Black Ops 7 Zombies Best Weapons Tier List

Surviving in Black Ops 7 Zombies demands the strongest guns you can bring into Ashes of the Damned. With over 30 weapons available at launch, the gap between a top-tier monster and a weak pick is huge. This Black Ops 7 Zombies best weapons tier list highlights the most reliable guns for high rounds, boss fights, crowd control, and fast Pack-a-Punch progression.

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Read our other Black Ops 7 guides:

• How to Level Up Fast in BO7
• Best Controller Settings
• Best Weapons Tier List
• Best Perks Guide
• Mastery Camos Guide
• Best BO7 Loadouts
• Beta Overview

BO7 Zombies Gun Tier List

You can use every standard weapon available in Multiplayer, but Zombies adds Pack-a-Punch bonuses that make some guns dramatically stronger than others. Below is the full Black Ops 7 zombies gun tier list:

Note: Wonder Weapons are excluded. Ray Gun, Ray Gun Mark II, and the Necrofluid Gauntlet sit above S-Tier by default.

These Black Ops 7 zombies weapons ranked based on their effectiveness and improvements from pack-a-punch upgrades

Best Zombies Weapons Ranked

Many can be comfortably the Black Ops 7 zombies meta weapons, but a few stand out as clear favorites once you factor in Pack-a-Punch performance, fire rate, overall DPS, and consistent crowd-clearing potential. These weapons outperform the rest across early rounds, mid-game farming, and late-game survival. Below is the ranking of the strongest guns to use right now in BO7 Zombies:

• Akita
• XR3 Ion
• M34 Novalnv
• XM325
• Peacekeeper Mark 1
• VS Recon
• Echo 12

The top three options offer some of the best damage per second in the entire game. Akita leads due to its extreme fire rate and close-range pressure, while XR3 Ion and M34 Novalnv scale incredibly well with perks and Pack-a-Punch upgrades.

Akita (Unlocked at lvl. 40) 

Akita is the best weapon in Black Ops 7 zombies thanks to its overwhelming fire rate and unmatched close-range DPS. This full-auto shotgun fires faster than anything else in its class, letting you delete entire groups before they get close. Its base power is impressive, but once Pack-a-Punched, Akita becomes one of the highest-output weapons in the game.

When upgraded, its magazine jumps from 14 to a massive 42 rounds, giving it exceptional sustained fire. Double Tap pushes its RPM even higher, while Deadshot turns every well-placed pellet into a heavy crit. With the right attachments, its hip-fire becomes extremely tight, allowing full DPS while sprinting, sliding, or diving.

This weapon fills the same role as the Maelstrom from last year — a non-stop horde shredder that excels at farming points and clearing chokepoints. Even without a unique Pack-a-Punch ability, the combination of raw power, speed, and perk synergy makes Akita the top pick in the entire mode.

Recommended Akita Loadout (Zombies):

• Muzzle: Full Choke
• Barrel: Shortened Barrel
• Laser: Steady Aim Laser
• Stock: Light Stock
• Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip
• Fire Mods: Rapid Fire
• Magazine: Extended Mag

This setup pushes Akita’s fire rate and hip-fire accuracy even further, giving you the fastest possible crowd-clearing shotgun for high-round play. For all of the best guns in Black Ops 7 zombies it makes sense to install extended mags.

XR3 Ion (Unlocked at lvl. 43) 

XR3 Ion is one of the strongest gun in Black Ops 7 zombies when you get it Pack-a-Punched. This three-round-burst sniper hits far harder than anything in its category before perks, and the weapon scales incredibly well with Deadshot, Elemental Pop, and Double Tap. Its burst pattern delivers massive crit chains, letting it tear through elites and bosses with far fewer shots than most rifles. BLOG20

Once Pack-a-Punched, XR3 Ion gains a huge ammo increase and becomes the Pandemonium OG. While it doesn’t receive a special ability, the doubled magazine and extreme crit multiplier make it one of the most efficient boss killers in the entire game. When combined with Napalm Burst or Cryo Freeze, its DPS spikes even higher.

Recommended XR3 Ion Loadout (Zombies):

• Optic: Greaves Red Dot
• Barrel: Heavy Barrel
• Rear Grip: Accuracy Grip
• Comb: Accuracy Comb
• Fire Mods: FMJ Ammo

This setup improves precision, penetration, and burst stability, giving XR3 Ion the consistency it needs to dominate boss fights and long-range engagements.

