PUBG Weapon Classes: How Many Guns Are in Each Category
Contents
PUBG officially splits its weapons into nine categories across the pages of its game-info section: AR, DMR, SMG, SR, Shotgun, Handgun, Melee, Throwable, and Etc. Below is the exact lineup of the four most sought-after categories, per the official lists.
AR — assault rifles
The largest category. The official AR page lists 13 models: M16A4, M416, SCAR-L, G36C, QBZ, K2, AUG, FAMAS, AKM, Beryl M762, Mk47 Mutant, Groza, ACE32. These are versatile weapons for mid-to-close range, and they’re behind most of the first encounters in a match — including the ones that happen right after the drop, as covered in our piece on your first PUBG match.
DMR — semi-automatic long-range rifles
The official DMR page names 7 models: Mini14, Mk12, SKS, SLR, Mk14, VSS, Dragunov. The category sits between AR and SR: longer range than assault rifles, but without the mandatory bolt cycle after every shot.
SMG — submachine guns
The official SMG page lists 8 models: Tommy Gun, UMP, Micro UZI, Vector, MP5K, MP9, P90, JS9. These are close-range weapons with a high fire rate — a typical choice for building fights and on smaller maps like Karakin, covered in our piece on every PUBG map.
SR — sniper rifles
The official SR page names 5 models: Kar98k, M24, AWM, Win94, Lynx AMR. Most of these require a manual bolt cycle after every shot, which makes them less suited to fast exchanges at short range.
Other categories
The official category list includes five more groups: Shotgun, Handgun, Melee, Throwable, and Etc (other gear, such as the crossbow or the flare gun launcher). The pages we checked don’t break down the exact model count for these five categories with the same level of detail as for AR, SMG, SR, and DMR.
What isn’t officially stated
- No per-model caliber listed in text form on the checked pages. The category pages describe the makeup of each weapon group but don’t publish a detailed ammunition table in a citable format.
- No official “best weapon” ranking. Model lists are presented neutrally, without a comparative effectiveness score.
- No single page with damage stats. Every category is described with general text and a list of names, not per-shot damage numbers.
Because of that, picking a specific model within a category is more a matter of personal playstyle than anything backed by officially published damage or ballistics figures.
How the categories fit together in a match
Taken together, the four detailed categories cover the full range of combat distances: SMGs for close-quarters fighting, AR for the mid-range exchanges that make up most encounters, DMR for the gap between mid and long range, and SR for the longest engagements. A loadout that mixes an AR with either a DMR or an SR is a common approach precisely because it covers both the close-to-mid range and the long-range gap that a single category can’t handle on its own. Where a fight actually happens often comes down to the map — the tighter city layouts on the smaller maps favor SMG and AR encounters, while the open terrain on the larger maps gives DMR and SR more room to matter.
Frequently asked questions
How many assault rifles (AR) are in PUBG?
The official AR category page lists 13 models: M16A4, M416, SCAR-L, G36C, QBZ, K2, AUG, FAMAS, AKM, Beryl M762, Mk47 Mutant, Groza, and ACE32. It's the largest weapon category in the game.
How does a DMR differ from an SR?
A DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle) is semi-automatic long-range gear, and the category officially holds 7 models. An SR (Sniper Rifle) is mostly bolt-action, requiring a manual cycle after every shot, and the category officially holds 5 models.
How many SMGs are in the game?
The official SMG category page names 8 models: Tommy Gun, UMP, Micro UZI, Vector, MP5K, MP9, P90, and JS9. These are close-range weapons with a high rate of fire.
Does PUBG officially list the caliber for each weapon?
On the general category pages (AR, SMG, SR, DMR) that we checked, exact calibers and per-model damage figures aren't published in a citable text format. We deliberately don't quote numbers here, so as not to present unverified figures as official fact.
Which sniper rifle is the strongest in PUBG?
The official pages list five SR models — Kar98k, M24, AWM, Win94, Lynx AMR — without ranking their power against each other. No such official ranking exists among the sources we checked.