Quick answer: The Z84M is the new Light Machine Gun added in Battlefield 6 Season 5 on 13 October 2026 (Update 2.1.1.0). Third-party guide sites, not EA, report that it unlocks free at Tier 11 of the Fate's Reckoning path in the Season 5 Battle Pass. On tracker data it has exactly the same damage and fire rate as the TR-7 assault rifle (35 damage up close, 720 rpm), but with a 100-round box instead of 20 rounds. That gives it the fastest close-range time to kill of any LMG we compared, 167 ms. The price is handling: a 6.7-second reload, slow aim-down-sights and the lowest control rating in the class. The best builds need weapon level 30 to 38.
Below: what EA has confirmed, the full LMG comparison, the best build at each weapon level, and the bipod bug report that is not what it looks like.
What is the Z84M in Battlefield 6?
The Z84M is one of four weapons that went live with Season 5: Siege of Vegas, alongside the Mk 24, the RSPR and the ELR-40. It is the only new Light Machine Gun in the first phase of the season.
EA has described the gun twice, and both descriptions point the same way. The Season 5 roadmap says: "Built for close-range aggression, the Z84M combines a 100-round box magazine with high damage and a high rate of fire, making it effective against groups of enemies. That firepower comes with significant recoil and handling trade-offs, so keeping it under control is key."
The Update 2.1.1.0 notes put it more briefly: "A belt-fed Light Machine Gun built to dominate at close range. With a 100-round capacity and support for a wide selection of attachments, the Z84M is ready to sustain pressure across the battlefield."
That is all EA has said. As of 17 October 2026, EA has published no damage, fire rate, velocity or recoil figures for the Z84M, and its weapon roster page still has no Z84M entry. Every number below comes from the tracker Battlefinity (last updated 16 October 2026) and is labelled as third-party.
We first covered the gun before launch in our Season 5 new weapons guide. This is the full follow-up, and a companion to yesterday's Mk 24 guide.
Is the Z84M really just a TR-7 with a 100-round belt?
On damage, yes, exactly. The most useful line in the r/Battlefield6 thread "My thought about the new LMG Z84M" was this reply: "This gun is essentially a TR7 but with a 100 round belt. Using it as such helps immensely."
We pulled both guns from Battlefinity's weapon data and the damage tables are identical:
| Stat (third-party, Battlefinity) | Z84M | TR-7 |
|---|---|---|
| Class | LMG | Assault Rifle |
| Fire rate | 720 rpm | 720 rpm |
| Bullet velocity | 604 m/s | 604 m/s |
| Body damage, 0-20 m | 35 | 35 |
| Body damage, 20-75 m | 26 | 26 |
| Body damage, 75 m+ | 20.6 | 20.6 |
| Head damage, 0-20 m | 49.3 | 49.3 |
| Magazine | 100 rounds | 20 rounds |
| Reload | 6.73 s | 2.4 s |
| Aim-down-sights time | 433 ms | 250 ms |
| Mobility rating | 28 | 52 |
| Hipfire rating | 29 | 40 |
| Control rating | 35 | 29 |
So the same bullets come out of both guns at the same speed. What you trade is everything around the trigger: aim-down-sights is 73% slower, the reload is 2.8 times as long and mobility is roughly half. The one stat where the Z84M comes out ahead is control, 35 against 29.
The same thread also had the counter-claim: "The M204L already come with a 100 round still a better option then the Z84M". There is no M204L. The player means the M240L, and its base magazine on Battlefinity is 50 rounds, not 100. The 100-round LMGs are the Z84M, M123K, L110 and M/60.
The TR-7 is a Career Rank 50 unlock. The Z84M is a free Battle Pass reward. If you liked the TR-7 but kept losing fights to a reload, the Z84M is the same gun with five magazines in one.
Z84M vs the other LMGs: how fast does it kill?
This is where the gun earns its place. Battlefinity's time-to-kill figures for the Battlefield 6 multiplayer versions of the main LMGs:
| LMG (third-party) | Magazine | TTK 0-20 m | TTK 20-75 m | TTK 75 m+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z84M | 100 | 167 ms | 266 ms | 441 ms |
| M240L | 50 | 200 ms | 317 ms | 510 ms |
| M123K | 100 | 217 ms | 304 ms | 464 ms |
| DRS-IAR | 30 | 233 ms | 324 ms | 483 ms |
| M/60 | 100 | 233 ms | 363 ms | 561 ms |
| L110 | 100 | 250 ms | 344 ms | 501 ms |
| M250 | 50 | 267 ms | 267 ms | 267 ms |
| KTS100 MK8 | 60 | 350 ms | 475 ms | 660 ms |
Three things stand out:
- Up close, nothing in the class is faster. 167 ms is 33 ms quicker than the M240L and 50 ms quicker than the M123K, the other fast 100-round gun.
- It is the fastest 100-round LMG at every range. The M123K, L110 and M/60 all carry the same 100 rounds and lose to the Z84M in all three bands.
