Black Ops 6 has a plethora of weapons to enjoy, but one of the most efficient guns in the game is the AEK-973, a three-round burst DMR that hits hard and can drop enemies in seconds.
To make the most of the Marksman Rifle, here’s the best Black Ops 6 AEK-973 loadout to use, including the attachments, Perks, Equipment, and more.
- Best attachments
- Best Perks, Wildcard & Equipment
- Best Secondary for AEK-973
- How to unlock AEK-973 in Black Ops 6
- Is the AEK-973 any good in Black Ops 6?
- Best alternatives
Best AEK-973 attachments in Black Ops 6
- Optic: Volzhskiy Reflex
- Muzzle: Suppressor
- Barrel: Reinforced Barrel
- Rear Grip: Commando Grip
- Fire Mods: Rapid Fire
For the best AEK-973 loadout in Black Ops 6, you’ll want a clean Optic like the Volzhskiy Reflex and the Suppressor Muzzle to keep you off the enemy radar when firing the gun.
Next, the Reinforced Barrel provides a boost to bullet velocity and damage range, allowing you to secure kills at long distances. The Commando Grip improves the AEK’s handling stats so that you can ADS and fire faster after sprinting. Lastly, but certainly not least, the Rapid Fire mod gives the Marksman Rifle a major increase to its fire rate, meaning the 3-round bursts come out faster, allowing you to get a faster TTK.
Best Perks, Wildcard & Equipment for AEK-973
- Perk 1: Ninja
- Perk 2: Forward Intel
- Perk 3: Vigilance
- Perk 4: Flak Jacket
- Wildcard: Perk Greed
- Lethal: Impact Grenade
- Tactical: Stim Shot
- Field Upgrade: Trophy System
When it comes to Perks, we’ve gone with Ninja for quite movement, Forward Intel for extra minimap information, and Vigilance to keep you aware of your position being exposed. These combine to give you the Recon Combat Specialty, which is very useful for seeing the enemy team’s position on the map.
We’ve then selected Perk Greed as the Wildcard, which means you can pick a fourth Perk, for which we went with Flak Jacket, as Lethal Equipment can be deadly without it.
Speaking of Lethals, the Impact Grenade is great for flushing enemies out of tight spaces, while the Stim Shot regenerates your health to get you back in the fight and survive longer.
The Trophy System is one of the best Field Upgrades in the game as it protects the team when capturing an objective, hence why we’ve picked it in our best AEK-973 loadout.
Best Secondary for AEK-973
The Grekhova is the best Secondary weapon for the AEK-973, as its a full-auto pistol that performs extremely well at close range. This covers you in close-quarters combat, which is not where the AEK-973 excels.
How to unlock AEK-973 in Black Ops 6
You can unlock the AEK-973 by reaching Level 34 in Black Ops 6. You can do this in Multiplayer or Zombies, as progression is shared across these modes. Once Warzone is integrated, you’ll also be able to level up in the Battle Royale too.
If you’re eager to unlock the gun, check out our top tips on ranking up quickly in BO6.
Is the AEK-973 any good in Black Ops 6?
The AEK-973 is one of the best Marksman Rifles in Black Ops 6. It may not be the top of the meta, as those spots are occupied by the strong SMGs and Assault Rifles, but the three-round burst DMR can outperform any weapon when it’s used to its strengths.
Hold long lines of sight and try not to run and gun too much, this weapon excels when used in positions of power such as high ground and head glitches.
Best alternatives to AEK-973 in Black Ops 6
The Swat 5.56 is the obvious alternative to the AEK-973, as it’s also a 3-round burst DMR. It performs similarly to the AEK, but has better accuracy and slightly worse mobility stats. If you want something even more deadly that requires pinpoint accuracy, give our best quickscoping LW3A1 Frostline loadout a go.
For more, sign up for the Insider Gaming newsletter for the latest on BO6, or check out every Prestige reward and how to level up weapons fast.
