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 21 October 2026. EA's recoil and velocity figures come from Update 1.3.3.0 (30 June 2026), the last time EA published those tables. The 1.4.3.x and 2.1.1.0 notes contain no new SMG recoil or velocity values. Damage and fire-rate figures come from the third-party tracker Battlefinity, checked 21 October. The time-to-kill numbers are our own arithmetic from those figures.
Quick Answer
- The KV9 is the fastest-killing SMG in Battlefield 6 from 10 m out. At 1,080 rpm it is first at 15, 30, 50 and 80 m on our numbers, and 333 ms at 50 m. The catch: the second-worst recoil variation in the class (50.0 degrees), the second-slowest bullet, and Career Rank 45.
- The SCW-10 is the fastest killer inside 10 m. Three chest shots kill up close, for 150 ms, the quickest time in the class.
- The new RSPR is a slower SCW-10. It has the same damage at every range, but 720 rpm against 800, so it is slower than the SCW-10 everywhere, headshots included.
- The SL9 and UMG-40 still have the steadiest recoil (13.0 degrees each) and the slowest kills. The SL9 is last or second-last at every range from 15 m out.
- The SGX is the best free SMG, and the only SMG unlocked from your first match.
- There are 11 SMGs in Season 5. EA's weapon roster page still lists 10, because it has not added the RSPR yet.
Our previous version of this guide ranked the class on EA's recoil and velocity tables alone and put the UMG-40 and SL9 on top. Ranked by how fast they kill, the order flips. This version ranks both, so you can pick for your range and your aim.
What Changed for SMGs in Season 5?
Season 5 launched with Update 2.1.1.0 on 13 October. There was no multiplayer SMG balance pass. These are the changes that touch the class, all from EA's official 2.1.1.0 notes:
- One new SMG, the RSPR. EA calls it "a highly compact, short-range Personal Defence Weapon with major stopping power from its rifle cartridge. It performs better at longer ranges than most Personal Defence Weapons, but its higher recoil demands careful control from operators looking to make the most of its power." (EA's Season 5 roadmap lists the same gun as a Submachine Gun.)
- Less recoil help on controllers. EA's line: "Reduced recoil compensation for gamepad input from 11% to 5%." It applies to all weapons, so on our read the hard-kicking SMGs (KV9, CZ3A1) got harder to hold on a pad.
- REDSEC armor breakpoints. In Battle Royale only, "9mm SMGs (KV9, SGX, PW5A3, CZ3A1, PP-19, SL9) now take one more bullet to kill vs armor between 9m and 85m", and the 10 mm SCW-10 got the same change. The UMG-40, PW7A2, USG-90 and RSPR are on neither list. Normal multiplayer is unaffected.
- REDSEC loot. "The SCW-10 now starts with a 15-round magazine when looted at lower rarities," and Engineers at Field Training Level 1 or higher now redeploy with the PP-19.
- A cosmetic fix. Muzzle attachment lines now line up with suppressors on the PW5A3.
EA also named two SMGs in the same dev note as the armor changes: "Particular weapons like the SG 553R, SCW-10, and KTS100 Mk8 have been at the forefront of highlighting this issue, and heavy-handed, targeted nerfs on these weapons (while potentially cathartic) would inevitably lead to similar weapons like the NVO-228E, KV9, and RPK-74M immediately filling their respective voids." EA added that it has "additional changes planned in future updates" for overperforming weapons. Read that as a warning that the SCW-10 and KV9 are on EA's watch list. The rest of the season's weapon changes are in our Season 5 weapon balance breakdown.
One more SMG item this week: the Dead Space Convergence event, which started on 20 October, gives a free "RIG-Certified" SMG Weapon Package for completing event challenges. It is a cosmetic, and EA has not said which SMG it fits.
How Many SMGs Are in Battlefield 6?
