[In light of the DOUBLE XP EVENT going on right now for Hardline, I wanted to get this hopefully-helpful information up right away for everyone - so here it is without any Screenshots yet - I am collecting some together and plan to place them in-line within, Soon™]
In One Sentence™
A Battlefield Hardline
Main Weapons Overview
In One Sentence™
A Battlefield Hardline
Main Weapons Overview
By: The Game Tips And More Blog
Presented in a Document-sorta-but-not-really format
I was in the Battlefield Hardline Beta, but didn't write about it at the time [and have only played off and on since then 'for fun' - that is, not really getting into collecting information for others, that they could use - well, other than one Introduction To The Sabotage Gadget tutorial I did quickly a while back... I wish I did more, but I wasn't feeling up to it, sorry all..].
Recently, I was testing out Origin Access (signing up for one Month, to see if you 'lose' things you have Unlocked/Earned after Cancelling the Subscription - which I will write about once it expires) and I have been playing a bit more as well [as I can], wanting to go through each Weapon in Hardline and give a really short 'Review' of each, to give everyone a Basic Overview of them - I dubbed these 'mini-reviews' the highly-creative-and-original "In One Sentence"™!
Here then, is a listing of all of the ‘main’ weapons in the game, that is, the Primary (eg. Rifles) and Secondary (eg. Pistols), the Thrown (eg. Grenades) and Melee (eg. Knives) categories, with a one-sentence ‘review’ of every single one of them - at least for all of the ones I have Unlocked and have available since starting Origin Access [which opened up all of the Expansion Weapons - there are only about 3-4 types missing out of all of them now... I may 'tweak' the descriptions over the next little while but other than small phrasing changes and adding Images later, this is the list, ready to go.]
The list itself is divided into the Classes available in the game, listing all Primary and Secondary weapons available to that class to Purchase and Use, roughly as they appear on the in-game Menu Lists, with the Thrown and Melee weapon categories at the end. As such, there are some overlap/duplicated entries when written in Text form (eg. a pistol found in the Professional list will also be listed in the Operator list, if they both can use them, with the same or nearly the same Review/Overview for each listing). This way though, you can just skip to the Class section you are interested in playing and see the Weapons as they appear in the game, not having to worry about searching for the Weapon name itself.
I would like to do the Gadgets (Class Special Tools) as well, sometime in the future - but for now, enjoy these little summaries of the Main Weapons available, to give you an idea of them if you are a newer player, or to help you in finding something that fits your playstyle (eg. perhaps you want a ‘slow and hard-hitting’ weapon or perhaps you prefer a ‘fast-shooting with lighter damage’ one, and so on) - hopefully this information will help you out in some way, especially if you are new to Hardline (I have already seen an influx of new players since recent EA/Origin Sales, which is great to see). Enjoy, dear reader, and get in there for the Double XP Event on now - and See You In The Game!
Rating Key (if applicable to weapon, when used):
? = Not sure [yet] if they are Criminals-only or Cops-only usage
* = Weapons I ‘Liked’ (fit my playstyle(s), is unique in some way)
** = Weapons that are A Personal Favourite (I use a lot or ‘mainly’ would use)
Scout Elite = A fairly fast-shooting and silence-able sniper rifle with medium-high damage, this Default Professional weapon only improves with Unlocks. **
R700LTR (Cops) = A slow-firing but powerful killer that is silence-able, Magnum Rounds can be Purchased after 50 Kills to make Vehicles cry. *
AWM (Criminals) = Feeling much slower than the Scout - but also seeming more powerful - the first thing I would want to unlock is the silencer for this big boy.
388-Recon = Feeling like it has decent ‘punch’ and good range - if the Scout is “fast” and the AWM is “slow” then the 388-Recon is “middle-of-the-road”, in terms of rate of fire, it seems. *
.300 Knockout = What was once a fast and sleek one-hit-kill-machine, worthy of its' lengthy and difficult Unlock, this rifle has since been Nerfed™ with a slower firing rate and its' one-hit-kill ability taken away - and while still powerful and silent, to those who used it in it's former glory, it is now a slow and decrepid version of it’s former self.
AWS = A pre-silenced but slower-shooting, medium-to-long range rifle, with what feels like medium-ish damage, even though the in-game listing has it as "high damage" - perhaps this one gets better after a few Unlocks, it felt pretty under-powered and a little inaccurate to me (but this could be the slower bullet speed due to the built-in silencing barrel).
