The Best Shotguns And Sniper Rifles In CoD: Black Ops 7

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is out and features all the weapon types you know and love, offering some tremendously potent guns that will surely be a thorn in everyone’s side for months to come. And, what’s more annoying than being one-tapped by a Shotgun or Sniper Rifle after you land several bursts from a severely nerfed M8A1 on your target? Nothing. Nothing is the answer you’re looking for.

Despite having some fantastic Shotguns and Sniper Rifles in the game, the selection is very shallow, limiting us to three of each weapon type, which is a tad disappointing to say the least. However, in typical CoD fashion, these weapons are absurdly powerful and can be nearly unstoppable in the proper hands. While some are drastically better than others, all will be able to cause your enemy’s blood to boil when used to their full potential!

XR-3 ION

Coming in as the first entry, and worst option for a Sniper Rifle on this list, is the XR-3 ION, a three-round burst Sniper that has the potential to be the most high-damaging option out of the bunch, and is undoubtedly the most accurate, but throws everything away by having poor mobility and handling, alongside its janky pre-fire delay, which makes this thing exremely weird to use in an actual match.

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When the opposing team is running around, jumping off walls, and making unexpected movements, the XR-3 ION is one of the most inconsistent and unreliable weapons out there. Not only that, but since you must land all three bullets to get a one-shot, one-kill with the XR-3 ION, you are essentially building it around relying on the second burst to kill. It’s an interesting and fun-to-use weapon, but far from the best!

Echo 12

Up next is the Echo 12 Shotgun, which finds itself in an odd position. It has unbelievable damage potential, as it allows you to fire off two devastating shots back-to-back in rapid succession, while also having solid range, which can make it viable in many situations. However, its mobility, handling, and accuracy all take a severe hit, severely impacting its performance without heavy reliance on attachments.

Overall, the Echo 12 isn’t terrible by any means; it just lacks in many areas we feel a Shotgun shouldn’t, as you will essentially be trying to pop your targets twice from a distance instead of getting up close and personal. While that is an option, pulling two rapid shots off when practically on top of the opponent can be tricky, especially if they also have a powerful weapon that can outgun the Echo 12!

VS Recon

Following that, we have the VS Recon, the first Sniper Rifle you will have access to in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and an excellent bolt-action rifle at that. It has a quick rechamber by default, while maintaining solid recoil and stability. However, at super far ranges, its damage dropoff is noticeable without proper attachments, and its mobility isn’t great. And, in this game, that can make a dramatic difference.

In spite of its issues, the VS Recon is still more than viable in multiplayer and should not be slept on, even if you may have to use it in a less-than-ideal state until you unlock more attachments for it. If you like to snipe or quickscope, the VS Recon is fantastic at both playstyles and can deliver one-shot kills quite consistently, so long as you keep your engagements in the short to medium ranges!

Akita

The Akita kicks off our top three as a unique yet very competent, fully automatic Shotgun. While it surely has its issues, the Akita more than makes up for them with its fantastic movement and handling, and ability to punch through your enemies in close-range encounters. However, because it is fully automatic, its accuracy and range take a substantial hit, which can be a serious issue on some maps and modes.

But, with attachments and a proper build to bolster the Akita’s playstyle, you can pretty much fly around most maps with this thing while cutting down anyone that gets in your way. With a fast aim down sight speed, sprint to fire speed, and swift movement speed, you will be hard to hit and track down, which is where the Akita really shines. Don’t underestimate this tiny, yet very deadly, Shotgun!

M10 Breacher

For our next pick, we have the M10 Breacher, a remarkably consistent and powerful Shotgun that gets even better with attachments. Not only does it deal the most raw base damage in its class, but holding down the trigger when firing will tighten its hipfire and aim down sight spread, making it excel in most situations. Not to mention, the M10 Breacher also has the best mobility and handling.

We cannot get enough of this Shotgun, and it’s the very first one you have access to, which seems a bit broken if you ask us. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for the most consistent Shotgun in the game, you cannot go wrong with the M10 Breacher. It does everything it needs to without relying too heavily on gimmicks and other aspects to make it viable in combat!

Shadow SK

Finally, we have the Shadow SK, which is arguably the best Sniper Rifle in the game and the best overall pick on this list if you want to dominate in multiplayer. It offers the best mobility in its class and maintains its devastating damage even at longer distances, making it incredibly consistent at one-shot kills. It is also a semi-automatic Sniper with solid recoil control, making it hard to beat.

Its only downside is its rate of fire can feel a tad on the slower side, but its nothing too major and is a welcome tradeoff for everything else it offers. And, when kitted out with attachments, you can virtually eliminate that issue anyway, or can turn it into a quickscoping machine with even better mobility than it has by default. The Shadow SK is a beast of a Sniper Rifle in every way, shape, and form, and we cannot recommend it enough!

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