The KSV is a powerful SMG in Black Ops 6 that can compete with the game’s top options, and this best loadout turns it into a truly top-tier weapon.
It wouldn’t be a Call of Duty game if you didn’t have some great submachine guns to pick from, and Black Ops 6 doesn’t disappoint in this regard. This year’s game has some of the strongest SMGs we’ve seen in the series, and the KSV is no exception.
However, you can’t just expect to use this gun without attachments and dominate with it. To get the most out of this weapon, you’ll need an optimized build, so we’ve broken down the best KSV loadout to help you out.
Best KSV Black Ops 6 loadout
- Optic: Kepler Microflex
- Muzzle: Ported Compensator
- Barrel: Reinforced Barrel
- Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
- Rear Grip: CQB Grip
The KSV suffers from having a lot of horizontal recoil by default, but this can be corrected by using the Vertical Foregrip and Ported Compensator. With both of these attachments equipped, the gun’s horizontal recoil control is improved by 40%, making it much easier to keep shots on target.
The Reinforced Barrel is another good option, as it substantially increases bullet velocity. This is an area where the KSV struggles, so improving this stat is essential if you want to stretch out its range and remain competitive from further away.
With these problem areas addressed, the remaining attachments can be used to make this SMG even better. The CQB Grip, which massively boosts both sprint to fire speed and slide to fire speed, is a obvious choice as it lets you fly around the map and not have to worry about sluggish handling holding you back.
While the last slot is fairly flexible, using a meta optic like the Kepler Microflex is never a bad idea. It makes tracking enemies easier than if you were using iron sights, which is a big deal in Black Ops 6 given how fast everyone can move with Omnimovement.
Best KSV Black Ops 6 class: Perks and equipment
- Specialty: Enforcer
- Perk 1: Dexterity
- Perk 2: Assassin
- Perk 3: Double Time
- Wildcard: Perk Greed (Ninja)
- Lethal: Frag
- Tactical: Concussion
- Field Upgrade: Assault Pack
The Enforcer combat specialty works great with the KSV, providing temporary healing and movement buffs whenever you get a kill. This has obvious synergy with an SMG like the KSV, with its high mobility stats letting you run around and chain kills with ease.
To get Enforcer, you’ll need to use three Red Perks. The strongest of these is Double Time, a powerful option that greatly increases the duration of Tactical Sprint. This partners well with Dexterity to reduce unnecessary weapon motion while jumping, sliding, and diving, making all of these more effective.
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The third and final Red Perk you’ll want to use is Assassin, which causes enemies to become targeted and drop Bounty Packs if you kill them. These can then be collected to rack up score. However, with the use of Perk Greed, you get an additional fourth Perk slot to use on Ninja, silencing your footsteps and letting you flank more easily.
For equipment, keep things simple and use both a Frag and Concussion, These are classic grenades that are just as effective today as they have always been. Last but not least, an Assault Pack can be dropped to restock on ammo and equipment, which is extremely useful if you find yourself on a scorestreak and don’t want to risk running out of ammo.
KSV pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Competitive TTK | Low damage |
| Tight hipfire spread | Struggles at long range |
| Fast fire rate | Slow bullet velocity |
| Low recoil | Sluggish reload |
Where is the KSV in the Black Ops 6 meta?
The KSV is one of the best SMGs in Black Ops 6, with its fast fire rate and competitive TTK making it a great choice on maps where you can get up close. It’s even fairly competitive at medium range too, making it surprisingly versatile for a weapon like this.
However, it does have some flaws that prevent it from being truly top-tier. Most notably, it doesn’t have great range and will get outperformed by every assault rifle at long range. This issue is further compounded by its slow bullet velocity, which limits its potential from afar.
Even so, the KSV is a strong option as long as you treat it like a traditional SMG. That won’t be hard to do either, as Black Ops 6’s map pool is made up almost exclusively of smaller maps that play to this gun’s strengths.
How to unlock the KSV
You can unlock the KSV by reaching Level 7, at which point it will be available to use on custom loadouts and build as you wish.
Best KSV alternative in Black Ops 6
The Jackal PDW has a lot in common with the KSV, with both being submachine guns that can compete at close and medium range. However, the KSV fires much faster, so it isn’t as easy to control but is more forgiving up close.
For more Black Ops 6 loadouts, check out our Weapon Tier List that ranks every gun from best to worst, as well as the best builds for the Tanto .22 and C9, both of which are excellent SMGs that work well if you don’t end up enjoying the KSV.