M98b = This bolt-action sniper rifle packs a mean punch - it has so much power it can shoot pilots inside helicopters [I've done it! Once! lol] and has very little bullet drop-off - it can even be silenced, but it can it ever be equipped with a Straight-Pull Bolt (to allow you to shoot again without going out of scope) and its firing rate is pretty slow.
M1903 = This World-War-II-era rifle, reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan, comes ‘pre-loaded’ with a Straight-Pull Bolt (allowing you to shoot again without going out of a scope, which Unlocks in 20 kills) and can eventually Unlock a Silencer after 50 kills - but even though I read it is supposed to be powerful against vehicles, it shoots a little too slow and does too little damage to infantry, for my personal liking - maybe you’ll have better luck with it.
SOCOM16 (Cops) = A medium-damage semi-automatic rifle that can be silenced, it feels somewhat inaccurate - but it does have the ability to fire quickly.
SR-25 ECC (Cops) = A semi-automatic rifle that can be silenced, its decent damage along with its fast firing rate will make this a formidable weapon to use, if the medium-low recoil (which feels less than the SOCOM16) can be accounted for. *
M82.416 = Even though the firing rate of this un-silenceable rifle has been severely reduced since I last played with it in Hardline (with the ability to fire a number of times a second back then), it remains quite the hand cannon (firing about once every second now) - with so much power there is very little bullet drop (and it can still take out pilots inside helicopters) - I think it did more damage back then too, but it is still nice to use for the sense of power it brings. *
RO933 M1 = A silence-able rifle that seems to be able to fire as fast as you can click, I like to run this one with an Infra-vision scope, hide in the bushes - and let the bullets fall like hail upon the enemy from the shadows. **
SAIGA .308 = A fast-firing rifle, this one ‘feels fun’ to run with even though it is a little inaccurate, because it has decent damage output. *
PTR-91 = A rifle with mediocre damage, its’ fast fire rate can make up for it, if the medium-ish recoil can be compensated for.
SP-AR = Although fast-firing, this rifle isn’t very accurate while doing so, with its' high recoil – at least it as a neat, unique 'report' [sound].
M1A1 = Although it can never be silenced and therefore will always give your position away when you fire, you probably wouldn’t want to silence this variation on the “Tommy Gun” as it is a pleasure to listen to the unique, heavy-hitting sound this World War 2 staple makes - it is slow to reload but has a decent firing rate and decent punch. *
Mp7 = Although this silence-able PDW shoots very fast, you have to be in Close-ish Range or else you’ll just be burning through your ammo.
MP5SD = This pre-silenced SMG is fun as hell to use, with its’ fast firing rate, good accuracy and decent damage; I like to run this with an IRNV scope and Extended Magazines, staying on the edges of the area, never letting the enemy know what is raining bullets down upon them until it shows up on the Kill Log. **
M1 = The World-War-2-era M1 is a unique rifle that is fun to play and easy to use, with its’ high accuracy and unique report [sound] – if only it could be scoped (and silenced).
RO933 BLK = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked Yet, sorry]
M110K5 = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked yet sorry]
1887 = Although powerful, this old-west-style shotgun feels slightly slow when compared to its’ modern-day counterparts – but it is fun to spin it end-over-end a’la Terminator 2 style to reload, once you unlock the ability to Saw Off the Stock. *
MAMMOTH GUN = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked yet sorry]
SYNDICATE GUN = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked yet sorry]
A-8s = With only one arrow to fire and a looong reload time, the “Harpoon Gun” can still be a blast to play with, as it is fun as hell to kill someone with this unique weapon that won't make you show up on the mini-map at all – it is just that you will probably die too (while reloading). **
G18C = Although fast-shooting, this pistol feels a little inaccurate.
93R = With good accuracy and higher damage, this little bad boy can even be silenced, eventually. **
MAC-10 = While the recoil will have you shooting at the sky for the most part, this little guy will spit out bullets and damage faster than a shaken baby spits out broken teeth to make up for it – it's just that you may be out of ammo before the enemy dies.
MP9 (Cops) = Surprisingly accurate if you can compensate for the recoil, this little fella doesn’t have much in the way of scopes, but it can be silenced after 90 kills. **
TEC-9 (Criminals) = Although fast-shooting, this little guy isn’t the most accurate puppy in the litter (but if you use the sights it does help) - it also doesn’t do the greatest damage, it seems.
