Zombies Best Guns and Weapons Tier List

This is a tier list for the best guns and weapons in Zombies mode of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (MW3). Learn the top guns for Zombies mode, as well as an overall tier list for the best guns, Shotguns, and LMGs!

Best Guns Lists
Best Guns Tier List	Best Ranked CDL Loadouts
Best Weapons Zombies	Best Guns Campaign

Best Guns for Zombies

1. Holger 556 (Assault Rifle)

Best Holger 556 Attachments
Barrel	Chrios-6 Match
Rear Grip	Morn-20 Grip
Ammunition	5.56 Low Grain Rounds
Underbarrel	Bruen Pivot Vertical Grip
Optic	Slate Reflector

The Holger 556 is the best Assault Rifle to use in Zombies as the damage output is quite similar to Light Machine Guns, while also retaining the easy recoil control of Assault Rifles.

With this, players can easily wipe out special zombies like Disciples, Mimics, and Manglers even when playing solo with this weapon!

Holger 556 Best Loadout and Build

2. Rival-9 (SMG)

Best Rival-9 Attachments
Muzzle	Sonic Suppressor S
Laser	Kimura RYL33 Laser Light
Underbarrel	Bruen Bastion Angled Grip
Magazine	50 Round Drum
Rear Grip	Rival G-5 Series Grip

The Rival-9 is an SMG that can tear through large packs of zombies within mere seconds due to its rapid firing speed, and you'll also be able to enjoy the benefits of having faster movement speed because of its amazing mobility stat.

We highly recommend improving the hipfire accuracy of this weapon by picking up the Bruen Bastion Angled Grip and Rival G-5 Series Grip attachments, as firing from the hip is a better and faster option compared to aiming down sights when surrounded by a horde.

Best Rival-9 Loadout and Build

3. Pulemyot 762 (Light Machine Gun)

Best Pulemyot 762 Attachments
Muzzle	VT-7 Spiritfire Suppressor L
Stock	Ivanov Wood Stock
Rear Grip	Nought-Z3 Grip
Underbarrel	Bruen Pivotal Vertical Grip
Optic	Slimline Pro

The Pulemyot 762 has high magazine capacity by default, and can further be increased by Pack-a-Punching, which helps you take on hordes of zombies in difficult areas like the Red Zone or Dark Aether.

Just make sure to also buy a Speed Cola perk to speed up the reload time as reloading this weapon takes some time.

Pulemyot 762 Best Loadout and Build

4. RGL-80 (Launcher)

The RGL-80 is the only Grenade Launcher available in Zombies mode. It is extremely impactful when it comes to dealing with huge packs of zombies as it can inflict splash damage resulting in a weapon that provides excellent crowd control.

This particularly shines in higher-threat zones where there are larger hordes and stronger enemies.

RGL-80 Best Loadout and Build

5. WSP Stinger (Handgun)

Best WSP Stinger Attachments
Laser	1MW Pistol Laser
Stock	WSP Factory Stock
Barrel	Hiss Short Light Barrel
Magazine	32 Round Mag
Rear Grip	Akimbo WSP Stinger

The WSP Stinger is a powerful Handgun once equipped with the ability to dual wield via the Akimbo WSP Stinger attachment. Dual wielding lets you shoot even faster, allowing you to take on hordes of zombies coming up at you and quickly shredding through them.

Overall, the dual-wield version of the WSP Stinger is the perfect combination of having fast mobility and firing speed—two important things that will help you survive when diving into the zombie-infested city of Urzikstan.

WSP Stinger Best Loadout and Build

6. RAM-7 (Assault Rifle)

Best RAM-7 Attachments
Barrel	XRK Coremark 40 Heavy Barrel
Stock	HVS 3.4 Pad
Comb	FT Polycomb
Rear Grip	Retort 90 Grip Tape
Underbarrel	XTEN Phantom 5-Handstop

The RAM-7 is a new Assault Rifle that came with the Season 1 update, and is one of the viable guns to use in Zombies due to its quick firing rate that is on the same performance level as the SMGs.

