Getting outgunned in a Raider-versus-Raider fight usually comes down to one thing.
Wrong weapon for the range you got caught at.
Arc Raiders PvP rewards players who match their loadout to how a fight is actually going to play out, not just whichever gun feels strongest in isolation.
This tier list breaks down the current PvP weapon pool as of Live Update 1.39.0, organized by tier, engagement range, and what it actually costs to keep a weapon running.
Table of Contents
Current Meta Snapshot
Live Update 1.39.0 landed on July 28 and it did not touch a single weapon stat.
According to the official Arc Raiders patch notes, the last update to actually move a weapon number was 1.29.0 back on May 19, which bumped Bettina’s base fire rate from 235 to 250 and adjusted durability on several other weapons that had been breaking too fast.
That matters because a lot of PvP guides floating around right now were written before that patch.
Several still describe Bettina as recently nerfed, when the current live version of the game has it firing faster than it did in April.
If a source you’re reading talks about Il Toro or Bettina changes without citing a date past May 19, treat it as outdated.
The same May patch also reworked the Extended Barrel mod into three tiers, with the top tier bumping bullet velocity bonus from 25 to 30 percent and extending damage fall-off distance by 15 percent.
That’s a real upgrade for anyone running Renegade, Osprey, or another range-focused weapon, and it’s worth prioritizing on a long-range loadout over other mod slots if the option is available.
S-Tier PvP Weapons
Venator. A semi-automatic pistol running on medium ammo, Venator hits for 16 damage at a 36.7 fire rate with a 48.4 range rating.
That combination of fast follow-up shots and solid range makes it one of the few sidearms that can carry a fight on its own instead of just finishing one.
Bettina. Heavy ammo, fully automatic, and now faster than it’s ever been after the May fire rate buff.
Bettina rewards players who can hold a target through recoil, and its heavy ammo type gives it strong penetration on top of the raw damage output.
Il Toro. The harder-hitting of the two shotguns at 67.5 damage per shot, Il Toro’s pump-action reload is the tradeoff for that damage.
In the hands of a player who peaks a corner, fires, and ducks back before the return shot lands, it closes fights in one or two hits.
A-Tier PvP Weapons
Tempest. According to TheGamer’s PvP weapon breakdown, Tempest is widely considered the strongest assault rifle in the current game, and its stat line backs that up.
A 36.7 fire rate on medium ammo gives it a middle ground between Bettina’s heavy hits and the faster, lighter SMG class.
Vulcano. The second shotgun trades Il Toro’s per-shot damage for a semi-automatic fire rate, letting a player fire, adjust, and fire again without racking a pump.
In a straight door-to-door duel, that speed often wins over raw stopping power.
Renegade. This lever-action battle rifle hits for 35 damage at a 68.8 range rating, which is longer than most assault rifles and every SMG in the game.
It’s the pick for players who want rifle-level range without committing to a bolt-action sniper’s slower cycle time.
Anvil. The lone hand cannon in the current roster, Anvil pairs 40 damage with a 50.2 range rating on a single-action trigger.
It hits nearly as hard as a shotgun at a range no shotgun can touch.
B-Tier and Situational Picks
Bobcat and Stitcher are both light-ammo SMGs built for speed over stopping power.
Bobcat’s 66.7 fire rate is the fastest in the game, which makes it excellent for close-range spray but weak once a fight extends past its 44 range rating.
Canto sits in a similar role on medium ammo with a longer 51 range.
Osprey and Jupiter cover the sniper role, with Osprey’s 80.3 range topping the standard weapon list and Jupiter close behind at 71.7 on a harder-hitting energy round.
Both reward positioning over reaction speed and struggle if a fight closes to short range before the first shot lands.
Hullcracker and Rascal exist primarily to deal with ARC, not other Raiders.
Their launcher ammo type and slow reload cycle make them a liability in a straight PvP duel, even though Hullcracker’s 100 damage looks impressive on paper.
Equalizer falls into the same trap. Its 33.3 fire rate and 68.6 range look strong on a spec sheet, but its energy ammo type and low per-shot damage mean it rarely closes a fight before an opponent does.
