Shotguns in Apex Legends can be very effective, but it can often feel like they aren’t very accurate. As it turns out, the crosshairs don’t accurately show where shots are going to land.
Shotguns are a staple weapon class in Apex Legends, with many of them being the absolute best option in close-range fights. In capable hands, shotguns make 1v3s look easy.
However, it can be easy to feel like shotguns are missing their target despite them being in your crosshair. As it turns out, the hipfire crosshairs for most shotguns don’t give a good idea of where shots may land.
Apex Legends shotguns are deceptively (in)accurate
In a reddit clip posted by bpgodinho, this user shows off just how different the shotgun reticles are from the actual pellet spread.
Even at max range where shotguns should have the most spread, the outer parts of the reticle don’t match the outer range of the pellet spread. What’s going on here?
Getting to the bottom of things
Shotguns in Apex Legends have a variety of pellet spreads, and no one shotgun feels alike. While the Mastiff’s horizontal spread is a bit more apparent than the other 3 shotguns, they all have their unique and consistent spreads.
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The Mozam shoots 3 pellets in a triangle shape, the Peacekeeper has a star pattern, and the EVA has a pattern sort of like 2 ovals stacked on top of each other. These patterns are always the same for these weapons.
What’s more, the pellet indicators on screen are also misleading. It registers were pellets hit before recoil, which is why the Mozambique and Peacekeeper’s bullet spreads are so far off the reticle.
When shotgun shots deviate in Apex Legends, pellets don’t just go every which way like, say, Call of Duty. Rather, the entire pellet pattern deviates from the center in a uniform spread.
This is why a fully charged Peacekeeper shot is so accurate at range, or why the Mozambique does well scoped in. These patterns are always the same.
So, the reason why shotgun crosshairs are misleading is because shotguns in Apex Legends are very consistent and accurate. Almost too accurate, to the point where the in-game crosshairs don’t represent their spreads very well.
