Superior firepower doesn’t always mean your gun has to be bigger than the other guys’. Take the submachine gun, while it doesn’t have the disintegrating power of a fusion rifle or the sweet kick of a shotgun it certainly gets the job done right in a way that other guns can’t. They excel at closer range, hosing down groups or singular targets with a chaotic spray of bullets. 

 

Today, we’ve made you a list of these compact killers. 5 submachine guns for PVE and 5 for PVP.

How the list works:

We will give you the stats of the guns as well as it’s intrinsic perks and traits. We will also provide a link that provides the full rundown of the weapon, showing it’s random and curated perks. This way we can keep the list concise and not clutter our dear readers.

 

Our Top 5 for PVE

• The Huckleberry
• The Recluse
• Antiope-D
• Bug Out Bag
• Exit Strategy

 

1. The Huckleberry

Nothin' in the world that 30 rounds can't solve.

One of the best for clearing out hordes of enemies, The Huckleberry is an exotic submachine gun that keeps on giving. It’s exotic perk Ride the Bull partially refills your magazine when you get a kill. It also comes with Rampage which increases your damage after a kill. 

Exotic Weapon Stats:

Impact: 23

Range: 58

Stability: 56

Handling: 87

Reload Speed: 10

Rounds/Min: 750

Magazine: 37

Exotic Perk:

• Ride the Bull: Increased rate of fire and recoil while you're holding down the trigger. Kills with this weapon reload a portion of the magazine.
• Rampage: Kills with this weapon temporarily grant increased damage. Stacks 3x.

What makes The Huckleberry good?:

• Good Handling
• Effective against groups
• Reduces need to reload when in PVE

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/2286143274-the-huckleberry#

How to get The Huckleberry:

You can aquire this gun as a random exotic engram drop or purchase it from Xur if he has it in stock for 29 Legendary Shards.

The Huckleberry in Action:

 

2. Riskrunner

Charge your soul and let the electrons sing.

Riskrunner is an exotic Arc damage SMG that lets loose a violent storm when the conditions are right. It’s exotic perk Arc Conductor increases the gun’s damage when you take Arc damage. That perk then procs the exotic trait Superconductor, which gives your shots a chance to become chain lightning and a chance to return bullets back into the magazine.

Exotic Weapon Stats:

Impact: 20

Range: 55

Stability: 60

Handling: 74

Reload Speed: 24

Rounds/Min: 900

Magazine: 41

Exotic Perks:

• Arc Conductor: When taking Arc Damage, this weapon becomes more powerful and resists incoming Arc Damage. Kills extend the time in this overcharged state.
• Superconductor: When Arc Conductor is active, shots fired have the chance to become chain lightning and return ammo.

What makes Riskrunner good?:

• Good range
• Good stability
• Larger magazine
• Perks keep magazine mostly filled

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3089417789-riskrunner#

How to get Riskrunner:

 

Riskrunner in Action:

 

3. Antiope-D

They look to you to save them.

Before you ask, no, the Antiope is not the African animal. You’re thinking about an Antelope. Anyway, this is Antiope-D, a legendary SMG with a precision frame and Kill Clip, where you gain a damage boost when you reload after a kill. This gun also has a good range and is fairly easy to control. Antiope-D is also fantastic in the Crucible and could easily have a place in the PVP section below.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 25

Range: 72

Stability: 48

Handling: 35

Reload Speed: 27

Rounds/Min: 600

Magazine: 27

Intrinsic Perks:

• Precision Frame: This weapon's recoil pattern is more predictably vertical.
• Kill Clip: Reloading after a kill grants increased damage.

What makes Antiope-D good?:

• Good Range
• Versatile - good for PVE and PVP
• Slower rate of fire makes it easy to control
• Decent impact

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/566976653-antiope-d#

How to get Antiope-D:

You can acquire this gun in Gunsmith Engrams by ranking up with Banshee-44.

Antiope-D in Action:

 

4. Bug Out Bag

Grab and go.

