The latestCall of Duty: Warzonemeta may feature two strong Assault Rifles, but there is a third weapon in the class that is worth trying out. As shown by NICKMERCS,Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s AK-47 is finally a gun worth using insideCall of Duty: Warzone.

Shortly afterCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warlaunched, there was a gentlemen’s agreement between pro players toban the AK-47 from competitive play. Despite all this controversy, the gun has never been dominant inCall of Duty: Warzone. Because of this, NICKMERCS says he has “never used the gun on [his] channel,” citing the lack of distance, average damage, and “crazy amount of recoil” as his reasons for avoiding the weapon. However, that has since changed.

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Call of Duty: Warzone’s latest updatewas heavily praised for several reasons, some of which include the nerfs to the FFAR and the fix for the Roze skin. However, the buffs were just as effective, as the Krig 6 has gone from an unused gun to being completely meta. The same can be said for the AK-47, as the “recoil is not as bad” according to NICKMERCS. The range and damage are also far better, and the professional player uses these changes to create an AK-47 loadout that makes it function like a submachine gun.

With NICKMERCS claiming that this build is better than most of the SMGs currently available in the battle royale game, fans of close-range gameplay should give it a try. According tothe partial owner of FaZe, the 15.5” Ultralight barrel will be a must for this SMG-like build. Speeding up strafe speed, this attachment is a must for those that like to make quick movements. The KGB Skeletal Stock gives another speed-related boost, with ADS firing speed, aim walking speed, and sprint to fire time all being boosted by the attachment.

Thisstrong NICKMERCS loadoutalso features the 45 Rnd magazine, something that is hardly a surprise due to how often he equips larger mags in his builds. However, with the AK-47 having solid iron sights, the pro player skips out on the staple Axial Arms 3x optic. Instead, he uses two grips, with the Spetsnaz Speedgrip and Serpent Wrap both attached to the small AK-47. The former boosts sprint speed and lowers horizontal recoil, while the former boosts ADS time. With this setup entirely focused on speed, these attachments are essential.

While NICKMERCS is honest about the weapon being outclassed by a few SMGs andthe FARA 83 Assault Rifle, he does believe that the AK-47 is perfectly viable now. Overall, the game’s new meta seems to be far less frustrating than the past few, givingCall of Duty: Warzonefans a break from truly overpowered guns.

Call of Duty: Warzoneis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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