Best Guns in Fortnite: Treasure Hunters Weapon Tier List

The best guns in Fortnite right now are the Sentinel Pump Shotgun and Gilded Dragoon Shotgun up close, the Hammer Assault Rifle at mid range, and the Machine SMG or Tactical SMG for close spray fights. The Treasure Hunters loot pool launched with v43.00 on November 1, 2026 and has no sniper rifles, so most fights happen at shotgun, SMG and assault rifle range. Today's v43.10 update adds the Lever Action Shotgun and makes boss weapons a guaranteed drop. This guide ranks every weapon in the pool by its published stats and explains the best loadout, the boss weapons and what arrives on November 15.

Checked against the Fortnite Wiki weapon stat pages and Epic's v43.10 update notes (as reported by press) on November 12, 2026.

Damage, fire rate and magazine numbers below are the current values listed on each weapon's Fortnite Wiki page. The tier placements are an editorial reading of those numbers and of how each gun plays, not an official Epic ranking. Several Mythic variants, such as the Amplified Bundlebuss Repeater Rifle and Throttled Tactical Submachine Gun, have no published stats yet, so they are listed separately.

What are the best guns in Fortnite Treasure Hunters?

Carry one strong shotgun, one SMG and the Hammer Assault Rifle, and you have the best general loadout in the current pool. The tier list below ranks the standard loot pool weapons.

Which shotgun is best in Fortnite right now?

The Sentinel Pump Shotgun is the most reliable shotgun this season, and the Gilded Dragoon Shotgun hits hardest on a single shot. Both beat the Auto Shotgun for one-shot potential.

The Sentinel Pump fires 12 pellets per shot and keeps full damage out to 6.5 meters before falloff starts. Four shells give you room for a follow-up after a miss. The Gilded Dragoon, new this season, fires 10 pellets and hits for 164 at Legendary, but it must reload after every shot. Its effective fire rate works out to about 0.6 shots per second at Legendary, so a missed shot leaves a long gap. It reloads in 1.67 seconds and can be aimed while reloading and in midair by default, which helps in build fights.

The Lever Action Shotgun returned in v43.10 and changed from semi-automatic to automatic fire, so holding the trigger now cycles the lever for you. It drops from Buggy at Buggy's Beachhead. The Auto Shotgun fires faster than any other shotgun, but its headshot cap of 145 at Legendary means it rarely finishes a full-health opponent in one hit. Take it only if nothing better drops.

What is the best assault rifle in Fortnite this season?

The Hammer Assault Rifle is the best rifle for most players because each bullet hits harder and stays accurate at mid range. The Bundlebuss Repeater Rifle fires faster and holds more ammo but deals less per bullet.

The Hammer uses medium bullets, has First Shot Accuracy, and recoils up and to the right. It plays best at roughly 15 to 30 meters: tap or burst fire at range, and crouch to tighten spread and reset first shot accuracy faster. Its small 20-round magazine means you should reload between fights. The v43.10 update fixed a camera shake bug on the Hammer, so it feels steadier than it did at launch.

The Bundlebuss is a new rifle with a 32-round magazine and an 8.5 fire rate. It is better for spraying close to mid range and for breaking builds, while the Hammer wins longer fights. Since the season has no sniper rifles, whichever rifle you carry is also your long-range option.

Which SMG is better: Machine SMG or Tactical SMG?

The Machine SMG has the higher damage output; the Tactical SMG is easier to control. Pick the Machine SMG if you are confident tracking targets up close and the Tactical SMG if you prefer shorter, accurate bursts.

The Machine SMG starts with tight spread and low recoil, but accuracy drops during long bursts and the horizontal kick is erratic. It also received a spread reduction when it returned in v43.00. The Tactical SMG has no First Shot Accuracy and a slower fire rate, but its 1.75x headshot multiplier rewards players who aim for the head. Both reload faster than any rifle, which makes them strong for finishing a target after a shotgun hit.

The Sidearm Pistol is a fully automatic pistol with First Shot Accuracy and 196.85 DPS at Legendary. It stays accurate during sustained fire and is a reasonable SMG substitute off spawn, but swap it out once you find an SMG.

What are the boss and Exotic weapons in Treasure Hunters?

Boss weapons are a guaranteed drop since v43.10, so beating a boss now always pays off. The main ones are A$AP Rocky's Shock Rocket and Buggy's drops.

The Shock Rocket fires a slow rocket that does not drop with distance and deals no headshot damage. While it sits in your inventory it builds a Shock Rock charge every 16 seconds, but swapping to another slot removes the charges until you equip it again. It is not in Competitive Battle Royale playlists. Some Exotics can also appear in chests, according to Epic's v43.10 notes.

The Flint-Knock Pistol is a one-shot projectile pistol that launches you in the opposite direction of your aim and knocks the target away with low gravity. Rare and Epic versions were added this season. Crouch while firing to stay in place. It is a movement tool first: use it to reach high ground or escape, not as a main weapon.

What is the best loadout in Fortnite right now?

A strong all-round loadout is Sentinel Pump Shotgun, Machine SMG or Tactical SMG, Hammer Assault Rifle, one movement or explosive item, and healing. Swap the Sentinel for a Gilded Dragoon if you land consistent first shots.

1. Slot 1, shotgun: Sentinel Pump Shotgun (or Gilded Dragoon Shotgun).
2. Slot 2, SMG: Machine SMG or Tactical SMG for close follow-ups.
3. Slot 3, rifle: Hammer Assault Rifle for mid range.
4. Slot 4, utility: Flint-Knock Pistol for rotations, or the Shock Rocket and Explosive Cannon Ball against builds.
5. Slot 5, healing: Slurp Juice, Shield Fish, Nami's Tangerine or Meat on a Stick.

Two new weapons are scheduled to join the pool on November 15, when Hatsune Miku and Kasane Teto arrive at Friendship Villa: the Leekcapper and the Flapjack Rifle. Stats for those will be added once they are live. For the season's map, bosses and dates, see the Treasure Hunters season guide, and for XP routes, the guide to the fastest ways to level up this season.

Weapon numbers matter less than consistency in Ranked, where the Shock Rocket is absent. The Fortnite Ranked guide explains how eliminations and placement move your rank.

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• Fortnite Ranked explained: ranks, progress and rewards
• Best Fortnite settings: FPS, graphics, audio and keybinds
• Fortnite Treasure Hunters guide: map, weapons, Battle Pass
• Fortnite level up fast: weekly quests and XP