If you’re set on using the Combat Shotgun, then you’re in the right place. We’ve got two of the best Combat Shotgun loadouts in Vanguard. One focuses on high damage, while the other tries to make the Combat Shotgun a little quicker, even if it still falls short compared to other Vanguard Shotguns. Either way, the Combat Shotgun’s extremely high damage and remarkable range make it one of the best guns in Vanguard. As we move towards Season 2 and beyond, we’ll be sure to keep you up to date on any tweaks and changes made to the Combat Shotgun that might affect these loadouts.
Best Combat Shotgun loadout in Vanguard
The Combat Shotgun is a traditional pump-action weapon, and it has the best range out of all the shotguns in Call Of Duty: Vanguard. However, we can make it better by using attachments that focus on improving the range further, while also increasing damage so that you can easily pick off enemies from a distance. With this setup, the Combat Shotgun becomes completely unstoppable at medium range, so you can just sit back and pick off targets with astonishing power.
Optic: Slate Reflector Muzzle: M97 Full Choke Barrel: Sawed Off Underbarrel: Mark VI Skeletal Magazine: 12 Gauge 5 Round Tube Rear Grip: Fabric Grip Stock: Wire Custom Ammo Type: Slug Proficiency: Sleight Of Hand Kit: Quick
This Shotgun build is best at medium range, so we recommend using the Slate Reflector. This will perform well while picking off enemies across the map, but you can also use it if enemies do happen to get close. To deal with further away enemies, use the M97 Full Choke to tighten the Combat Shotgun’s spread and focus on your target. There are a few attachments in this setup that we use to increase the damage range to unlock the Combat Shotgun’s full potential. The 12 Gauge 5 Round Tube magazine and Slug ammo type all increase the range drastically, allowing you to get one-shot kills from much further than you’d expect, even without scoring a headshot. Trust us, this combination of attachments is something you need to try on the Combat Shotgun. Just make sure to use Sleight Of Hand, since the 12 Gauge magazine reloads very slowly. Since the Slug rounds make the Combat Shotgun dramatically slower, we have a few attachments that will try to increase the speed. It will still seem rather slow, but the Sawed Off barrel, Mark VI Skeletal, Fabric Grip and Wire Custom will make it a bit snappier and competitively viable. To push your movement speed even further so that you can easily move around the map and line up a headshot, use the Quick kit.
Secondary Weapon
Since this Combat Shotgun is most effective at medium range, there are plenty of viable choices for your secondary weapon. However, one weakness of this setup is speed. You won’t be able to quickly aim down your sights, and your sprint to fire speed will be rather slow. With that in mind, we recommend using something much snappier as your secondary weapon, such as the MP40, M1928, or PPSH-41. These SMGs are all great at running-and-gunning and provide the perfect counterpart to this slow yet powerful Combat Shotgun build.
Fastest Combat Shotgun loadout in Vanguard
As mentioned above, the Combat Shotgun is not built for speed. However, if you want to try it out and make this powerful weapon a bit snappier, we have the perfect loadout.
Optic: Slate Reflector Muzzle: A5 Smoothbore Barrel: Sawed Off Underbarrel: Mark VI Skeletal Magazine: 12 Gauge 5 Round Tube Rear Grip: Fabric Grip Stock: CGC 3M Adjustable Ammo Type: Incendiary Proficiency: Momentum Kit: Quick
As you can see, the Slate Reflector returns as it is an extremely efficient short-range sight that we prefer to use on most close-quarters setups in Vanguard. Of course, the key to this loadout is speed. The Sawed Off barrel and CGC 3M Adjustable stock combine to increase your movement speed so that you can get around maps quicker while firing. The Mark VI Skeletal and Fabric Grip both increase the sprint-to-fire time and ADS speed, making the Combat shotgun much snappier and more capable when you run into an enemy unexpectedly. To sprint around the map at top speed, we recommend using the Momentum proficiency and Quick kit. Momentum gives you a speed boost whenever you get a kill, while Quick will permanently increase your sprint speed. With your speed increased across the board, you can now focus on maximising damage where possible. The A5 Smoothbore widens the pellet spread to make running-and-gunning a little easier, as you can quickly pop off a shot and still hit your enemy. Combine this with the 12 Gauge 5 Round Tube to improve bullet velocity and range. Even if your first shot isn’t an instant kill, the Incendiary ammo type will deal more damage over time and hopefully finish your opponent before they can retaliate.
Secondary Weapon
Since this Combat Shotgun loadout focuses on getting close to your enemies and attacking with speed and ferocity, we recommend using a long-range weapon for when you need to engage from a distance. Sniper Rifles, such as the 3-Line Rifle and Kar98k, are extremely powerful and can crack skulls across the map with ease. If you want something a little faster, try out a Marksman Rifle. However, if you want some extra speed you could just use a standard secondary weapon, like the Machine Pistol. This would allow you to use the Lightweight perk and gain some extra movement speed.
Best Combat Shotgun Perks and Equipment
Here are the best Perks and equipment to use with your Combat Shotgun loadout:
Perk 1: Ghost Perk 2: Radar Perk 3: Overkill or Lightweight Lethal: Thermite Tactical: Stim
Ghost and Radar are the perfect pair that you should use in every loadout. Ghost allows you to remain hidden, as enemy intel and spy planes won’t detect you. Radar makes it easier for you to spot enemies though, as it highlights them on your minimap if they fire an unsilenced weapon. For this loadout, you should use Overkill if you decide to use an SMG or Sniper Rifle as your secondary. If you opt for a standard secondary like the Machine Pistol instead, you can take Lightweight, which makes you move a bit quicker. The best equipment options in Vanguard Season 1 are the Thermite grenade and Stim tactical. The Thermite can cause some extra damage to groups of enemies and is perfect for when you want to cause a bit of chaos before dropping foes with your Shotgun. If you are using our fast build and want to close the distance between you and your enemies, pop a Stim and use the slide-cancel manoeuvre to move across the map at breakneck pace. That’s everything you need to know to make the best Combat Shotgun loadout. If you want to try out more setups, check out our list of the best loadouts in Call Of Duty: Vanguard. Make sure to also take a look at how you can level up fast to unlock all of these attachments for your Combat Shotgun. If you’d rather stick to automatic weapons, check out our thoughts on the best Assault Rifle in Call Of Duty: Vanguard. You can also see how the Combat Shotgun compares to other guns with our Call Of Duty: Vanguard weapon stats breakdown.
