Fortnite Guns: Best Weapons & Tier List (Chapter 7)

Ever grabbed a grey Assault Rifle off the first floor loot and wondered if you’d be better off just hiding until you find something gold? Fortnite’s arsenal is larger and more seasonal than ever, with Chapter 7 Season 3 pushing in four entirely new weapons and shaking up the tier list.

Total weapons in Fortnite: over 100 (including all rarities and variants) · Weapon rarities: 5: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary · New weapons added in Chapter 7 Season 3: several including the Chaos Reloader shotgun and Thunderburst SMG · Most used weapon class: Assault Rifles · Rarest weapon type: Mythic variants (event-exclusive) · Deadliest weapon per base damage: Reaper Sniper (195 damage headshot)

Here are the essential numbers that define the current weapon ecosystem.

What are the best guns in Fortnite?

Six broad weapon classes make up the Fortnite arsenal—Assault Rifles, Shotguns, SMGs, Snipers, Pistols, and Explosives—and each season, a handful of guns rise to the top. The best weapons in Chapter 7 Season 3 are defined by consistency across multiple expert tier lists and real in‑match performance data.

Top Tier Weapons – Chapter 7 Season 2 Tier List

• Striker Pump Shotgun – Rated S‑tier by both Hotspawn and Neon Lights Media, this shotgun is widely considered the most reliable close‑range option this season.
• Chaos Exploder Rifle – A new explosive AR that Games.gg and others crown as one of the most impactful guns in the current loot pool.
• Flex SMG – Consistently lands in S‑tier across publications; its fire rate and magazine capacity outclass the returning Stinger SMG.

Best Assault Rifles in the Current Meta

• Surgical Burst Rifle – Hotspawn calls this burst AR “really, really good,” ranking it A‑tier but noting the Chaos Exploder outperforms it (Hotspawn).
• Deadeye Assault Rifle – PC Gamer named this the top overall weapon in its Chapter 7 guide, edging out the M16 and AK‑47 variants for all‑round performance.
• Legendary Tactical Assault Rifle – Fortnite.gg’s live comparison shows this weapon deals 156.6 DPS with 27 damage per shot (Fortnite.GG).

Best Shotguns and SMGs for Close Quarters

• Chaos Reloader Shotgun – Rated A‑tier by Neon Lights Media, this gun reloads fast and can eliminate in one shot at point‑blank range.
• Maven Auto Shotgun – Placed in the lowest tier by Hotspawn, which states newer shotguns “massively out‑do it.”
• Flex SMG – Beats the Stinger SMG in fire rate and recoil control; the Stinger is described as “a slightly worse SMG” (Hotspawn).

Best Snipers and Explosives

• Hunting Rifle – Praised as a “great OG Fortnite weapon” and placed in A‑tier, though heavy competition from the Reaper Sniper keeps it from S‑tier (Hotspawn).
• Rocket Launcher – Remains the top area‑denial explosive for structure destruction and crowd control.

“The Maven Auto Shotgun is now borderline worthless; newer shotguns massively out‑do it.” — Hotspawn

What is the deadliest weapon in Fortnite?

When players ask about the “deadliest weapon,” they usually mean one of two things: the highest damage per single shot, or the fastest time‑to‑kill at a given range. The answers are different.

One-Shot Potential: Sniper Rifles and Explosives

• Reaper Sniper – Base damage of 195, headshots exceeding 390; this is currently the highest single‑shot damage in the game (Hotspawn).
• Chaos Reloader – At close range, this shotgun can one‑shot an enemy with full shields.
• Rocket Launcher – Deals area damage that can one‑shot multiple players if they’re grouped.

Highest Damage Per Shot and Per Second

• John Wick’s sidearm – Magazine of 21 rounds; after emptying it, you can throw the pistol for 35 damage (GameSpot).
• Legendary Tactical Assault Rifle – 156.6 DPS at 27 damage per shot (Fortnite.GG).

