Applies to: Battlefield 6 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, on Game Update 2.1.1.0 (live 13 October 2026) during Season 5: Siege of Vegas. Updated 20 October 2026. EA's recoil and velocity figures come from Update 1.3.3.0, the last time EA published those tables; the 1.4.3.x and 2.1.1.0 notes contain no new assault rifle recoil or velocity values. Damage and fire-rate figures come from the third-party tracker Battlefinity, checked 20 October; the time-to-kill numbers are our own arithmetic from those figures.
Quick Answer
- The TR-7 is the fastest-killing assault rifle in Battlefield 6. It kills in 167 ms up close and is fastest or joint-fastest at every range we checked. The catch is the worst control rating of any assault rifle (29) and a 20-round magazine.
- The M433 is the best default rifle. It is unlocked from the start, fires at 830 rpm and is the third-fastest killer at 50 m and past 75 m.
- The VCR-2 ties the TR-7 past 75 m at 333 ms, with ten more rounds in the magazine.
- The SOR-556 MK2 has the most consistent recoil and the slowest kill. EA gave it the lowest recoil variation of the ten rifles it rated, 12.7 degrees, but at 568 rpm it is the slowest killer in the class at every range.
- The new Mk 24 is a headshot gun. With chest hits it ties the L85A3 for second-slowest from 20 m out. Its 1.8x headshot multiplier is the highest of any assault rifle, so two headshots cut a full bullet off the kill.
- There are 12 assault rifles in Season 5. EA's weapon roster page still lists 11, because it has not added the Mk 24 yet.
Our previous version of this guide ranked the class on EA's recoil numbers alone and called the TR-7 a trap. That was half right. It is the hardest rifle to control, and it also kills faster than anything else in the class. This version ranks both.
What Changed for Assault Rifles in Season 5?
Season 5 launched with Update 2.1.1.0 on 13 October. In the official 2.1.1.0 notes, EA introduces the class's only new gun like this: "Dominate open firefights with the Mk 24, an Assault Rifle that becomes deadlier at longer ranges while balancing its power with a limited magazine capacity."
There was no assault rifle balance pass. Five smaller changes still matter:
- One new rifle. The Mk 24 is the only assault rifle among the four Season 5 weapons. The others are the RSPR, Z84M and ELR-40.
- Less recoil help on controllers. EA's line is short: "Reduced recoil compensation for gamepad input from 11% to 5%." It is a general gamepad change, not tied to one weapon, so on our read the hard-kicking rifles got harder to use on controller.
- An optic fix on the default rifle. "The SU-230 LPVO no longer incorrectly reduces visual recoil on the following weapons: M433, GRT-BC, M123K, M250, M121A2, M417A2." If your M433 looks kickier through that scope, this fix is why. It is not a nerf.
- Two cosmetic fixes. The 1P86 LPVO, MGO 3.50X and QMK 3.00X scopes now display correctly on the NVO-228E, and the KORD's attachment indicator now lines up with the Compensated Brake.
- REDSEC armor breakpoints. In Battle Royale only, the 5.56 rifles "(SOR-556 Mk2, L85A3, B36A4, VCR-2, M433, EF88) now take an additional bullet to kill vs armor past 46m", and so does the 5.45 KORD 6P67. The NVO-228E takes one more bullet against armor inside 31 m. The Mk 24, AK4D, TR-7 and M16A4 are not on any of those lists. None of this changes normal multiplayer. The full list is in our Season 5 weapon balance breakdown.
How Many Assault Rifles Are in Battlefield 6?
There are 12 in Season 5. EA's loadout and weapon classes page lists 11. It is still marked "Recently Updated for Season 4" and had no Mk 24 entry when we checked on 20 October. EA's description of the class:
"These fully-automatic, maneuverable, and highly-modular all-around rifles are the cornerstone of aggressive and adaptable loadouts. Without question, it's an Assault Class' Signature Weapon."
| Assault rifle | How to unlock it | Base magazine |
|---|---|---|
| M433 | Default unlocked | 30 |
| B36A4 | Career Rank 14 | 30 |
| SOR-556 MK2 | Career Rank 25 | 30 |
| AK4D | Career Rank 35 | 20 |
| TR-7 | Career Rank 50 | 20 |
| KORD 6P67 | Assignment RAPID FIRE 1 | 30 |
| NVO-228E | Assignment RAPID FIRE 2 | 30 |
| L85A3 | Assignment RAPID FIRE 3 | 30 |
| VCR-2 | Season 2 Catch-Up Challenge | 30 |
| M16A4 | Season 3 Catch-Up Challenge | 30 |
| EF88 | Season 4 Battle Pass | 30 |
| Mk 24 | Season 5 Battle Pass (reported, see below) | 20 |
Unlock routes are from EA's roster. Magazine sizes are from Battlefinity.
