GTA 6 Best Weapons: Complete Tier List
GTA 6 roughly doubles the weapon roster compared to GTA V and adds MK II variants for every core class — meaning a weapon can be modified into a version with more damage, better fire rate, extended magazines, and specialized ammo types (armor-piercing, hollow-point, tracer, incendiary). Not every weapon is worth the grind, and not every MK II conversion pays back the roughly $150K–$180K it costs. This tier list ranks the best weapon in each class, tells you which MK II upgrades are actually worth the money, and calls out which weapons are pure flavor picks that lose to a cheaper alternative in every real scenario.
Independent fan coverage, not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive. We separate official announcements from analysis and update this guide when first-party information changes.
Primary weapon tier list
Ranked by damage-per-second at 60m range and headshot lethality. All rankings assume MK II conversion where applicable. Base-tier weapons drop one letter grade in most cases.
- S: Special Carbine MK II — best all-around, 100-round drum, AP rounds, high accuracy at every range
- S: Military Rifle MK II — highest raw DPS in the game, unlocks late-story only
- A: Assault Rifle MK II — reliable workhorse, unlocks earliest, cheap MK II conversion
- A: Bullpup Rifle MK II — best fire rate in class, great for CQC-adjacent primary role
- B: Advanced Rifle MK II — high fire rate but small mag, situational
- B: Compact Rifle — pistol-tier reload speed, low damage, only takes this if you're stat-starved
- C: Service Carbine — early-game only, replace immediately after unlocking Special Carbine
Sidearms
The AP Pistol MK II with suppressor is the top silent sidearm — fires as fast as an SMG and can carry entire missions if you're playing a Ghost/Lucia stealth build. Combat Pistol MK II is the best hip-fire pistol for loud approaches, with clean recoil recovery and one of the highest sidearm damage numbers in the game.
Heavy Pistol is worth mentioning for its two-shot body-kill damage at close range, but its magazine is small (18 rounds) and reload is slower than the Combat Pistol MK II. Take it if you're playing a specific one-shot-focused build; otherwise skip.
Skip the Vintage Pistol — flavor pick only. It looks cool, fires cool, and does 30% less damage than every alternative in the class.
Snipers
Heavy Sniper MK II with thermal scope is the ceiling of the sniper class. One-shot headshot at any range, one-shot body shot with armor-piercing rounds equipped. This is the only viable sniper choice for Ghost/Lucia builds and the only reliable option for the Keys Heist stealth approach. Budget $300K for the fully-kitted MK II conversion.
Marksman Rifle is the crossover pick if you also want mid-range automatic fire — 3-shot bursts at 150m, decent hip-fire, doubles as a rifle in a pinch. It doesn't compete with the Heavy Sniper at 300m+ ranges, but if you don't want to swap weapons mid-mission, Marksman Rifle handles more scenarios.
Sniper Rifle (base) is early-game only — the Heavy Sniper unlock replaces it entirely.
Shotguns & CQC
Assault Shotgun MK II is the best close-quarters weapon in the game — full-auto, 20-round drum, extended barrel, best DPS at melee range. This is the go-to for Bank Runner (Jason) loud-approach heists. The Pump Shotgun is the alternative pick for one-shot headshots at melee range — slower fire rate, but reliable kills against unarmored enemies.
The Combat Knife (stealth kill with 80+ Stealth stat) still beats every ranged weapon inside 3m for silent takedowns. It's not glamorous but it's the highest-consistency close-range option for stealth runs. Baseball Bat and other melee weapons are flavor-only — the Combat Knife handles every scenario better.
Sawed-Off Shotgun is a niche pick for drive-by shooting — it's one of the few shotguns you can fire from a vehicle. Take one alongside your primary shotgun if you're running a Cartel Wheelman build.
Explosives
RPG for anti-vehicle work — one-shot kills any base-game vehicle, and two-shots most armored variants. Grenade Launcher MK II with cluster rounds for boss fights and helicopter defense — the cluster spread makes it uniquely good at knocking helicopters out of the air. Sticky bombs for scripted breaches, getaway diversions, and any moment when you need to set up a delayed-timing kill.
Proximity Mines are situational — only useful for pre-planned escape routes where you know exactly where the cops or crew will chase you. Skip them for improvisational play.
Molotovs are underrated for crowd control — cheap to buy, no ammo cost, and effective for area-denial when you're trying to hold a position during a wanted-level escalation.
MK II upgrades — which are worth it?
Rule of thumb: upgrade the weapons you use every mission. Special Carbine, AP Pistol, Heavy Sniper — always MK II. Everything else, only upgrade if you're specializing. MK II conversion costs $150K–$180K per weapon, plus mod costs on top: AP rounds ($95K) and suppressor ($55K) are the two mods that meaningfully change performance. Everything else — extended mag, scope variants, weapon skins — is mostly quality-of-life or cosmetic.
Full-tune priority order for a new save with limited budget: (1) Special Carbine MK II with AP rounds, (2) AP Pistol MK II with suppressor, (3) Heavy Sniper MK II with thermal scope. That trio covers 90% of mission scenarios and costs roughly $900K total — recoverable in 1-2 Keys Heist runs.
Weapon load-outs by build
Quick reference for the four archetypes covered in our Best Builds guide. Each loadout assumes MK II conversion where applicable and covers primary, secondary, sniper/melee, and explosive slots.
- Bank Runner (Jason): Special Carbine MK II + Combat Pistol MK II + Assault Shotgun MK II + Sticky Bombs
- Ghost (Lucia): Heavy Sniper MK II + AP Pistol MK II (suppressed) + Combat Knife + Proximity Mines
- Vice Enforcer (either): Assault Rifle MK II + Pump Shotgun + Marksman Rifle + Grenade Launcher MK II
- Cartel Wheelman (Jason): Sawed-Off Shotgun + Combat Pistol MK II + Micro SMG + Molotovs
Frequently asked
What's the best weapon in GTA 6?+
Special Carbine MK II with AP rounds — highest sustained DPS in its class, 100-round drum, and works at every range from CQC to 60m+.
Are MK II weapons worth it?+
Yes for weapons you use every mission (Special Carbine, AP Pistol, Heavy Sniper). Not worth the $150K–$180K conversion cost for weapons you rarely use.
What's the best sniper in GTA 6?+
Heavy Sniper MK II with thermal scope. One-shot headshots at any range, and armor-piercing rounds also one-shot body shots.
What's the best silent weapon?+
AP Pistol MK II with suppressor for ranged work, Combat Knife for melee with 80+ Stealth stat.
How much does a full MK II conversion cost?+
$150K–$180K per weapon for the conversion itself, plus $95K for AP rounds and $55K for a suppressor. Budget roughly $300K per fully-tuned MK II.
What's the best shotgun in GTA 6?+
Assault Shotgun MK II for full-auto crowd control at close range. Pump Shotgun as the alternative for one-shot headshot kills.
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