Best Warzone LMG: which is the best LMG in Warzone Caldera?
Which LMG is king in Warzone Caldera?
Want to know the best LMG in Warzone? LMGs in Warzone fill an interesting role. Their time-to-kill often competes with Assault Rifles, but LMGs will almost always have slower ADS and movement speed. If you take advantage of their larger magazines and excellent range, however, LMGs can be among the best guns in Warzone. Our best LMG in Warzone guide will walk you through each LMG's place in the Warzone meta.
The best LMG in Warzone Caldera
Let's cut to the chase: we think the MG82 is the best LMG in Warzone. The MG82 launched utterly broken in Cold War Season 4, but was quickly nerfed. Players slept on it for a couple of months after, but the MG82's strength is now shining through in Warzone. This rapid-fire LMG positively shreds at every range, and out-competes the new additions, at least for now. More on that below.
Here's our tier list of the best LMGs in Warzone:
- MG82
- Bren
- DP27
- Stoner 63
- PKM
- Bruen
- RAAL
- RPD
- FiNN
- MG42
- SA87
- Type 11
- M91
- Holger-26
- MG34
- M60
MG82 - best LMG in Warzone
The MG82 was wildly overpowered when it was first released, but a couple of nerfs quickly contained it. In the followings months, nerfs elsewhere have really brought the MG82 back into the spotlight. The MG82's excellent rate of fire makes for fantastic time-to-kill (TTK) at every range. Its recoil is high but almost purely vertical. With a bit of practice, you can control it with ease.
The MG82's only real weakness is headshot damage. Comparing bodyshots to bodyshots, the MG82 drops enemies faster than every competitor at most ranges. However, those higher-damage altervatives have better peak potential with multiple headshots. Still, consistency is incredibly valuable in Warzone. In most fights, the MG82 will come out on top.
For more on the MG82, check out our guide to the best MG82 loadouts in Warzone.
Bren
Truly low-rate of fire LMGs have often struggled in Warzone. Typically, anything slower than the Stoner 63’s 700 RPM lacks the consistency at range to compete. The Bren, however, has thus far proved the exception to that rule. This heavy hitter utterly dominated the early months of Warzone Pacific, largely due to a single attachment that removed all damage drop-offs at range. Raven has since applied a much needed nerf, taking the Bren down a peg from massively overpowered to just plain excellent. The Bren hits hard enough to make its poor fire rate work, and still has fantastic range, if no-longer infinite.
Thankfully, the Bren is also fairly skill-dependent, as powerful weapons should be. Slow-firing guns are always less forgiving, and the Bren in particular struggles with limb shots. You need to be hitting the body to compete at long ranges. With a few headshots though, the Bren is a menace, with one of the fastest TTKs in the game. Players with strong aim and recoil control will still dominate with the Bren, though the unpracticed may struggle.
Take a look at our Warzone Bren loadout guide in order to make the most of this powerful machine gun.
DP27
The DP27 is the most consistent Vanguard LMG and will see the best results in the hands of the average player. It is fast-firing without the bounciness of the MG42 and has enough range to contend with the Bren. Plus, while you want to avoid close-range fights with an LMG whenever possible, it does have far and away the best close-range time-to-kill of the bunch. If you get caught with a DP27 in your hands, you’ll fare better than most other LMG users.
Long range is where LMGs make their money though, and the DP27 is excellent for that. It has just the blend of manageable recoil and high rate of fire to get consistent time-to-kill at 50+ meter distances. Its only true drawback is lower headshot damage, but consistency is worth trading away potential for many players.
If you're itching to give it a try, check out our guide to the best DP27 loadout in Warzone.
Stoner 63
The Stoner has great damage output. The recoil is bouncy but manageable, and it really excels with headshots. Really, the only problem with the Stoner right now is that the Bren exists and does its job better. These two weapons fill similar roles, with the Bren holding a slight edge in most relevant stats. Of course, that doesn't make the Stoner bad, and the excellent mobility Cold War attachments afford enables some interesting, off-beat builds. From a purely competitive standpoint though, the Stoner is just tough to justify over either the Bren or an easier-to-use alternative.
If you want to take advantage of this powerful LMG, check out our guide to the best Stoner 63 loadout in Warzone.
PKM
The PKM has been a pretty good weapon for almost all of Warzone’s lifespan but hasn’t often cracked the top of the charts. It has low recoil, a nice 100 round default magazine, and great damage. In terms of time-to-kill, the PKM hangs with or even beats the Stoner and MG82 at most ranges.
