A brand-new one-shot rifle has been added to Warzone and Black Ops 6, and it’s already taking over the meta in both games.
As a rule, Assault Rifles and SMGs dominate the meta in both multiplayer and battle royale, thanks to their versatility and ease of use. This has been the case throughout the Black Ops 6 era, with guns like the CR-56 AMAX and C9 reigning supreme, while the HDR sniper has taken over Warzone.
But every now and again, a weapon from outside these categories takes CoD by storm. That’s exactly what the Essex Model 07 Marksman Rifle has done, becoming one of the best weapons across both games.
Essex Model 07 is insane in Black Ops 6 & Warzone
Unlocked as part of the Ballerina event, the Essex is a lever-action Marksman Rifle with incredible damage. While its slightly slower fire rate might be off-putting to some players at first, it makes up for it with its fantastic one-shot potential.
In multiplayer, it can one-shot headshot at any range and, with the right combination of attachments, can do the same with chest, stomach, and arm shots up to 66 meters. This makes it absolutely deadly on BO6’s mid-sized maps, where most fights take place with this range.
The real surprise is how effective it is in Warzone, where Marksman Rifles have struggled in the past. Although it’s never going to challenge the HDR, it can one-shot up to 34 meters with a headshot, and two-shot the chest up to 80 meters.
So, it’s not going to win you too many long-range duels, but it’s lethal in those more mid-range fights. One well-placed shot will knock a fully plated enemy, and even if you miss, its snappy ADS speed makes landing follow-up shots a breeze.
CoD expert WhosImmortal compared the Essex to a Shotgun, as it’s very high-risk, high-reward. Especially in Warzone, if you’re accurate enough to land head or chest shots with a quick follow-up, it’s devastating, but one misplaced bullet could leave you open against an enemy running an SMG or AR.
To get the most out of it by buffing the range and ADS speed, check out the streamer’s meta loadout:
- Optic: Jason Armory 2X
- Muzzle: Monolithic Suppressor
- Barrel: Long Barrel
- Magazine: Stripper Clip
- Lever: Quickdraw Lever
This build is perfect for Warzone, but if you’re mainly a BO6 multiplayer fan, you can swap the Optic for a cleaner sight like the Kepler Microflex.
While there’s every chance that the Essex Model 07 could be hit with a nerf in the Season 4 Reloaded update, don’t be surprised to see the rifle dominating matches in the meantime.