There are 11 in Season 5. EA's loadout and weapon classes page lists 10. It is still marked "Recently Updated for Season 4", and it had no RSPR entry when we checked on 21 October. EA's description of the class:
"Lightweight true sub machine guns and personal defense weapons, SMGs are designed for close-quarters engagements with the highest average fire rate among all Primary Weapons. It's also the Signature Weapon of the Engineer Class."
| SMG | How to unlock it | Fire rate (rpm) |
|---|---|---|
| SGX | Default Unlocked | 830 |
| PW5A3 | Career Rank 6 | 771 |
| PW7A2 | Career Rank 19 | 947 |
| UMG-40 | Career Rank 29 | 635 |
| USG-90 | Career Rank 36 | 900 |
| KV9 | Career Rank 45 | 1,080 |
| SCW-10 | Assignment CLOSE QUARTERS 1 | 800 |
| SL9 | Assignment CLOSE QUARTERS 2 | 675 |
| CZ3A1 | Assignment NIGHTFALL CATCH-UP 2 | 981 |
| PP-19 | Season 3 Catch-Up Challenge | 720 |
| RSPR | Season 5 Battle Pass (third-party report, see below) | 720 |
Unlock routes for the first ten are EA's own wording. Fire rates are Battlefinity's.
Which Battlefield 6 SMG Kills the Fastest?
This is the table the old version of this guide was missing. We took Battlefinity's chest damage and fire rate for each SMG and did the sums ourselves: hits to kill = 100 health divided by chest damage, rounded up, and time to kill = (hits minus one) x 60,000 / rpm. It assumes every shot lands on the chest, no armor, and no bullet travel time.
| SMG | 5 m | 15 m | 30 m | 50 m | 80 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KV9 | 167 | 222 | 278 | 333 | 389 |
| SCW-10 | 150 | 225 | 300 | 375 | 450 |
| CZ3A1 | 183 | 245 | 306 | 367 | 428 |
| RSPR | 167 | 250 | 333 | 417 | 500 |
| PP-19 | 250 | 333 | 333 | 500 | 583 |
| SGX | 217 | 289 | 361 | 434 | 506 |
| PW7A2 | 317 | 317 | 380 | 380 | 444 |
| PW5A3 | 233 | 311 | 389 | 467 | 545 |
| USG-90 | 267 | 333 | 400 | 400 | 467 |
| UMG-40 | 283 | 378 | 472 | 472 | 567 |
| SL9 | 267 | 356 | 444 | 533 | 622 |
All values are milliseconds; bold is the fastest at that range. Five things stand out:
- Damage drops in steps, not a curve. Most of the 9 mm guns go 26, 20.6, 17.2, 14.7 and 12.9 chest damage at 0, 10, 20, 35 and 75 m. That is why the 9 mm guns (SGX, PW5A3, KV9, SL9, CZ3A1) all need the same number of hits at the same range, and fire rate decides who wins.
- The SCW-10 and RSPR share one damage table. Both do 35 chest damage up close, the only SMGs that kill in three chest shots. The SCW-10 just fires 80 rpm faster.
- The PP-19 holds its second damage step to 35 m, where the other 9 mm guns drop at 20 m. It needs five hits from 10 to 35 m, so at 30 m it ties the RSPR and beats every SMG except the KV9, SCW-10 and CZ3A1.
- The PW7A2 has the flattest curve. It is the slowest SMG up close (317 ms), but it only loses two hits between 5 and 80 m, so by 50 m it is fourth.
- Limb hits cost more than you think. Since 1.3.3.0, stomach and limb shots on automatic weapons do 0.84x damage. A KV9 that kills in 222 ms at 15 m on chest hits needs 278 ms on stomach and limb hits.
Is the KV9 Really Good at 50 Meters?
A player in an r/Battlefield6 thread this week put it bluntly: "SMG's are meta lol you can easy get kills 50 Meters with even the KV9". On time to kill, they are right. At 50 m the KV9 needs seven chest hits, and at 1,080 rpm that is 333 ms, faster than any other SMG at that range.
Three numbers hold it back. Its recoil variation is 50.0 degrees, second-worst in the class, so the seven hits are hard to land in a row. Its bullet travels at 362 m/s, second-slowest, so you lead moving targets more than with anything but the CZ3A1. And EA's own description warns that it "will near-instantly consume this ammunition within a standard magazine." You are reloading after nearly every fight.
The KV9 is the right answer for a player who can control kick and wants the fastest SMG at every range past 10 m. It is the wrong answer for anyone who misses their first burst.
