Every weapon tier list published before September 2026 is wrong — the SMG-12 dropped from 28 damage to 16, three DMRs were nerfed, and the Y11S3.1 update on September 22 buffed two shotguns. This guide ranks every relevant weapon in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege as of the Y11S3.1 patch.
Quick Answer: The S-tier attacker weapons in Y11S3.1 are the AK-12, F2, and R4-C assault rifles plus the SMG-11 secondary. On defense, the Vector .45 ACP, MP5 (MP5K/MP5SD), ALDA 5.56, and MP7 lead the meta. The SMG-12 — formerly a top-3 defender secondary — is now D-tier after its damage fell from 28 to 16 in Y11S3. Every tier below reflects the September 22, 2026 Y11S3.1 state.
This tier list applies to: Year 11 Season 3, Operation Split Fire (Y11S3.1 state, September 22, 2026). For who uses these weapons, see our Rainbow Six Siege Operator Tier List Y11S3 and Best Loadout for Every Operator.
How We Rank Weapons in Rainbow Six Siege
Weapons in R6S cannot be swapped between operators — you get what your operator carries. The rankings below assess each weapon on four criteria:
- Time-to-kill (TTK): How fast it eliminates a 1-armor or 3-armor target at typical engagement ranges
- Recoil profile: How controllable the spray is, especially after the first shot
- Range versatility: Whether it works at both close range (CQC) and mid-range angles
- Operator context: Whether the operator who carries it is worth playing in the current meta
S-tier weapons are picks worth selecting an operator around. D-tier weapons should be avoided unless no alternative exists. This tier list uses S, A, B, and D — there is no C-tier. Weapons are either playable or they are not; a C-tier label implies marginal viability that rarely applies cleanly in practice, so anything below B is D. As of Y11S3.1, the major shifts are the SMG-12 collapse, the AR-15.50 / MK14 EBR nerfs, and modest buffs to the M1014 and SPAS-15 shotguns.
S-Tier Weapons — Meta-Defining Picks
Assault Rifles
AK-12 (Ace, Hibana): The best all-round attacker AR in Y11S3. High damage, a fire rate that hits the sweet spot for mid-range control, and recoil that stays vertical. Ace is the top hard-breacher in the current meta, so the AK-12 sees enormous pick rate at every rank. Hibana carries the same weapon on a 3-speed frame — slightly different trade-off but equally strong gun.
F2 (Twitch, Finka, Lion): One of the fastest-firing assault rifles available to attackers, with a damage profile that shreds at close to medium range. Its higher RPM rewards aggressive entry play. Lion is an S-tier attacker in Y11S3, and the F2 is a significant reason why.
R4-C (Ash): Ash's defining weapon. Solid damage, reliable fire rate, minimal recoil. The R4-C is the textbook "does nothing wrong" assault rifle — no weaknesses at any range, which is exactly what you want on a hard-entry fragger.
SMGs and Secondaries
Vector .45 ACP (Mira): 1200 rounds per minute. The Vector is the most lethal close-quarters weapon on the defending side, and Mira's site-anchor role puts it exactly where that stat matters. If an attacker pushes through Mira's window, they are entering the Vector's kill zone.
MP5 family (Mute — MP5K; Echo — MP5SD): Both variants of the MP5 are S-tier defenders. Low first-shot recoil, reliable damage, quiet in the case of the SD variant. Mute is an S-tier operator; his MP5K is part of why.
SMG-11 (Caveira, Jackal, Mozzie, Zero): A secondary that out-performs most primaries at close range thanks to its extreme fire rate. Carrying the SMG-11 as your secondary effectively gives you a second CQC primary. It fires at approximately 1270 RPM — on any operator who has it, it is the pick in tight angles.
LMG
ALDA 5.56 (Maestro, Noor): The ALDA is the best LMG on the defensive side. Its 80-round magazine and 900 RPM rate of fire let it anchor a site for an entire round without reloading. Noor — the new Y11S3 defender — uses the ALDA as an alternative primary. For his anchor role, it is often the stronger choice over his Commando-9. See our Noor guide for full loadout analysis.
A-Tier Weapons — Strong in the Right Hands
Assault Rifles
ARX200 (Nomad): High damage, manageable recoil, great for the roaming style that Nomad's AirJab mines enable. Top pick for roam-clearer builds.
