Best ARC Raiders Guns (TIER List) – SMGs, Pistol, Rifle & More

Most ARC Raiders gun lists get messy fast. Some still lean on old Hullcracker hype. Some call Anvil a Pistol. Some throw Assault Rifles, Battle Rifles, and Sniper Rifles into one fake Rifle category. This guide fixes that with a current, class-correct tier list built on the live roster.

This is for players who want to know which guns are actually worth crafting, looting, or risking in live raids. It answers one question only: what are the best ARC Raiders guns right now. It does not cover attachments, augments, shields, or map-specific farming routes.

ARC Raiders Decision Forks

• If your fights are mostly against players: start with Best ARC Raiders Assault Rifles, Best ARC Raiders SMGs, and Best ARC Raiders Hand Cannons.
• If your fights are mostly against ARC: start with Best ARC Raiders Battle Rifles, Best ARC Raiders Hand Cannons, and Best ARC Raiders Specials.
• If you only want the safest all-round answer: jump to ARC Raiders Pick Guide.
• If you searched for the best ARC Raiders rifle: go to Best ARC Raiders Battle Rifles and Best ARC Raiders Sniper Rifles. The game does not use one generic Rifle class.

ARC Raiders Method

The class names in this article follow the current ARC Raiders weapons page. That means Hand Cannons stays separate from Pistols, and there is no single Rifle class.

The tier order is anchored to a current post-1.17.0 meta guide, then cleaned up against the live class structure. Aphelion keeps an uncertainty note because its current public stat line is marked as estimated on the current wiki page.

ARC Raiders Tier List

These are the current overall tiers. They weigh PvP, PvE, affordability, and risk. In ARC Raiders, a weapon can have strong numbers and still rank lower if its real raid value is hard to justify.

Best ARC Raiders Assault Rifles

Assault Rifles are where price and payoff split the hardest. Kettle remains the safest answer because it is common, cheap, and still S-tier after repeated nerfs. Tempest is the stronger premium follow-up when you can justify the extra risk.

Bettina is the important nuance pick. Its overall tier is only B, but official and developer commentary says its PvE output has stayed exceptionally strong. Arpeggio and Rattler are usable, but not first-pick material right now.

1. Pick Kettle first if you want the best overall assault rifle.
2. Pick Tempest second if you want a stronger premium AR and can absorb the higher loss risk.
3. Pick Bettina when your priority is ARC damage and you are comfortable with its weaker overall value.
4. Leave Arpeggio and Rattler as fallback choices, not priority crafts.

Best ARC Raiders Battle Rifles

Battle Rifles are the cleanest high-confidence class in the current meta. Ferro is the best value gun in the game. Renegade is the better medium-range follow-up if you want more flexibility.

Aphelion is the special case. Patch 1.17.0 made it much easier to handle, but it still carries legendary cost pressure, and its public stat line is marked as approximate.

1. Pick Ferro first if you want the best ARC Raiders battle rifle.
2. Pick Renegade if you want a higher-tier battle rifle with a strong PvE profile.
3. Pick Aphelion if you want a buffed legendary battle rifle and you are fine with the price and uncertainty.

Best ARC Raiders SMGs

SMGs stay simple right now. Stitcher is still the class leader even after the 1.17.0 nerfs. Bobcat can feel strong, but its price makes it harder to recommend as a first craft or first risk.

1. Pick Stitcher if your raids are decided by close-range player fights.
2. Pick Bobcat only when you already have the economy to support a pricier SMG.
3. Move out of SMGs if you need reliable ARC armor pressure more than close-range shred.

Best ARC Raiders Pistols

Burletta is the best pure Pistol answer right now. Venator used to sit much higher in stale lists, but multiple nerfs pulled it back into the middle. Hairpin remains the weakest overall combat pick.

1. Pick Burletta first if you want the best ARC Raiders pistol.
2. Pick Venator only if you already have it and like its semi-auto pace after the nerfs.
3. Avoid Hairpin unless your whole run leans on stealth and not direct fights.

Best ARC Raiders Hand Cannons

Anvil deserves its own section because it is not a Pistol in the current class structure. It sits under Hand Cannons, and it is one of the strongest weapons in the game.

1. Pick Anvil if you want the best sidearm in ARC Raiders.
2. Pair Anvil with Kettle when you expect player pressure.
3. Pair Anvil with Ferro when you want stronger ARC coverage.

Best ARC Raiders Shotguns

Shotguns are still high-risk, high-reward picks. Il Toro is the better general recommendation. Vulcano can hit harder in the right room, but it stays more niche when risk and versatility matter.

1. Pick Il Toro if you want the best current shotgun.
2. Pick Vulcano when you know the raid will reward tight indoor fights.
3. Skip both if you need range, ARC armor pressure, or safer general use.

Best ARC Raiders Sniper Rifles

Jupiter is the best sniper rifle if you can justify a legendary slot. Patch 1.17.0 improved its handling, and it keeps huge headshot threat. Osprey is easier to access, but it does not pay off enough to climb higher.

1. Pick Jupiter if you want the best ARC Raiders sniper rifle.
2. Pick Osprey only when you need a budget sniper and do not have better long-range options ready.
3. Default back to Ferro if your real goal is efficient long-range value.

Best ARC Raiders Specials

Specials are where stale launch-era advice causes the most confusion. Equalizer is still strong and lands in A-tier. Hullcracker is no longer a universal monster after the 1.3.0 explosive rebalance.

1. Pick Equalizer if you want the best Special weapon.
2. Treat Hullcracker as a specialized ARC tool, not a general top-tier gun.
3. Go back to Battle Rifles or Hand Cannons if you want the safer answer for most raids.

ARC Raiders Pick Guide

If you do not want to memorize the whole board, use these pairings. They match the current tier list without pretending every raid needs a legendary weapon.

1. Run Kettle plus Anvil for the safest all-round loadout.
2. Run Ferro plus Anvil for the safest ARC-focused loadout.
3. Run Stitcher plus Anvil if your raids collapse into close-range player fights.
4. Run Ferro plus Burletta when you want a cheaper long-range setup.

ARC Raiders FAQs