Comparing the Reaper Sniper and the Chaos Reloader

The Reaper Sniper wins for raw single‑shot lethality but demands precision and a long sightline. The Chaos Reloader delivers more consistent kill potential in chaotic close‑range fights. GameSpot notes the Chaos Reloader’s fast reload cycle makes it one of the most forgiving shotguns to miss with.

“John Wick’s sidearm has a 21‑round magazine and can be thrown for 35 damage when empty.” — GameSpot

What are the new guns in Fortnite?

Epic Games refreshes the loot pool with every new season, and Chapter 7 Season 3 is no exception. GameSpot confirmed that four completely new weapons joined the pool, alongside several returning classics.

The following table summarizes the newest additions to the loot pool.

Returning Weapons This Season

• Maven Auto Shotgun (lowest tier, rarely worth carrying)
• Striker Pump Shotgun (S‑tier meta)
• Ranger Pistol (S‑tier per Hotspawn)
• Stinger SMG (B‑tier, outclassed by Flex SMG)
• Hunting Rifle (A‑tier)

Community Reception to the Latest Arsenal

Reception is split: the Chaos Exploder and Striker Pump are universally praised, while the Extending Focus Shotgun and Maven Auto Shotgun have been called “underwhelming” by Hotspawn and others.

What is Fortnite’s rarest gun?

The rarest weapons in Fortnite are not necessarily the strongest—they’re the ones you can’t find unless you complete a specific challenge, kill a boss, or land during a limited event.

Mythic and Exotic Weapon Rarities

According to Epic Games Developer Documentation, Mythic weapons are indicated with six stars and are the highest standard rarity in Battle Royale. Legendary weapons have five stars. The rarity order—Common (grey), Uncommon (green), Rare (blue), Epic (purple), Legendary (gold), Mythic (orange/gold with six stars)—is documented by the Fortnite Wiki.

Limited-Time Event Weapons

• Infinity Blade – Previously vaulted; one of the rarest items ever.
• Seasonal Mythic variants – Only available during specific seasons; once vaulted, they’re gone.
• Boss‑drop weapons – Each season, specific NPCs drop unique Mythics that are the hardest to obtain.

How to Obtain the Rarest Guns

• Defeat the seasonal boss NPC.
• Find the Mythic chest in the vault of a boss POI.
• Complete in‑match challenges (if available that season).
• Trade or purchase from NPCs in some modes.

What’s the most common gun in Fortnite?

Epic Games designs floor loot and chest loot so that every player can find a weapon within seconds of landing. That means Common‑rarity guns are abundant.

Common Rarity Weapon Drop Rates

Data from Fortnite.GG indicates that Common and Uncommon weapons appear in more than half of floor loot spawns. The most common gun overall is the M16‑style Assault Rifle in its Common (grey) variant.

Starter Weapons: Pistols and Common Assault Rifles

• Pistol (Common) – The most frequent spawn in any POI.
• Assault Rifle (Common) – The grey M16 is the default weapon you’ll encounter most often.
• SMG (Common) – Regular early‑game spawn, though outclassed by green or blue variants.

Floor Loot vs. Chest Loot Distribution

Chests guarantee a weapon with a minimum rarity of Uncommon, but floor loot can spawn any rarity including grey. For players aiming for better gear, opening chests and supply drones is far more efficient than picking up floor drops.

Fortnite Gun Timeline

• 2023: Epic Games documents the modern weapon rarity system, noting Mythic with six stars and Legendary with five, in its official primer (Epic Games Developer Documentation).
• 2024: Community wiki consolidates the Battle Royale rarity order and color coding (Common to Mythic) (Fortnite Wiki).
• 2025: Chapter 7 Season 3 launches with four brand‑new weapons: Chaos Exploder Rifle, Surgical Burst Rifle, Extending Focus Shotgun, and John Wick’s sidearm (GameSpot).

For more context on when the next meta shift arrives, see When Is the Next Fortnite Update? 2026 Schedule & Season Start. Also check out the cosmetic side of this season in New Fortnite Season Skins: Chapter 7 Season 3 Guide.