This weapon can hit like a truck as the damage output is extremely high, but do keep in mind that the recoil control is quite punishing so it might be best to use this weapon when at close to medium range only.

Best RAM-7 Loadout and Build

7. FJX Horus (SMG)

Best FJX Horus Attachments
Barrel	Martis Heavy Barrel
Optic	Jak Glassless Optic
Magazine	48 Round Mag
Muzzle	L4R Flash Hider
Underbarrel	SL Skeletal Vertical Grip

Despite its compact design, the FJX Horus is an absolute beast that can melt high-difficulty enemies with its high fire rate which reflects its damage.

Having this weapon Pack-A-Punched and combined with ammo mods makes it a go-to weapon for shooting down special zombies and mega abominations, perfect for a Dark Aether Run.

FJX Horus Best Loadout and Build

8. Crossbow (Marksman Rifle)

Best Crossbow Attachments
Optic	Cronen Intlas MSP-12
Arms	SO Momenti
Bolts	Brightblaze 20" Bolts
Wire	28-Strand Cable
Stock	FTac Piercer

The Crossbow can be equipped with the Thermite Bolt for a bit of crowd control since you can kill large groups of zombies with a single shot due to the explosive effect the Thermite Bolt has.

In addition, the ammo count can also be increased up to 3 bolts when Pack-a-Punched, allowing you to take on multiple zombies charging at you.

Crossbow Best Loadout and Build

9. Tonfa (Melee Weapon)

The Tonfa is the only melee weapon that can deal exceptional DPS (Damage Per Second) against zombies due to how fast you can swing with it. When upgraded to Pack-a-Punch Level 3, you can quickly take out Special Zombies like the Mangler, Disciple, and even Mega Abominations!

Unlike other melee weapons, which are mostly used as backup when you run out of ammo for your primary weapon, the Tonfa can act as your main go-to weapon while doing various activities in Urzikstan.

Tonfa Best Loadout and Build

10. Ray Gun (Wonder Weapon)

The Raygun is one of the Wonder Weapons that can only be obtained and used in Zombies mode. This gun shoots green energy-like bullets that can deal a strong single-target hit that scatters among close enemies.

One of the advantages of the Raygun is that you can use it even while you're down, as it is considered a Handgun.

Note that since this is a Wonder Weapon, you can only obtain this via Mystery Boxes, Schematics Crafting, and Reward Rifts.

How to Get Ray Gun Schematics

11. RAM-9 (SMG)

Best RAM-9 LSW Attachments
Muzzle	T4LR Saber Compensator
Barrel	Speedway V5 Short Barrel
Stock	Hunker-5 Stock Pad
Magazine	50 Round Mag
Underbarrel	Kimura Seraphic Vertical Grip

The RAM-9 is one of the only two SMGs in MW3 with the highest firing rate. Firing speed is essential in Zombies mode, as you'll be taking on multiple zombies at the same time and you'll want a weapon that can take them out fast.

The only downside to this gun is its poor recoil control, but you can easily fix that with attachments like the T4LR Saber Compensator, Speedway V5 Short Barrel, and the Hunker-5 Stock Pad as all three can improve gun handling.

