Best akimbo pistol loadouts to dominate Warzone 2 meta

Akimbo pistols have emerged as an early contender for the best Warzone 2 secondary weapon. With that in mind, here are the best X12 and P890 akimbo loadouts.

On January 10, a hotfix patched Ultimate Perks. The patch not only holds implications for choosing the best perk package but also impacts the selection of a secondary weapon. Weapon Specialist is the only Perk Package with Overkill, allowing you to carry two primary weapons. Unfortunately, weak Ultimate and Bonus Perks hold the package back from being a meta option.

Users need to find a powerful secondary weapon if falling back on equipping two primary weapons isn’t an option. The Season 1 Reloaded update nerfed shotguns so they can no longer kill fully armored players in one shot. Riot Shields also received a nerf in the mid-season update, and launchers are one-dimensional weapons.

Akimbo pistols received a damage reduction against armored opponents as part of the Season 1 Reloaded update as well, but the pistols still stand tall as the best secondary option. Let’s jump right into how to maximize the X12 and P890’s potential.

Best X12 Warzone 2 loadout

Activison

The X12 is the starter pistol players are equipped with at the start of a match.

Here is the best akimbo X12 loadout with attachment tuning included.

• Muzzle: FT Steel Fire (+1.40, +1.00)
• Barrel: XRK Sidewinder-6 slide (+0.50, +0.40)
• Laser: 1mW Pistol Laser
• Trigger Action: XRK Lightning Fire (+0.18, -0.10)
• Rear Grip: Akimbo X12

We start things off with the FT Steel Fire muzzle, which increases bullet velocity, damage range, and recoil smoothness. We focused on improving the attachment’s recoil smoothness and aiming idle stability while tuning.

Next up, the XRK Sidewinder-6 Slide improves recoil control and bullet velocity while sacrificing aim-down sight speed and movement speed. Luckily, you won’t need to worry about aiming down-sight speed while using the Akimbo rear grip.

After that, the 1mW Pistol laser improves hip fire recoil control, recoil accuracy, and sprint-to-fire speed. Lastly, the XRK Lightning Fire provides a boost to the weapon’s fire rate.

Some players opt to use a 24 Round Mag instead of the XRK Sidewinder Barrel.

Best P890 Warzone 2 loadout

Activision

The P890 pistol is lethal when used akimbo.

Here is the best P890 Warzone 2 loadout with attachment tuning included.

• Muzzle: FT Steel Fire (+1.40, +1.00)
• Laser: 1mW Pistol Laser
• Trigger Action: Bruen Express (+0.17, -0.10)
• Magazine: 12 Round Mag
• Rear Grip: Akimbo P890

Kicking things off, the FT Steel Fire muzzle increases bullet velocity, damage range, and recoil smoothness. Hipfire accuracy can be a little wonky at times, so the 1mW Pistol Laser stabilizes your weapon while firing with the akimbo rear grip.

This weapon shines because of its fast TTK speed, so the Bruen Express increasing fire rate comes in handy for most gunfights. Using a 12 Round Mag will save you on more than one occasion, as firing fast comes with its downsides.

Best Warzone 2 akimbo pistol class: Perks & equipment

Perk Package: Vanguard

• Base Perk 1: Double time 
• Base perk 2: Bomb Squad 
• Bonus Perk: Resupply 
• Ultimate Perk: High Alert
• Lethal: Drill Charge 
• Tactical: Smoke Grenade 

Vanguard is well-balanced and doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. Double Time allows players to sprint longer, which will be helpful for escaping a gunfight or running from the storm. Bomb Squad protects players from the brunt force of lethal grenades, and Resupply recharges equipment every 30 seconds.

Drill charges are a must-have equipment item for clearing out campers from rooms, and smoke grenades make it easier to reposition and move between cover. When resources are scarce at the end of a match, having access to both grenades gives users a distinct advantage.

High Alert is in contention for Warzone 2’s best Ultimate perk, and knowing where you are getting shot from reduces the stress involved in trying to clutch a game during the final circle.

How to get akimbo pistols in Warzone 2?

To use akimbo pistols in Warzone 2 (and Modern Warfare 2), all you need to do is level up certain Pistols to a particular Weapon Level. Here’s a complete rundown of each Pistol and its level-up requirements:

• Akimbo .50 GS: Level up to Weapon Level 17
• Akimbo Basilisk: Level up to Weapon Level 28
• Akimbo P890: Level up to Weapon Level 26
• Akimbo X12: Level up to Weapon Level 19
• Akimbo X13 Auto: Level up to Weapon Level 19

Once you reach the levels mentioned above, you can yield dual Pistols or akimbo in the game.

For more on Warzone 2, be sure to check out some of our other guides:

Do Warzone skins carry over to Warzone 2? | What are Strongholds in Warzone 2? | All Warzone 2 vehicles and Gas Stations | Does Warzone 2 have SBMM? | How do Warzone 2 circles work?