There are a ton of weapons in Borderlands 2, however, what are the best SMGs in the game? In this Borderlands 2 Guide, I’m not just looking at Legendary Weapons but also the other rarities and tell you which SMGs should be in your backpack. So get ready to farm these items.
Table of contents
Borderlands 2 Best SMGs
These are your most powerful SMGs in Borderlands 2.
5. Bone Shredder
The Bone Shredder is a unique SMG that is manufactured by bandits. This weapon shoots 3 projectiles at the cost of 2 ammo. It’s a pretty stong sub-machine gun but its accuracy isn’t the best, therefore, it is more effective at close-range combat.
You can get the Bone Shredder from Bone Head 2.0 Arid Nexus Badlands, Bone Head 3.0 in the Digistruct Peak, and Arguk the Butcher in the The Forest (Dragon Keep DLC).
4. Bitch
The Bitch is a legendary SMG that is manufactured by Hyperion. It is accurate and has a unique +75% Crit Damage Bonus. So if you can hit the enemy’s weak spot this weapon will shred them.
You can get the Bitch from BNK-3R located in The Bunker or Master Gee located in Hayter’s Folly (Pirate DLC)
3. Infection Cleaner
The Infection Cleaner is an effervescent SMG that is manufactured by Tediore. This weapon is functionally identical to the Avenger – another top submachine gun – but is locked to the fire element. The reload of the Infection Cleaner acts like a Bouncing Betty Grenade and on top of that the Infection Cleaner will regenerate your SMG ammo when you hold it.
You can get the Infection Cleaner from New Pandora Soldiers, Lt. Angvar, and Lt. Tetra in the Commander Lilith DLC.
2. Tattler
The Tattler is a Seraph SMG that is manufactured by bandits. It shoots 3 power bullets at the price of 1 but while it’s very cost-effective, the accuracy isn’t that effective in long-range combat. That said, it is one of the most powerful submachine guns in the game.
You can get the Tattler from Hyperius the Invincible in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode or purchase it for 120 Crystals at the Seraph Vendor in Oasis on True Vault Hunter Mode and Normal.
1. Sand Hawk
The Sand Hawk is a unique SMG that is manufactured by Dahl. It shoots 8 slow Bullets that fly in the shape of a bird that flaps its wings. The Tattler and the Sand Hawk are on par if you look at their DPS but the fixed bullet pattern of the Sand Hawk makes it more accurate at long range but the projectiles aren’t that fast.
The Sand Hawk has great synergy with the Legendary Bee shield due to its unlisted projectiles.
You can get the Sand Hawk by completing the mission Whoops located in Wurmwater (Pirate DLC).
Honorable Mentions
These SMGs might fall short on the “most powerful” list, however, that doesn’t mean they aren’t useful.
Florentine
The Florentine is a Seraph SMG that is manufactured by Maliwan. While it is a dual elemental weapon, the DPS of the Florentine is a bit lower than a regular Plasma Caster. The Florentine is an excellent weapon to Slag enemies and will perform better on UVHM when slag plays a bigger role in combat.
You can get the Florentine for 120 Crystals from the Seraph vendor in Flamerock Refuge.
Slagga
The Slagga is a legendary SMG that is manufactured by bandits. This submachine gun makes for a good utility weapon as it has a high slag chance and a really huge magazine size. But with its triple projectile count it can also deal good damage.
You can get the Slagga from Tector and Jimbo Hodunk in the Dust.
Lascaux
The Lascaux is a unique SMG that is manufactured by Dahl. It has a 60% chance to fire 2 projectiles at the cost of 1 and shoots in a bull pattern. The Lascaux is a very effective submachine gun that can be found in a water pool in the first cave area of Frostburn Canyon. This weapon will be there every time you load up the map. As the weapon scales with your character, you can easily go back to grab a new one if you are in need of a solid SMG throughout your campaign.
Plasma Caster
The Plasma Caster is an E-Tech SMG that can be manufactured by most companies. They are good damage dealers that can compete with the Legendary Bitch in terms of DPS, however, it’s because the Bitch has a Unique Crit Damage Bonus that it can outperform the Plasma Caster. So these are definitely solid submachine guns to look out for during your playthrough.
You can randomly get a Plasma Caster from any suitable loot source.
Baby Maker
The Baby Maker is a Legendary SMG that is manufactured by Tediore. Its special effect is that it spawns 1 to 3 additional MIRV grenades when it explodes after its reload toss. This weapon was really popular during Borderlands 2’s initial release as Tediore weapons do more damage if you leave ammo in the gun when reloading. Gearbox Software scaled the damage a bit down but the Baby Maker is still able to put out good damage.
You can get the Baby Maker from Madame Von Bartlesby in Tundra Express.
Conclusion
These are the best SMGs in Borderlands 2, however, that doesn’t take away that you can have fun with other SMGs. If you think another SMG should be on this list, then let me know in the comments.
