The ASG-89 is a shotgun in Black Ops 6 that is absolutely deadly at close range, and you can make even better by using the best recommended loadout possible.
With all the talk about meta SMGs like the Jackal PDW and C9, it’s easy to forget that the shotguns are strong in this year’s Call of Duty too. If you use them on the right maps with the right builds, you’ll be able to rack up kills with ease and dominate your lobbies.
One of your best options for this is the ASG-89, a semi-auto shottie perfect for spam firing up close. Here’s the best ASG-98 loadout to get the most out of this gun, including attachments, perks, and equipment.
Best ASG-89 loadout
- Muzzle: Modified Choke
- Barrel: Long Barrel
- Rear Grip: Commando Grip
- Laser: Target Laser
- Fire Mods: Rapid Fire
While it’s tempting to make a hip-fire build and spam away, the ASG-89 performs best when its ADS spread is made as tight as possible to improve consistency. The two attachments needed for this are the Modified Choke and Target Laser, which make the gun’s spread nice and tight when used together.
However, it isn’t as though this is a precision weapon by any means, and firing quickly is still worthwhile. You can even increase its rate of fire by equipping Rapid Fire, which also slightly improves the shotgun’s TTK, making it more competitive against submachine guns up close.
If you want to improve its versatility, the Long Barrel boosts damage range too, so you aren’t just limited to fighting at point blank range. You still won’t want to be trying to shoot enemies from across the map, but this build does have more range than you would expect from a semi-auto shotgun.
Last but not least, the Commando Grip improves two key handling stats: aim down sight speed and sprint to fire time. Improving these stats makes the ASG-89 feel more responsive, allowing you to play aggressively and push enemies without getting caught out.
Best ASG-89 class: Perks, Equipment, Combat Specialty
- Combat Specialty: Recon
- Perk 1: Ninja
- Perk 2: Tracker
- Perk 3: Cold-Blooded
- Wildcard: Overkill
- Lethal: Semtex
- Tactical: Stim Shot
- Field Upgrade: Sleeper Agent
The Recon specialty works great with shotguns like the ASG-89, as it alerts you to enemy surroundings. Having this intel and awareness of what’s around you is essential given the gun’s obvious limitations. You want to be getting up close, and that’s much easier to do when you know where everyone is hiding.
You need three Blue Perks to gain this specialty, and we recommend using Ninja, Tracker, and Cold-Blooded. Ninja and Cold-Blooded work together to keep you hidden from enemy killstreaks and silent as you move, making it hard for the other team to know where you are. As for Tracker, it lets you find enemies more easily by hunting down their recent footsteps.
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The Overkill wildcard is another great option, allowing you to take a second primary weapon. This additional slot should be used on a versatile assault rifle like the Model L or XM4 to challenge enemies at long range. After all, a shotgun like the ASG-89 is largely useless beyond a few meters, so you’ll want another option.
For equipment, a Frag works as well as ever, offering a lethal explosive that can be cooked to explode at just the right moment. This should be partened with Stim Shot to heal up in a pinch when you are flanking in the enemy’s backline, something that will be easy to do with Sleeper Agent, a powerful Field Upgrade that lets you pretend to be on the other team.
ASG-89 Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Incredible TTK up close | Very little range |
| Fast rate of fire | Average mobility and handling |
| Tight hipfire spread | Small magazine size |
| Easy to use | SMGs usually beat it |
Where is the ASG-89 in the BO6 meta?
Truthfully, the ASG-89 is one of Black Ops 6’s weakest weapons. It can be fun to use, and on some small maps it will even be competitive, but most SMGs and even the Marine SP outperform it. The unfortunate reality is that it just doesn’t have enough range to be effective in most situations, making it better suited to being a secondary weapon than anything else.
To be fair, there are some genuine reasons to consider using this beyond grinding for mastery camos. Most notably, its fast fire rate and tight hipfire spread make it easy to use up close, especially if you utilize Omnimovement to slide into enemies and open fire before they can react.
Don’t expect to be beating the best SMGs too often, but if you’re looking for a fun gun to use that excels at close range, it’s a reasonable option. However, more serious shotgun players should opt for the Marine SP instead, which is an all-around better weapon.
How to unlock the ASG-89
You can unlock the ASG-89 by reaching Level 31, at which point it will be available to use on custom loadouts and build as you wish.
Best ASG-89 alternative
While another shotgun would be the most obvious choice, the best ASG-89 alternative is actually the Kompact 92. Just like this gun, the Kompact dominates at close range and has an incredible time to kill, but offers less range than its peers.
Using this ASG-89 loadout is only half the battle, as you’ll also want to make sure you have the best PC settings, as well as the best controller settings or best MnK settings, depending on what input and platform you prefer. Once these are setup, you’ll be able to dominate lobbies using your favorite shotgun.