- The M250 is the exception past 75 m. Battlefinity lists no damage drop-off for it, so it keeps its 267 ms at range, where the Z84M slows to 441 ms. For long lanes, that is the gun to beat.
Battlefinity counts 33 kills per magazine at close range for the Z84M (100 rounds, three per kill). That is the real meaning of EA's "effective against groups of enemies".
The cost shows up in the handling ratings. The Z84M has the lowest precision (17) and lowest control (35) of every LMG in the table, against 42 to 66 control for the rest. That is EA's "significant recoil and handling trade-offs" in numbers. For the rest of the class and how the older guns rank on recoil, see our best LMG rankings.
Do headshots matter with the Z84M?
Barely, and that should change how you aim. Using Battlefinity's per-band damage (100 health):
- 0-20 m: three body shots kill (105 damage). Two headshots deal 98.6, one short, so it is three shots no matter where you hit.
- 20-75 m: four body shots kill. You need three headshots (108.9) to save one bullet. One or two headshots change nothing.
- 75 m+: five body shots kill. Two headshots plus two body shots deal 99.2, one point short. Again, only three headshots save a bullet.
Compare that with the Mk 24, where two headshots flip the whole time-to-kill table. The Z84M is a volume gun. Aim at the centre of mass, keep the trigger down, and let the 100 rounds do the work.
How do you unlock the Z84M?
Third-party sites report that the Z84M is a free reward at Tier 11 of the Fate's Reckoning path in the Season 5 Battle Pass. Gfinity lists it that way, alongside the Mk 24 at Tier 11 of Audacious Breach, the RSPR at Tier 11 of Access Defied and the ELR-40 at Tier 5 of the Recruit Path, and says "all four weapons are free and do not require purchase."
EA has not published the full tier list. Its own Battle Pass page does say "Free Season 5 Battle Pass items include the CDX-40 Sniper Rifle, the MRGG-A Assault Rifle, and the PKM Machine Gun." Those are internal names. EA's own ELR-40 asset carries the CDX40 name in its file name, and the PKM is very likely the Z84M, since it is the only new machine gun this season.
How the path works, per EA: "Complete the Recruit Path, then switch between four paths to earn your most-wanted items." So you finish the Recruit Path first, then pick Fate's Reckoning and work up to Tier 11. Battle Pass progress comes from the same XP you earn in normal matches, so every match moves you toward it. Our Season 5 Battle Pass guide covers the path structure in full.
What is the best Z84M loadout?
All three of Battlefinity's top multiplayer builds use the full 100 attachment points, and all three take the 100RND Canvas Pouch magazine at weapon level 30. Point costs and unlock levels are third-party.
Close-range Z84M build (level 31)
- Muzzle: Long Suppressor (25 points, level 16)
- Barrel: 605MM BGR (20 points, level 31)
- Right accessory: 50 MW Violet laser (10 points, level 18)
- Underbarrel: Slim Angled (25 points, level 15)
- Magazine: 100RND Canvas Pouch (10 points, level 30)
- Ammunition: FMJ (5 points, level 0)
- Optic: Iron Sights (5 points)
Battlefinity's note on this build: "A close-range powerhouse with outstanding hipfire performance." This is the build for casino interiors and the tunnels under Area 51, which is exactly where EA says the gun belongs.
Versatile Z84M build (level 30)
- Muzzle: Lightened Suppressor (30 points, level 20)
- Barrel: 603MM Factory (10 points, level 0)
- Right accessory: 50 MW Violet laser (10 points, level 18)
- Underbarrel: Slim Angled (25 points, level 15)
- Magazine: 100RND Canvas Pouch (10 points, level 30)
- Ammunition: FMJ (5 points, level 0)
- Optic: RO-M 1.75x (10 points, level 27)
The low-zoom optic is the change. It keeps the gun usable on Vegas Strip's mid-range streets without giving up the hipfire laser.
Long-range Z84M build (level 38)
- Muzzle: Lightened Suppressor (30 points, level 20)
- Barrel: 603MM Factory (10 points, level 0)
- Underbarrel: Classic Vertical (35 points, level 38)
- Magazine: 100RND Canvas Pouch (10 points, level 30)
- Ammunition: FMJ (5 points, level 0)
- Optic: Baker 3.00x (10 points)
This is also Battlefinity's top REDSEC build. The Classic Vertical is the most expensive part in any of these builds at 35 points, and it is one of the last things the gun unlocks. Past 75 m, though, remember the M250 table above before you commit to this build.
Before level 15: the starter build
The gun ships with the Bipod and the 100RND Polymer Box at level 0, so you never run it with a small magazine. The early unlocks worth taking, per Battlefinity, are the Folding Vertical (level 3), the Compensated Brake (level 4), the Standard Suppressor (level 8) and the PTT Grip Pod (level 9). Play it from cover with the bipod deployed until the Slim Angled arrives at 15.
For how the 100-point budget works across every gun, see our guide to attachment points in Battlefield 6.
What level do Z84M attachments unlock?