Ferro rounds out the battle rifle class alongside Renegade and Aphelion.
Its 40 damage per shot is the highest of any non-launcher weapon, but a 6.6 fire rate and break-action reload mean a missed shot is often the last mistake a Raider gets to make in that fight.
It rewards patient, single-target play over anything close to a duel.
Rattler and Arpeggio fill out the assault rifle class below Bettina and Tempest.
Rattler runs medium ammo on a fully automatic trigger with a 56.2 range rating, making it a workable stand-in for Tempest before that weapon is unlocked or upgraded.
Arpeggio’s 3-round burst trades sustained fire for accuracy, landing 9.5 damage per burst component at a 55.9 range that matches Tempest almost exactly.
Kettle sits at the entry level of the assault rifle class on light ammo, and it is one of the first weapons most Raiders get their hands on.
It won’t win a fight against Bettina or Tempest at equal skill, but its 42.8 range and 30 fire rate make it a reasonable stopgap while better weapons get unlocked.
Hairpin is the weakest pistol in the current roster. A 9 fire rate on a slide-action trigger puts it well behind Venator and Burletta for anything beyond an emergency backup.
Burletta itself is a lighter alternative to Venator, running the same light ammo class as Hairpin but with a faster 28 fire rate and a 41.7 range that make it a genuinely serviceable secondary while a Raider saves materials for something stronger.
Torrente is the sole LMG in the game, built around a 58.3 fire rate on medium ammo with a 49.9 range.
It suits players who want to hold a lane and keep pressure on a doorway rather than duel in the open, though its handling makes it a poor fit for the fast peek-and-reposition style that wins most Arc Raiders PvP fights.
Dolabra is the odd one out in the shotgun class. Instead of a fixed damage number, it deals a charge-dependent 50 or 40 damage and can reach an 80 range at full charge on its energy-based ammo, according to the Arc Raiders Wiki.
That makes it closer to a long-range burst weapon wearing a shotgun’s classification than a true close-range option like Il Toro or Vulcano.
Best Weapons by Engagement Range
Range is the single biggest factor in whether a weapon performs in a given fight.
Here’s how the current roster breaks down by the Arc Raiders Wiki’s listed range stat.
| Range Band | Weapons | Range Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Close (under 30) | Il Toro, Vulcano | 20 to 26 |
| Mid (30 to 55) | Stitcher, Bobcat, Burletta, Kettle, Venator, Anvil, Torrente, Bettina, Canto, Tempest, Arpeggio | 41.7 to 55.9 |
| Long (55 and up) | Rattler, Ferro, Renegade, Equalizer, Jupiter, Aphelion, Osprey, Dolabra | 56.2 to 80.3 |
A useful pattern here.
Most of the true meta picks, Venator, Bettina, Tempest, sit in that mid-range band, which is exactly why they show up in so many fights.
Weapons at the extreme ends of the range chart are more situational and reward specific playstyles rather than all-around use.
Weapon Investment: What’s Worth Upgrading
Every weapon except Legendary rarity can be upgraded up to three times through the Gunsmith using materials found Topside or bought from Traders, according to the Arc Raiders Wiki.
That upgrade path is where a lot of the mid-tier weapons close the gap on paper-stronger options.
Aphelion, Jupiter, Equalizer, and Dolabra are the current Legendary weapons, and none of them can be upgraded at all.
That cuts out the material cost of investing in them, but it also means their stats are locked the moment a Raider picks one up.
If a fight comes down to a Legendary weapon against an upgraded Epic or Rare weapon, the upgraded gun may well have closed the stat gap entirely.
For Raiders still building up materials, Kettle, Stitcher, Hairpin, and Burletta are the more accessible starting points.
None of them will out-damage Bettina or Il Toro at base stats, but they hold their own in close and mid-range fights while a stash of upgrade materials builds up.
Weapon Matchups: What Beats What
A shotgun rush only works if the shotgun player can close to inside 20 to 26 range.
Holding that distance with a fast mid-range weapon like Bettina or Tempest, especially from a doorway or hard corner, removes the shotgun’s entire advantage before it becomes relevant.
