Apex Legends players know that having an R-99 SMG by their side is the key to achieving a win. However, there are a few tips you can use in battle to really master this fast weapon.
The R-99 SMG is one of the best weapons you can use in Apex Legends, so picking up a weapon is a great way to give yourself a shot at becoming the Apex Champion.
However, the fast submachine gun is a weapon that can also be quite tricky to handle. The recoil is one of the hardest to master in-game, and to deal the full 198 damage you need to land 90% of the shots from one round of ammo – which can be difficult in late game.
To help you unlock the R-99’s full potential, you’ll need to master its hyper-aggressive style of play.
For more tips and tricks from Apex Legends Season 8, check out our guides below:
30-30 Repeater Guide | All legends and nerfs | All weapon fanatics and nerfs | Fuse guide | What’s in the Season 8 Battle Pass? Season 8 Patch Notes | How to open explosive holds | Spitfire Guide | R99 guide | Mastiff Guide | When is Apex for Switch out?
Apex Legends R-99 damage stats
The R-99 remains a popular choice for close quarters games.
As noted, the R-99 can do serious damage if you get close to an enemy player. If you manage to master the recoil, you’ll be tearing through an enemy’s health in no time.
If you are lucky enough to get your hands on a weapon early in the game, where enemies don’t have much armor, it will take between six and eight clean shots to deal 100 damage to a non-armored opponent. The full damage overview for the Volt can be found below.
| Damage | |
| Head | 17 (1.5x) |
| Body | 11 |
| Legs | 9 |
| Body DPS | 198 |
R-99 Mag attachments
This lightning-fast SMG can spit out hundreds of rounds of light with very little downtime, provided you have the ammo. To avoid having to constantly reload in the middle of a firefight, you’ll want to prioritize upgrading the R-99’s Mag.
Below you can see the number of rounds each mag rarity gives you.
- Stock: 20
- White Mag: 22
- Blue Mag: 24
- Purple / Gold: 27
R-99 optical fittings
The R-99 is incredibly deadly when equipped with the Digital Threat optics.
Here are the optics that can be equipped with the R-99:
- 1x hall
- 1x HCOG “Classic”
- 2x HCOG “Bruiser”
- 1x-2x variable holo
- 1x digital threat
Load attachments and use optics
The R-99’s recoil becomes a lot easier to handle with a Barrel Stabilizer.
Now, if you’re committed to getting better at Apex, it may take some time to master the R-99’s recoil in the firing range. However, if luck is on your side, you’re better off loading attachments – particularly the Barrel Stabilizer, Extended Light Mag, and a visor of your choice.
Unlike some other weapons, aiming in plain sight does not slow you down. If you aim with the R-99 in sight, you are still quite fast over the ground. This means you can ADS without becoming a seated duck.
Never use the R-99 from a great distance
The 30-30 Repeater is a good choice for remote commands.
Kill hungry Apex players will take gun shots even when they aren’t supposed to. You may do a little damage to an enemy, but you will probably never get killed, because enemies just run away.
The R-99 only has a one-time headshot multiplier from 39 meters and beyond. This means that you are better off with your secondary weapon at a distance or trying to get closer to your enemy.
R-99 recoil cartridge
You can see the recoil pattern for the R-99 above. After shaking the first 5-6 shots back and forth, it flies up and slightly to the right. To ease this, simply pull down and bend slightly to the left.
Once you’ve mastered this recoil pattern, you’ll be even more accurate in close quarters combat. You can see recoil patterns for all weapons here.
So there you have it, everything you need to know about the R-99. If you follow these R-99 tips & tricks, you can secure more SMG kills in no time. Make sure to follow @RTLnews for all the latest Apex Legends news and updates.