How to Choose “Best Weapons” in an Extraction Game

If you’ve played traditional shooters, you might be used to asking: “What kills fastest?”

In ARC Raiders, a better question is: “What helps me survive the whole raid?”

A weapon is “best” when it does three things consistently:

• Wins the range you actually fight in (not the range you wish you fought in).
• Doesn’t collapse your raid economy (ammo use, repairs, replaceability).
• Ends fights quickly enough that you don’t get third-partied.

You can win one duel with a “perfect” gun and still lose the raid because you spent too long fighting, got pushed while reloading, or ran out of ammo when a machine forced a second engagement. Your weapon choice should reduce those failure points.

Weapon Basics You Must Understand Before Picking SMG, Rifle, or Shotgun

ARC Raiders loadouts aren’t only “guns.” Your kit includes weapons, armor, weapon mods, ammo, gadgets, utilities, and even crafting materials—and those support items often matter more than the gun itself in deciding whether you extract. Weapons also include your Raider Tool (melee) alongside firearms, so you always have a last-resort option even when ammo is tight.

Here are the three rules that make your weapon choices actually work:

• Ammo is scarce. Bring extra rounds for the weapons you plan to carry instead of assuming the map will feed you.
• Weapon mods change how your gun behaves. Simple attachments like recoil stabilizers or extended magazines can make a “mid” weapon feel dependable.
• Weapons degrade with use. If you don’t repair them, they can break and leave you vulnerable, so repairs are a real part of staying alive.

Those three rules are the foundation of every “best weapons” discussion—because the best gun is the one you can keep running reliably.

The Three Weapon Families and What They’re Actually For

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

• SMGs are for close-range control and fast resets.
• Rifles are for midrange stability and flexible fights.
• Shotguns are for room-clearing and punishing pushes.

Each one is “best” when you use it inside its job description.

Most beginner frustration comes from using the wrong tool for the situation:

• Taking open-lane duels with an SMG.
• Trying to clear tight interiors with a long-range rifle setup.
• Taking extended outdoor fights with a shotgun and hoping it works.

Once you stop forcing a weapon into the wrong fights, you’ll feel like the game got easier overnight.

SMGs: The Best Weapon Class for Close-Range Survival

SMGs are the most beginner-friendly “winning” class because they reward the exact habits that keep you alive in extraction games:

• staying near cover,
• moving constantly,
• finishing fights quickly,
• and disengaging when the fight turns messy.

What SMGs are best at

• Fast time-to-safety: You can duck in and out of cover, deal damage, and reset quickly.
• Punishing mistakes: If someone swings a corner carelessly, SMGs can erase that mistake fast.
• Chaotic fights: In messy third-person fights where both players are moving and peeking, SMGs stay consistent.

What SMGs are bad at

• Long sightlines: If you keep trying to “beam” across open space, you’ll lose to rifles.
• Ammo waste: Panic spraying drains your ammo and forces risky looting.
• Overconfidence: SMGs make you feel invincible—until you push into a shotgun corner or a rifle crossfire.

The “SMG success” rule

SMGs don’t win by chasing. They win by controlling space.

Your job is to fight where your SMG is strongest: tight angles, short gaps, and cover-heavy routes.

How to Fight With SMGs Without Donating Your Kit

Stay inside your range

If you’re shooting at someone and they have time to calmly strafe back into cover, you’re probably too far. SMG fights should feel like:

• quick peeks,
• fast damage,
• immediate repositioning.

If the fight becomes a long-distance “poke war,” rotate away or swap to your secondary.

Don’t hold one angle for too long

Third-person punishes predictable peeks. A strong SMG pattern looks like:

• peek → burst → step back
• shift position → peek from a slightly different angle
• repeat until the opponent runs out of space

SMG players die when they get stubborn and keep peeking the same corner.

Use movement to win, not to look cool

Sliding, dodging, and sprinting should serve one purpose: reaching better cover.

