Shotguns are some of the most divisive weapons in Warzone, but there’s one thing you can’t deny: they’re game-winners, and they’re guaranteed to help you get more kills.
With the Warzone meta continuously evolving, we’ve seen several weapons become “must-haves” in the Call of Duty battle royale. Shotguns have had their time in the spotlight, dominating various seasons throughout the first year. Today, the close-range weapons are still a force to be reckoned with if you’ve got the right loadout.
Whether you’re still uninitiated to the shotgun club, or looking to see what your other options are, they’re all pretty solid. Let’s take a look at which shotgun loadouts are best in Warzone. Pair any of these with the strongest long-range weapons and you’re going to be lethal across all ranges and gunfights.
5. Best Streetsweeper loadout in Warzone
- Muzzle: Duckbill Choke
- Barrel: 14.4” Task Force
- Laser: SWAT 5mw Laser Sight
- Stock: No Stock
- Ammunition: STANAG 18 RND
A newer addition to Warzone, the Streetsweeper was made available throughout the first season in Black Ops Cold War. It’s not the simplest to unlock, requiring players to go on 15 separate killstreaks, but once you have it, this shotgun is a solid option.
The standout feature of the Streetsweeper is that it’s a full-auto shotgun. This means you can just hold down the trigger and run wild. Obviously, this comes at a cost. You’ll want to add a bigger magazine attachment to save on some pretty harsh reload speeds.
4. Best VLK Rogue loadout in Warzone
- Muzzle: FORGE TAC Marauder
- Barrel: 16″ Warlord
- Laser: 5mW Laser
- Stock: No Stock
- Ammunition: Dragon’s Breath Rounds
This semi-automatic shotgun once led the Warzone meta after pushing the JAK-12 out of the top spot.
With a focus on increasing the damage range, movement speed, and hip-fire accuracy, this loadout will get you zipping around the map and hitting lethal shots at your opponents. While not the best gun on this list, it’s still an incredibly viable choice to this day.
3. Best Gallo SA12 loadout for Warzone
If you’ve played much Black Ops Cold War at all, you’ll know that the shotgun options aren’t quite as powerful or varied as the original Modern Warfare weapons.
However, it is still worth your time to level up the Gallo SA12 in Cold War because of the Warzone integration. It’s the clear frontrunner for now, providing one of the most well-rounded options in the shotgun category.
Here’s what we would recommend putting on the Gallo for the time being:
- Barrel: 21.4” Reinforced Heavy
- Muzzle: Duckbill Choke
- Body: SWAT 5MW Laser Sight
- Magazine: STANAG 12 Round Tube
- Stock: Wire Stock
2. Best Origin 12 loadout in Warzone
- Muzzle: Choke
- Barrel: FORCE Tac Impaler
- Laser: 5mW Laser
- Stock: No Stock
- Ammunition: 12 Round Mags
If you’re looking for a non-Dragon’s Breath shotgun, this Origin loadout is a good one to go for. It’s got a great amount of damage behind it and can easily take enemies out in 3-4 shots, just simply aim straight and spam the trigger.
It has been nerfed in recent updates but that shouldn’t deter you. If you’re looking for a standard shotgun without a fiery flair, you can’t look past the Origin on your way to some huge Warzone victories.
1. Best R9-0 loadout in Warzone
- Muzzle: Choke
- Barrel: FORCE TAC Sentry
- Laser: 5mW Laser
- Underbarrel: Merc Foregrip
- Ammunition: Dragon’s Breath Rounds
The R9-0 is arguably the most effective shotgun in Warzone. It packs one hell of a punch and comes with an extremely fast fire rate. However, one of its strongest features comes through an ammo attachment.
Dragon’s Breath Rounds deal more damage than the usual ammunition, lighting enemies on fire and causing a burn effect over time. Despite heavy nerfs, it’s still the go-to option when it comes to shotgun loadouts.
So there you have it, our top recommendations for shotguns in Warzone. With these extremely powerful setups, you’ll be dropping foes in the blink of an eye at close range.