Two unlock notes. EA has not published the Season 5 tier list, so the Mk 24's route comes from third-party guide sites: a free reward at Tier 11 of the Audacious Breach path, which you can pick after you finish the Recruit Path. Our Mk 24 guide covers it in full. The EF88 is the odd one out. Update 2.1.1.0 added Season 4 catch-up challenges for the BROD 3, Interdictor and VSSM, but not for the EF88. If you missed it in Season 4, EA has not published a way to get it now.
Which Battlefield 6 Assault Rifle Kills Fastest?
EA does not publish damage or time-to-kill numbers. This table takes each rifle's chest damage and fire rate from Battlefinity's multiplayer data, counts the hits needed to deal 100 damage, and multiplies the gaps between those shots. It ignores bullet travel and assumes every shot lands, so treat it as a best case that is fair across all twelve rifles. We computed it ourselves because the tracker's own stored kill times include travel at some distances and, for the EF88 and KORD 6P67, count one more hit than their listed damage needs.
| Assault rifle | RPM | Up close | At 20 m | At 50 m | Past 75 m | Chest hits to kill up close |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TR-7 | 720 | 167 ms | 250 ms | 250 ms | 333 ms | 3 |
| NVO-228E | 654 | 183 ms (inside 10 m) | 367 ms | 367 ms | 459 ms | 3 |
| VCR-2 | 900 | 200 ms | 267 ms | 267 ms | 333 ms | 4 |
| M433 | 830 | 217 ms | 289 ms | 289 ms | 361 ms | 4 |
| AK4D | 514 | 233 ms | 350 ms | 350 ms | 467 ms | 3 |
| M16A4 | 771 | 233 ms | 311 ms | 311 ms | 389 ms | 4 |
| B36A4 | 720 | 250 ms | 250 ms | 333 ms | 417 ms | 4 |
| KORD 6P67 | 900 | 267 ms | 333 ms | 333 ms | 400 ms | 5 |
| EF88 | 675 | 267 ms | 356 ms | 356 ms | 444 ms | 4 |
| Mk 24 | 635 | 283 ms | 378 ms | 378 ms | 472 ms | 4 |
| L85A3 | 635 | 283 ms | 378 ms | 378 ms | 472 ms | 4 |
| SOR-556 MK2 | 568 | 317 ms | 423 ms | 423 ms | 528 ms | 4 |
What the table shows:
- The TR-7 is never beaten. It is fastest up close and at 50 m, and joint-fastest at 20 m (with the B36A4) and past 75 m (with the VCR-2).
- The class splits by damage, not by name. The TR-7, AK4D and NVO-228E deal 35 per chest hit up close and kill in three. Most rifles deal 26 and need four. The KORD 6P67 deals 20.6 and needs five, which its 900 rpm makes up for.
- Two rifles have unusual damage ranges. The NVO-228E's three-hit kill only lasts to 10 m; from 10 to 20 m it takes four hits and 275 ms. The B36A4 keeps its close-range damage out to 35 m, further than any other rifle here, which is why it ties the TR-7 at 20 m.
- Limb hits cost a bullet. Battlefinity lists stomach and limb damage at 29.8 on the 35-damage rifles and 21.8 on the 26-damage rifles. So a TR-7 needs four limb hits instead of three chest hits, and an M433 needs five instead of four.
- The M16A4 numbers assume full auto. EA's roster says the rifle "can be configured for burst fire or full auto by modifying the lower receiver." Battlefinity lists it at 771 rpm without saying which lower that assumes. If you run the burst lower, your real TTK will differ.
How Hard Is Each Assault Rifle to Control?
A fast TTK only helps if your shots land. EA's last published recoil numbers are in Update 1.3.3.0, where EA said: "We've reduced recoil variation across the arsenal to make weapon behavior more predictable and controllable."
| Assault rifle | EA recoil variation (lower is better) | EA muzzle velocity | Battlefinity control rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOR-556 MK2 | 12.7 degrees | 768 m/s | 51 |
| AK4D | 20.0 degrees | 680 m/s | 38 |
| L85A3 | 22.8 degrees | 778 m/s | 48 |
| B36A4 | 28.0 degrees | 740 m/s | 46 |
| KORD 6P67 | 28.9 degrees | 724 m/s | 57 |
| NVO-228E | 28.9 degrees | 626 m/s | 42 |
| M16A4 | 37.5 degrees | 680 m/s | 43 |
| TR-7 | 40.8 degrees | 604 m/s | 29 |
| M433 | 41.4 degrees | 630 m/s | 42 |
| VCR-2 | 50.3 degrees | 660 m/s | 43 |
| EF88 | not published by EA | 670 m/s (Battlefinity) | 44 |
| Mk 24 | not published by EA | 556 m/s (Battlefinity) | 38 |
The two measures don't agree, and that is useful. EA's recoil variation measures how much the kick changes from shot to shot. Battlefinity's control rating is the tracker's own overall score. The SOR-556 MK2 does well on both. The KORD 6P67 has the best control rating in the class (57), which fits EA's own roster line for it: "This low-recoil, high rate-of-fire rifle performs well at both close and long ranges."