Bug Out Bag is a Solar damage SMG that’s all around a great gun. It has an adaptive frame and a high rate of fire. If you get the curated roll you can get a Multikill Clip, where reloading after multikills gives you more damage. This perk really makes it suitable for PVE, where you can really reap its rewards.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 20

Range: 49

Stability: 50

Handling: 57

Reload Speed: 53

Rounds/Min: 900

Magazine: 32

Intrinsic Perks:

• Adaptive Frame: A well-rounded grip, reliable and sturdy.
• Multikill Clip: Reloading grants increased damage based on the number of rapid kills made beforehand.

What makes Bug Out Bag good?

• Good all around stats
• Very effective when taking on large hordes

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/2744715540-bug-out-bag#

How to get Bug Out Bag:

You can acquire this gun in competing in Gambit Prime Matches and ranking up your Gambit reputation.

Bug Out Bag in Action:

 

5. Exit Strategy

"If you don't got one, it's time to make one." —The Drifter

Make your getaway with this solid Submachine gun. Exit Strategy is a kinetic gun so it frees up your energy slot for another weapon of your choosing. This SMG can roll with Threat Detector and Surrounded, these two perks synergize to give you a boost in stability, handling, and damage when enemies are near you. Which puts you in an optimal range for a submachine gun.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 20

Range: 48

Stability: 66

Handling: 64

Reload Speed: 56

Rounds/Min: 900

Magazine: 33

Intrinsic Perks:

• Threat Detector: Increased reload, stability, and handling when enemies are in close proximity.
• Surrounded: This weapon gains bonus damage when three or more enemies are in close proximity.

What makes Exit Strategy good?:

• Good all around stats
• Makes fighting groups more manageable
• Kinetic gun frees up space for an energy weapon

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/4227181568-exit-strategy#

How to get Exit Strategy:

 

Exit Strategy in Action:

 

Our Top 5 for PvP

• The Recluse
• Trackless Waste
• Atalanta-D
• Calus Mini-Tool
• Tarrabah

 

6. The Recluse

My bite will turn your sweet flesh to vile rot.

The Recluse is a Lightweight frame SMG that shreds better than a new cheese grater. It’s trait Feeding Frenzy increases your reload speed when you get multikills. While Master of Arms increases the damage this weapon does when you get kills with ANY weapon that’s equipped, which makes you a powerhouse in PvP and PvE.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 15

Range: 54

Stability: 70

Handling: 67

Reload Speed: 35

Rounds/Min: 900

Magazine: 36

Intrinsic Perks:

• Lightweight Frame: Superb handling. Move faster with this weapon equipped.
• Feeding Frenzy: Each rapid kill with this weapon progressively increases reload speed for a short time.
• Master of Arms: Kills with any weapon improve this weapon's damage for a short time.

What makes The Recluse good?:

• Decent Stability
• Effectiveness increases as you accumulate kills
• Master of Arms perk lets you combo with any other weapon

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3354242550-the-recluse#

How to get The Recluse:

The Recluse in Action:

 

7. Trackless Waste

"No footprints out here." —Olu Alderdice

This gun is certainly not Recluse, but is definitely a solid choice. This adaptive frame gun is sturdy and fires at 900 rpm. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s an effective straightforward shooter and with the right perk rolls you can easily have a monster of your own.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 20

Range: 46

Stability: 55

Handling: 62

Reload Speed: 55

Rounds/Min: 900

Magazine: 35

Intrinsic Perks:

• Adaptive Frame: A well-rounded grip, reliable and sturdy.
• Rampage: Kills with this weapon temporarily grant increased damage. Stacks 3x.

What makes The Trackless Waste good?:

• Well rounded
• Handles well
• Decent random perk pool

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/2681395357-trackless-waste#

How to get Trackless Waste:

This gun can be acquired by doing activities on the Tangled Shore. Here’s a guide to help you farm:

The Trackless Waste in Action:

 

8. Atalanta-D XG1992

A Black Armory experimental prototype.