Which Battlefield 6 SMG Has the Lowest Recoil?
On EA's numbers, the UMG-40 and SL9 tie at 13.0 degrees of recoil variation, a measure of how much the kick changes shot to shot. Nothing else is close. The PP-19 is next at 18.0, a 38% jump.
| SMG | Recoil variation (deg) | Muzzle velocity (m/s) |
|---|---|---|
| UMG-40 | 13.0 | 467 |
| SL9 | 13.0 | 486 |
| PP-19 | 18.0 | 444 |
| PW7A2 | 27.8 | 576 |
| PW5A3 | 28.3 | 408 |
| SGX | 31.7 | 378 |
| SCW-10 | 33.5 | 398 |
| USG-90 | 35.5 | 543 |
| KV9 | 50.0 | 362 |
| CZ3A1 | 50.8 | 336 |
All ten figures are from EA's Update 1.3.3.0 notes. EA has published no recoil or velocity figures for the RSPR. Battlefinity gives it a control rating of 39, the lowest of all 11 SMGs, which matches EA's "higher recoil demands careful control".
Put the two tables side by side and the class splits in two. The three guns with the steadiest recoil (UMG-40, SL9, PP-19) all fire at 720 rpm or slower, and the two fastest killers at range (KV9, CZ3A1) have the worst recoil. A 13.0-degree gun lands more of its shots. A 1,080 rpm gun needs fewer milliseconds per shot. Which matters more depends on your aim.
Battlefield 6 Best SMG Ranking for Season 5
We rank on both tables, then on how hard each gun is to unlock.
- KV9: fastest past 10 m. First at every range from 15 m, joint second at 5 m. The second-worst kick in the class (50.0 degrees) and Career Rank 45 keep it from being an easy pick.
- SCW-10: the close-range king. 150 ms inside 10 m and second at 15 and 30 m, with middling recoil (33.5 degrees). EA named it in the Season 5 dev note, so expect it to be looked at again.
- CZ3A1: the KV9 for less work. Second or third at every range from 15 m out, and an assignment unlock instead of Rank 45. It has the worst recoil (50.8) and the slowest bullet (336 m/s) in the class.
- RSPR: SCW-10 damage, harder to use. Ties the KV9 at 5 m (167 ms), then falls to mid-pack. Lowest control on the tracker, and Battlefinity lists a 20-round base magazine. Our RSPR loadout guide has the full build.
- PP-19: best balance of speed and control. Third-lowest recoil (18.0) and five-hit kills out to 35 m.
- SGX: best free SMG. Fifth to seventh at every range, on a Default Unlocked gun.
- PW7A2: the long-range specialist. Fastest bullet in the class (576 m/s) and a flat damage curve, but slowest up close.
- PW5A3: a slower SGX. Same damage table, 59 rpm less.
- USG-90: big magazine, low damage. Battlefinity lists a 50-round base magazine, and EA says its "lower effective damage is offset by a high rate of fire".
- SL9: best recoil, slow kill. Pick it only if 13.0 degrees of variation means more hits for you than the faster guns.
- UMG-40: best recoil, slowest kill at mid range. Last at 15 and 30 m. From 50 m out it edges the SL9 and PP-19.
What Is the Best SMG for Engineer at Longer Range?
The question came up in the same thread, whose title asked for tips because SMG range on Engineer felt so short the poster felt useless most of the time. Two of the replies are worth repeating. One said "the effective range of an smg is intentionally short-mid so you're better off getting closer or switching guns", and suggested separate loadouts per map. Another pointed out that "they nerfed SMGs a while back on long range". That second one is true: Update 1.3.3.0 cut stomach and limb damage on automatic weapons to 0.84x and raised bullet drag by 40% across all weapons.
What the numbers suggest for an Engineer stuck at range:
- Run the KV9 or CZ3A1 if you can control them. They are first and second past 50 m.
- Run the PW7A2 if you miss moving targets. Its 576 m/s bullet means the least lead of any SMG.
- Swap to a carbine or DMR on big maps where the rules allow it. EA's Closed Weapon rules let every class use Carbines, DMRs and Shotguns alongside its Signature Weapon, so an Engineer can still run a ranged primary there.
