I rated these weapons on several different aspects but mostly on adaptability, how well they can be implemented in a wide range of gameplay styles. These items are the lowest grade you can get of the weapon; upgrading them leads to some of the best in the game. Some weapons are available  in the first few missions, while others require beating a large chunk of the game. I would recommend having a little experience with the game before looking through this list.

Note: Some of the best ways of getting materials are  base production, multiplayer (FOBs), and raiding large bases in single player (airport, skull face base, etc); many of these weapons’ first grades don’t need them.

Legend of MGSV Terms:

MED – Medical

R&D – Research and Development

INT – Intelligence

GC – Golden Crescent (blue plant)

DI – Digitalis (purple plant)

CM – Common Metals

MM – Minor Metals

FU – Fuel

☆ – Weapon Grade (level)

NL – Non-lethal

GMP – the currency (rounded up)

11. M2000-NL☆ 4 (Dart Sniper)/mid game

A powerful and long-range sniper rifle using non-lethal darts; 7.62mm.

• Damage: 2275
• Firing Speed: 60
• Range:  90.0
• Impact: 600
• Grouping: 435
• Auto Aim: 140
• Penetration: no

If you’re looking for something long-ranged and non-killing, dart snipers are afew of the only choices in MGSV, and on top of that there’s only two of them. The Renov TP is available earlier on with about half the number of resources as the M2000; however, the M2k offers more damage and a little more range, at the small expense of Fire Rate and Grouping.

     On top of that, the default weapon comes with a silencer already, whereas the Renov needs to be customized. The M2k also goes up to grade 6 vs the Renov’s 5. The gameplay with the two weapons is similar, even to the point of having the same capacity, but it’s easy to notice the quicker drop of the enemies with body shots.

• Long Ranged Darts: can deal non-lethal damage at a long range

• Effective damage: one of the better dart damage dealers

• Default suppressor: one of the few snipers that comes with a default suppressor 

• Higher grade: has a higher final grade then it’s sniper dart rival, the Renov TP

How to get it:

     1. go down three rows on the sniper tab

     2. develop the M2000-D ☆2-3, costing 400k and at least 18 R&D and INT

     3. down one row, you will find the dart version, costing 370k GMP and 300 DI, with at least 36 R&D and 31 MED

     4. 36 minutes in game

10. Burkov TB ☆ 4 (Dart Pistol)/mid game 

A fast-shooting dark pistol that can quickly put down a few enemies; 9mm.

• Damage: 1312
• Firing Speed: 300
• Range:  22
• Impact: 200
• Grouping: 320
• Auto Aim: 480
• Penetration: no

The tranquilizer Burkov pistol offers a different style of gameplay thanthe slower, manually fired WU S.Pistol. It works infinitely better with sequential body shots to make them fall at once, as the weapon doesn’t need to be cocked for each shot. You can also have an easier time reacting to an alerted guard, putting him down in a few shots, if a headshot doesn’t work out. 

     On top of the increased fire rate, there is also a substantial increase in the auto aim correction, if that is a setting you use. The effective range is halved, however, and there is a chunk of the bullet grouping taken off too. With a higher fire rate, you can also churn through the suppressor quickly. If you’re struggling with the standard dart pistol, this weapon could be a good choice to work towards.

• Fast Fire Rate: has more than three times the fire rate then the WU pistol
• Capacity: has a good amount of more ammo as a dart gun, which makes range less of an issue 
• Damage: the two dart pistols have the same damage, so the Burkov has better stopping power overall 

How to get it:

     1. on the pistol tab, go down four rows

     2. develop 1-3☆ of the Burkov, costing 18 R&D, 8 INT, 900 CM, and   251k GMP combined.

     3. down one row you’ll find the dart version, costing 33 R&D, MED 33, 200 GC, 160 PI, and 356k GMP.

     4. 36 minutes in game

9. Riot ☆ 2 (NL SMG)/early game

A fast-shooting sidearm that is non-lethal; rubber bullets.

