Step into the fast-paced world of Black Ops 6 with the C9, the game’s reimagined classic SMG that blends speed, precision, and versatility. Whether you’re storming close quarters or holding mid-range angles, mastering the best C9 loadout and class build is your key to dominating every firefight. From optimal attachments to perks and tactical gear, unlock the secrets that turn this iconic weapon into a lethal force on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
However, with the right attachments, it can also deal with enemies up close and is almost good enough to be on our list of the best Black Ops 6 guns.
It has a slower fire rate than the Jackal PDW, but it’s much more accurate and as a result, is more of a jack-of-all-trades SMG. It’s essentially the SMG version of the XM4, which fills that role in the assault rifle category.
Here’s the best C9 loadout in Black Ops 6 multiplayer, how to unlock it, and the best class to use alongside it.
How to unlock the C9 in the Black Ops 6
The C9 in Black Ops 6 is unlocked by default as soon as you reach level 4 and unlock custom loadouts, making it one of the earliest SMGs available to players. This means you can start using the C9 immediately without any additional requirements. To unlock the C9, simply progress to level 4 in multiplayer, which grants access to custom loadouts where you can equip the weapon and begin leveling it up to unlock attachments and optimize your build.
Much like the XM4, the C9 is available as soon as you unlock custom loadouts at level four. It’s the first SMG you can get your hands on so you can start leveling it up almost immediately.
Best C9 loadout in Black Ops 6
The best C9 loadout in Black Ops 6 focuses on maximizing the SMG’s strengths in close to mid-range combat with excellent recoil control, mobility, and firepower. The optimal setup includes the Compensator muzzle, Reinforced Barrel, Lightweight Foregrip, No Stock, and CQB Grip, which together enhance accuracy, handling, and sprint-to-fire speed, making the weapon highly effective for aggressive playstyles. Complementing this loadout with Semtex for lethal, Stim Shot for tactical, and Acoustic Amp as a field upgrade further boosts survivability and situational awareness. Ideal perks for this build are Ninja, Tracker, and Double Time, enabling stealthy movement, enemy tracking, and extended tactical sprint duration, perfect for dominating the map with speed and precision.
Here is the best C9 loadout in Black Ops 6:
- Muzzle: Compensator
- Barrel: Long Barrel
- Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
- Rear Grip: Ergonomic Grip
- Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
The C9 is already one of the more powerful SMGs available in Black Ops 6 so with this build, we want to make it as accurate as possible to land your shots. The Compensator helps manage the vertical recoil while the Vertical Foregrip looks after the horizontal recoil, so with the two, we’re well on the way.
Since we’ll be competing at longer ranges with the C9, the Long Barrel is the way forward as it buffs the damage range and is a better choice over the Gain-Twist Barrel because you won’t be fighting at ranges where the bullet velocity buff actually means anything.
Meanwhile, the Ergonomic Grip ensures we can stay mobile by buffing the slide to fire, dive to fire, and aim down sight speeds. Finally, we have the Recoil Springs to add that final touch to the recoil buff.
We haven’t opted for the Gunfighter wildcard in this build as we don’t think the gun needs three more attachments, but if you do go for it, we’d recommend picking a red dot or holographic sight, and an extended magazine as two of the three attachments.
Best C9 class in Black Ops 6
The best C9 class in Black Ops 6 focuses on maximizing the weapon’s strengths for mid- to long-range engagements while maintaining high mobility and tactical precision. Key components include pairing the C9 with the GS45 pistol for reliable backup, using the Stim Shot for quick healing, and Semtex grenades for lethal utility. The class benefits from perks like Assassin, Dexterity, Double Time, and Bankroll to enhance stealth, movement, and scorestreak progression, with the Enforcer specialty providing a temporary boost in speed and health regeneration after kills. This setup emphasizes positioning and precision over aggressive close-quarters rushing, making it ideal for players who prefer a strategic approach to combat.