L85A2 (Sledge, Blackbeard): Reliable attacker AR. After the Y11S3.1 buff that reduced Sledge's Breaching Hammer swing time to 0.8 seconds (from 1.0), Sledge's whole kit feels faster — and the L85A2 complements that tempo.
AUG A3 (Kaid): Compact and extremely low-recoil. Kaid is an S-tier anchor defender, and the AUG A3 makes holding angles off reinforced walls comfortable at any range.
SC3000K (Deimos): A-tier AR for an A-tier operator. The SC3000K has excellent accuracy and does not punish controlled burst-fire play.
SMGs
T-5 SMG (Melusi, Vigil): 1000 RPM with manageable horizontal recoil. Melusi is a top defender and the T-5 is a large part of her effectiveness. Vigil also benefits from its pace.
Scorpion EVO 3 A1 (Ela, Zofia): Fast-firing SMG that performs best in the tight corridors roaming defenders frequent. Ela is the defining user — her Grzmot mines set up close-range ambushes where the Scorpion's extreme fire rate closes fights instantly.
FMG-9 (Smoke): Fast firing, low recoil, excellent in CQC. Smoke uses it to punish defuser plants — the quick TTK is exactly what that role demands when a defender needs to clear a planter through a remote canister.
Marksman Rifles and Special
CSRX 300 (Kali): Ubisoft buffed Kali's marksman rifle directly in Y11S3: the bolt cycle dropped from 1.0 second to 0.8 seconds, total ammo rose from 36 to 51, and the optic range shifted to 3.5x/8x from the previous 5x/12x (making it viable at indoor-to-mid range, not just rooftop play). The result is an A-tier primary that makes Kali a more consistent pick in Y11S3 than she was in Y11S2.
XK23 (Dokkaebi): The XK23 was added as Dokkaebi's new primary in Y11S2. Despite Dokkaebi's Y11S3 nerfs to her gadget, the XK23 itself remains a solid A-tier primary — high fire rate, compact, and effective at ranges where the SMG-12 used to handle close-quarters duty.
B-Tier Weapons — Situational but Playable
416-C (Jäger): Ubisoft refined the 416-C recoil in the Y11S2.2 patch — the hardest-kicking bullets now start at round 10 instead of round 8. Jäger moved to 3-speed / 1-armor in that same patch. The result is a faster Jäger with a slightly more forgiving AR, but the 416-C still sits in B-tier because its fire rate and damage figures are not exceptional on their own.
AR-15.50 (Maverick): Dropped from A-tier in Y11S3. Ubisoft reduced damage from 67 to 59, increased the first-shot multiplier to 3.7 from 1.7 on Mouse & Keyboard (camera up speed reduced to 1 from 1.4), and removed the muzzle brake attachment. Maverick is still a solid anti-gadget attacker, but his AR now demands better recoil discipline before it rewards you.
MK14 EBR (Echo): Also nerfed in Y11S3 — damage fell from 60 to 56 and first-shot recoil increased. Still functional for Echo's drone-anchor playstyle, but no longer a weapon you take to win gunfights against standard ARs.
M1014 (Ace, Castle, Pulse, Thermite): Received a minor buff in the Y11S3.1 patch: damage increased to 30 from 28. That nudge improves one-pump consistency at very close range but does not move the M1014 out of situational territory — it is still a B-tier shotgun you bring when you want a second CQC option.
SPAS-15 (Caveira, Thunderbird): Also buffed in Y11S3.1 to 26 damage (from 24). The semi-automatic fire pattern still limits its versatility compared to SMGs, but the buff makes it slightly more competitive in close-quarters scenarios.
Commando-9 (Noor): Decent AR with a clean recoil pattern. Most Noor players opt for the ALDA 5.56 given the anchor role, making the Commando-9 a secondary option primarily for more mobile, roam-assist builds.
D-Tier — Avoid in Ranked
SMG-12 (Vigil as secondary, Dokkaebi as secondary): The defining weapon nerf of Y11S3. Ubisoft reduced the SMG-12's damage from 28 to 16 and its magazine from 32 to 22 rounds. As Ubisoft's Y11S3 patch notes documented, the SMG-12 was outperforming primaries as a secondary weapon — a problem addressed firmly. The result: a secondary that poses no meaningful threat at any range and barely manages close-range thanks to its low per-bullet damage. On Vigil, switch to the SMG-11. On Dokkaebi, the XK23 primary makes this largely irrelevant.