IMPROVISED GUN = With decent damage output, decent accuracy and a nice ‘feel’ to it, this little fella is fast becoming a Personal Favourite. **
DUAL VZ.61 = Holding two of these “Czech Uzis” akimbo, you will feel like you are in a John Woo movie – only the inaccuracy will force you to run up close to everyone – but it will be fun doing it. *
T62 CEW = Only one word for this one-hit-disable, “non-lethal” (it counts as a ‘kill’ for Patches and Assignments) weapon that makes all others respect your authority: Fun. **
TRACKING DART = The Tracking Dart is mainly for ‘tagging’ opponent vehicles so that they can be seen by literally everyone – and RPGs will ‘lock on’ to them too – it even works on people! *
FN57 = While this little guy shoots fast, it doesn’t seem to do a heckuva lot of damage - getting fast headshots makes up for it though. *
G17 Race Pistol = A great little dealer of damage, it can shoot as fast as you can click – too bad there are no options for scopes or silencers whatsoever. **
870P MAGNUM = Although this is a slower-firing pump-action style shotgun, it has very high damage output and a little bit of range, too. *
SPAS-12 = While still a pump-action shotgun, the SPAS-12 fires faster than the 870P MAGNUM and it feels like it has a bit more accuracy, too – it just doesn’t do quite the damage of the 870P.
SAIGA-12 (Criminals) = With a nice rate of fire, it feels like it does damage somewhere between the SPAS-12 and the 870P MAGNUM. **
STAKEOUT (Cops) = With damage a bit lower than the 870P or the SPAS-12, shotgun ‘feels’ quite a bit more accurate – and with its’ nice rate of fire (for a pump-action), this beauty quickly became a Personal Favourite to run with. **
M4 (Criminals) = With a nice rate of fire and decent damage, this cannon is quickly becoming a Personal Favourite. **
KSG12 (Cops) = Although a pump-action shotgun, this thing hits like a horse’s hoof to the head - I dubbed this cannon the “Kiss The Ground” shotgun right away. **
1887 = Although powerful, this old-west-style shotgun shoots slow - when compared to its’ modern-day counterparts – but it is fun to spin it end-over-end a’la Terminator 2 style to reload, once you unlock the ability to Saw Off the Stock. *
DOUBLE-BARREL SHOTGUN = A true source of unearthly power once unlocked, the DOUBLE-BARRELLED SHOTGUN will make you feel like a living angel of death, as even one barrel’s worth will end an enemy close by; just point this finger of god at an enemy and say “die” - and as long as they aren’t too far away - they will do it for you. Worth the effort to Unlock and a Personal Favourite. **
SA-58 OSW = I call this “The Recoil Machine”, as unless you fire one bullet at a time, you will be covered in rifle Recoil.
SCAR-H (Cops) = This silence-able machine gun has some recoil, but it “levels out” and can be compensated for, allowing you to enjoy the high damage output and decent accuracy (especially if ‘tap-shooting’ for short bursts). *
FAL (Criminals) = Although this rifle has a fair amount of recoil, it seems to have high damage output - if it can be compensated for, this could be a nice heavy-hitting weapon to run with. **
HCAR (Cops) = With a medium amount of recoil, it “levels out” and can be compensated for, allowing you to enjoy the high damage output and decent accuracy (even during continuous fire, if you can control the muzzle). **
HK51 (Criminals) = Although it has a bit of recoil, this silence-able rifle has a nice ‘smooth’ feel to it. **
SG510 (Cops) = With a nice feeling of accuracy (aimed fire, with recoil compensated for) it also feels like a decently-hard-hitting weapon – this could be a new Personal Favourite for me. *
M39 EMR = With a little less accuracy than the other Battle Rifles, the M39 EMR ‘feels’ a bit smoother though, with a nice rate of fire and the ability to be silenced – it’s just too bad it doesn’t have Extended Magazines available, as it always feels like it’s running out of ammo just a tad too soon. *
M1 = The World-War-2-era M1 is a unique rifle that is fun to play and easy to use, with its’ high accuracy and unique report [sound] – if only it could be scoped (and silenced).
Mp7 = Although this silence-able PDW shoots very fast, you have to be in Close-ish Range or else you’ll just be burning through your ammo.
MP5SD = This pre-silenced SMG is fun as hell to use, with its’ fast firing rate, good accuracy and decent damage; I like to run this with an IRNV scope and Extended Magazines, never letting the enemy know what is raining bullets down upon them until it shows up on the Kill Log. **
RO933 BLK = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked Yet, sorry]
AWS = A pre-silenced but slower-shooting, medium-to-long range rifle, with what feels like medium-ish damage, even though the in-game listing has it as "high damage" - perhaps this one gets better after a few Unlocks, it felt pretty under-powered and a little inaccurate to me (but this could be the slower bullet speed due to the built-in silencing barrel).
