Introduction
So by now, you’ve probably spent a great deal of time invested in PUBG but you still just don’t know how each weapon performs in combat. In all honesty there are a plethora of guns to choose from and all of them have unique characteristics that make them stand out. Perhaps you’ve posed the question “Just what weapon is best for beginners?” Well we’ve selected ten weapons out of the PUBG library which we think will help to give you a better understanding of just how every other gun works, but to also allow more comfort as you dive deeper into the game. While this is a top ten of our suggested picks we still encourage you to go out there and try every gun possible because, the more you spend time with each one the more likely you’re going to find that sweet spot and sooner or later those Chicken Dinners will be yours. We’ll list the important stats of every weapon chosen so that you can have an idea about each gun and do comparisons on your own time. Credits to the PUBG gamepedia for the weapon photos!
10. R1895 [Pistol]
Recommended Secdondary Weapons
The R1895 is an overall well rounded and very powerful revolver that can take a few heads off up close should the enemy approach you. It’s base damage is 46 which makes it the strongest pistol out of that category, and it’s body impact power is 8,000 which means if you aim correctly your opponent has very little chance of surviving without a vest. With a vest and level 1 helmet on you’re still doing a great deal of damage so don’t throw this gun away should you find one in the houses you loot. Fortunately for the R1895 it’s very common and you’ll be able to find it pretty much anywhere on the island so make sure to grab a hold of one asap.
The time between each shot is roughly 0.400s which puts it on the slower end of the pistols but this just means that you’ll have to make sure every shot counts. It’s important to note that it’s ammo per mag is 7 rounds which puts it at the lowest in comparison to that of the P18C (17) and P92(15). This bad boy is like a mini shotgun in your hand so much like the shotgun, don’t go wild with it. Take your time to focus on your enemy and make sure you’re at the right distance to ensure maximum damage. This is an up close and personal gun so wait for someone to pop up from behind a corner, and let them taste a nice bullet or two. One real downside to this weapon is that it only takes .762mm ammunition meaning that, if you have an AK in hand chances are that you’ll want the AK to take the bigger share between the two.
9. Pan [Melee]
Recommended Secondary Weapons
So you’re probably thinking “The pan?! But that’s not even a gun!” Well remember, anything goes in PUBG and whatever you can manage to find lying around is something to always consider when your life is on the line. The pan is hands down the strongest melee weapon in PUBG because not only can it be used to scramble someone’s brain when you hit them, it also acts as a protector for your arse should you be in a gunfight (literally it protects your arse). This deserves a spot on the list because for one the pan is very easy to use as it doesn’t require any skill, all you need to do is make sure you aim for the opponent’s noggin and that’s it. It’s base damage alone is a whopping 80 which is an improvement over the previous update, while it’s overall impact when it connects is 40,000 meaning that one or two hits with this thing is all you need to secure a kill.
One other reason why the pan is great is that it’s also a common item on the island and so, keeping an eye out for this in any houses or high traffic areas like the Military Base will be pivotal to survival. Enemies will be running every which way in hopes to find a gun to start shooting, but once you have a pan in hand it’ll be easy to grab early kills and perhaps even score some nice loot off the enemy you destroyed. Your new nickname is “The Pan Handler”.
8. S686 [Shotgun]
Recommended Secondary Weapons
Up next we have the very powerful S686 Shotgun that will turn anyone who’s nearby into red mist. What makes the S686 very strong in CQC is that it has 2 very fast rounds to shoot off meaning, if you find yourself under pressure by an enemy they will not have much time to react to the shots. That’s the pro of the S686 when compared to that of the S1897, which carries more rounds but the time between shots is slower and time counts a lot in PUBG. For a quick comparison the S686 takes only 0.200s to fire one round, while the S1897 takes 0.750s and while that seems tiny, it really makes a huge difference when you need to desperately tap that left mouse button to finish off the enemy. One other major perk is that the S686 received a nice buff in the recent update which gives it the fastest bullet speed in the game at 370. What this means is that, your enemy stands little to no chance of escaping once that shell leaves the barrel so they’d better be wearing some fine armor otherwise it’s lights out.