• Damage: 500
• Firing Speed: 810
• Range:  33
• Impact: 200
• Grouping: 441
• Auto Aim: 400
• Penetration: no

If you want a non-lethal SMG instead of a pistol, the riot is your only choice. But it’s still a solid weapon for firefights, getting you out of those situations without harming a soul. The weapon comes with a default silencer and has a good amount of customization. In range, it’s between the WU and Burkov, and it has slightly better grouping and auto correction than the WU. 

     The downsides come with the damage, which is less than half that of the dart pistols, and the usability during stealth. The silencer is nice, but with the high rate of fire, it breaks down like butter in the sun. Also, a body shot won’t work and will most likely get you caught before the enemy gets taken down. But like some guns, it's one of a kind.

• Fast Fire Rate: same fire rate as most SMGs in the game
• Capacity: this has an absurd amount of ammo for a non-lethal weapon; carefully landed headshots can last you forever
• Only NL full-auto secondary: the only option in its category
• An early game weapon: you can get this item quickly in a new save, and upgrade it several times throughout the game

How to get it:

     1. go to the bottom of the SMG tab, ☆2

     2. pay the 106k GMP and have at least 10 R&D

     3. 0 minutes in game

8. S1000 and NL☆ 3 (Both NL and Lethal)/early game

Both of these pump-action shotguns work equally well for quickly dispatching close enemies; shells/rubber pellets. 

(Using ☆ 3 of both variants)

• Damage: 3600
• Firing Speed: 80
• Range:  31
• Impact: 200/650
• Grouping: 165
• Auto Aim: 420
• Penetration: no/yes

The S1000 and its AIR-S variant are the best shotguns for both playstyles, packing a punch that brings close enemies down in one to two shots. The AIR-S is one of the two available rubber pellet shotguns. Most shotguns have better stats than these two weapons, but the best-selling points of the S1k are the 4-5 load size, and their default suppressors. They are the only shotguns with suppressors, and most cannot be customized with one. 

     The silenced S1K, both lethal and non-lethal, are great stealth weapons that many players might not think ofr. They take down enemies as fast as snipers, and because of the pump-action, even the low-level suppressor lasts for a while. Because of the simple play of the shotgun, both these weapons are too similar to put them in separate entries . 

• Customization: leads you to a default shotgun suppressor
• Cheap and effective: most shotguns serve the same purpose with a similar effect, but the S1k is the best investment
• 4/5 shots: most of the early shotguns allow you to exclusively use 2 shots before reloading, the S1k allows you to have 5 (if you reload an extra)

How to get it:

     1. on the shotgun tab, five rows down on ☆2

     2. choose lethal, non-lethal, or both:

          a. the lethal version’s ☆2 + 3 costs 229k GMP and at least 17 R&D

          b. the non-lethal only requires the ☆2 lethal, go down three rows. Its costs about the same of GMP as the lethal, plus 18 R&D and 900 FU 

     3. 18 minutes in game for both

7. Geist P3☆ 2 (Lethal Pistol)/early game

This versatile pistol can provide a lot of firepower in a small package; 9mm.

• Damage: 500
• Firing Speed: 900
• Range:  35
• Impact: 200
• Grouping: 288
• Auto Aim: 480
• Penetration: yes

The Geist P3 has one of the fastest firing speeds overall, rivaling some SMGs. Grade 4 also includes a three round burst that removes the need to rely on your trigger finger. It has better range than most revolvers and nearly the same stats as the other semi-auto pistols. 

     It also has a huge capacity for bullets for the early game,and like most pistols, comes with a lot of  customization. It can quickly put down enemies close by, but can also be fired at longer ranges when it needs to. 

• Rapid fire: has one of the highest fire rates
• Large capacity: has the highest amount of pistol ammo 
• Control: despite the high fire rate, the Geist is as controllable as most pistols
• Burst-fire: burst fire give you enormous stopping power for a pistol

Easy to get: the Geist is almost instantly available, which you can upgrade as you go through the game

How to get it:

     1. go to around the center of the pistol tab in ☆2

     2. pay 66k GMP and have at least 9 R&D

     3. 0 minutes in game

6. UN-ARC-NL ☆ 2 (NL AR)/early game

This early game assault rifle variant, proves to be the best non-lethal weapon in most cases; rubber bullet.