M1903 = This World-War-II-era rifle, reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan, comes ‘pre-loaded’ with a Straight-Pull Bolt (allowing you to shoot again without going out of a scope, which Unlocks in 20 kills) and can eventually Unlock a Silencer after 50 kills - but even though I read it is supposed to be powerful against vehicles, it shoots a little too slow and does too little damage to infantry, for my personal liking - maybe you’ll have better luck with it.
MAMMOTH GUN = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked Yet, sorry]
SYNDICATE GUN = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked Yet, sorry]
A-8s = With only one arrow to fire and a looong reload time, the “Harpoon Gun” can still be a blast to play with, as it is fun as hell to kill someone with this unique weapon that won't make you show up on the mini-map at all – it is just that you will probably die too (while reloading). **
45T = This pistol doesn’t seem to do much damage, nor does it shoot very fast – but that slow rate of fire gives it decent accuracy.
.40 PRO (Criminals) = While this pistol is decently accurate, it only does mediocre damage and it doesn’t fire very fast – another enemy will probably kill you before the one you are shooting at dies, unless you ‘get the drop on them’.
M1911A1 (Cops) = While it doesn’t shoot very fast or do above medium-ish damage, this WWII-era pistol seems to be decently accurate – but it will win no awards.
BALD EAGLE = With huge damage output, this ‘Hand Cannon’ will feel like you are wielding a hand-size shotgun – too bad it can’t be silenced or have longer scopes put on it. *
T62 CEW = Only one word for this one-hit-disable, “non-lethal” (it counts as a ‘kill’ for Patches and Assignments) weapon that makes all others respect your authority: Fun. **
TRACKING DART = The Tracking Dart is mainly for ‘tagging’ opponent vehicles so that they can be seen by literally everyone – and RPGs will ‘lock on’ to them too – it even works on people! *
FN57 = While this little guy shoots fast, it doesn’t seem to do a heckuva lot of damage - getting fast headshots makes up for it though. *
G17 Race Pistol = A great little dealer of damage, it can shoot as fast as you can click – too bad there are no options for scopes or silencers whatsoever. **
DUAL VZ.61 = Holding two of these “Czech Uzis” akimbo, you will feel like you are in a John Woo movie – only the inaccuracy will force you to run up close to everyone – but it will be fun doing it. *
MP5K = Fast-shooting and if you can compensate for the recoil, pretty accurate – it even works great silenced. *
M/45 (Cops) = Not as ‘smooth’ handling as the MP5K, this SMG feels ever-so-slightly more accurate and has decent damage, to boot. *
MPX (Cops) = A fast-shooting and fun smg to run with, it seems to have a little less recoil than the other SMGs but doesn’t ‘feel’ as accurate, if that makes any sense – it is still pretty good and if you are able to compensate for recoil, a nice gun to use. *
K10 (Cops) = Insanely insane with an insane firing rate, it has been literally only for the insane since the Beta - and maybe those who don’t like keeping bullets in their gun – heaven help anyone if you point this at their head. **
FMG9 = Suppress-able at 90 kills, this fast-shooting SMG ‘feels’ more accurate than its’ kindred, especially after unlocking the Laser Sight and some Scopes – and with a unique stock animation, it is a ‘fun’ weapon to run with. *
M1A1 = Although it can never be silenced and therefore will always give your position away when you fire, you probably wouldn’t want to silence this variation on the “Tommy Gun” as it is a pleasure to listen to the unique, heavy-hitting sound this World War 2 staple makes - it is slow to reload but has a decent firing rate and decent punch. *
SCORPION = A fast-shooting gun (almost as fast as the K10 it seems), this silence-able fella ‘feels’ ever-so-slightly less maneuverable than its’ brethren – and it does a bit less damage, too – otherwise, it would have been a Personal Favourite (I have almost unlocked the Suppressor already on it). *
Mp7 = Although this silence-able PDW shoots very fast, you have to be in Close-ish Range or else you’ll just be burning through your ammo.
UMP45 (Criminals) = Although slightly more accurate feeling, it also feels like it shoots slower and hurts a little less than similar weapons.
