Submachine Guns are versatile and excel in tight spaces. These Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War staples provide better mobility compared to other primary weapon classes.
SMGs are ideal for close-quarter flanks and small maps thanks to their high-fire rate. This point-blank range advantage comes at the cost of high recoil and less range. Customize your favorite SMG with attachments best suited to your playstyle to lessen their weaknesses.
Let’s explore tips, tactics, and stats for every SMG prior to season one:
MP5
This is a full-auto submachine gun that unlocks at level 4. It has a fast fire rate and manageable recoil. Many consider the MP5 to be the best SMG, and one of the best weapons in the game. It’s also flexible. Players can customize it into either a stealth gun or a hip-fire machine that kills in as little as seven shots.
For a deep dive on the MP5, check out this video by Drift0r.
Milano 821
The Milano 821 is a full-auto gun that unlocks at level 13. This weapon is similar to the AK-74u. It has a low fire rate (slow bullet velocity) and high recoil. While this weapon isn’t anywhere close to the best in the game, its hip-fire capabilities make it truly something special.
Here’s Drift0r again with the skinny on this weapon.
AK-74u
This full-auto gun unlocks at Level 19. The AK-74u was one of the best in the beta. It has decent mobility and fire rate without a ton of recoil. Expect high-damage at close range. The weapon’s greatest strength is its bullet velocity, which is exceptionally high for an SMG.
Here’s Drif0r’s take with tips:
KSP 45
The KSP 45 unlocks at level 37 and is the only SMG in the game that isn’t fully auto (3 round burst). For an SMG, it doesn’t have bad range and deals a lot of damage.
The KSP isn’t the most popular SMG, but it’s underrated mostly due to how powerful it is when compared to other guns in its class. It’s also one of those weapons that isn’t as intuitive as others. Take some time to adjust because the payoff is worth it.
In this video, Drift0r takes you through the ins and outs of this high-powered SMG.
Bullfrog
The Bullfrog is a fully-auto weapon that unlocks at level 43. The final unlockable SMG features high damage, more range than the rest of its class, and a large ammo pool. It’s not great with hip-fire accuracy, but there are other weapons for that.
It has above-average iron sights and low recoil. The Bullfrog doesn’t have the highest bullet velocity, but that can be fixed with the right attachment. All in all, it’s a consistent weapon.
For an in-depth look at all of the Bullfrog's strengths and weaknesses, check out Drift0r's video.
Image Source: Activision