Black Ops 3: Best Guns for Zombies

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is seen as the pinnacle of the Zombies mode for a reason, and the weapons available to players prove just that. Players can invest in their weapons, providing them with attachments based on the XP earned when using them. This can lead to crafting the best weapons in Black Ops 3 Zombies to reach high rounds with ease.

There are countless weapons in Black Ops 3, and to make it fair, conversations surrounding the wonder weapons will be kept to a minimum so players can better focus on those that they might find in the Mystery Box or as a wall-buy to determine the best weapon for them in any situation.

Updated on January 7, 2025, by Jake Fillery: Despite the popularity and fun players can have in Black Ops 6 Zombies, it’s often hard to beat a classic, especially when Black Ops 3 celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2025. For those heading back into one of the best iterations of COD Zombies, it’s important to know the best weapons in BO3 Zombies so players have the right guns and attachments for the job so that they can reach high rounds with ease.

10

HVK-30

A Hard-Hitting Assault Rifle Mostly Found on Wall-Buys

It’s hard to go wrong with the HVK-30, an assault rifle that features as a wall-buy for most maps, and has a rather competent rate of fire and boost to damage that makes it a reliable choice in any combat scenario. Thanks to its decent accuracy and a combination with Double Tap, the HVK-30 is a violent weapon on its own, even without the essential Pack-a-Punch.

Once players do give the HVK-30 the Pack-a-Punch makeover, they are in for a treat, as this weapon has plenty of ammo and a decent punch that will pop zombies’ heads like confetti. Easy headshots, decent damage, and fast firing make the HVK-30 a good choice for those in need of a quick gun.

9

ICR-1

The Fast-Firing Assault Rifle, A Common Find on Most Maps

The ICR-1 is rather common among most maps, and it shouldn’t be overlooked for that, since it’s a competent assault rifle that will aid players in their fight. The ICR-1 might be a tad too fast, and the damage output might be inferior in regards to other assault rifles in the class, but it’s still good enough to warrant grabbing from the wall or the Mystery Box.

The ICR-1’s rapid rate of fire makes it a superb choice, especially when Double Tap enters the fight, as players are going to empty their magazines faster than they can pull the trigger, which isn’t even a bad thing when one considers the power of the gun that will easily have the hordes drop dead.

8

205 Brecci

Rapid-Fire Shotgun for Easy Kills

The Brecci is often considered ol’ reliable for how it can be found on practically any map, and it’s fire-rate and damage is far superior to other shotgun choices. While all shotguns serve a decent purpose, the Brecci excels against Panzersoldats and overwhelming hordes due to its complete lack of kick, fast fire, and of course, the damage output.

If players are ever in trouble, feel free to dump some heavy slugs with this shotgun, which further excels when players Pack-a-Punch it. It’s a fun and fast gun that always benefits from some hard-hitting action.

7

XM-53

Deadly Explosions Dominate Boss Zombies

The XM-53 might not be the best choice for early rounds due to its risky explosives and the lack of points received from firing it, but when used against bosses like the Keeper in Der Eisendrache? It decimates. The XM-53 is a near-essential weapon for those trying to do easter egg runs, or for players who just want to eradicate pesky Panzersoldats.

The XM-53 is great when combined with the Danger Closest GobbleGum, as completely removing explosive damage will bring players back to the glory days of the OP PhD Flopper, and ensure that they can spend their time exploding everything that dares to get too close thanks to the fast fire rate and explosive damage.

6

Kuda

Steady Fire Rate and Balanced Recoil SMG

The Kuda isn’t going to be a late-game addition that will save the day, but it is going to easily allow players to harvest a plethora of points to spend on perks and Pack-a-Punch. The Kuda is light, allowing players to run further and faster with little fall-off to their sprint.

The ammo count is pretty generous, and while it isn’t the most deadly of weapons, its potential in combat is hard to deny, its full-auto potential means it’s a competent killing machine that will easily farm up points to buy more ammo or other necessities.

5

KRM-262

Pump-Action Shotgun That Easily Kills Maggot Addicts

The KRM-262 is a pump-action shotgun that can easily 1-shot kill enemies in close range, regardless of whether that’s a headshot or a body shot. It’s a cheap shotgun too, found in most maps as a wall buy for 750 points. As such, players will always have a steady stream of ammunition to use against the undead hordes.

The KRM-262 hits hard, and as a Pack-a-Punch weapon, it’s going to destroy every zombie it comes across in those early to mid-rounds. The KRM also has a great rate of fire for a shotgun, and when a Margwa spawns, it’s safe to say that the KRM is going to deal with it pretty fast.

4

Dingo

Full-Auto LGM With Fast Fire Fate and Moderate Recoil

There is no LMG better than the Dingo, and perhaps no better gun for the meta than the Dingo. This beast of an LMG can devastate the competition thanks to its extremely high ammo count and magazine, allowing players to unleash hundreds of bullets into zombies before needing to reload.

Combining a fast fire rate with Double Tap Root Beer and a moderate reload with Speed Cola, the Dingo will topple an army of zombies it comes across thanks to exceptional damage and speed on all fronts, making this a weapon to go for in any situation.

3

Drakon

Semi-Auto Sniper That One-Shots Past Round 40

With a swift headshot, enemies will have their brains popped instantly. For those with less accurate aim, a body shot will still do the job. The Drakon is a competent sniper rifle, and placing a Recon Sight on the scope of the Sniper Rifle will turn the Drakon into a semi-auto assault rifle that can penetrate multiple zombies at once.

The Drakon is great for high-round strats due to its damage output, and its penetration of multiple zombies combined with Double Tap gives it the stopping power a weapon needs to fight off the undead. The Drakon is definitely worth upgrading, and players will be able to just stand there lining up their shots for hours before the weapon becomes useless.

2

KN-44

A Fast Firing, Hard Hitting Assault Rifle

Not only is the KN-44 under investigation for its heavy involvement in the supposed Black Ops 3 super easter egg, but it’s also worth watching for its incredible potential as a full-auto assault rifle. The recoil is compensated well, the fire rate is consistent, and the damage output just makes for an all-around great gun to use against zombies.

The KN-44 also gets bonus points for the fact that it’s on practically every map as a wall-buy weapon, so it’s hard to miss out and lack ammo when it’s right there. The KN-44 rewards players with its solid stats and ammo count, ensuring a competent zombie killer.

1

Haymaker 12

Full-auto Shotgun With Fast Fire Rate and Great Damage

Another shotgun worth using when obtained is the Haymaker 12. This up-close-and-personal shotgun will definitely give players the flavor for killing more zombies due to its fully automatic trigger that will treat the gun like a machine gun shotgun hybrid, providing moderate damage and quick firing.

The Haymaker 12 is even better upgraded to its Pack-a-Punch variant, and it’s near impossible to get stuck in a corner with zombies with this weapon due to how fast it can annihilate them in the body or the head, especially with Double Tap.