• Damage: 687
• Firing Speed: 594
• Range:  50
• Impact: 200
• Grouping: 548
• Auto Aim: 512
• Penetration: no

The UN-ARC-NL, like the Riot SMG, is the only non-lethal assault rifle. Compared to other ARs, it only has a small amount of damage reduced; it’s still an extremely powerful weapon. As a rubber weapon, it also has a great amount of range, leaning towards the longer side. 

     There is a large amount of customization, allowing to further upgrade the effectiveness of range. The biggest two downsides of this weapon are the low ammo count/reduced clip, and late default suppressor. You will often run out of ammo before clearing a large base or mission, and will need to rely on supply drops for this weapon.

• Damage: does a large amount of damage for a rubber weapon
• Range: has the best non-lethal range, with the exception of snipers
• Customization: can get several essential assult rifle upgrades
• Easy to get: an early game weapon 

How to get it:

     1. in AR tab, go to around halfway down to find the UN-ARC damage version 

     2. purchase ☆1 for 36k, requiring 4 R&D and 200 FU

     3. go down three rows to find NL version, costing 115k GMP 13 R&D and 200 FU

     4. 0 minutes in game

5. Macht 37 ☆ 3 (Lethal SMG)/mid game

A highly accurate SMG as a backup for a damage setup; 9mm.

• Damage: 600
• Firing Speed: 810
• Range:  41
• Impact: 200
• Grouping: 521
• Auto Aim: 340
• Penetration: yes

The Macht 37 is the most accurate SMG; not just in stats, but its first available grade comes with the ‘sharpshooter stock’, giving in-game stability from recoil. It also also has better grouping then most SMGs. It has two diverting upgrades; the 37L which upgrades the range, and the 37K which upgrades the fire rate.The original path gives the best default suppressor of the three, with no major upgrades. 

     These three diverging paths let any player looking for a lethal secondary choose what they want, and you don’t necessarily need to customize them a lot. The game describes it as having an AR-like mechanism, and you can feel it in the game.

• Upgrades: has great upgrade paths that would give each player what their looking for
• Accuracy: is one of the most accurate and stable SMG
• Capacity: like other SMGs, it has a lot of ammo

How to get it:    

     1. in the SMG tab, go down 4 rows in ☆3

     2. develop for 184k GMP and at least 24 R&D

     3. 18 minutes in game

4. CGM 25 ☆ 4 (Explosive Weapon)/late game

Fires multiple projectiles that can lock on to both vehicles and personal; missiles.

• Damage: 2415
• Firing Speed: 60
• Range:  200
• Impact: 4000
• Grouping: 303
• Auto Aim: 300
• Penetration: hell yes

With the exception of the Killer Bee, the CGM has lower stats than most rocket launchers. However, it makes up for it with practicality and mechanics. With the ability to lock on and fire multiple projectiles, you can take out or incapacitate several enemies at different positions. You can also just fire at one target, doing more damage.  

     When leveling this up to grade 6, the weapon is given 8 projectiles. This weapon is also just as good with range as the other rocket launchers. You can lock on enemies and fire into the air while in cover, providing you with multiple tactical advantages and options. However, this will be available later on in the development page, needing several specialists (the only one on this list).

• Projectiles: fires multiple missiles at once at any enemy
• Lock on: allows you to lock on to multiple targets
• Damage: does less damage than other launchers, but can still take out vehicles with one shot
• Range: is giving the same amount of range as other launchers

How to get:

     1. on rocket launcher tab, go down 4 rows on ☆3

     2. you will need:

          a. Missile Guidance Specialist (Missions 19 + 21) 

          b.  Gunsmith for Missile Launchers (Side Op 55 + Volunteer after mission 31 + Side op 24)

     3. develop Killer bee; 201k GMP, 250 MM, with at least 22 R&D

     4. move one row down to ☆4 to find CGM, costing 546k GMP and at least 48 of both R&D and INT

     5. 36 minutes in game

3. Brennan (Lethal Sniper) ☆ 4/late game

An anti-material sniper rifle that actually works similarly to its real life counterparts; 12.7mm.

