In the weapon meta for multiplayer, each of Vanguard’s five handguns has its own mixture of negative and positive characteristics. Since none of Call of Duty: Vanguard’s operators have a secondary as their favorite weapon, this aspect doesn’t help make a decision. Of course, much of what players will be looking for from a secondary weapon is up to personal preference, though there are some that are stronger. The hard work comes in balancing where personal preference overrides the clear advantage one handgun has over another. Call of Duty: Vanguard offers a lot of diversity in choice, so players should be able to find the right sidearm for them.
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C Tier: Top Break
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Top Break pistol is the game’s only revolver handgun, and as such, it sports the lowest magazine capacity of all of the handguns in the game. The Top Break is a six-shooter, however, that makes up for its low magazine capacity with bucketloads of firepower. It is Vanguard’s most powerful handgun, which is a plus, although this does come with some severe reductions in mobility while equipped. For this reason, along with its low magazine capacity, it’s difficult to place the Top Break ahead of any of Vanguard’s other handguns, leaving it at C tier without any additional attachments.
B Tier: Klauser
As is the case with the Top Break, Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Klauser is also one of the game’s heavier handguns, packing quite the punch in gunfights. As a result of this, the Klauser faces similar issues to the Top Break as far as its mobility is concerned, although this issue isn’t as severe in the case of the Klauser.
This makes the handgun much more manageable, which is appreciated in a sidearm. It also has a handy eight-round mag, which puts it firmly on par with some of the other handguns in the game. However, for the reason that it is still rather slow in-hand, and with just slightly more firepower than the 1911, it cannot compare with some of the faster-firing and best weapons in Call of Duty: Vanguard.
A Tier: Machine Pistol
Moving on to A tier is Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Machine Pistol, which is the game’s only fully automatic handgun, and is perhaps better served compared to some of Call of Duty: Vanguard’s SMGs. This feature is definitely one that makes the weapon stand out, and it means that it will in some way appeal to almost all Vanguard players.
The issue is that many players will find that it isn’t of much practical use to them, or that they much prefer having a different option. The Machine Pistol is fairly difficult to use as a result of its low accuracy, and while it has the highest magazine capacity of all handguns at 10, players will blast through this in no time. Simply put, the Machine Pistol’s uniqueness means that it will appeal to many players, but without attachments, it is a very difficult weapon to use.
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S Tier: Ratt and 1911
For S Tier, it’s very difficult to choose between the two remaining handguns, and so it ultimately will come down to personal preference. The first option is Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Ratt, which is the first unlocked handgun in the game, and also the fastest-firing. Were it a Borderlands weapon, it would carry the tag of “fires as fast as you can pull the trigger,” which is a useful advantage to have in a gunfight. It also has a magazine capacity of nine, which is second only to the Machine Pistol, and with much more recoil control, running out of bullets shouldn’t be as much of an issue.
The second option is Call of Duty: Vanguard’s 1911 handgun, which, like the Ratt has a fast fire rate, albeit not quite as fast. This, however, sees the 1911 elevated above the Ratt in the areas of firepower and accuracy. Vanguard’s 1911 is a great option not only in last-ditch situations where a faster fire rate is more useful, but also in medium-range battles where a steady hand and more powerful shots are more of a convenience. Overall, the 1911 is a more versatile weapon than the Ratt, but for players who want a fast-firing semi-automatic pistol, the Ratt is as fast-firing as players can get.
The order of this list may be rearranged if players were to dip into Call of Duty: Vanguard’s gunsmith and play around with attachments. In particular, the Top Break may be bumped up a couple of categories with the attachments of Akimbo and M15 Shot Shell. These make the gun more like a shotgun, and completely change its feel in-game. While perhaps not to the same extent, players may find the same with other weapons on this list.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is out now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, and PS5.
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