M34 Novaline (Unlocked at lvl. 49) 

M34 Novalnv is a marksman rifle with excellent damage and smooth handling, offering a perfect balance of fire rate and stopping power. Its semi-auto style feels comfortable in early and mid-rounds, and once Pack-a-Punched, the weapon becomes the Desecrated Duelist with a drastically improved fire rate. This change lets it function like an AR-marksman hybrid that outputs consistent crit damage without long downtime between shots.

The improved handling makes it ideal for hitting weak points on elites and Zers Bears, and it maintains high lethality even without elemental procs. Double Tap pushes its RPM even higher, while Deadshot guarantees crit chains that keep its damage competitive into later rounds.

Recommended M34 Novalnv Loadout (Zombies):

• Optic: EMT3 Holo Mk.2
• Barrel: Long Barrel
• Rear Grip: Quickdraw Grip
• Comb: Stabilization Comb
• Fire Mods: High-Velocity Ammo

This loadout tightens recoil, boosts long-range damage, and makes the rifle’s high-speed Pack-a-Punch mode even more effective.

XM325 (Unlocked at lvl. 31)

XM325 is the best LMG is also one of the Black Ops 7 zombies best weapons thanks to its perfect blend of mobility, fire rate, and sustained damage. It handles more like a heavy assault rifle than a traditional LMG, letting you maintain pace with the horde instead of slowing down. Once Pack-a-Punched, it transforms into Epilates with a massive 120-round magazine and one of the highest sustained DPS values in the mode.

The weapon excels at holding chokepoints, clearing corridors, and deleting elite zombies with continuous fire. Its reload speed is manageable, and with Speed Cola and Double Tap, XM325 becomes one of the most reliable gun-round pushers available.

Recommended XM325 Loadout (Zombies):

• Muzzle: Suppressor
• Barrel: Bullet Velocity Barrel
• Optic: LTI Reflex
• Rear Grip: Stabilization Grip
• Underbarrel: Recoil Control Foregrip

These attachments stabilize long bursts and improve recoil control, allowing XM325 to maintain perfect crowd-clear pressure during high-round gameplay.

Peacekeeper Mark 1 (Unlocked at lvl. 52)

Peacekeeper Mark 1 is one of the cleanest and most consistent assault rifles in BO7 Zombies. Its fire rate sits among the fastest in the AR category, and its base accuracy makes it easy to control even without upgrades. Once Pack-a-Punched into Utu’s Petition, the rifle gains a large ammo increase and improved handling that make it effective in nearly every situation.

Its strength comes from reliability: strong crit damage, smooth recoil, fast ADS, and predictable patterns that scale extremely well with Deadshot and Double Tap. While it does not gain a unique Pack-a-Punch mechanic, its raw power and comfort make it one of the safest S-Tier picks.

Recommended Peacekeeper Mark 1 Loadout (Zombies):

• Muzzle: Muzzle Brake
• Barrel: Hybrid Barrel
• Optic: PrismaTech Digital Holo
• Rear Grip: Quickdraw Grip
• Fire Mods: High-Velocity Ammo

This setup pushes the rifle’s accuracy and versatility even further, making Peacekeeper Mark 1 a dependable all-rounder for any strategy.

VS Recon (Unlocked at lvl. 1) 

VS Recon delivers classic bolt-action sniper reliability with huge one-shot potential and excellent long-range precision. It performs well early, but once Pack-a-Punched into the VSera Reconfigurator, it becomes significantly stronger with a larger magazine and a notably tighter hip-fire spread. This lets you handle close-range emergencies more comfortably without relying on your scope.

Its high crit damage and strong synergy with Deadshot make it a standout sniper for elite clearing. While it doesn’t gain a unique mechanic, its control, power, and ammo efficiency keep it firmly in the S-Tier.

Recommended VS Recon Loadout (Zombies):

• Laser: Steady Aim Laser
• Barrel: Damage Barrel
• Optic: Bowen Pixel Reflex
• Rear Grip: Accuracy Grip
• Fire Mods: FMJ Ammo BLOG20

These attachments sharpen precision and boost damage penetration, letting VS Recon punch through elites with ease.