Bolt-action snipers like Osprey punish players who push in a straight line across open ground, but they lose almost all their value once a fight closes inside 30 range.
If a Raider spots a sniper, closing distance fast with an SMG like Bobcat or Stitcher takes away their reaction window.
Against a Venator or Bettina user at mid-range, a Renegade or Anvil trades range and per-shot damage for a slower fire rate.
Neither wins a pure DPS race, but both can end a fight in fewer hits if the shots land.
Two hand cannon or bolt-action users trading shots at range comes down almost entirely to positioning and cover discipline rather than gun choice, since both Anvil and Osprey punish a missed shot with a long recovery window.
In that matchup, whoever breaks line of sight to reload or reposition first usually loses the exchange.
Key Takeaways
- No weapon stat has changed since Live Update 1.29.0 on May 19. Live Update 1.39.0 only touched matchmaking.
- Bettina’s fire rate went up, not down, in the last balance patch. Guides describing a recent nerf are out of date.
- Venator, Bettina, and Il Toro are the current S-tier picks across pistol, assault rifle, and shotgun classes.
- Most viable PvP weapons sit in the 41.7 to 55.9 mid-range band, which is why they show up in the widest variety of fights.
- Legendary weapons cannot be upgraded, so an upgraded lower-rarity weapon can close the stat gap over time.
FAQ
What is the best PvP weapon in Arc Raiders right now?
The Venator pistol and Bettina assault rifle are the two most consistent PvP picks in the current patch. Venator pairs a fast semi-automatic fire rate with solid mid-range accuracy, while Bettina’s fire rate was pushed from 235 to 250 in Live Update 1.29.0, making it hit harder per second than before.
Did Bettina get nerfed in Arc Raiders?
No, not in the current patch. Live Update 1.29.0 actually increased Bettina’s base fire rate from 235 to 250. Some older guides still describe it as recently nerfed, but that information predates the buff.
Has the Arc Raiders PvP meta changed since Live Update 1.39.0?
No weapon, augment, or shield stat changed in Live Update 1.39.0. The patch focused on matchmaking, specifically removing the penalty for defensive PvP. The last update to touch weapon numbers was 1.29.0 on May 19.
What is the best shotgun for PvP in Arc Raiders?
Il Toro and Vulcano are the only two shotguns in the game. Il Toro hits harder per shot with a pump-action reload, while Vulcano trades some damage for a semi-automatic fire rate, making it easier to land follow-up shots in close-range fights.
What is the longest range weapon in Arc Raiders?
Osprey, a bolt-action sniper rifle, has the longest confirmed range at 80.3 among standard weapons, with Dolabra reaching a similar distance at full charge. Aphelion follows closely with a 76 range rating.
Is the Renegade good for PvP?
Renegade is a lever-action battle rifle with high per-shot damage and a 68.8 range rating, which makes it a strong pick for players who want to deal damage at range without committing to a bolt-action sniper’s slower follow-up shots.
What is the best budget PvP weapon in Arc Raiders?
Kettle, Stitcher, Hairpin, and Burletta are among the more accessible weapons to unlock and repair early on. They will not out-damage top-tier picks like Bettina or Il Toro, but they stay viable in close and mid-range fights while a Raider builds up materials for higher-tier gear.
Can Legendary weapons be upgraded in Arc Raiders?
No. Legendary weapons, including Aphelion, Jupiter, Equalizer, and Dolabra, cannot be upgraded through the Gunsmith. Their stats stay fixed from the moment a Raider acquires them, which removes a resource sink but also caps how much they can scale.
What weapon counters a shotgun rush in Arc Raiders?
Fast time-to-kill mid-range weapons like Bettina or Tempest can punish a shotgun player before they close the distance, since both shotguns require getting inside 20 to 26 range to be effective. Holding a doorway or corner with an automatic weapon removes the shotgun’s main advantage.
How many weapons are in Arc Raiders?
The current weapon roster spans ten classes, assault rifles, battle rifles, SMGs, shotguns, pistols, hand cannons, LMGs, sniper rifles, and specials, with 24 individual weapons total according to the Arc Raiders Wiki.
