Battlefield 6: Shotgun Tier List

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Okay, so in Battlefield 6, if I’m clearing buildings or fighting in close quarters, I always reach for a shotgun. Seriously, one solid hit to the chest and they’re gone – straight back to the respawn. And honestly, the shotguns in this game have surprisingly good range, so I can actually get a lot of kills with them, even at a bit of a distance.

While Battlefield 6 doesn’t have as many shotguns as other weapon types, the ones available are all solid choices. They each handle and perform quite differently, so this guide will break down the pros and cons of each shotgun to help you find the best fit for your playstyle.

Best Shotguns in BF6

  1. M1014
  2. M87A1
  3. 18.5K-SK

We think the M1014 is the best shotgun in the game because of its fast firing speed and a few key attachments. While it’s not quite as fast as the 18.5KS-K or as powerful at long range as the M87A1, we found it to be the most reliable choice for close to medium-range combat on most maps in BF6.

Each shotgun has several key details players will find helpful, so we’ve organized them into separate sections below.

M1014

  • One-hit-kill up to 8m; two-hit-kill up to 15m (25 with slugs)

The M1014 is a semi-automatic shotgun that quickly fires shells. It can deal up to 115 damage with buckshot at extremely close range, firing around 200 rounds per minute. It’s most effective at distances of 0 to 8 meters, where a good shot to the chest will quickly eliminate an opponent.

The M1014 isn’t quite as powerful as the M87A1, but it’s still dependable at typical shotgun ranges. What really sets it apart, though, is that it’s much easier to use – if you miss a shot, you can quickly fire again without much delay.

Okay, so the M1014 is my go-to shotgun, and there’s a couple of attachments that really make it shine. First, the Slug ammo is a game changer – it boosts my reliable one-hit-kill range to about 8 meters, and I can even get consistent kills out to 25 meters! But the real secret weapon is the 4-Shell Tube. It does limit how much ammo I can carry, but it lets me cancel the reload animation instantly. Seriously, it’s amazing. I can switch to my sidearm or just keep firing much faster, letting me handle multiple enemies without getting caught reloading. I’m not even sure if that’s how it’s supposed to work, but if it gets patched, I’ll just switch back to the standard 6-Shell Tube.

Because this shotgun isn’t very effective at long distances, it works best as a backup weapon for the Assault class in BF6. You’ll carry less ammo overall, but the M1014’s added flexibility is worth it.

Slug rounds are quite slow, making it difficult to accurately hit targets that are moving.

M87A1

  • One-hit-kill up to 15m; two-hit-kill up to 25m

The M87A1 is your initial shotgun, and it performs exactly how you’d expect a pump-action shotgun to. It can kill enemies in one hit from up to 15 meters, and reliably in two hits from up to 25 meters using standard buckshot. It’s a solid, dependable weapon, but its slow rate of fire means missing your first shot can put you at a significant disadvantage.

Using Slugs with the M87A1 doesn’t significantly change its overall range, but it does perform better at around 35 meters. Unless you’re planning to add a scope and use it for long-range shots, we suggest avoiding Slugs and instead focusing on getting better at hipfire or aiming down sights (ADS) quickly. Buckshot is perfectly effective at close range, and Flechette rounds can be useful when facing multiple opponents.

Lasers can help keep your shots tighter when firing without aiming down sights, potentially making them better than attachments focused on aiming speed. However, aiming down sights achieves a similar effect without the risk of being seen when using a laser. Ultimately, the best choice depends on how you like to play.

Flashlights are really useful with shotguns. They can disorient opponents, and surprisingly, they also help you regain control faster when shooting without aiming down the sights.

18.5KS-K

  • No 1HK range; two-hit-kill at 15m

The 18.5KS-K is a unique weapon. Unlike shotguns, it won’t instantly kill an enemy, no matter how close you are (except when using Slugs and landing headshots from within 10 meters). It fires very quickly – faster than any other weapon of its type – and uses a magazine, so you always get a full reload.

We ranked the 18.5KS-K last because it can’t instantly eliminate opponents with a single shot. While it does technically kill faster than the M1014 and holds more ammo, its slow time-to-kill (0.26 seconds) makes it less effective. At that point, an SMG like the SCW-10 is a better choice. The good thing about this shotgun is its high fire rate of 300 RPM, which makes it the most user-friendly of the shotguns we tested.

Honestly, adding attachments doesn’t really help the 18.5KS-K shine. It can’t use bigger magazines, and nothing really boosts its damage except for those Slug rounds we talked about. If they ever added something like Incendiary Ammo, or even those Fragmentation Rounds from Battlefield 3, then maybe it would be a better pick than other weapons. But right now, I think it’s just sitting on the back burner for me.

The 18.5K-SK performs well in RedSec Battle Royale due to its high damage output and efficient use of ammunition. However, the M1014 is still a better choice for extremely close-range combat.

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2025-11-10 19:05