If you “out-move” yourself into open space, your SMG won’t save you.

Reload like you’re always being watched

The easiest SMG death is this:

• you crack someone,
• you reload in the open,
• they swing while you’re stuck,
• you die.

SMG reload rule:

If you reload, do it behind cover or after a reposition.

SMG Loadout Tips That Make You Extract More

Bring more ammo than you think you need

Ammo is scarce, and SMGs burn through it. Don’t build a “perfect gun” and then lose the raid because you ran dry mid-fight.

Favor control over “maximum aggression”

If you have access to weapon mods, the goal is to make your SMG stable and repeatable:

• reduce recoil so you waste fewer bullets,
• increase magazine size so you reload less in danger,
• keep the gun consistent under stress.

Even a small stability improvement can add multiple extractions over a week because you stop losing fights to panic sprays.

SMGs pair best with a midrange option

SMG + Rifle is one of the safest beginner combos because it covers both:

• indoor / close fights,
• and open-lane pressure.

If you run SMG only, you’ll eventually be forced into a lane you can’t contest.

SMGs vs Machines: Don’t Turn PvE Into a PvP Trap

SMGs can shred smaller threats and stay flexible when you’re moving, but the biggest mistake is turning a machine encounter into a long, noisy fight.

SMG PvE rule:

• If the machine isn’t blocking your goal, avoid or disengage.
• If you must fight, finish quickly, loot fast if safe, and rotate away.

Long SMG fights drain ammo and advertise your location—which is how you survive the machine and then lose everything to a Raider who heard the noise.

Rifles: The Best “All-Round” Weapon Class for Consistency

Rifles are the backbone weapon family for extraction games because they’re the most adaptable. When you’re learning routes, quests, and survival habits, rifles give you the widest range of “acceptable fights.”

What rifles are best at

• Midrange control: The most common range where fights start.
• Flexible pressure: You can poke, reposition, and re-engage safely.
• Punishing overexposure: Raiders caught in open space get punished hard.

What rifles are bad at

• Tight interiors vs shotguns: If you walk into a room like it’s a lane duel, you’ll lose.
• Overcommitting to ADS: If you aim too long without moving, you become predictable.
• “Ego peeking”: Rifles tempt you to take long fights that attract third parties.

The “rifle success” rule

Rifles win by making the enemy move first.

You don’t need to full-send every fight. You can pressure, reposition, and take clean damage windows—then decide whether to finish or disengage.

How to Win Rifle Fights Without Becoming a Stationary Target

Burst your shots and move

Even if your rifle can spray, you should think in bursts:

• short burst → reposition
• short burst → reposition
• repeat

This does two things:

• reduces missed shots (saving ammo),
• reduces the chance someone lines up an easy counter-peek.

Don’t “marry” an angle

Rifle players die because they fall in love with a sightline. The enemy rotates. A third party arrives. A machine pathing changes. Suddenly you’re pinned with nowhere to go.

Rifle rule:

If the fight lasts more than a few exchanges, assume the map is changing around you.

Use your rifle to create safe exits

A rifle isn’t only a kill tool—it’s a space tool:

• tag someone so they hesitate pushing,
• pressure a lane so your team can rotate,
• keep a machine or Raider “honest” while you extract.

Rifles help you leave alive because you can deny space at range.

Rifle Loadout Tips That Make You Survive Longer

Treat ammo like a survival resource

Ammo scarcity means rifle discipline matters. Missed shots aren’t just “lost damage”—they’re lost survival time because now you must loot ammo while exposed.

Use weapon mods to reduce your “stress tax”

If you have mod options, prioritize the mods that reduce mistakes:

• recoil control,
• magazine size,
• anything that makes your gun feel consistent from the first shot to the last.

A stable rifle lets you play calmer, and calm play extracts more often.

Rifles pair best with close-range insurance

Rifle + SMG or Rifle + Shotgun is a classic pairing:

• rifle controls the approach,
• close-range weapon wins the room fight.

