Of Battlefield 6’s 45 launch weapons, only four are sidearms, giving players a fairly limited selection of guns for their “use in case of emergency” slot. The P18 starting pistol is what you’d expect, as it’s not really something to pull out unless players are out of ammo in their primary or stuck in a very close-range scenario. The ES 5.7 is actually a bit worse from a damage standpoint but has a better rate of fire, meaning it falls under the same umbrella overall. As such, the last two pistols players unlock are undoubtedly the best. These are the M45A1 (level 39) and M44 revolver (level 48), with the latter undoubtedly being the best option — yet I just can’t help but use the second-best Battlefield 6 sidearm instead.
While the M44 being a guaranteed two-shot kill means it’s the best gun for players to swap to and actually use regularly in moment-to-moment combat, my love for the M45A1 runs deep. For those unfamiliar with the M45A1, it’s a modernized version of the Colt M1911, a weapon that has featured in numerous games over the years. My attachment to the M1911 began in Call of Duty: World at War, as it was the starting weapon for CoD Zombies, maintaining that role across a few Black Ops titles as well. Considering how much I love Treyarch’s survival mode (my playtime is roughly around 100 real days across the various iterations of it, not to mention all the extra CoD Zombies media I consumed), that’d likely be enough to get me attached to the gun. However, the connection doesn’t stop there.
While Battlelog has been taken down in the many years that have passed since Battlefield 3, I remember using the website often to keep an eye on my stats. This included regularly checking how many M1911 kills I had, as I remember the count being above 10,000. If I didn’t have the most M1911 eliminations out of everyone that played BF3, I was certainly in the top 5, as I was constantly in situations where I had to make use of the gun. When I play Battlefield games, there’s nothing I love more than sniping, but I also adhere to Battlefield’s PTFO mantra. This saw me needing to arm my fair share of M-COMs or help capture flags, meaning I needed to pull out my sidearm just as often as I found myself sniping, and this led to the piles of M1911 kills. So, while most players should use the M44 once they get it in the latest game, those who love the look and sound of the M1911, like myself, should consider a loadout for the M45A1.
Battlefield 6’s M44 Revolver is a True Powerhouse
The only reason the M44 didn’t show up in the earlier days of Battlefield 6’s meta is that it’s such a high-level unlock, as most players are just now starting to reach ranks like 48. However, players who completed the "Road to Battlefield 6" pass in BF 2042 got access to the Western Front weapon package for this gun upon release, which gives it a Battlefield-themed orange camo alongside the default attachments. Even with basic attachments, it became clear to these dedicated players how deadly this revolver is, as it fires quite fast given its huge damage output of 66 DMG per shot.
Attachments are limited for this gun, but with the few options available, this is an ideal M44 loadout:
- Scope: BF-2M 2.50X (10 points)
- Ammunition: Hollow Point (20 points)
- Barrel: 5.12” Compact (15 points)
- Magazine: 6rnd Speedloader (5 points)
The scope is up to personal preference, but I suggested a longer range option since the barrel improves hipfire accuracy, as this way players can use it at close and mid-range effectively. With headshots normally dealing 99 damage, there is a chance a full-health target survives one, so the Hollow Point rounds are a must to guarantee those satisfying 1-shot headshots.
Battlefield 6’s M45A1 is Second-Best, and For Me That’s Enough
While the M44 is highly recommended to anybody good at aiming for the head or controlling recoil for the two-shot kills to the body, anybody like me who loves the M1911 (or those who just want an easier to use pistol) should look to the M45A1. With the right attachments, its small mag size can be counteracted while its accuracy can be honed in on.
The following setup can provide a big boost for the M45A1, making it a memorable weapon in Battlefield 6:
- Scope: Iron sights (5 points)
- Ammuntion: Standard (5 points)
- Magazine: 11rnd Magazine (25 points)
- Barrel: 5” Pencil (20 points)
This build uses the 60 points available to members of the Battlefield 6 community who like to ADS. For hipfire enjoyers, the Barrel should be swapped with the Laser/Light Combo Green Underbarrel.
While I can’t deny that the sheer power of the M44 is likely to win me more one-on-one duels in multiplayer matches, I don’t mind the extra challenge of using the M45A1 in gunfights. It’s still a fast and reliable sidearm that can easily net players a few kills with the 11rnd mag equipped, and I’m simply too nostalgic for its predecessor to not make do with the weapon’s slightly longer TTK in Battlefield 6.
Battlefield 6
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 90%
- Released
- October 10, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-App Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Battlefield Studios
- Publisher(s)
- EA