Shotguns much like pistols are really great for early game when everyone around is you is scrambling to find the higher end guns, so don’t be picky with these two categories. If you can find an S686 on the floor with some added accessories like a Choke or Bullet Loops nearby, don’t hesitate to grab these because it will only make your life easier and of course you’ll live a little longer. The S686 is also a common item so you’ll find it everywhere on the island, so loot wisely.
7. Kriss Vector [SMG]
Recommended Secondary Weapons
The Kriss Vector (known as the Vector) is a very strong and accurate weapon to have with you during the early phases of the game, and it’s ammunition chamber takes .45 ACP which is scattered everywhere. We say this is a beginner weapon because of its multiple firing modes (Single, Burst, Auto) which will give you some time to practice using each mode. Due to its high accuracy you’ll certainly want to be at a respectable range for the bullets to penetrate the opponent’s armor and since your time between shots is 0.055s, your opponent will not have much time to respond giving you a huge advantage in CQC. This gun works best up close or mid-range but anything farther than that and this gun starts to show its weaker points.
While it does have a decent damage output of 31 its UMP9 brethren does slightly more and will tear just about anyone up in a CQC battle. Both guns have their merits and we’ll jump into the UMP9 soon but focusing back on the Kriss Vector, this gun will certainly serve you well because the recoil isn’t going to ruin your day. We suggest using auto mode for this gun in close quarters since it fires off fast, it has a decent reload time and is a nice substitute for a pistol if you can find it. The major con of the gun however is the chamber capacity which is only a mere 13 meaning that, if you do have a gun fight up close chances are that your ammo will be gone faster than your opponent. So with that in mind pick your fights wisely and don’t waste your bullets if you aren’t close enough to finish off the enemy.
6. UMP9 [SMG]
Recommended Secdonary Weapons
So while the Kriss Vector can deal a lot of quick and precise damage to the enemy, it lacks in ammunition meaning that you’ll always need to be mindful of the situation and making sure to utilize the other firing modes effectively. The UMP9 on the other hand is a beast in the right hands and surprisingly enough, with the right attachments it can be a mini sniper with its single fire mode. Another great aspect about the UMP9 is that its ammunition is very very common since it uses the same ammo as the P18C, which is a very common pistol to find in game. So when it comes to ammo you’re pretty much covered with this gun and to be quite honest, ammo plays a pivotal role in the late game of PUBG. What’s striking about the UMP9 is that it can hold a good amount of attachments from a compensator, red dot sight, flash hider and even a suppressor, so it’s really a deadly gun to have on you.
Due to its versatility it ranks higher than most other guns on this list because it can be used in a variety of scenarios, whether it be CQC, mid-range and even long-range (really depends on how far but it’s manageable). The latter will take some time to get used to since the UMP9 is designed more for up close or mid range battle, so we recommend sticking to those two to get better accustomed on how to deal with enemies nearby. It’s base damage is 35 which puts it slightly higher than the Kriss Vector but a little lower than the Tommy Gun (38), but it makes up for that in its initial bullet speed which is 400 giving it the fastest bullet speed in this weapon category. You know how we said before that the Kriss Vector is a very solid weapon to tear people to shreds? Well the UMP9 trumps that and if you’re hiding in the right place with this is hand, there’s no way your opponent will have time to run because their legs will be gone.