Here is the best class to use alongside the C9 in Black Ops 6:
- Secondary: Grekhova
- Melee: Knife
- Tactical: Flashbang
- Lethal: Semtex
- Field Upgrade: Trophy System
- Perk 1: Ghost
- Perk 2: Tracker
- Perk 3: Vigilance
- Specialty: Recon
- Wildcard: Perk Greed
- Perk 4: Flak Jacket or Tac Mask
The Grekhova is the best sidearm option because it’s automatic, and the Knife is better than the Baseball Bat in the melee slot. As you’re running with an SMG, the Flashbang and Semtex combo is more effective than the Concussion and Frag, because the flashbang detonates sooner and the Semtex doesn’t require cooking.
Meanwhile, the Trophy System is also a no-brainer when it comes to the Field Upgrade, because of how many grenades there are in the current meta.
When it comes to the perks, we want to take full advantage of the specialty system which rewards you with an extra passive buff if you equip three perks of the same color. In this instance, we’ve gone for three blue perks. Ghost hides you from enemy UAVs and radar pings, Tracker lets you see enemy footsteps and ADSing (aiming down sights) on an enemy pings them for your allies, while Vigilance displays a HUD (heads up display) icon whenever you appear on enemy minimaps, and it makes you immune to Counter UAVs, Scrambler, and Sleeper Agent.
All of this combines to grant you with the Recon combat specialty, which allows you to see enemies through walls for a second or two after you respawn, leave no death skulls when killing enemies, and adds a flash on the edge of your HUD if an enemy is outside of your view.
The first of these bonuses is the biggest buff, as seeing enemies through walls is tremendously helpful on smaller maps where there’s likely to be foes around you as soon as you spawn.
For your wildcard, choose Perk Greed, because that grants you an extra perk. Then, we’d recommend either Flak Jacket or Tac Mask, depending on if you’re having more issues with lethal grenades or tacticals.
How can I maximize the C9’s close-quarters dominance in Black Ops 6
To maximize the C9’s close-quarters dominance in Black Ops 6, focus on a loadout and class build that emphasize speed, mobility, and rapid health regeneration:
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Attachments: Equip the Tactical Suppressor to stay off enemy radars, Extended Barrel for improved range, Infiltrator Stock to boost aim-walking speed, Extended Mag I for more ammo, and Foregrip to control recoil. This setup balances mobility and accuracy, crucial for tight spaces.
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Secondary Weapon: Use a close-range shotgun like the Marine SP for lethal backup in very tight encounters.
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Tactical and Lethal Equipment: Equip Stim Shot to quickly regenerate health and Semtex grenades for immediate explosive impact, helping you clear rooms or force enemy movement.
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Perks: Choose Assassin (extra score for killstreak eliminations), Dexterity (better weapon handling during slides and dives), and Double Time (longer tactical sprint and faster crouch movement). The Overkill wildcard lets you carry the shotgun alongside the C9, while the Enforcer combat specialty boosts movement speed and health regeneration after kills.
This aggressive, highly mobile setup enables you to swiftly close gaps, maintain sustained fire, and recover quickly from damage, making you a formidable force in close-quarters fights.
What specific attachments boost the C9’s speed and recoil control in close combat
To boost the C9’s speed and recoil control in close combat in Black Ops 6, the best specific attachments are:
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Muzzle: Muzzle Brake – significantly reduces horizontal recoil, helping keep shots on target during rapid fire, though it slightly slows aim-down-sight (ADS) speed.
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Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip – improves recoil stability and aiming control while also enhancing sprint and tactical sprint speed, which increases overall mobility in close quarters.
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Stock: No Stock – increases ADS and movement speed, allowing for faster movement and quicker target acquisition in tight fights.
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Additional handling attachments: Fast Motion Laser can improve hip-fire accuracy while sliding and diving, which is vital for close-quarters engagements.
Combining a horizontal recoil reducer like the Muzzle Brake with a vertical recoil stabilizer such as the Ranger Foregrip optimizes recoil control without sacrificing too much mobility, making this setup ideal for aggressive, close-range combat with the C9.