The levels that decide every build above, from Battlefinity's list of 51 attachments:
| Weapon level | Attachment |
|---|---|
| 0 | Bipod, 100RND Polymer Box, 603MM Factory barrel, FMJ |
| 9 | PTT Grip Pod |
| 15 | Slim Angled grip |
| 16 | Long Suppressor |
| 18 | 100RND Metal Box, 50 MW Violet laser |
| 19 | QD Grip Pod |
| 20 | Lightened Suppressor |
| 27 | RO-M 1.75x |
| 30 | 100RND Canvas Pouch, 6H64 Vertical |
| 31 | 605MM BGR barrel |
| 35 | Hollow Point |
| 38 | Classic Vertical |
| 40 | Low-Profile Stubby |
The short version: you need weapon level 30 before any of the recommended builds is complete. EA publishes no Hardware XP figures, so nobody can honestly tell you how many hours level 30 takes, but it is a long way from Tier 11.
Is there a Z84M bipod bug?
Not a confirmed one. A post on r/Battlefield6 during Season 5's first week was titled "Bug: Bipods/Grip Pods seem to have lost their spread and recoil reduction". The only reply disagreed. The player said they had levelled a gun to 40 "running a grip pod the entire time" and posted a recoil pattern with and without the grip pod mounted to show it still worked.
EA has not acknowledged a bipod or grip pod bug in the 2.1.1.0 notes. It has disabled one Season 5 attachment, the Underslung Mount on the Mk 24, but nothing on the Z84M. One older EA note explains a lot of these reports. Update 1.1.3.5 says: "Bipod attachments no longer display as always providing a hipfire accuracy bonus, as this bonus only applies while the bipod is deployed." If your Z84M feels worse than its stat bars suggest, check that you are actually deployed.
There is a related complaint worth knowing about. A thread on 17 October asked "Didn't They Say They Were Fixing Point Costs for Larger LMG Mags??". Update 2.1.1.0 contains no change to LMG magazine costs. The Z84M mostly dodges this problem, because its base magazine is already 100 rounds and the Canvas Pouch upgrade costs only 10 points on Battlefinity's builds.
Should you use the Z84M?
- Use the Z84M if you play close quarters on Vegas Strip interiors or the Area 51 tunnels, hold objectives with lots of enemies in them, and are happy to aim at the body. Nothing in the LMG class kills faster up close.
- Use the TR-7 if you have Career Rank 50 and want the same damage with a much faster reload and aim. You give up the 100-round box.
- Use the M250 for long sightlines. Its flat 267 ms beats the Z84M everywhere past 75 m.
- Skip it if you move a lot. Its 28 mobility rating is near the bottom of the class (only the M/60 is lower, at 24), and the 6.7-second reload will get you killed if you run dry in the open.
Battlefinity rates the Z84M A Tier among LMGs, with a 2.7% pick rate. That is low for a gun this strong up close, and most of it is the grind: the builds that fix its handling sit at level 30 and up.
Want the level-30 Z84M without the Hardware XP grind? The Canvas Pouch, the BGR barrel and the Classic Vertical all sit at weapon level 30 or higher, and Tier 11 of Fate's Reckoning comes before any of that. Our Battlefield 6 services take both grinds off your hands.
- Battlefield 6 Weapon Leveling: level the Z84M to 30 and beyond for the full build.
- Battlefield 6 Account Leveling: Career XP and Battle Pass progress to reach Fate's Reckoning Tier 11 faster.
- All Battlefield 6 services: the full list.
FAQ
How do you unlock the Z84M in Battlefield 6? Third-party guide sites report it as a free reward at Tier 11 of the Fate's Reckoning path in the Season 5 Battle Pass, which you can pick after finishing the Recruit Path. EA has not yet published the full tier list.
Is the Z84M free? Reported as yes. Gfinity says all four Season 5 launch weapons are free, and EA's Battle Pass page lists a free "PKM Machine Gun", which is very likely the Z84M under an internal name.
What is the best Z84M loadout? For close range, Battlefinity's top build is Long Suppressor, 605MM BGR barrel, 50 MW Violet laser, Slim Angled grip, 100RND Canvas Pouch, FMJ and iron sights. It needs weapon level 31.
Is the Z84M the same as the TR-7? On tracker data the damage, fire rate and bullet velocity are identical. The Z84M has a 100-round box instead of 20 rounds, but a much slower reload, slower aim and lower mobility.
What is the Z84M time to kill? 167 ms at 0 to 20 m, 266 ms at 20 to 75 m and 441 ms past 75 m, per Battlefinity. That is the fastest close-range TTK of any LMG we compared.
Does the M240L have a 100-round magazine? No. Battlefinity lists the M240L's base magazine at 50 rounds. The 100-round LMGs are the Z84M, M123K, L110 and M/60.
Applies to Battlefield 6 Season 5: Siege of Vegas, Update 2.1.1.0, checked on 17 October 2026. Stats are third-party until EA updates its weapon roster.