UMP9 = Silence-able after 70 kills, this SMG ‘feels’ a little bulky to wield, but seems like it does a notch more damage than its’ counterparts. *
UZI (Criminals) = Silence-able but unfortunately “The Uzi” in-game seems different than it does in the movies – it shoots far slower than on the big screen, but it is also more accurate here. *
M5 NAVY (Cops) = Making you feel like you’re in your own 80’s movie, the M5 NAVY packs a punch and seems to keep accuracy even out to mid-ranges (aimed or not) - quickly making this a Personal Favourite. **
M12S (Cops) = “The Spaghetti Uzi” ‘feels’ ‘clunky’ and a ‘bit’ ‘inaccurate’ to me, ‘but’ it seems to have a ‘few more’ bullets than ‘similar weapons’, which ‘mostly’ ‘makes up for it’, quote marks. *
AUG PARA (Criminals) = While this Criminal-only SMG ‘feels’ like it does decent damage and is fairly accurate, it ends up being only ‘mediocre’ in… well.. Everything.
MP5SD = This pre-silenced SMG is fun as hell to use, with its’ fast firing rate, good accuracy and decent damage; I like to run this with an IRNV scope and Extended Magazines, never letting the enemy know what is raining bullets down upon them, until it shows up on the Kill Log... **
MX4 = Although very ‘average’ in all stats in-game, the stylish MX4 ‘feels’ like it is an efficient damage-wielding gun that is fun to use for some reason - I just kept on using it, eventually unlocking almost everything I wanted in each Attachment category, despite losing many shootouts with it.
M1 = The World-War-2-era M1 is a unique rifle that is fun to play and easy to use, with its’ high accuracy and unique report [sound] – if only it could be scoped (and silenced).
RO933 .300 BLK = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked yet sorry]
M110K5 = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked yet sorry]
1887 = Although powerful, this old-west-style shotgun feels slightly slow when compared to its’ modern-day counterparts – but it is fun to spin it end-over-end a’la Terminator 2 style to reload, once you unlock the ability to Saw Off the Stock. *
AWS = A pre-silenced but slower-shooting, medium-to-long range rifle, with what feels like medium-ish damage, even though the in-game listing has it as "high damage" - perhaps this one gets better after a few Unlocks, it felt pretty under-powered and a little inaccurate to me (but this could be the slower bullet speed due to the built-in silencing barrel).
M1903 = This World-War-II-era rifle, reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan, comes ‘pre-loaded’ with a Straight-Pull Bolt (allowing you to shoot again without going out of a scope, which Unlocks in 20 kills) and can eventually Unlock a Silencer after 50 kills - but even though I read it is supposed to be powerful against vehicles, it shoots a little too slow and does too little damage to infantry, for my personal liking - maybe you’ll have better luck with it.
MAMMOTH GUN = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked yet sorry]
SYNDICATE GUN = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked yet sorry]
A-8s = With only one arrow to fire and a looong reload time, the “Harpoon Gun” can still be a blast to play with, as it is fun as hell to kill someone with this unique weapon that won't make you show up on the mini-map at all – it is just that you will probably die too (while reloading). **
.38 SNUB = Seen in almost any cop movie between 1970 and 1990, this little guy fires fast, ‘moves’ smoothly and is nice and accurate – but it better be because you only get five shots to work with – and there are hardly any add-ons for it at all. *
.44 MAGNUM (Criminals) = The Classic is here, from Movies to Real Life mayhem, the “fourty-four” is a hand cannon of damage to all it gets pointed at, nuff’ said. *
.410 JURY = While not the fastest firing, this little bad boy is literally a hand-size-shotgun (it fires small shotgun-style shells) and since it is smaller than the Fourty-Four and The Eagle - but seems to blast out the damage even out to close-to-medium ranges - this weapon is fun-as-hell to run with. A Personal Favourite. **
.357 RS (Cops) = While still a “magnum” like The Fourty-Four, it doesn’t seem to do quite as much damage - or have the range the .44 MAGNUM has - but it has a bit more ammo at 8 rounds.
