In an FPS title as quick asCall of Duty: Black Ops 6, you want to minimize your vulnerability windows as much as possible. Though your primary weapons can usually get a kill or two, chances are you’ll enter a gunfight without having enough ammo to finish the job. In those dire situations, switching to your backup secondary weapon is always more reliable than reloading.
Be it a pistol to shave off a chunk of HP or a rocket launcherfor decimating Scorestreaksand vehicles, having a solid secondary weapon can often save you when you’re cornered. This is especially true in Black Ops 6, where Overkill isn’t as uncontestedcompared to other wildcards, and with six secondary weapons, your options aren’t limited whatsoever.
6HE-1
Unlock Requirement: Level 19
The HE-1 replaces the fan-favorite RPG in this Call of Duty entry, but, unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver its predecessor’s infamous power. Although it has ADS functionality,the HE-1’s damage output is so unreliablethat you can only kill an enemy with a direct hit. For a launcher,its AoE and range feel highly underwhelming.
The only modes where the HE-1 makes sense are inZombies and Hardpoint.When you have tons of zombies and enemy players within your crosshairs, this launcher can garner a few kills. However,in almost any other multiplayer mode, including Domination,its movement and reloading speed are simply too slow.
5CIGMA 2B
Unlock Requirement: None
Unlike the HE-1, the CIGMA 2B has some meaningful use—destroying Scorestreaks and vehicles.Thanks to its built-in targeting system,it can lock onto enemy call-in weaponslike UAVs, CUAVs, and Watchdog Helos and destroy them within three hits.
This targeting ability is extremely helpfulwhen the enemy team calls in a powerful Scorestreak like the Chopper Gunner.Instead of having your entire team focus on that weapon while the opposition farm points, the CIGMA 2B can act swiftly and finish it alone. However, besides this specific use case, there’s not much this launcher offers, withits non-targeted aim being significantly weaker and more unstable than the HE-1.
49mm PM
The 9mm PM is an ideal secondary weapon for beginners,offering a straightforward introduction to pistols.It has no glaring weaknesses, withbalanced stats in recoil, fire rate, damage, and speed—though nothing about it stands out. With decent performance across the board, it’s serviceable, but in terms of being a reliable lifesaver, it gets beaten out by almost every other pistol in Black Ops 6.
Its main strength lies in its accessibility;attachments can be unlocked early, making it a solid choice for newcomers. Ultimately, the 9mm PM is the classic“jack of all trades, master of none,”reliable but lacking in any standout features.
3GS45
Unlock Requirement: Level 28
If you want a pistol thatreliably finishes off an injured enemy with an extra bullet or two, the GS45 is your best bet.It has the highest damage output out of any pistolin Call of Duty: Black Ops 6—in do-or-die situations where you know the enemy is one shot away, this gun can do wonders.
The vertical recoil is certainly an issue with the GS45, making it almost unusable in long-range engagements. And, since it doesn’t have a great fire rate, you have to rely solely on that initial bullet to seal the deal. As such, when upgrading,your attachments should focus on making the gun steadier.
2Grekhova
Unlock Requirement: Level 13
Thanks to its unbelievable fire rate, the Grekhova is the closest thing you can get to a primary weapon.It has the fastest close-range time-to-kill out of any pistol, and when you use this as an Akimbo,you can enter a frenzy-like stateand become a multi-killing machine.
Even with its rapid-fire capabilities,the Grekhova manages to remain stable during gunfights.Therefore, maps with small rooms like Stakeout and Nuketown are where this pistol truly shines. All things considered, the Grekhova is one of the easiest secondary weapons to use, but it’s worth noting thatthe damage output falls off dramatically at longer ranges.
1Stryder .22
Unlock Requirement: Level 40
When looking at a pistol,you want it to be steady, quick, and lightweight.Considering these aspects, the Stryder .22 is, by far, the strongest pistol in this regard. Despite having a massive mag capacity,this weapon has virtually no recoil, letting you hit your targets without any worry about whiffing.
The Stryder’s only downside is its lackluster damage output,which you can make up for with its Akimbo attachment.In fact, the Stryder’s advantages make itone of the best Akimbo pistols in the game.This also means you can use it as your main weapon instead of being a simple backup.