Our classes guide covers the Engineer kit and Signature Weapon rules in full.
How Do You Unlock Every SMG in Battlefield 6?
Ten of the eleven SMGs are gated, and the routes are not the same kind of work.
- Career Rank, 5 guns. PW5A3 at 6, PW7A2 at 19, UMG-40 at 29, USG-90 at 36 and KV9 at 45. The fastest SMG past 10 m is the last one on the ladder. Our Career Rank cap guide has the full ladder.
- Assignments, 3 guns. SCW-10 via CLOSE QUARTERS 1, SL9 via CLOSE QUARTERS 2, CZ3A1 via NIGHTFALL CATCH-UP 2. The CLOSE QUARTERS pair must be done in order.
- Catch-Up Challenge, 1 gun. The PP-19, from the Season 3 Catch-Up Challenge.
- Battle Pass, 1 gun. Gfinity reports the RSPR at Tier 11 of the Access Defied path. EA has not confirmed it. Its Battle Pass page lists "the CDX-40 Sniper Rifle, the MRGG-A Assault Rifle, and the PKM Machine Gun" as the free weapons and names no SMG. Our Season 5 Battle Pass guide explains the paths.
- Free, 1 gun. The SGX.
Unlocking the gun is only half the job. Attachments come from weapon levels, and the best builds on the tracker need a gun at or near its top level. Our weapon unlock and leveling guide covers the fastest routes.
Career Rank 45 for the KV9, or a long SMG level grind for its attachments? Our team plays on your account by hand, at your pace, and you pay only for the progress you need.
- BF6 Weapon Leveling - weapon levels and attachments on the exact SMGs you run, including the RSPR
- BF6 Career Rank Boost - reach Rank 45 for the KV9, or Rank 19 for the PW7A2
- BF6 Account Leveling - general account and Battle Pass progress toward the RSPR's tier
- All Battlefield 6 services
Which Guns Are Not SMGs in Battlefield 6?
Three get miscounted. The ES 5.7 (Career Rank 24) and the vz. 61 (Assignment NIGHTFALL CATCH-UP 1) are Secondary weapons on EA's list. They take your sidearm slot. The SG 553R, which EA uses as a reference point for the RSPR, is a Carbine (Assignment DANGER CLOSE 2). If you see a count of 12 or 13 SMGs somewhere, one of these is usually why. Our assault rifle ranking covers the rifle classes the same way.
FAQ
What is the best SMG in Battlefield 6 right now? On our time-to-kill numbers, the KV9 is the fastest-killing SMG from 10 m out, and the SCW-10 is fastest inside 10 m. If you want the steadiest recoil instead, EA's figures put the UMG-40 and SL9 tied at 13.0 degrees, but both are among the slowest killers in the class.
How many SMGs are in Battlefield 6 Season 5? Eleven: SGX, PW5A3, PW7A2, UMG-40, USG-90, KV9, SCW-10, SL9, CZ3A1, PP-19 and the new RSPR. EA's roster page still lists ten because it has not been updated for Season 5.
Did Season 5 nerf any SMGs? Not in normal multiplayer. Update 2.1.1.0 made the 9 mm SMGs and the SCW-10 take one more bullet against armor between 9 and 85 m, but only in REDSEC Battle Royale. It also cut gamepad recoil compensation from 11% to 5% for all weapons.
Is the RSPR better than the SCW-10? No, not on damage. The two share the same damage at every range, and the SCW-10 fires faster (800 rpm against 720), so it kills faster everywhere. Battlefinity lists identical head damage for both too. The RSPR's practical edge is access: Gfinity reports it at Tier 11 of the Season 5 Battle Pass Access Defied path (EA has not confirmed this), while the SCW-10 sits behind the CLOSE QUARTERS 1 assignment.
What is the best free SMG in Battlefield 6? The SGX, the only SMG unlocked from the start. It kills in 217 ms up close and 361 ms at 30 m on chest hits, mid-pack for the class.
Which SMG has the fastest bullet? The PW7A2 at 576 m/s, unlocked at Career Rank 19. The slowest is the CZ3A1 at 336 m/s, per EA's Update 1.3.3.0 notes.