Best RAM-9 Loadout and Build

Zombies Best Guns Tier Lists

Jump to a Section!
Best Weapons Overall	Best Shotguns	Best LMGs

Best Weapons Tier List

Tier	Zombies Guns
S Tier	・ Holger 556 (Assault Rifle) ・ RGL-80 (Launcher) ・ Pulemyot 762 (LMG) ・ RAM-7 (LMG) ・ Ray Gun (Wonder Weapon) ・ Crossbow - Thermite Bolts (Marksman Rifle) ・ FJX Horus (SMG) ・Rival-9 (SMG) ・WSP Stinger (Handgun) ・Tonfa (Melee Weapon) ・Ram-9 (SMG)
A Tier	・ MCW (Assault Rifle) ・ M4 (Assault Rifle) ・ AMR9 (SMG) ・ Striker 9 (SMG) ・ Longbow (Sniper Rifle) ・ Holger 26 (LMG) ・ TAQ Eradicator ・ Bruen Mk9 (LMG) ・ Riveter (Shotgun) ・ Kastov 762 (Assault Rifle) ・ TAQ-56 (Assault Rifle)
B Tier	・ Striker (SMG) ・ HCR 56 (LMG) ・ Kastov 545 (Assault Rifle) ・ M16 (Assault Rifle) ・ M13B (Assault Rifle) ・ Lachmann-556 (Assault Rifle) ・ Holger 556 (Assault Rifle) ・ Cronen Squall (Battle Rifle) ・ Bas-B (Battle Rifle) ・ MX9 (SMG) ・ Haymaker (Shotgun) ・ Karambit (Melee) ・ Renetti (Handgun)
C Tier	・ RAAL MG (LMG) ・ RAPP H (LMG) ・ MTZ-556 (Assault Rifle) ・ DG-58 (Assault Rifle) ・ Lockwood 680 (Shotgun) ・ SO-14 (Battle Rifle) ・ The Scorcher (Wonder Weapon)
D Tier (Don't Use)	・ FTAC Recon (Battle Rifle) ・ Lachmann-762 (Battle Rifle) ・ Bryson 890 (Shotgun) ・ Bryson 800 (Shotgun) ・ KV Broadside (Shotgun) ・ MX Guardian (Shotgun) ・ Lockwood 300 (Shotgun) ・ Expedite 12 (Shotgun)

This list was last updated on March 09, 2024

All Zombie Weapon Locations

Best Shotguns Tier List

Tier	Weapon
	・ Riveter
	・ Haymaker
	・ Bryson 890 ・ Bryson 800
	・ Lockwood 300 ・ Expedite 12 ・ KV Broadside ・ MX Guardian ・ Lockwood 680

The best shotgun in Zombies is the Riveter for its tight spread and large ammo capacity. It excels in both mid and close-range combat, allowing you to clear hordes of zombies with ease.

Shotguns rated D tier are not recommended.

Best LMGs Tier List

Tier	Weapon
	・ RPK ・ Pulemyot 762
	・ Bruen Mk9 ・ Holger 26 ・ DG-58 LSW
	・ HCR 56 ・ 556 Icarus
	・ RAPP H
	・ RAAL MG

The best LMGs in Zombies are the RPK and Pulemyot 762. The RPK is extremely powerful for its light weight and large ammo capacity. On the other hand, the Pulemyot 762 has an extremely large ammo capacity and great range in return for low mobility.

Both weapons have high firepower that can easily decimate enemies through a barrage of bullets. LMGs rated at D tier are not recommended.

Zombies Best Weapons List Criteria

① Balance Between Fire Power and Ease of Use The weapons in this list were rated not only based on Damage but also on other stats that excel in Zombies mode like Rate of Fire and Mobility. The purpose of this list is to enumerate weapons that can dominate while being fairly easy to use.

② Utility and Purpose The idea is to create a list of weapons that either work well for general use or excel in very specific situations. This is a list of weapons tailored specifically for scenarios you will encounter in Zombies Mode.

③ Class Diversity One of the considerations in making this list is to have varying types of weapons to cater to different playstyles. Although weapon stats and uses are still the primary factors considered, the aim is to have a list that will cater to all types of players.

Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) Related Guides

Zombies Mode Walkthrough and Guide

All Zombies Guides

Zombies Guides and Lists
Zombies Missions	Zombies Season 2
Zombies Season 1	Zombies Map
Zombies Weapons	Crafting Schematics
Aetherium	Challenges and Enemies
Zombies Perks	Zombies Ammo Mods
Zombies Field Upgrades	Zombies Gear
Contracts	Zombies Power-Ups

All Zombies Guns and Weapons

All Zombies Guns and Weapon Guides
Best Guns	Refund Weapon Upgrades
Weapon Rarity	Pack-a-Punch
Reduce Weapon Cooldown	Insured Slots and Contraband
Wonder Weapons	Ray Gun
Wunderwaffe DG-2	The Scorcher
V-R11	Rarity vs Pack-a-Punch
Wonder Weapon Rarity Glitch	-