If you run rifle only, you’ll eventually get rushed in a cramped space and lose to a weapon built for that job.

Rifles vs Machines: Great for Safe Damage, Dangerous for Loud Wars

Rifles are often safer than SMGs for PvE because you can fight from cover and distance. The risk is that rifle fights can become long, and long fights attract attention.

Rifle PvE rule:

• If you’re fighting a machine and it’s taking too long, you’re paying a noise tax.
• Consider leaving, repositioning, or ignoring the fight if your raid goal doesn’t require it.

The best raids aren’t the raids where you killed everything. They’re the raids where you brought value home.

Shotguns: The Best Weapon Class for Room Clears and Anti-Push Defense

Shotguns are high-impact, high-risk weapons. They can instantly punish mistakes—but they also demand discipline. In an extraction game, shotguns are “best” when you’re confident about where fights will happen.

What shotguns are best at

• Room clearing: tight interiors, doors, stairwells.
• Punishing pushes: if someone rushes carelessly, a shotgun can end it.
• Ambush control: setting up in a strong position and forcing the enemy to walk into your range.

What shotguns are bad at

• Open space: you’ll struggle to contest midrange pressure.
• Extended fights: you’ll run into reload pressure and exposure windows.
• Overconfidence: shotguns tempt you to hold “one more second” when you should rotate.

A reality check about shotgun exploits

Patch notes have specifically addressed exploits that allowed shotguns to fire faster than intended. That means the game expects shotgun power to be balanced by its intended pacing—so the winning shotgun play is smart positioning, not gimmicks.

How to Fight With Shotguns Without Throwing Your Raid

Fight where your shotgun is unavoidable

Shotguns are strongest when the enemy has no space:

• doorways,
• narrow corridors,
• stair landings,
• tight rooms.

If you’re outside in open snow or wide lanes, you’re taking the wrong fight.

Don’t chase—trap

Shotguns should feel like a trap weapon:

• you hold a strong corner,
• force the enemy to commit,
• punish their commit.

If you chase someone into open space, you flip your advantage into a disadvantage.

Reload discipline is life or death

Shotguns often have harsh downtime. If your shotgun needs reload cycles, every reload is a moment you can be pushed.

Shotgun rule:

If you have to reload, reposition first.

Reloading in the same spot is how you get rushed and deleted.

Use utility to create shotgun fights

Shotguns become “best” when you force the enemy into your zone:

• grenades to push them off cover,
• deployables/traps to limit movement,
• movement tools to close distance safely.

Your shotgun doesn’t need to win every fight. It needs to win the fights you intentionally create.

Shotguns vs Machines: Sometimes Great, Sometimes a Trap

Shotguns can be excellent against targets you can safely approach—especially if you can control distance and avoid getting pinned in the open. But some machine encounters punish close range and force movement, which can turn a shotgun loadout into a liability.

Shotgun PvE rule:

• If the machine forces you into open space, disengage or switch to a rifle.
• If the encounter happens in tight cover where you can control angles, shotguns can end it quickly—then you rotate away before you get third-partied.

Weapon Mods: How to Mod SMGs, Rifles, and Shotguns Without Wasting Resources

Weapon mods exist to tailor performance. Even simple attachment examples like recoil stabilizers and extended magazines can change how reliable your gun feels under pressure.

Your goal with mods is not “max stats.”

Your goal is removing the reasons you die.

The best mod mindset for SMGs

• Reduce recoil so your close-range spray is controlled.
• Increase magazine size so you reload less mid-fight.
• Build for “clean finishes,” not “long duels.”

The best mod mindset for rifles

• Reduce recoil so midrange bursts stay accurate.
• Increase magazine size so you can pressure without constant reloads.
• Build for consistency because rifles are often your “default fight tool.”

The best mod mindset for shotguns

• Increase your ability to win the first close exchange.
• Reduce downtime if possible (anything that helps you spend less time vulnerable).
• Build around position play—mods won’t fix open-lane fights.