5. M16A4 [Assault Rifle]
Recommended Secondary Weapons
It was hard to decide which would go 5th, the SCAR-L or the M1684 but we decided to put the SCAR-L higher on the list because of how easy it is to use when compared to the other sophisticated assault rifles. Now don’t get us wrong here, the M16A4 is a monster in any situation whether it be up close or long range, because where this gun really shines is when you put an 8x scope on it to make an incredible sniping machine. Similar to the SCAR-L it has incredible accuracy and can take enemies out from yards away, but one con is that it can only hold 3 slots on the gun. This means that it loses the grip option but can still acquire the muzzles, magazines and sights. The grip plays a very important role when it comes to sniping since it lowers the amount of recoil the gun has, which makes it much easier to aim down the sights to kill an enemy.
However where this gun shines over the SCAR-L is in the initial bullet speed which sits at 900. This means that you’ll rely less on where the bullet is traveling because most likely, if your aim is on point it’s only going into the opponent’s head. The SCAR-L sits at 870 which is still incredible but that extra 30 point buff really helps the M16A4 and makes up for the lack of grip. The time between shots is also faster on the M16A4 which is 0.075s compared to the SCAR-L which sits at 0.096s. So that means while the SCAR-L is a lot more steady and accurate, the M16A4 just hits the target faster giving them less time to respond and more time for you to go in for the kill.
4. SCAR-L [Assault Rifle]
Recommended Secondary Weapons
The SCAR-L is one of our favorite weapons in all of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds because of its ability to be used in a variety of ways. It’s incredibly stable and allows the user to fire off shots without having to worry too much about recoil, with enough firepower to take off a few level 2 helmets along the way. It’s beginner friendly for these specific reasons since you don’t want to start off with a weapon that doesn’t allow for precision and damage, especially when enemies are running frantically all around the island. The SCAR-L is a common weapon so much like the other guns on the list, it can be found just about anywhere so if you manage to find one grab it immediately.
One awesome perk about the SCAR-L is that it can use up to 4 slots meaning that, you can attach muzzles, grips, magazines and sights to make this gun the ultimate beast. It’s born as an assault rifle but you can nurture it into a nice powerful sniper rifle which gives it huge bonus points, since it’s accuracy is very high and you will not need to worry too much about your bullets flying everywhere. It’s a very steady weapon with a base damage of 41 putting it in close contention with the M416 and M16A4. The only slight downgrade to the SCAR-L is that the bullet speed is a little slower than that of the M1684 (it sits at 870), but that shouldn’t stop you from grabbing this gun. With 30 ammo per magazine along with single and auto modes to choose from, the SCAR-L is your quintessential assault rifle that must be on hand with you at all times.
3. Mini14 [Sniper Rifle]
Recommended Secondary Weapons
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is a very big game which means most of your time will be spent looting, finding the right attachments and waiting for the right time to attack. This game rewards patience, calculated risk taking and a very cerebral approach. While aggression can certainly win you more Chicken Dinners it’s really the more patient player who scores the kills that matter, and that’s where the sniper rifles come into play. Unlike the other weapons on our list that focus on a variety of ranges, the sniper rifle excels mainly long range and can deal excessive amounts of damage if your accuracy is on point. The Mini14 is a semi-automatic Carbine sniper which means that it can fire off multiple shots in a quicker succession than the other bolt action rifles. This makes the Mini14 a great base sniper for newcomers to PUBG since you’ll be able to practice your shots, and not stress too much about having to wait to reload.
It has the fastest initial bullet speed in the game (990) which means you can take down enemies with relative ease and never have to worry about the bullet straying too far. The Mini14 can take up to 3 slots for muzzles, magazines and sights, and if you manage to put a quick draw magazine on this bad boy it’s glorious. The initial reload time is around 3 seconds but with the attachment on you’re looking to be closer to 2, which is nuts. The 1 second difference in speed can determine life or death so making sure to stay strapped is imperative. One downside however to the Mini14 is that, despite it’s speed, accuracy and overall effectiveness it suffers in the damage department. This means that while other rifles can take an enemy out in one to two hits, the Mini14 requires a little bit more work so this gun will help train you to never miss a shot.
