Weapons tier list

The rule

Every weapon is at quality 6 with its hardest-hitting standard round (exploding arrows and bolts left out), no perks, no mods, attribute level 1, against a zombie at point blank. Guns, bows and launchers are scored by sustained DPS, the damage of a full magazine divided by the time to fire it and reload once; melee weapons by DPS, damage per hit times swings per second. Each weapon's score is divided by the best score of its class: S 85% or more, A 65% or more, B 45% or more, C 25% or more, D below. Ammo cost, noise, range, stamina and handling are not in the score; the reasons next to each weapon say where it stands out.

Handguns and SMGs · 5

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Magazine	Reload s	DPS Q6	Sustained	Why
S	SMG-5	AP 9mm Ammo	70	480	30	4	560	271	Highest sustained DPS of its class (271); fastest fire rate (480/min); largest magazine (30).
A	.44 Desert Vulture	AP .44 Magnum Ammo	130	130	8	2	282	183	67% of the SMG-5's sustained DPS; hardest hit (130); quickest reload (2 s).
C	Pistol	AP 9mm Ammo	53	180	15	2	159	114	42% of the SMG-5's sustained DPS; quickest reload (2 s).
C	.44 Magnum	AP .44 Magnum Ammo	98	100	6	4	163	77	29% of the SMG-5's sustained DPS.
D	Pipe Pistol	AP 9mm Ammo	42	126	6	5.6	88	30	11% of the SMG-5's sustained DPS; slowest reload (5.6 s).

Shotguns · 4

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Magazine	Reload s	DPS Q6	Sustained	Why
S	Auto Shotgun	Shotgun Shell (Ammo)	10 × 25	70	16	3	292	239	Highest sustained DPS of its class (239); hardest hit (10 × 25); largest magazine (16).
A	Pump Shotgun	Shotgun AP Slug (Ammo)	225	60	8	2.5	225	171	72% of the Auto Shotgun's sustained DPS; quickest reload (2.5 s).
B	Double Barrel Shotgun	Shotgun AP Slug (Ammo)	220	240	2	3	880	126	53% of the Auto Shotgun's sustained DPS; fastest fire rate (240/min).
D	Pipe Shotgun	Shotgun AP Slug (Ammo)	216	120	1	5.7	432	35	15% of the Auto Shotgun's sustained DPS; slowest reload (5.7 s).

Rifles · 4

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Magazine	Reload s	DPS Q6	Sustained	Why
S	Sniper Rifle	AP 7.62mm Ammo	137	140	12	3.3	320	194	Highest sustained DPS of its class (194); hardest hit (137); fastest fire rate (140/min).
C	Lever Action Rifle	AP 7.62mm Ammo	107	82	5	3	146	80	41% of the Sniper Rifle's sustained DPS.
D	Hunting Rifle	AP 7.62mm Ammo	85	120	1	2.9	170	25	13% of the Sniper Rifle's sustained DPS; quickest reload (2.9 s).
D	Pipe Rifle	AP 7.62mm Ammo	67	120	1	3.5	134	17	9% of the Sniper Rifle's sustained DPS; slowest reload (3.5 s).

Machine guns · 4

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Magazine	Reload s	DPS Q6	Sustained	Why
S	M60 Machine Gun	AP 7.62mm Ammo	96	440	60	5	704	437	Highest sustained DPS of its class (437); hardest hit (96); fastest fire rate (440/min).
A	Tactical Assault Rifle	AP 7.62mm Ammo	75	405	30	2.6	506	319	73% of the M60 Machine Gun's sustained DPS; quickest reload (2.6 s).
B	KV-47 Machine Gun	AP 7.62mm Ammo	58	360	30	2.9	348	221	51% of the M60 Machine Gun's sustained DPS.
C	Pipe Machine Gun	AP 7.62mm Ammo	46	335	15	3.5	257	112	26% of the M60 Machine Gun's sustained DPS.