If your mods don’t reduce the situations where you die, you’re modding for ego, not extraction.

Weapon Durability and Repairs: The Hidden Reason Your “Best Gun” Betrays You

Weapons degrade over time with use. If you don’t repair them, they can eventually break and leave you vulnerable. That matters because extraction games punish “bad timing,” and a broken weapon is the worst timing of all.

A strong routine:

• Repair before you raid if the weapon isn’t fresh.
• Repair after a raid if you used it heavily.
• Don’t take a near-broken weapon into a high-risk run.

You can repair through your inventory actions, so it’s a simple habit that prevents a painful, avoidable loss.

Crafting, Field Crafting, and Why Your Weapon Class Should Match Your Economy

Your workshop isn’t just “nice to have.” It’s the system that keeps your loadouts consistent.

In the workshop, you can craft new gear, weapons, and utilities, and there are multiple crafting tables that specialize in different crafting types (including a Gunsmith for weapons). You can also find new recipes Topside to craft new types of weapons and gadgets.

Field crafting also exists as a way to combine resources collected Topside to create improvised items on the go through your inventory crafting tab. That matters for weapons because the best gun in the world is worthless if:

• you ran out of ammo,
• you ran out of healing,
• you can’t stabilize after a fight.

The extraction-first approach to “best weapons”

Pick weapon classes that your economy supports:

• If you’re broke and learning, choose a class you can consistently resupply and repair.
• If you’re stable, you can experiment with riskier high-power setups.

Most beginners lose progress because their weapon choice doesn’t match their ability to replace it.

The Best Weapon Pairings for Beginners

A single weapon can’t cover everything in ARC Raiders. Pairing matters more than “best gun.”

SMG + Rifle (Best beginner pairing)

• SMG wins close fights and resets quickly.
• Rifle controls midrange and protects rotations.
• This pairing gives you answers to most situations without forcing bad fights.

Shotgun + Rifle (Best for interior-heavy routes)

• Shotgun dominates tight spaces and punishes pushes.
• Rifle covers open lanes and approach angles.
• This is strong if your routes include lots of buildings, corridors, or choke points.

Double close-range (SMG + Shotgun) (High risk, high reward)

This is a specialist kit:

• amazing in tight zones,
• awful if you’re forced into open lanes.

Run this only if you know the route and have a plan to avoid open sightlines.

Gadgets, Utilities, and Why They Decide Weapon Fights

Guns don’t win every fight—options win fights.

Gadgets like grenades, snap hook, or ziplines give tactical options and creative ways to approach combat. The store descriptions also emphasize tactical depth from items like grenades, traps, ziplines, and deployables, and mention augments that tailor loadouts and open up dedicated inventory slots.

Here’s how to think about support items with each weapon class:

SMGs + gadgets

Your SMG loves chaos you control:

• force people off cover,
• close distance safely,
• reset fights with movement tools.

Rifles + gadgets

Your rifle loves controlled space:

• block pushes,
• deny lanes,
• pressure enemies into rotating where you want them.

Shotguns + gadgets

Your shotgun needs forced commitments:

• trap movement,
• block doors,
• push enemies into your kill zone.

A “best weapons” loadout is really a “best options” loadout. The gun is only one part.

Augments: The Difference Between “I Looted It” and “I Extracted With It”

Augments change your backpack layout and open up new tactical possibilities. They can expand capacity, improve survivability, or add utility—meaning your weapon choices should match your augment goal.

Simple mindset:

• If you’re running SMG aggression, you want augments that support movement and quick resets.
• If you’re running rifle control, you want augments that keep you stable in long rotations.
• If you’re running shotgun traps, you want augments that support utility and survivability while holding positions.

Even if you never change your gun, changing your augment can completely change how “safe” the same raid feels.