Where the PKM struggles is in its peripheral stats. Its reload time is noticeably worse than what you'll find on any Cold War LMG, and its ADS speed is nothing to write home about either. Plus, the now dated Modern Warfare attachment pool really limits how much you can improve other stats like mobility. Still, the PKM's damage is so good that you can tolerate those downsides if you're looking for a change of pace from the top two LMGs.
If you need a PKM build we have you covered with this handy guide to the best PKM loadout in Warzone.
Bruen Mk9
Once upon a time, the Bruen dominated the Warzone landscape. Now after a long stretch out of the meta, the Bruen is back. At close to mid-range, the Bruen’s time-to-kill is unexceptional. At long range, however, it’s one of the best LMGs and overall weapons in Warzone. The high headshot damage common to the LMG class can help it outcompete many Assault Rifles at distance, and the recoil is controllable enough to make that very realistic. If you like full-auto beaming over extreme ranges, the Bruen is the LMG for you.
Make sure you check out our Bruen loadout guide first though! A lot has changed in the last year, and the old 60 Round Magazine, pseudo-AR build is no longer the best option. Give the full guide a look for the up-to-date build.
FiNN
The FiNN has always been one of the most interesting weapons in Warzone, and it has a similarly interesting place in the meta right now. It has a series of “Adverse” barrel attachments that push the rate of fire through the roof. With an Adverse barrel, the FiNN has fantastic time-to-kill. However, the recoil pattern has a quick initial jump, and the gas flare from the Adverse barrels can obscure your sight picture. That puts the FiNN in a bit of a tricky spot at the longer ranges LMGs prefer. On paper, it should be a top weapon in the class. If you can manage the recoil, and if you can find fights that mitigate the FiNN’s limitations, it can be a great LMG. For most players though, the FiNN's advantages won't outweigh its downsides. The gap in TTK between it and the MG82 just isn't big enough to make up for the issues.
Check out our in-depth best FiNN loadout in Warzone guide page for build ideas.
MG42
The MG42 sort of blends together the good and bad components of its cousins, the top-tier MG82 from Cold War and the bottom-tier MG34 from Modern Warfare. It has a phenomenal fire rate that makes for consistently solid time-to-kill, at least relative to Vanguard competitors. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite keep up with the top-tier MG82. Plus, its recoil has a lot of visual bounce that makes the pattern feel worse than it really is. The nail in the coffin is the absolutely atrocious handling. It isn’t quite as bad as the MG34, and there are a few more ways to improve it with the new 10-attachment gunsmith. Still, it will never handle nearly as comfortably as most other LMGs. While its damage output is enough to make the MG42 feasible in Vanguard modes, we can’t recommend it for core Battle Royale for the time being.
Visit our best MG42 loadout in Warzone guide page for build ideas.
RAAL
At long last, the RAAL is available to unlock and use in Warzone. It once appeared as ground loot due to a bug, but now it’s here to stay. The RAAL is rather unusual and has a few off-beat attachments. Once kitted out though, it has great accuracy and excellent bullet velocity. The rate of fire is pretty low, but you won’t have much trouble staying on target at range.
Unfortunately, the RAAL is just very headshot dependant. The headshot multiplier is huge, but with that low rate of fire, it really takes a while to drop players without a headshot. That also makes every missed bullet more punishing. If you do get those headshots though, the RAAL has great time-to-kill.
As we mentioned, the RAAL has an unusual selection of attachments. Make sure you pick the right ones with our RAAL loadout guide.
RPD
The RPD has subpar damage but makes up for it with laserbeam recoil. You won’t exactly be melting players, but you should be able to stay on target. The biggest DPS increase is hitting your shots. If the RPD helps you do that, it’s a fine choice of LMG. Pair it with one of our best SMGs in Warzone for a really solid loadout.
The RPD's damage really is not that far behind the competition, so don't let it dissuade you. Put together the best RPD for Warzone with our RPD loadout guide!
SA87
The SA87 actually has great time-to-kill at mid-range, but has limitations in attachments. This gun is built more like a slow-handling Assault Rifle, with a 30 round default magazine. Giving up an attachment slot just to get to 60 rounds takes away one of the prime benefits of the LMG class. A big damage dropoff over range is the nail in the coffin. The SA87 is by no means a bad weapon, but it doesn’t really have a niche right now.
Type 11
Not to compare all headshot-reliant weapons to the Bullfrog, but the Type 11 is the Bullfrog of the new LMGs. Without headshots, the Type 11 is just flat-out bad. Its TTK is simply atrocious if you only hit the body. However, its headshot damage is so enormous that with four or more headshots it becomes the fastest killing LMG in the new pool. The trouble is, four headshots on one target is just a lot. Typically, we say a gun that needs headshots to excel is strong when it needs one, maybe two headshots to achieve a good TTK. Four is too much to ask in the long-range fights favoured by LMGs. Until it gets a more consistent damage profile, leave the Type 11 on the sidelines.