• Damage: 2990
• Firing Speed: 60
• Range:  130
• Impact: 2200
• Grouping: 354
• Auto Aim: 40
• Penetration: hell fucking yes

Anti-material snipers are used IRL to damage or disable light armored vehicles and destroy barricades or walls of buildings. The Brennan doesn’t completely get this right, but it still does these rifles justice when compared to some other non-simulation, popular AAA games. You can shoot through thin walls like wood and sheet metal, destroy any vehicle after a few shots (even tanks), and kill any soldier with any type of armor. 

     Its damage is as much as some rocket launchers, but fires as quickly as a bolt action sniper (however, explosions are better against vehicles). There is a separate upgrade path called Serval AMR-7 that allows you to make the gun semi-auto with range rededication.  And finally, it surprisingly has a large amount of ammunition capacity.

• Penetration: is the best weapon to penetrate walls and armor
• Capacity: has a surprisingly large ammo count; however, smaller clip
• Damage: can damage and kill almost every enemy

How to get:

     1. on the sniper tab, go to the second last row of ☆4

     2. develop for 425k GMP, 2000 CM, and have at least 37 R&D

     3. 36 minutes in game

2. UN-ARC ☆ 1 (Lethal AR)/really early game

This early game weapon can be upgraded throughout the game and will continue to be one of the best ARs; 7.62mm.

• Damage: 680
• Firing Speed: 720
• Range:  53
• Impact: 300
• Grouping: 557
• Auto Aim: 237
• Penetration: yeah

First and foremost, this weapon is here because of its customization. There are no limitations, you can customize every aspect, and you get many attachments early on like with other ARs. The UN-ARC is also the most accurate of the ARs, with a slight reduction in damage.

     Finally, like the other ARs, there are numerous  upgrades to suityour playstyle. Every damaged assault rifle is good, there aren’t really any bad choices; but the range of the ARC and attachments put this on top.

• Customization: gets good attachments and is fully customizable
• Accurate: one of the most accurate assault rifles
• Extremely early game: one of the earliest purchasable weapons

How to get it:

1. you basically have it already (beat prologue and mission 1 for enough money) develop for 36k GMP

1. Prosthetic Arm (Melee)

Try to remember the basics of CQC . . .

• Damage: one hit or a few
• Firing Speed: N/A
• Range:  in your face
• Impact: depends
• Grouping: depends
• Auto Aim: ?
• Penetration: maybe

It’s a bit unfair, as I’m including all the mechanics of the game that include the prosthetic arm, but they all fall under the melee button. Almost every style of play will use CQC; it's quick and effective, saves ammo and minimizes risks. When dozens of weapons fail to kill the fully armored soldier, sneaking behind and choking them out, or running in and slamming them to the ground, will do the trick. You can use combo attacks, hold and throw; using them both during firefights and stealth. On top of all of that, there are deeper mechanics within each. Each use of this CQC button feels satisfying and requires some effort. 

     It is a useful tool and fun to use. And then there’s the upgrades (mobility, medical, etc) and entirely different arms (rocket, stun, etc) you can have. When taking away the buddies, CQC is half of the combat, and the firearms are only a quarter (tools, support, and tools are the other quarter.) The melee in this game is one of the best of the series as a whole.

• Mechanical good: the melee uses one button in a handful of several ways; they all feel great to experiment with
• Flexible: can be used with any other loadout; stealth, loud, long or short ranged
• Unique upgrades: there are so many upgrades for this thing, and lot of them change how you use melee completely
• Animations: all animations are good, but CQC in this game is a treat to look at
• Save ammo: doesn’t spend ammo, some have cooldowns, but no ammo

How to get it:

1. fight against the phantom pain (beat prologue)

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