Cold Snap and Visibility: How Weather Changes “Best Weapons”

When winter conditions reduce visibility and add pressure to move intelligently, your weapon class choice becomes even more important:

• Shotguns often become stronger in low visibility because fights collapse into close range quickly.
• SMGs stay strong because they punish short-range mistakes and let you reset fast.
• Rifles remain essential for controlling open approaches—but you must be careful not to get baited into long fights in the open.

Winter rule:

Short fights and fast rotations beat “perfect fights.”

If weather makes survival harder, you want weapons that help you finish quickly and leave.

The Biggest Weapon Mistakes Beginners Make (And the Fix)

Mistake 1: Forcing the wrong range

Fix: SMG inside close cover routes, rifle for lanes, shotgun for interiors. If the range is wrong, rotate.

Mistake 2: Taking long fights

Fix: If the fight doesn’t end quickly, break contact and reposition. Long fights attract attention.

Mistake 3: Not bringing enough ammo

Fix: Ammo is scarce—bring extra rounds for your main weapons, especially SMGs.

Mistake 4: Forgetting durability

Fix: Repair before high-risk raids. A broken weapon is an avoidable death.

Mistake 5: Running “gun-only” kits

Fix: Gadgets and utilities create the winning situation. Bring tools that let you disengage, block pushes, or force movement.

Mistake 6: Reloading in the open

Fix: Reload behind cover or after repositioning—especially with SMGs and shotguns.

Mistake 7: Copying “best guns” without matching playstyle

Fix: Pick the weapon class that supports how you actually move and loot. Consistency is better than fashion.

A Simple “Best Weapons” Checklist You Can Use Every Raid

Before you queue in, ask:

• What range will my route create? (indoors vs open)
• Do I have a close-range answer and a midrange answer?
• Did I bring extra ammo for my main weapon?
• Do I have at least one gadget that helps me disengage or control space?
• Is my weapon durability healthy, or am I risking a break mid-raid?
• What’s my extraction condition once my bag is valuable?

If you can answer those, you’re already playing smarter than most people who “just chase the best gun.”

BoostRoom: Get the Right Weapon Style and Win With It

Knowing what’s “best” is easy. Making it work in real raids is the hard part—because the weapon class must match your rotations, your fight timing, your gadget use, and your extraction decisions.

BoostRoom helps ARC Raiders players improve faster by focusing on the habits that make SMGs, rifles, and shotguns actually perform:

• 1-on-1 coaching to choose the right weapon class for your style
• Guided raids to practice range control, repositioning, and clean extractions
• Loadout planning so your ammo, mods, and durability routines stop causing avoidable deaths
• Role training for duos/trios so your team pairing (SMG/rifle/shotgun mix) is intentional, not random

If your goal is to extract more and die less, BoostRoom is the shortcut that doesn’t cut corners: better decisions, better reps, faster progress.

FAQ

Are SMGs the best weapons for beginners?

SMGs are often the easiest class to succeed with early because they reward close-cover movement, quick fights, and fast resets. They become “best” when you avoid long sightlines and manage ammo carefully.

Are rifles better than SMGs in ARC Raiders?

Rifles are usually the most flexible class because they control midrange fights and protect rotations. They’re “best” if you like consistent, controlled engagements and don’t want to rely on close-range commits.

Are shotguns worth using if they’re risky?

Yes—shotguns are extremely strong in interiors and against pushing Raiders when you play positionally. They become risky when you chase fights into open lanes or take extended engagements you can’t finish.

Do weapon mods really matter?

Yes. Weapon mods are designed to customize how weapons perform, and even basic attachment types like recoil stabilizers and extended magazines can make your gun more reliable under pressure.

How important is weapon repair?

Very. Weapons degrade with use, and if they break you can be left vulnerable. Repair habits are one of the simplest ways to reduce “random” deaths.

Can I craft weapons and ammo instead of relying on loot?

You can craft gear, weapons, and utilities in your workshop using specialized crafting tables, and you can also field-craft improvised items Topside through your inventory crafting tab when you have the resources.