Best Black Ops 6 AK-74 loadout and class build

Our best Black Ops 6 AK-74 loadout combines raw power with a refined recoil pattern, making this gun a dominant force in the right hands.

by · PCGamesN

What is the best Black Ops 6 AK-74 loadout? Few weapons are as instantly recognizable as the AK-74, with its wooden stock and distinctive silhouette, and thankfully for us, it’s back in Black Ops 6. The AK-74 has raw power straight out the gate, but the recoil can get a little out of hand, especially during sustained fire.

The Black Ops 6 meta hasn’t yet quite come to the surface, with many players still working their way through unlocking all of the Black Ops 6 weapons. The AK-74 is up there with the best Black Ops 6 loadouts, especially with our setup; we’ve reigned in the unruly gun kick and added range to the immense assault rifle to make it a deadly tool no matter the distance.

Black Ops 6 AK-74 loadout and class build

Here’s the best AK-74 loadout and class build:

  • Optic: Volzhskiy Reflex
  • Muzzle: Ported Compensator
  • Barrel: Reinforced Barrel
  • Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
  • Magazine: Extended Mag I
  • Rear Grip: Quickdraw Grip
  • Stock: Infiltrator Stock
  • Fire Mods: Recoil Springs

The Gunfighter Wildcard allows us to add an extra three attachments to the AK-74 – something that we believe adds a lot of extra value in rounding out the raw power of the assault rifle. The Ported Compensator, Vertical Foregrip, and Recoil Springs all play a part in reducing how wildly the gun jumps around during sustained fire and will allow you to keep up the pressure in hectic gunfights.

The Reinforced Barrel gives the AK-74 some extra range, and the Infiltrator Stock and Quickdraw Grip ensures that the assault rifle doesn’t feel too heavy to use, aiding in the snappy feel of aiming down sights. The Volzhskiy Reflex is a sight that keeps your peripherals clear so you can see if any additional threats want to join the party, even when aiming down sights.

Best Black Ops 6 AK-74 class build, gear, perks, and equipment

We’ve gone all-in on this AK-74 build, so while you’ll have a pistol secondary, you’ll be doing the bulk of your work with your primary weapon and not much else. Thankfully, our best AK-74 loadout shreds enemies with ease, so you won’t want to use anything else. Built for any type of engagement, this is a jack of all trades, and a master at killing.

  • Secondary weapon: Stryder .22
  • Melee: Knife
  • Tactical: Concussion
  • Lethal: Semtex
  • Field Upgrade: Spring Mine
  • Perk 1: Ghost
  • Perk 2: Forward Intel
  • Perk 3: Cold Blooded
  • Specialty: Recon
  • Wildcard: Gunfighter

Our class setup gears you up to be a one-person army. With the Recon specialty, you’ll be able to scope out nearby enemies whenever you spawn, and the rest of the Recon group, like Cold Blooded, will keep you off the map while you do your work. The Spring Mine is useful for blocking off lanes and defending objectives, with the Concussion tactical excellent for pushing enemy positions.

Low level Black Ops 6 AK-74 loadout

As you can see from our meta loadout, there are many things you’ll need to unlock to get the AK-74 fully up to speed. You’ll still have to use the assault rifle to level it up, though, we’ve provided you with the best loadout to rack up the XP.

Here is the best low level AK-74 loadout:

  • Muzzle: Suppressor
  • Barrel: Long Barrel
  • Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
  • Magazine: Extended Mag I
  • Rear Grip: Assault Grip

The aim with this early build is ultimately the same as the meta one, although without Gunfighter we’re restricted to only five attachments. Thankfully, the iron sights on the AK-74 are minimal, and still offer a clean sight picture, so an optic isn’t absolutely necessary. The Suppressor will keep you off enemy minimaps, and the Extended Mag I ensures you can take on multiple opponents without having to reload.

The key elements of this early build are the underbarrel and rear grip attachments. The Vertical Foregrip reduces horizontal recoil, so you’ll only have to concentrate on pulling down when unloading your magazine, and the Assault Grip keeps that ADS snappy – you’ll feel especially nimble without an optic.

Black Ops 6 AK-74 recoil pattern

With our best loadout, you’ll notice quite a difference in the recoil right away, and this also applies to our early game AK-74 loadout. We’ve managed to reign in the horizontal recoil to a point where you only really have to worry about pulling down slightly when engaging in sustained fire. It will drift slightly to the right when unloading a full clip, but for multiplayer purposes, nobody will last that long.

How to unlock the AK-74 in Black Ops 6

The AK-74 is unlocked at level ten, meaning that you’ll get your hands on this savage rifle fairly early on in your multiplayer career. You’ll likely have been making use of the XM4 and should notice a considerable difference in damage when you swap to the AK-74.

Best AK-74 alternatives

We believe that the best alternative to the AK-74 is the best XM4 loadout: the default assault rifle at your disposal is highly controllable and absolutely deadly in the right hands. Its damage pales in comparison to that of the AK-74, but you’ll have more of a chance to hit with a fast rate of fire.

There you have our best Black Ops 6 AK-74 loadout. If you find that this devastating assault rifle is a little too impersonal, we have the best Marine SP loadout so you can get up close and personal with your opponents before dispatching them. Check out our Black Ops 6 prestige guide so you know what to expect as you rise through the ranks.