I didn’t misspell the state name Atlanta. The gun’s name really is Atalanta. While it’s full name is long it keeps things short in close encounters. The Atalanta-D XG1992 is pretty flexible and does well with good perks. This is somewhat comparable to the Antiope-D in that it does well in both PvE and PvP.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 25

Range: 55

Stability: 45

Handling: 52

Reload Speed: 10

Rounds/Min: 600

Magazine: 30

Intrinsic Perks:

• Precision Frame: This weapon's recoil pattern is more predictably vertical.
• Tap the Trigger: Grants a short period of increased stability and accuracy on initial trigger pull.

What makes Atalanta-D good?:

• Not difficult to control recoil
• Decent range

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/2422664927-atalanta-d-xg1992#

How to get Atalanta-D XG1992:

You’ll have to farm for it by playing through Black Armory forges and you can get a chance to get this weapon as a reward.

Atalanta-D XG1992 in Action:

 

9. MIDA Mini-Tool

Select application: Flare gun. Water purifier. Interplanetary Positioning System. Encyclopædia Arcana. Personal flotation device. List continues.

The MIDA Mini-Tool is a solar SMG that prefers to work with it’s scout rifle big brother, the MIDA Multi-Tool. The Mini-Tool’s perk MIDA synergy grants a speed boost when you are using both weapons. These two make quite the dynamic duo. At longer and shorter ranges.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 15

Range: 37

Stability: 59

Handling: 82

Reload Speed: 38

Rounds/Min: 900

Magazine: 37

Intrinsic Perks:

• Lightweight Frame: Superb handling. Move faster with this weapon equipped.
• MIDA Synergy: This weapon grants speed benefits when MIDA Multi-Tool is also equipped.

What makes MIDA Mini-Tool good?:

• Great Handling
• Speed when paired with Multi-Tool
• Good Stability

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3089417788-mida-mini-tool#

How to get MIDA Mini-Tool :

You can acquire this gun by completing the EDZ quest Enhance! Which you can get from Devrim Kay

MIDA Mini-Tool in Action:

 

10. Tarrabah

We walk where our ancestors once walked. 

This raid weapon is quite a beast. Or rather, it holds a beast inside. It’s exotic perk called Ravenous Beast stores power when you deal and take damage. When it's full you can activate the perk to increase your damage, rate of fire, and reload speed. It’s exotic trait increases the duration of Ravenous Beast to keep the party going. These perks also make it good for PvE as well.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 23

Range: 62

Stability: 37

Handling: 46

Reload Speed: 42

Rounds/Min: 750

Magazine: 31

Intrinsic Perks:

• Ravenous Beast: This weapon stores power when dealing or receiving damage. Once full, hold reload to unleash the beast.
• Bottomless Appetite: Dealing continuous damage extends the duration of Ravenous Beast.

What makes Tarrabah good?:

• Good Range
• Good for both PvE and PvP
• Ravenous Beast makes it high DPS

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3110698812-tarrabah#\

How to get Tarrabah:

You can get this gun as a drop from the Crown of Sorrow raid. It’s a random drop, so you might need a few friends to help you farm.

Tarrabah in Action:

 

 

Liked our list? What Submachine guns do you think should be on here? Let us know in the comments below!

 

You may also be interested in:

• Destiny 2 Class Tier List: The Best Destiny 2 Classes and Subsclasses
• Top 10 Best Destiny 2 Auto Rifles Right Now
• Top 10 Destiny 2 Best Exotic Weapons for PvP

• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Bounties for XP
• [Top 7] Destiny 2 Best Armor Sets And How To Get Them
• [Top 3] Destiny 2 Best Kinetic Snipers and How To Get Them

• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Fusion Rifles and How To Get Them
• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Pulse Rifles and How To Get Them
• 10 Best Destiny 2 Hand Cannons (Ranked)
• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Shotguns And How To Get Them
• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Pulse Rifles And How To Get Them
• [Top 15] Destiny 2 Best PvE Weapons And How To Get Them
• [Top 5] Destiny 2 Best Sniper Rifles And How To Get Them
• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Armor Mods and How To Get Them
• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best F2P Exotics and How To Get Them
• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Submachine Guns and How To Get Them
• [Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Energy Weapons and How To Get Them
• [Top 5] Destiny 2 Best Classes for PvP