T62 CEW = Only one word for this one-hit-disable, “non-lethal” (it counts as a ‘kill’ for Patches and Assignments) weapon that makes all others respect your authority: Fun. **
TRACKING DART = The Tracking Dart is mainly for ‘tagging’ opponent vehicles so that they can be seen by literally everyone – and RPGs will ‘lock on’ to them too – it even works on people! *
FN57 = While this little guy shoots fast, it doesn’t seem to do a heckuva lot of damage - getting fast headshots makes up for it though. *
G17 Race Pistol = A great little dealer of damage, it can shoot as fast as you can click – too bad there are no options for scopes or silencers whatsoever. **
DUAL VZ.61 = Holding two of these “Czech Uzis” akimbo, you will feel like you are in a John Woo movie – only the inaccuracy will force you to run up close to everyone – but it will be fun doing it. *
R0933 = With a high rate-of-fire and equipped with a few little add-ons ‘out of the box’, the RO933 ‘feels’ smooth and easy-to-use, even if it isn’t the fastest killer. *
AKS74U (Criminals) = With a notch up in damage and a couple notches up in accuracy from the RO933, the AKS74U ‘just feels right’. **
G36C (Cops) = Having not seen a “G36C” myself since BF3, this felt like it’s ‘little brother’ - a ‘smooth’ to maneuver with, compact, pretty accurate gun. *
SG553 (Cops) = With the highest average in-game stats than the other Carbines, this weapon should “kick criminal butt” - and that, it does (especially with some Add-ons). A Personal Favourite.**
CAR-556 = Packing a wallop of hit damage and feeling pretty accurate, even at range in short bursts, I have no idea why I can’t ‘get into’ using this gun more - perhaps it is the ‘harsh’ sound it makes? LOL *
ACWR = While the in-game stats show it as fairly inaccurate, I found the ACWR to do decent damage, ‘feel’ smooth to use - and do a nice bit of hurt to the enemy (even at range if you can compensate for the bit of recoil). *
AKM (Criminals) = If you can deal with the huge amount of recoil this gun has, it does seem to have a pretty accurate, crazy-damage, first shot and high-damage short bursts – other than that, it is actually ‘average’ in all stats, in-game.
M16A3 (Cops) = Accurate and with a fast firing rate, silence-able and reminiscent of “movie M16s”, there isn’t much to not like about this weapon. A Personal Favourite. **
M416 (Criminals) = This carbine ‘feels’ like it handles a lot smoother than the AKM, feeling more accurate as well, even though the in-game stats are comparable.
ARM = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked Yet, sorry]
L85A2 = With a bit of recoil already, it is accentuated by the pre-loaded 4X scope it comes with – but if you are just ‘runnin-and-gunnin’ with it, it feels like a formidable weapon up close – it just seems to have accuracy problems (bullet spread) at anything other than point blank range.
MDC (Cops) = With what seems like a high amount of recoil and inaccuracy, the MDC doesn’t seem to live up to its’ stylish look – it ‘feels’ a bit worse than the L85A2, in regards to ‘handling’.
FAMAS = While quite inaccurate if you just ‘spray-n-pray’, aiming seems to help a lot with this rifle – it ‘felt’ a lot better too, after Unlocking the Extended Magazine – and it seems like it could only improve from there.
F2000 (Criminals) = This huge wall of metal feels like you are carrying a rocket launcher, but with its’ fast firing rate and decent accuracy, there’s not much to dislike about it – other than it doesn’t seem to ‘hit’ as hard as I would have expected . *
SAR-21 = In-game, the stats on this weapon are very ‘average’ - and it ‘felt’ that way, except for the accuracy which, especially if you can compensate for it, seems ‘high’, actually – and it only seemed to get better as I Unlocked more Attachments. *
RPK (Criminals) = With a large magazine size (50) and how this gun ‘feels’ heavy-hitting, while a bit inaccurate at first, I think it can be a formidable weapon after some Unlocks.
RPK-74 = While comparable to the RPK (of course), the ‘74 ‘felt’ a little more accurate, actually. *
AUG A3 = The AUG A3 already ‘felt’ pretty accurate, but with ‘included’ 4X scope and if you can compensate for the recoil, it is a pleasure to shoot – too bad it doesn’t seem to do high damage (but about a ‘medium’ amount). *
M1A1 = Although it can never be silenced and therefore will always give your position away when you fire, you probably wouldn’t want to silence this variation on the “Tommy Gun” as it is a pleasure to listen to the unique, heavy-hitting sound this World War 2 staple makes - it is slow to reload but has a decent firing rate and decent punch. *
Mp7 = Although this silence-able PDW shoots very fast, you have to be in Close-ish Range or else you’ll just be burning through your ammo.
MP5SD = This pre-silenced SMG is fun as hell to use, with its’ fast firing rate, good accuracy and decent damage; I like to run this with an IRNV scope and Extended Magazines, never letting the enemy know what is raining bullets down upon them until it shows up on the Kill Log. **
M110K5 = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked Yet, sorry]
1887 = Although powerful, this old-west-style shotgun feels slightly slow when compared to its’ modern-day counterparts – but it is fun to spin it end-over-end a’la Terminator 2 style to reload, once you unlock the ability to Saw Off the Stock. *
AWS = A pre-silenced but slower-shooting, medium-to-long range rifle, with what feels like medium-ish damage, even though the in-game listing has it as "high damage" - perhaps this one gets better after a few Unlocks, it felt pretty under-powered and a little inaccurate to me (but this could be the slower bullet speed due to the built-in silencing barrel).
