Knife VS Gun DUELS Gun Tier List

Gun-side rounds in Knife VS Gun DUELS reward players who control space on a small pad: land the opening shot, punish a wide strafe, and finish before a knife rusher closes the gap. This community wiki gun tier list ranks firearms and crossbows by practical duel output—not crate hype alone. It is not an official balance list from the developers, and there is no public Trello confirming weapon stats.

We use S, A, B, and C tiers. S-tier guns win or trade evenly in most even-skill gun duels at typical pad distances. A-tier guns are strong with one weakness such as reload length or harder first-shot aim. B-tier guns work in casual lobbies but lose common matchups into S and A picks. C-tier guns are mainly flex, collection, or trade pieces unless you have a niche read.

Compare close-range options on the Knife Tier List or return to the Tier List Hub for full ranking rules.

What “mid and long control” means on a duel pad

Pads are narrow, but gun rounds still split into mid control and long control moments. Mid control covers the first one to two seconds when both players are on the same plane and strafing sideways. Long control covers shots taken before full close-out, including jump peeks and back-pedal shots when a knife player commits late.

A gun that only works at one of those moments drops a tier. S-tier picks feel stable in both for most camera heights and crosshair setups reported by the community.

Gun ranking criteria

Time to first accurate shot — Includes equip animation, ADS feel if applicable, and how quickly you can fire after countdown. Losing the first exchange usually loses the round on pad.

Damage per opening window — Can you delete a rushing opponent before they enter knife range? Single-shot power and reliable two-tap patterns rank higher than spray weapons that miss half the pad width.

Accuracy at pad distance — Spread and recoil that look fine in open lobby tests fail when both players move in a lane barely wider than two characters.

Reload and cadence risk — If you reload in view of a knife rusher, you lose. Guns with short reloads or high forgiving mag sizes climb tiers.

Crossbow exception — Crossbows behave like guns in many duel lobbies. The Overseer Crossbow from code redemption is discussed separately because acquisition is free via Codes rather than crates.

S Tier — opening-shot dominance

S-tier guns consistently win gun-side rounds when both players intend to shoot rather than meme movement.

Reliable pistols with fast ready time — Pistols that fire accurately on the first click after countdown dominate pad mid control. Community streak runners often keep one pistol profile even when they own flashier rifles.

Hard-hitting rifles with predictable recoil — Rifles that two-tap or single-tap with minimal spread at pad length stay S tier. Visual rarity does not matter if recoil pushes shots wide on the second bullet.

Overseer Crossbow (code acquisition) — Widely reported as a strong pick because many players obtain it from promo codes without crate RNG. Treat it as S tier for value and performance until community tests show otherwise after a balance-feel patch. Always verify the code still works on the Codes page before recommending it to friends.

Consistent shotgun-style close guns on gun side — Some crate shotguns behave as S tier only at true close pad range. They drop if your opponent pre-aims mid lane and never commits into point-blank space.

A Tier — strong with one clear weakness

A-tier guns win most lobbies but lose defined matchups against S-tier ready speed or damage.

High-damage slow rifles — You win if the first shot connects; you lose if a faster pistol tags you during your wind-up.

Automatic weapons with spread — Strong when opponents strafe predictably, weaker against crouch jiggle at pad edges.

Limited event guns — Christmas or seasonal firearms often land in A tier: good flex and decent stats, not always better than evergreen S picks once players adapt.

Crossbows beyond Overseer — Crate crossbows with longer reload or travel time usually sit in A or B tier depending on one-shot kill reliability in clips.

B Tier — situational pad picks

B-tier guns can win streaks when opponents rush blindly but fail against players who time knife feints and gun jiggle peeks.

Heavy visual effect guns — Particle muzzle flash can obscure your own crosshair unless you use a pass from the Game Pass Tier List for custom reticles.

Long-range prestige rifles — Look strong in trade offers, yet pad distance never requires true sniper logic. Performance feels B tier in 1v1 duels even if rarity is high.

Duplicate role weapons — Owning two mid-control pistols with similar timing does not improve rank; it splits practice.

C Tier — flex, meme, and trade-first guns

C-tier guns remain fun for private duels or inventory screenshots but underperform in streak grinding.

Oversized or joke models — Block sight lines or throw off your sense of pad center.

Legacy crate fillers — Older pool weapons whose fire rate feels slow compared to newer releases after shop rotations.

Pure trade pieces — High perceived value with weak duel metrics. Useful near trade areas, poor for leaderboard pushes.

Gun vs knife side: matchup notes

When your opponent is on knife side, S-tier guns that win the first 0.5 seconds matter most. A-tier high-damage guns climb effectively if you pre-aim center pad and punish commits.

When both players are on gun side, mid control tiers decide the duel. Long-only weapons drop because nobody stays at true long range on these pads.

Mobility passes like Jetpack change approach vectors. That favors guns with good vertical tracking or fast second shots—not necessarily the highest raw damage stat.

Building a gun loadout without wasting coins

1. Test your current gun for ten private rounds and note whether you lose on first shot or reload.
2. If you lose first shot, prioritize ready time (pistol profiles). If you lose after one hit, prioritize damage per shot (rifle profiles).
3. Redeem Codes for free weapons like the Overseer Crossbow before spending crate keys on duplicate roles.
4. Pair gun practice with one trusted knife from the Knife Tier List so mixed lobbies do not leave you weak on half the rounds.
5. Re-test after limited box seasons or battlepass-style updates—community reports often shift gun feel before any official notes appear.

Crossbows, hats, and cosmetics

Crossbows are ranked here because they behave like guns in duel flow. Hats and cosmetics do not change tier placement in this list; they affect flex and trade value only.

Custom crosshair passes can bump your personal feel with spread-heavy B-tier guns but do not change the community tier of the weapon itself.

Community disclaimer

Crate names rotate and new guns appear in Christmas boxes, limited unbox pools, and event shops. This page explains tier logic and role profiles, not a frozen list of every weapon ID.

Treat S/A/B/C as community guidance for mid and long pad control. Ping, device, FPS, and crosshair choice can move a gun one tier for you. Verify performance in your own duels after major Updates rather than copying one social clip.