The fast killers sit at the bottom. The TR-7 has the lowest control rating in the class at 29, and the VCR-2 has EA's worst recoil variation at 50.3 degrees. The Mk 24 fires the slowest bullet of any assault rifle at 556 m/s, which matters at exactly the long ranges EA says it is built for.
Where Does the New Mk 24 Rank?
On chest hits, near the bottom. It is joint-10th up close at 283 ms, and from 20 m out it ties the L85A3 as the second-slowest killer, ahead of only the SOR-556 MK2. EA's roadmap pitch is "consistent performance and exceptional damage at range", but on chest hits alone the numbers don't back that up.
Headshots change the picture. The Mk 24's headshot multiplier is 1.8x. Most of the class sits at 1.4x, and the EF88 is lower still. Here is what that does:
- Up close: two headshots and one chest hit kill in three shots, about 189 ms at its fire rate. That is one shot fewer than its four-chest-hit kill. One headshot is not enough: one headshot plus two chest hits totals 98.8 damage, just short of the 100 health Battlefinity's kill counts assume.
- 20 to 75 m: two headshots drop the kill from five shots to four (about 283 ms instead of 378 ms), and three headshots drop it to three.
- On the 1.4x rifles, two headshots generally don't save a bullet. You need three.
These are the same fire-rate figures as the table above, so bullet travel will add a little at range.
Players have landed in about the same place. In a r/Battlefield6 thread this week asking which new guns are worth it, one reply said: "For medium range the Mk24 seems decent. Certainly not OP and certainly not a best gun. But it's actually quite unique with its headshot multiplier." Another ranked the Season 5 guns bluntly: "Z84M (amazing) >> RSPR (decent) > MK 24 (meh)".
The Mk 24 is worth it if you aim for the head at mid range. Skip it if you mostly hit chests. Its best build also needs weapon level 40 for the 30-round magazine. EA has also temporarily disabled one of its attachments, the Underslung Mount. We cover both in the Mk 24 loadout guide.
Which Assault Rifle Should You Use in Season 5?
Our tiers, based on the two tables above:
- S: TR-7. Fastest or joint-fastest at every range in the table. It is the hardest rifle to control and has 20 rounds, and on our read the controller recoil-assist cut makes that harder still. If you can hold it on target, nothing else in the class kills faster.
- S: M433. The best default rifle. At 830 rpm it is the fourth-fastest killer up close and third-fastest at 50 m and past 75 m, with a 30-round magazine. It beats most of the rifles you unlock after it on kill speed.
- A: VCR-2. Second at 50 m and joint-fastest past 75 m. It has EA's worst recoil variation in the class, so it is the TR-7 trade again with ten more rounds.
- A: B36A4 and M16A4. The B36A4 ties the TR-7 at 20 m because its close-range damage lasts to 35 m. The M16A4 in full auto matches the AK4D up close and beats it at every longer range.
- A: KORD 6P67. The easiest rifle to control on Battlefinity's rating. It needs five chest hits, but at 900 rpm it ties for fifth at 50 m and is fifth past 75 m.
- B: AK4D and NVO-228E. Both kill in three hits up close, the NVO-228E only inside 10 m. Past that, both fall to the bottom half.
- B: Mk 24 and EF88. The Mk 24 only pays off with headshots. The EF88 is mid-pack on kill speed, and EA has published no unlock route for it if you missed it in Season 4.
- C: SOR-556 MK2 and L85A3. These are the recoil-consistency picks. Both are in EA's top three for recoil variation, and the L85A3 has the fastest bullet in the class at 778 m/s. From 20 m out they are also the slowest killers in the class, along with the Mk 24.
What Are the Best Assault Rifle Attachments?
Every loadout has a fixed budget of attachment points, so a build is a spending decision. EA has never published a baseline cost table, so point costs you see on tracker sites are third-party. Our guide to how attachment points work explains the system.
Spend your points in this order:
- Recoil control first on the fast killers. An angled or vertical grip on the TR-7, VCR-2 and M433 matters more than anything else, and more on controller since 2.1.1.0.
- Magazine on the 20-round rifles. The TR-7, AK4D and Mk 24 all start at 20 rounds. On the Mk 24, the 30-round magazine does not unlock until weapon level 40.
- Optic to match the range. If you put the SU-230 LPVO on the M433, expect more visible kick after the 2.1.1.0 fix.