M1903 = This World-War-II-era rifle, reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan, comes ‘pre-loaded’ with a Straight-Pull Bolt (allowing you to shoot again without going out of a scope, which Unlocks in 20 kills) and can eventually Unlock a Silencer after 50 kills - but even though I read it is supposed to be powerful against vehicles, it shoots a little too slow and does too little damage to infantry, for my personal liking - maybe you’ll have better luck with it.
MAMMOTH GUN = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked Yet, sorry]
SYNDICATE GUN = [N/A, Haven’t Unlocked Yet, sorry]
A-8s = With only one arrow to fire and a looong reload time, the “Harpoon Gun” can still be a blast to play with, as it is fun as hell to kill someone with this unique weapon that won't make you show up on the mini-map at all – it is just that you will probably die too (while reloading). **
92FS = Silence-able but not the fastest-shooting pistol, nor the most damaging – it does seem accurate though, if you can compensate for the recoil – maybe it would become something worthwhile after some Unlocks.
P226 (Cops) = Although fairly fast-firing, it is somewhat inaccurate - I would say it is the ‘slightly faster but less accurate version of the Criminals-only CZ-75’ if I had to compare it.
CZ-75 (Criminals) = Although fairly accurate, it is somewhat slow-firing - I would say it is the ‘slightly slower but more accurate version of the Cops-only P226’ if I had to compare it.
G17 = Nicely accurate and firing as fast as you can click, it seems, the G17 became an instant Personal Favourite. **
FN57 = While this little guy shoots fast, it doesn’t seem to do a heckuva lot of damage - getting fast headshots makes up for it though. *
G17 Race Pistol = A great little dealer of damage, it can shoot as fast as you can click – too bad there are no options for scopes or silencers whatsoever (other than the red dot sight it comes with). **
T62 CEW = Only one word for this one-hit-disabling “non-lethal” (it counts as a ‘kill’ for Patches and Assignments) weapon that makes all others respect your authority: Fun. **
TRACKING DART = The Tracking Dart is mainly for ‘tagging’ opponent vehicles so that they can be seen by literally everyone – and RPGs will ‘lock on’ to them too – it even works on people! *
DUAL VZ.61 = Holding two of these “Czech Uzis” akimbo, you will feel like you are in a John Woo movie – only the inaccuracy will force you to run up close to everyone – but it will be fun doing it. *
M67 FRAG = With decent range, ‘The Poison Apple’ does huge damage - I think it’s killzone has been increased since Beta - a room-clearer (as long as they are in line-of-sight), but you only get one. *
M18 SMOKE = While it doesn’t damage anyone, it does provide some good ‘cover’, as it blocks not only seeing people but also spotting.
M84 FLASHBANG = While sounding very useful at first, with the faster pace and highly mobile opponents in the convoluted spaces of Hardline, having an effect with this is rare - although I have had it used on me and have seen people not able to see well for the short time it is in effect (looking around or shooting aimlessly) - it is very rare to be helpful it seems, but it happens.
GAS GRENADE = Quite useful, as it blurs the view of the enemy (affecting their aim as well) and sometimes a killer (albeit slowly) - unless you want to be affected yourself, put on a Gas Mask Gadget. **
INCENDIARY GRENADE (Cops) = Create your own “Napalm Pond” with this grenade-of-fire, which has a good range and good ‘spread’ (the area of effect is fairly big) - the only drawback is that people have to stay in it for a bit to die and some could have Fire Resistance Masks to nullify it (but that is only the Operator Class and only if they have the Robbery Expansion/DLC). *
MOLOTOV (Criminals) = The ‘homemade’ version of the Incendiary Grenade, it has the same area of effect and does the same damage, it seems - and could be nullified by the FR Mask (but as above, that is only the Operators and only if they have the right Expansion/DLC). *
THROWING KNIFE = Slightly slower to deploy and slower to travel than expected, these types of knives are fairly heavy [in real life, I used to own one when I was younger] so they have some drop to account for; but your opponent will die when one knocks them over, making these little guys fun as heck to use. **
BASEBALL BAT (Criminals?) = No matter where you grew up in the world, you will know how to wield a wooden stick - which means this guy can come out fast and keep on swingin’ - do it from behind for a Takedown. *
POLICE BATON (Cops) = A staple of Authority worldwide and resembling the Japanese ‘Tonfa’, this bad boy will knock out a perp in two hits if you don't take him down from behind. **
NIGHTSTICK (Cops) = Like a Police Baton without the little handle, the Nightstick feels fast to use, if a bit mundane to look at.