2. Karabiner 98 Kurz
Recommended Secondary Weapons
This vintage bolt-action sniper rifle has been showcased in a wide variety of shooters from Call of Duty, Socom to even Battlefield. The reason for this guns popularity is that it packs a punch and doesn’t leave any prisoners behind. Once your sights are set on the target there’s a very high chance that they’ll be dead in one shot, so mastering this gun at long range is recommended for any newcomer. It’s not a very difficult gun to pick up and play around with because even without attachments, the ironsight on this thing is incredible. The Karabiner 98 Kurz (or KAR as it’s commonly known) is like the Ryu of sniper rifles, it’s easy to pick up but it will take a great deal of time to master. It has a base damage of 72 ranking it higher than the Mini14 and when paired with an assault rifle secondary like the SCAR-L, you will not need to worry too much about enemies approaching you.
Of course the only downside to this gun is that it’s a bolt-action rifle meaning that every shot you take, you’ll need to reload another bullet into the chamber before shooting it off again. Due to that con it’s very important that you take your shots wisely and make them count otherwise you may find yourself at the lobby screen quickly. The KAR is a very loud gun and so playing careless with it can put you in all heaps of trouble, and before you know it one enemy becomes two and then the whole horde finds you. Placing a suppressor on it will do the trick if you’re able to find one, but if you can’t then patience will be the key to winning with this powerful weapon. We recommend this for newcomers because it will teach you the art of patience and while many out there like to complain about camping, you’ll be doing a lot of it with the KAR since you can’t afford to make errors in the late game. Anyone who complains about camping just doesn’t know how to deal with that tactic so ignore the haters, find a great hiding spot and wait for your target to reveal itself.
1. AWM [Sniper Rifle]
Recommended Secondary Weapons
The goldmine of all sniper rifles, the creme de la creme if you will. If you’re brave enough to chase down a crate during the game and manage to score this bad boy in there, there’s a very high chance that you will not lose in a long range battle. “But it’s in a crate, how is that beginner friendly?” It caters to beginners because of its incredible firepower meaning that newcomers can really get a taste of what real damage is, and since it’s a crate only weapon it will teach them to become more responsible and less impatient with taking shots. Sure, you may have to fend off a few other vultures who come diving in for the meal but if you manage to survive then be sure to cherish this weapon. Similar to the KAR, the AWM is easy to pick up but will require much of your time before you can truly say you’ve mastered it.
The AWM takes its own unique rounds which too are only secured by finding a crate, so once again this will teach you to really take responsibility and only shoot when it’s absolutely necessary. Wasting rounds with this gun is like throwing away a half eaten meal and there’s no reward in that. Since this is a bolt-action rifle like the KAR every time you shoot at an opponent, you’ll need to wait a great deal before being able to shoot again. Having a quick-draw magazine attached to the AWM will be of great benefit since without one, you’re looking at 4 seconds per reload which is terrible when compared to other rifles like the SKS (2.9s). So where it lacks in speed and magazine shortage (5 bullets) it makes up in maximum damage and body hit impact power which sits at a whopping 40,000. All that means is once the bullet connects the enemy is pretty much in the next dimension. Use this gun wisely my friend and it will grant you unlimited power!
Honey's Final Thoughts
We hope you found this quick overview of top PUBG weapons for beginners to be resourceful and insightful on your journey into PUBG. We know that it can be intimidating at times when it comes to deciding which gun to use, so making your lives easier is what we love. As we stated earlier in the article don’t be afraid to try out every gun in the game because at the end of the day, mastering every gun will only make you a stronger player. We’ll be making more articles about PUBG in the near future so stay tuned for all of them, which will focus on things like weapon attachments, how to improve your aim and more! Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Twitch to know when we go live with PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, but also if you’re an anime junkie like we are then be sure to check out our latest articles.
As always, if you want to know about all the latest buzz straight from the bee’s nest in Japan, be sure to keep it locked here at Honey’s Anime.
By. Robert ”NualphaJPN” B.
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