Echo 12 (Unlocked at lvl. 22)

Echo 12 is a burst-style shotgun that stands out for its unique firing pattern and strong horde control. Before Pack-a-Punch, it fires a two-burst shot that delivers heavy upfront damage. When upgraded into Day Jar Boom, the shotgun shifts into a four-burst firing pattern, dumping a massive amount of shells instantly and greatly increasing its DPS output.

It behaves similarly to the ASG-89 from BO6, offering tight hip-fire and excellent mobility when used in Tack Stance. With Double Tap and Deadshot, its burst volleys stun-lock groups of zombies and melt armored targets quickly.

Recommended Echo 12 Loadout (Zombies):

• Laser: STRELOK Laser
• Barrel: Long Barrel
• Stock: Tactical Spread Stock
• Underbarrel: Mobility Foregrip
• Fire Mods: Incendiary Ammo

This setup strengthens Echo 12’s burst stability, tightens hip-fire spread, and enhances its multi-pellet damage for close-range clearing.

Black Ops 7 Zombies Best Weapons Overall

Akita, XR3 Ion, and M34 Novalnv are the best guns to use in Black Ops 7 zombies. These three weapons deliver the strongest mix of raw damage, fire rate, ammo efficiency, and perk scaling, making them reliable in every part of Ashes of the Damned. Akita dominates close-quarters farming thanks to its blistering RPM, while XR3 Ion brings elite-level burst damage that outperforms nearly every other rifle in boss encounters. M34 Novalnv fills the flexible mid-range role with fast semi-auto pressure that becomes even stronger after Pack-a-Punch.

XM325 and Peacekeeper Mark 1 round out the top category by providing unmatched consistency. XM325 is the best crowd-clearing LMG due to its massive magazine and controllable recoil pattern, allowing you to hold long sightlines without losing mobility. Peacekeeper Mark 1 offers a clean, no-nonsense AR option with excellent perks scaling and smooth accuracy—making it one of the safest choices for any player, regardless of skill level or strategy.

VS Recon and Echo 12 finish the S-Tier as strong specialists. VS Recon brings huge precision damage with comfortable handling, scaling extremely well with Deadshot for late-round elite deletion. Echo 12 provides explosive close-range value thanks to its multi-burst Pack-a-Punch upgrade, delivering consistent high DPS in chokepoints and tight corridors. Together, these seven weapons give you complete coverage for early rounds, mid-game farming, and late-round survival, ensuring you always have the firepower needed to progress efficiently.

Best Lethals for Zombies in Black Ops 7

Throwing Axes are the strongest lethal in Zombies mode and outperform every other option by a wide margin. Their ability to one-shot kill standard zombies on any wave makes them invaluable when your gun runs dry or you get trapped while moving between objectives. Because they’re fully retrievable, you effectively gain an infinite lethal that resets instantly after every throw, giving you a reliable escape tool at all times.

Frag Grenades remain a flexible secondary pick thanks to their large explosion radius and consistent damage when cooked correctly. Sticky Grenades are great for armored targets since they adhere directly to larger zombies and deliver burst damage to everything around them. Impact Grenades offer immediate detonation for emergency clearing, while Blast Traps provide strong defensive value when retreating through tight corridors.

However, none of these match the life-saving utility of Throwing Axes. Their guaranteed kill, instant reuse, and zero resource cost give you unmatched consistency in high-round survival, making them the clear best lethal for Ashes of the Damned.

What Weapon Type to Choose in BO7 Zombies

Every weapon type can work in Zombies mode, but some categories perform far better once you factor in Pack-a-Punch upgrades, perk synergy, and how the horde behaves on Ashes of the Damned. Shotguns and high-RPM hybrids remain the strongest overall because they excel in the close-quarters combat that defines most routes through the map. Akita and Echo 12 dominate here, with extreme fire rate and tight hip-fire letting you clear crowds before they overwhelm you.

Conclusion

This tier list gives you a clear path to the strongest weapons in Black Ops 7 Zombies and helps you avoid guns that fall off before high rounds. The top performers stand out because they scale cleanly with Pack-a-Punch, perks, and attachments, giving you reliable answers for every stage of Ashes of the Damned. Akita remains the best for nonstop crowd clearing, XR3 Ion and M34 Novalnv excel at elite and boss damage, and XM325, Peacekeeper Mark 1, VS Recon, and Echo 12 round out the most dependable options for long matches. With these weapons equipped and the right perks behind them, you’ll always have enough firepower to push through objectives, survive tight moments, and maintain strong momentum across every run.

F.A.Q.