- Barrel and ammo with what is left. Update 1.3.3.0 raised bullet drag by 40% on all weapons, and by 100% with Match Grade ammo, which hurts long-range rifle builds most.
If an attachment shows as earned but doesn't appear in the customisation screen, that is a known issue and not a build mistake. See our guide to attachments not unlocking.
How Do You Unlock Assault Rifles Faster?
Assault rifles unlock through three routes, and their attachments through a fourth:
- Career XP unlocks four rifles: the B36A4 at Career Rank 14, SOR-556 MK2 at 25, AK4D at 35 and TR-7 at 50. The M433 is free from the start. The fastest killer in the class is the last one the rank ladder gives you. Our max level and Career Rank guide shows what each rank tier pays out.
- Assignments unlock the KORD 6P67, NVO-228E and L85A3 through RAPID FIRE 1, 2 and 3. They depend on objectives, not rank, so you can get them well before Rank 50.
- Hardware XP, one of the game's XP tracks alongside Career XP and Battle Pass XP, is earned per weapon and unlocks that rifle's attachments. That is why a Rank 50 player can still have a bare TR-7.
For the quickest general routes, see our fastest weapon leveling guide.
Are Assault Rifles Better Than SMGs and LMGs in Season 5?
Not on raw speed. Up close, the fastest rifle only ties the fastest LMG: the TR-7 and the Season 5 Z84M both kill in 167 ms at 0 to 20 m on Battlefinity's data, because the Z84M shares the TR-7's damage and fire rate. The Z84M carries 100 rounds, and the TR-7 aims and moves faster.
What assault rifles offer is that balance. EA's own pitch for the class is "all-around", and the best rifles trade a little kill speed for handling an LMG can't match. For the other classes ranked the same way, see every Battlefield 6 LMG ranked for Season 5, every Battlefield 6 SMG ranked and the cross-class Battlefield 6 weapon tier list.
Want a maxed TR-7 or a level-40 Mk 24 without the Hardware XP grind? Our team plays on your account by hand, at your pace, and you pay only for the progress you need.
- BF6 Weapon Leveling: Hardware XP and attachment unlocks on the exact rifles you use
- BF6 Career Rank Boost: Career Rank progress toward the Rank 50 TR-7
- BF6 Account Leveling: Career and Battle Pass XP toward the Mk 24's reported Audacious Breach Tier 11 unlock
- All Battlefield 6 services
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best assault rifle in Battlefield 6 Season 5? The TR-7 if you can control it. Using Battlefinity's damage and fire-rate data, it kills in 167 ms up close and is fastest or joint-fastest at every range. If you want a rifle without unlocking anything, the default M433 is the best value. If recoil is your problem, the KORD 6P67 has the best control rating and the SOR-556 MK2 the most consistent recoil.
How many assault rifles are in Battlefield 6? Twelve as of Season 5: the M433, B36A4, SOR-556 MK2, AK4D, TR-7, KORD 6P67, NVO-228E, L85A3, VCR-2, M16A4, EF88 and the new Mk 24. EA's weapon roster page still lists eleven because it has not added the Mk 24 yet.
Is the Mk 24 good? It is a headshot rifle. With chest hits it is near the bottom of the class, at 283 ms up close. Its 1.8x headshot multiplier is the highest of any assault rifle, so two headshots save a bullet on every kill. The 1.4x rifles generally need three headshots to do the same.
Is the TR-7 worth grinding to Career Rank 50? Yes, if you can handle recoil. It is the fastest or joint-fastest assault rifle at every range. It also has the lowest control rating in the class and a 20-round magazine, and controller players lost more than half their recoil assist in Update 2.1.1.0.
Which assault rifle is best for long range? The TR-7 and VCR-2 tie as the fastest killers past 75 m at 333 ms, and the VCR-2 carries 30 rounds to the TR-7's 20. If you'd rather lead targets less, the L85A3 has the fastest bullet in the class at 778 m/s.
Can you still unlock the EF88? EA has not published a way. Update 2.1.1.0 added Season 4 catch-up challenges for the BROD 3, Interdictor and VSSM, but not the EF88, and EA's roster still lists it as a Season 4 Battle Pass reward.
Sources
- EA Battlefield 6 Game Update 2.1.1.0 notes, live 13 October 2026, re-checked 20 October 2026
- EA Battlefield 6 Game Update 1.3.3.0 notes, live 30 June 2026
- EA loadout creation and weapon classes page, checked 20 October 2026
- EA Battlefield 6 Season 5 roadmap, October 2026
- Battlefinity weapon pages for all twelve assault rifles, for example the Mk 24, TR-7 and VCR-2, checked 20 October 2026 (third-party)
- r/Battlefield6 thread on the best guns after a break, 20 October 2026, quoted as community opinion