Y11S3 and Y11S3.1 Weapon Changes — What Shifted
The two patches that define the current weapon meta:
Y11S3 (September 1, 2026) — major weapon changes:
| Weapon | Change | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| SMG-12 | Damage 28 → 16, magazine 32 → 22 | D-tier collapse |
| AR-15.50 | Damage 67 → 59, first-shot multiplier ×3.7 (M&K), muzzle brake removed | A → B tier |
| MK14 EBR | Damage 60 → 56, more first-shot recoil | A → B tier |
| CSRX 300 (Kali) | Bolt cycle 1.0s → 0.8s, ammo 36 → 51, scopes 3.5x/8x | B → A tier |
Y11S3.1 (September 22, 2026) — refinement changes, no meta shift:
As Ubisoft wrote in the Y11S3.1 patch notes: "These are small adjustments that don't aim to alter an Operator's overall power level or flexibility. Instead, they focus on polishing gameplay details, improving consistency, and enhancing quality-of-life without shifting the meta." (Source: ubisoft.com, September 22, 2026)
| Weapon | Change | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| M1014 | Damage 28 → 30 (Ace, Castle, Pulse, Thermite) | Minor B-tier nudge |
| SPAS-15 | Damage 24 → 26 (Caveira, Thunderbird) | Minor B-tier nudge |
| Buck's Skeleton Key | Total ammo 31 → 36 | More utility per round |
Best Rainbow Six Siege Weapons by Role
If you play attacker hard-breach: AK-12 on Ace — the combination of the best hard-breach gadget and the best attacker AR has no equivalent in Y11S3.
If you play attacker soft-breach: L85A2 or R4-C on Sledge or Ash. Sledge's Hammer is 20% faster to swing after Y11S3.1 (0.8s from 1.0s), making the L85A2 pairing even stronger for fast-tempo breach rounds.
If you anchor defense: Vector .45 ACP on Mira, ALDA 5.56 on Maestro or Noor. Both reward a player who holds tight angles and controls a single corridor.
If you roam defense: T-5 SMG on Melusi, Scorpion EVO 3 A1 on Nokk. High fire rate, manageable recoil, fast movement synergy.
If you play info-gather: MP7 on Mozzie or Pulse. Low recoil means consistent headshots at mid-range while your cameras or Pulse sensor do the work. For how to use these operators in context, see our Y11S3 counter-defender guide and ranked climbing guide.
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FAQ
What is the best weapon in Rainbow Six Siege in Y11S3.1? There is no single best weapon for all situations, but the AK-12 (on Ace or Hibana) is the consensus top attacker primary and the Vector .45 ACP (on Mira) is the top defender primary in the Y11S3.1 meta. Both combine high DPS with manageable recoil.
Is the SMG-12 still good after the Y11S3 nerf? No. The SMG-12 was reduced from 28 to 16 damage and from 32 to 22 rounds per magazine in Y11S3. It is now the weakest defender secondary in the game. Vigil players should use the SMG-11 instead; Dokkaebi's XK23 primary makes the SMG-12 secondary largely irrelevant.
What changed for the AR-15.50 in Y11S3? Maverick's AR-15.50 received three nerfs: damage dropped from 67 to 59, the first-shot multiplier increased to 3.7 (from 1.7 on M&K), and the muzzle brake attachment was removed. It still works for anti-gadget play but requires more recoil discipline than before. It moved from A-tier to B-tier.
Did any weapons get buffed in Y11S3.1? Yes. The Y11S3.1 patch (September 22, 2026) increased M1014 shotgun damage to 30 (from 28) and SPAS-15 damage to 26 (from 24). Buck's Skeleton Key gained 5 extra rounds. Ubisoft described these as refinements "without shifting the meta" — the S and A-tier landscape did not change.
What is the best secondary weapon in Rainbow Six Siege? The SMG-11 is the best defender secondary in Y11S3.1. At close range it outperforms most primaries. The MP7 is the best all-range secondary for operators who need to be effective at mid-range, not just close quarters.
How often does Ubisoft change weapon stats? Major weapon balance changes occur with each new season (every three months). Mid-season patches are labeled .1 updates and contain smaller refinements. Y11S3 launched September 1, 2026 with major SMG-12 and DMR nerfs; Y11S3.1 launched September 22, 2026 with minor shotgun buffs. Check news.ubisoft.com for official patch notes.