Bows and crossbows · 5

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Magazine	Reload s	DPS Q6	Sustained	Why
S	Compound Bow	Steel Arrow (Ammo)	95	75	1	1.1	119	50	Highest sustained DPS of its class (50); fastest fire rate (75/min); quickest reload (1.1 s).
A	Wooden Bow	Steel Arrow (Ammo)	68	75	1	1.1	85	36	72% of the Compound Bow's sustained DPS; fastest fire rate (75/min); quickest reload (1.1 s).
A	Compound Crossbow	Steel Crossbow Bolt (Ammo)	123	75	1	2.9	154	34	67% of the Compound Bow's sustained DPS; hardest hit (123); fastest fire rate (75/min).
B	Primitive Bow	Steel Arrow (Ammo)	49	75	1	1.1	61	26	52% of the Compound Bow's sustained DPS; fastest fire rate (75/min); quickest reload (1.1 s).
B	Iron Crossbow	Steel Crossbow Bolt (Ammo)	88	75	1	2.9	110	24	48% of the Compound Bow's sustained DPS; fastest fire rate (75/min); slowest reload (2.9 s).

Launchers · 1

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Magazine	Reload s	DPS Q6	Sustained	Why
S	Rocket Launcher	Rocket Frag (Ammo)	52	75	1	2.6	1,663	389	389 sustained DPS, alone in its class.

Knives and machetes · 4

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Stamina	DPS Q6	Why
S	Machete	–	37	65	16	40	Highest DPS of its class (40); hardest hit (37); most stamina per swing (16).
S	Hunting Knife	–	18	120	10.5	36	90% of the Machete's DPS; fastest swings (120/min).
S	Candy Cane Knife	–	18	120	10.5	36	90% of the Machete's DPS; fastest swings (120/min).
C	Bone Knife	–	7	120	7.3	14	35% of the Machete's DPS; fastest swings (120/min); least stamina per swing (7.3).

Clubs and bats · 4

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Stamina	DPS Q6	Why
S	Steel Club	–	48	52	23.7	42	Highest DPS of its class (42); hardest hit (48); most stamina per swing (23.7).
B	Baseball Bat	–	30	52	20.9	26	63% of the Steel Club's DPS.
B	Candy Cane Club	–	30	52	20.9	26	63% of the Steel Club's DPS.
C	Wooden Club	–	18	55	17.4	17	40% of the Steel Club's DPS; fastest swings (55/min); least stamina per swing (17.4).

Sledgehammers · 3

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Stamina	DPS Q6	Why
S	Steel Sledgehammer	–	82	34	40.5	46	Highest DPS of its class (46); hardest hit (82); most stamina per swing (40.5).
B	Iron Sledgehammer	–	48	34	36.7	27	59% of the Steel Sledgehammer's DPS.
B	Stone Sledgehammer	–	27	50	22.3	23	48% of the Steel Sledgehammer's DPS; fastest swings (50/min); least stamina per swing (22.3).

Spears · 3

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Stamina	DPS Q6	Why
S	Steel Spear	–	49	55	22.4	45	Highest DPS of its class (45); hardest hit (49); fastest swings (55/min).
B	Iron Spear	–	30	55	20.3	28	61% of the Steel Spear's DPS; fastest swings (55/min).
C	Stone Spear	–	18	55	18.5	17	37% of the Steel Spear's DPS; fastest swings (55/min); least stamina per swing (18.5).

Knuckles · 3

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Stamina	DPS Q6	Why
S	Steel Knuckles	–	28	100	10.2	47	Highest DPS of its class (47); hardest hit (28); fastest swings (100/min).
B	Iron Knuckles	–	17	100	9.6	28	61% of the Steel Knuckles's DPS; fastest swings (100/min).
C	Knuckle Wraps	–	10	100	9.1	17	36% of the Steel Knuckles's DPS; fastest swings (100/min); least stamina per swing (9.1).

Stun batons · 2

Tier	Weapon	Round	Damage Q6	Per min	Stamina	DPS Q6	Why
S	Stun Baton	–	30	70	15.5	35	Highest DPS of its class (35); hardest hit (30); fastest swings (70/min).
B	Pipe Baton	–	18	60	14.8	18	51% of the Stun Baton's DPS; least stamina per swing (14.8).