BLACKJACK (Cops) = Although still small and slim, this little guy feels ever-so-slightly slower than the other ‘sticks’, for some reason.
COLLAPSIBLE BATON (Cops) = I had no idea there would be such a long delay to deploy this little fella, since he’s so short...but don't worry he becomes longer.
SHOVEL = As a farming tool, I feel that it has a sufficiently-long delay time to whip-it-out… and that’s enough double entendre for now.
GOLD CLUB (Criminals?) = Feeling like it wields ever-so-slightly slower than say, a baton or bat, it is still wicked fast - and you can do a non-lethal takedown (from behind), to Interrogate the enemy (finding out their positions on the map). *
LEAD PIPE (Criminals?) = Quick to draw and with a somewhat-satisfying ‘clunk’ when you hit an opponent, this guy is fast becoming a Personal Favourite. *
SLEDGE HAMMER (Criminals) = Slow and heavy to draw, this baby packs a mean punch once it does show its’ presence on the battlefield - a one-hit kill, it also takes down doors and crumbles thin walls with ease. *
BREACHING HAMMER (Cops) = The lawful version of a Sledgehammer, this big boy is also slow and heavy - but it forces others to 'respect your authoritah' once drawn as it one-hit-kills and takes down doors and thin walls with ease. *
CROWBAR (Criminals?) = If you’ve lived in any industrialized country for a time, you know what a crowbar is and what it can do – and while not seeming quite as quick-to-deploy as say, a bat or a baton, the muffled ‘donk’ sound it emits when hitting someone makes this weapon a pleasure to work with. **
KNIFE = Fast and deadly, nuff’ said.
SHANK = A weapon born out of necessity, the Shank is fast and deadly and other speedy and dangerous words… you get the point - or rather, they will. *
BOWIE KNIFE = This classic weapon, interestingly named after an owner (not its designer) feels ever-so-slightly slower than its’ other bladed brethren.
CARBON FIBER = Although sleek and stylish looking, there is an ever-so-slight delay to deploy this bad boy - but it does seem to have a unique takedown animation that can happen.
SCOUT = A fast knife that will cover your hands in blood if repeatedly wielded in a cluster of enemies.
SEAL = It feels ever-so-slightly slower than say, the Scout Knife, but it is still 'wicked bad', as it should be.
SURVIVAL = With an animation similar to the Bowie from the back and a seemingly-unique kill animation from above [that I have seen so far], this knife works well, even if it does seem ever-so-slightly slower than the other knives, for some reason.
TRENCH = With a ‘side animation’ similar to the Shank and a ‘front animation’ similar to the Bowie [that I have seen so far], the look of this fella makes it a touch more satisfying to kill with. *
ACB-90 (Criminals?) = With side-killing animations similar to the Shank and rear-killing animations similar to the Bowie [that I have seen so far], it does seem to deploy pretty quickly. *
DEVIL'S TOOTHPICK = The motions for using this ‘asylum invention’ on people are more ‘hectic’ and seem to shout “mayhem” (you stab less and hack more, it appears).
FIRE AXE (Cops?) = Live out your Team Fortress 2 “killing people who make W+M1 jokes” Pyro urges, or perhaps your childhood dream of being a “Firemans” (or a “Firelady”) with this slow-to-wield but ‘kick-axe’, axe. *
MACHETE = This traditional and practical knife seems to deploy quite slowly - although it does great damage and appears to kill in one hit [so far].
CLEAVER = While not as slow to use as say, the Machete or Axe, it is still “medium-slow”, a lethal takedown (even from behind) - but it doesn’t seem to have any ‘unique’ animations [that I have seen so far].
KARAMBIT = Fast and Deadly, there really is nothing else to say about this 'little devil' other than those two words – really, I’m not just being lazy here. *
INQUISITION SWORD = Slow and Heavy to wield - but a one hit kill as you overpower your foe – be sure to shout “There Can Be Only One” in real life when you use it for maximum fun-ness. **
Again, as stated above, I would like to do the Gadgets (Class Special Tools) as well, sometime in the future - but for now, enjoy these little summaries of the Main Weapons available, to give you an idea of them if you are a newer player, or to help you in finding something that fits your playstyle (eg. ‘slow and hard-hitting’ or perhaps ‘fast-shooting with lighter damage’, and so on) - hopefully this information will help you out in some way. Enjoy - get in there for the Double XP Event on now - and See You In The Game!