If you do feel like giving the Type 11 a shot, see our Type 11 loadout guide for the best build!
M91
The M91 has never been particularly relevant in the Warzone meta but nerfs elsewhere have helped it out somewhat. It actually performs very similarly to the Bruen in a lot of situations but lacks the flexibility afforded by the Bruen’s 60 round magazine option. A lower rate of fire also harms consistency a bit. If you want a change of pace though, the M91 is no longer a bad choice.
Holger-26
The Holger’s biggest limitation is range. Its barrel attachments are geared more towards handling than range, and that isn’t helpful on an LMG. Sure, handling is a common problem on the class, but it's meaningless without range. LMGs just don't have the mobility to duel SMGs up close.
The Holger does have alright time-to-kill at close range, but it drops off fast. That's just not something you want on an LMG. There isn’t much reason to use the Holger right now, which is a shame for such a cool-looking gun.
If you want some Holger style points though, visit our Holger loadout guide for the best build.
MG34
The MG34 actually has excellent time-to-kill at every range. Unfortunately, its handling is just atrocious. This hunk of metal has among the worst movement, ADS, and reload speeds in the game. Unless you just really love sitting perfectly still and holding down Mouse 2 until someone walks into your sights, avoid the MG34.
M60
The M60 is just a bad gun. It actually received buffs back in Season 4 Reloaded, but they weren’t nearly enough. With such a low rate of fire, you have to be nailing headshots to have an even remotely competitive time-to-kill on the M60, and that won’t be easy with so much horizontal recoil. Unless you’re trying to complete your in-game Rambo cosplay, avoid the M60 in Warzone.
If you do want to give the M60 a shot, check out our full M60 loadout guide.
Finally, we've got a full LMG stat table for you to peruse. Refernce these numbers to contexualize our rankings, and get an idea of how to use each weapon.
| Name | Damage | Shots To Kill | RPM | Mag | Reload | ADS | Move % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PKM | 48 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 3-4 | 4-6 | 5-8 | 6-9 | 750 | 100 | 8.85s | 413ms | 88% | |||
| SA87 | 51 | 37 | 37 | 34 | 2-4 | 3-6 | 4-7 | 5-9 | 600 | 30 | 3.35s | 413ms | 92% | |||
| M91 | 48 | 35 | 32 | 32 | 3-4 | 4-6 | 5-8 | 6-9 | 666 | 100 | 6.97s | 417ms | 87% | |||
| MG34 | 40 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 3-4 | 4-6 | 5-8 | 6-9 | 878 | 50 | 8.75s | 467ms | 82% | |||
| Holger-26 | 42 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 3-6 | 4-9 | 5-12 | 6-14 | 704 | 100 | 3.44s | 354ms | 92% | |||
| Bruen Mk9 | 46 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 3-5 | 4-7 | 5-10 | 6-12 | 752 | 100 | 5.27s | 446ms | 89% | |||
| FiNN | 36 | 36 | 28 | 28 | 3-5 | 5-8 | 6-10 | 7-12 | 630 | 75 | 5.83s | 346ms | 92% | |||
| Stoner 63 | 49 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 2-4 | 3-6 | 4-8 | 5-9 | 719 | 75 | 6.50s | 400ms | 90% | |||
| RPD | 48 | 35 | 32 | 32 | 3-4 | 4-6 | 5-8 | 6-9 | 652 | 75 | 7.00s | 340ms | 95% | |||
| M60 | 59 | 40 | 37 | 37 | 2-4 | 3-5 | 4-7 | 5-8 | 515 | 100 | 7.40s | 400ms | 85% | |||
| MG82 | 35 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 3-5 | 5-7 | 6-9 | 8-11 | 930 | 100 | 6.77s | 346ms | 92% | |||
| RAAL | 59 | 40 | 37 | 37 | 2-3 | 3-5 | 4-6 | 5-8 | 553 | 100 | 7.67s | 454ms | 79% |
If you're looking for stats on other weapon classes, visit our full Warzone weapon stats page for more!
And there you have it! Hopefully now you're a master of the Warzone LMG arsenal, and you're ready to put your newfound knowledge to the test. But in case you're still hungering for tips and stats, be sure to check out our our Warzone weapons tier list. For a complete tier list of every primary weapon in the game, visit our guide to the best guns in Warzone Season 6.