Before Season 1 flips the whole Zombies meta on its head, it's worth locking in a few weapons that already feel unfair. If you're warming up in a CoD BO7 Bot Lobby or just trying to stop bleeding points to early downs, the goal is the same: pick guns that stay reliable when the screen gets busy, the audio's screaming, and your reload timing suddenly matters.
Shadow SK for Clean Picks
The Shadow SK is for players who like the map to feel "quiet." One shot, one problem gone. You'll notice it most when specials show up and everyone else is panic-spraying. With Zursa Bears, don't tunnel on the head straight away—pop the beehives first, then cash in on the weak point. Tactical Stance plus a scope sounds odd, but it plays smoother than you'd think: quick hip movement when you're cramped, then you can still take clean angles down a lane. Rapid Fire helps too, not for chaos, but for fixing that sluggish rhythm so follow-up shots don't get you punished.
XM325 LMG When You Need to Hold the Line
If your plan is "stand your ground and let the horde come," the XM325 does that job without drama. The belt feed setup is the headline—no reloads, just keep firing—yet you've gotta respect the overheat bar or it'll bite you at the worst time. Since the base fire rate is already nuts, Rapid Fire's usually overkill. The 5.56 Caseless FMJ is the smarter pick because it chews through multiple zombies in a line, so your ammo goes further than you expect. Add a sprint-shooting augment like Guns Up and you'll save yourself when a train collapses and you have to move now, not after a reload.
Close-Range Damage That Actually Saves Runs
Up close, the M10 Breacher hits like it's mad at the map. That charged shot mechanic is the real trick—hold the trigger, the spread tightens, and it starts feeling more like a heavy slug than a messy blast. Once it's Pack-a-Punched, that charge turning automatic is huge for elites, especially if you run Dragon's Breath to keep damage ticking while you reposition. For SMG players, the MPC-25 is the classic "fast hands, fast feet" option. It's snappy, it loves headshots, and it'll punish you with that tiny mag until you invest in upgrades—so don't get caught mid-reload trying to be a hero.
Ray Guns and Late-Round Safety
Wonder Weapons are where high rounds stop being a flex and start being a strategy. The Ray Gun Mark II is the safer, calmer choice because you're not constantly risking splash damage when a zombie slips into your face. It also handles boss pressure well, like Veytharion, since you can stay aggressive without trading your own health. The original Ray Gun still clears crowds better, but it basically begs for PhD so you don't down yourself, and that reload can feel like an eternity when everything's collapsing. If you're testing setups or dialing in perk priorities, sliding back into BO7 Bot Lobbies can help you figure out which one fits your rhythm before the game starts asking for perfection.
