategy guide here.
Submachine Guns (SMG)
Submachine guns perform roughly between a pistol and an assault rifle. With somewhat the same accuracy as pistols and the firing rate of assault rifles, submachine guns are better employed at close range. Overall, it is reliable weapon to cover for enemies that are up close if you did not manage to obtain a shotgun.
Our submachine guns strategy guide can be viewed here.
Light Machine Guns (LMG)
Light Machine guns have greater overall performance than submachine guns, having better damage and effective range. There is currently only one available light machine gun in the game – the M249. What’s more, it can only be obtained through air drop crates, making it among the most sought-after weapons in a match.
You can read our light machine guns strategy guide here.
Shotguns (SG)
Shotguns are arguably the best weapons to use for enemy’s in extremely close range. This makes them very ideal for engaging enemies inside houses, or for sneaking up on them where there is little means of escape. Shotguns are typically used by surviving players during the closing stages of the game, especially when the combat area has shrunk to a significantly small size.
Our shotguns strategy guide can be found here.
Sniper Rifles (SR)
Sniper Rifles provide the best effective range out of all the weapon types in the game. This makes them especially suitable for camping in certain vantage points and taking out enemies from afar. There should be some understanding of zeroing distance and bullet drop to have better accuracy with sniper rifles, including headshots. You can read about our Zeroing Distance and Aiming Tips article here to learn how to consistently land headshots in the game.
The sniper rifles strategy guide can be viewed here.
Designated Marksman Rifles (DMR)
Designated marksman rifles perform somewhere between assault rifles and sniper rifles. Specifically, they have nearly the same effective range as most sniper rifles, but provide higher damage than assault rifles. Because of this, they are most suited for close- to medium-range targets, but lacking in ammo capacity per magazine. This makes them generally unsuitable for assault engagements. There is currently only one DMR available in the game – the SKS.
You can read our designated marksman rifles strategy guide page here.
Pistols and Handguns
The weakest of the firearm categories, pistols and handguns provide only just enough for engaging enemies mostly at close range. They are still very viable weapons, especially in the hands of an accurate player who can reliably perform headshots. Pistols and handguns are generally better than having to rely only on melee weapons or the very-difficult-to-use crosswbow.
Click here to read our strategy guide for pistols and handguns.
Crossbows
While dealing very good damage, crossbows are very hard to aim. This is due to the significant amount of bullet drop with the time it takes for the shot to land on your target. However, a well-aimed shot to the lower body is capable of nearly cutting an opponents full health by half. The crossbow is best suited for close- to mid-range targets.
The crossbows strategy guide can be viewed here.
Grenades and Throwable Weapons
There are various types of throwable weapons in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), ranging from frag, stun and smoke grenades to molotov cocktails. Each of them will suit certain situations of the match. The frag grenade and molotov cocktails provide an immediate form of damage, while the other throwable weapons create diversion and cover.
The grenades and throwable weapons strategy guide is found here.
Melee Weapons
In general, players armed only with melee weapons are at the biggest disadvantage against any enemy with a firearm. Still, it is better than having to fight only your fists. While dealing heavy damage up close (especially if you managed to sneak up on an enemy), they are generally unfavored compared to any gun in the game. It is advised to use them only if they are your only weapons at the moment. Bear in mind that melee weapons (and punches) are affected by the headshot mechanic. This means that any strike to the head can kill a player in only a few hits.
Click here to view our melee weapons strategy guide.
Weapons Database
| Main Weapons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifles | Submachine Guns | Light Machine Guns |
| Shotguns | Sniper Rifles | DMRs |
| Other Weapons | ||
| Pistols | Melee Weapons | Grenades |
| Attachments | Ammunition | Crossbow |
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