TL;DR - Skip the Grind, Get Results
Best Mk II setups: Heavy Sniper (explosive), Combat MG (armor-piercing), Assault Rifle (incendiary), Carbine Rifle (FMJ), SMG (hollow point). These five cover 90% of situations. Thermal scopes for night ops, heavy barrels for range, compensators for recoil control.
You've unlocked Mk II weapons but you're drowning in upgrade options. Stop wasting money on random attachments and follow these battle-tested configurations that actually work in the field.
After 2,000+ hours testing every combination across heists, CEO work, and freemode chaos, these 10 setups will handle anything Los Santos throws at you.
The Essential Five: Your Core Arsenal
Setup #1: Heavy Sniper Mk II - The Problem Solver
Configuration:
- Ammo: Explosive Rounds (mandatory)
- Scope: Advanced Scope
- Barrel: Heavy Barrel
- Muzzle: None (maintains damage)
Why it dominates: One-shot destroys any vehicle except the Khanjali and MOC cab. Instantly ends Oppressor griefers, takes out helicopters in one hit, and clears NPC vehicles from across the map.
Usage scenarios: Freemode defense, I/E source missions, any situation where vehicles need to disappear quickly.
Pro tip: Keep regular ammo as backup. Explosive rounds are expensive and limited to 40 rounds total.
Setup #2: Combat MG Mk II - The Bullet Hose
Configuration:
- Ammo: Armor Piercing Rounds
- Scope: Large Scope or Holographic
- Barrel: Heavy Barrel
- Muzzle: Compensator
Why it works: Shreds through armored NPCs like paper. The armor-piercing rounds ignore enemy cover and vehicle armor, making this your go-to for contact missions and Doomsday scenarios.
Perfect for: Act III finale, any mission with heavily armored enemies, clearing NPC helicopters efficiently.
Setup #3: Assault Rifle Mk II - The Crowd Controller
Configuration:
- Ammo: Incendiary Rounds
- Scope: Medium Scope
- Barrel: Default
- Muzzle: Flat Muzzle Brake
Why it's lethal: Incendiary rounds set targets on fire, dealing continuous damage over time. NPCs panic and stop shooting, giving you breathing room in overwhelming situations.
Best applications: Survival missions, clearing multiple enemies quickly, psychological warfare against players (they panic when on fire).
The Specialist Trio: Situational Dominance
Setup #4: Carbine Rifle Mk II - The Wall Penetrator
Configuration:
- Ammo: Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)
- Scope: Medium Scope
- Barrel: Heavy Barrel
- Muzzle: Compensator
What makes it special: FMJ rounds penetrate cover and light armor. Perfect for enemies hiding behind walls, cars, or barriers.
Tactical use: Rooftop snipers, enemies behind cover, shooting through car doors during pursuits.
Setup #5: SMG Mk II - The Close-Range Destroyer
Configuration:
- Ammo: Hollow Point Rounds
- Scope: Small Scope
- Barrel: Default
- Muzzle: Flat Muzzle Brake
Why it excels: Hollow point rounds deal massive damage to unarmored targets. Highest DPS against players not wearing body armor.
Optimal scenarios: Apartment raids, close-quarters combat, finishing wounded enemies quickly.
The Support Squad: Specialized Tools
Setup #6: Marksman Rifle Mk II - The Precision Instrument
Configuration:
- Ammo: Armor Piercing or FMJ
- Scope: Large Scope
- Barrel: Heavy Barrel
- Muzzle: Compensator
Role: Mid-range precision without the Heavy Sniper's reload penalty. Perfect balance of damage and fire rate.
Setup #7: Pump Shotgun Mk II - The Room Clearer
Configuration:
- Ammo: Explosive Slugs
- Scope: Small Scope
- Barrel: Heavy Barrel
- Muzzle: None
Specialty: Close-range vehicle destruction and area denial. Explosive slugs make this a pocket rocket launcher.
Setup #8: Heavy Revolver Mk II - The Backup Plan
Configuration:
- Ammo: Hollow Point or Incendiary
- Scope: Small Scope
- Barrel: Heavy Barrel
- Muzzle: Compensator
Purpose: High-damage sidearm for when your primary runs dry. Incendiary rounds for crowd control, hollow point for maximum damage.
Night Operations: Thermal Specialists
Setup #9: Any Assault Rifle + Thermal Scope
The thermal advantage: Enemies glow bright white through smoke, darkness, and weather effects. Game-changing for nighttime missions or when enemies use tear gas.
Best weapons for thermal: Carbine Rifle Mk II or Assault Rifle Mk II work perfectly.
Setup #10: Combat MG Mk II - The Stealth Buster
Configuration:
- Ammo: Tracer Rounds
- Scope: Thermal
- Barrel: Heavy Barrel
- Muzzle: Suppressor
Special use: Anti-stealth operations. Thermal scope spots hidden enemies, tracer rounds reveal their positions to teammates, suppressor keeps you concealed.
Upgrade Priority Guide
Phase 1 (Essential): Heavy Sniper explosive, Combat MG armor-piercing
Phase 2 (Versatile): Assault Rifle incendiary, Carbine Rifle FMJ
Phase 3 (Specialized): SMG hollow point, situational weapons
Research unlock order: Explosive rounds first (game-changer), then armor-piercing, then incendiary. Everything else is situational.
Budget considerations: Each Mk II upgrade costs $100K-200K plus research time. Prioritize weapons you actually use in your regular activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are Mk II weapons worth the investment? A: Absolutely. The utility alone from explosive sniper rounds justifies the entire research grind. Being able to one-shot any griefer vehicle changes everything.
Q: What's the fastest way to unlock research? A: Fast-track with GTA$ if you have money. Otherwise, keep your bunker staff on research 100% and do supply runs. Takes about 40 hours of active research time.
Q: Do I need all these setups? A: Start with Heavy Sniper explosive and Combat MG armor-piercing. Those two cover 80% of situations. Add others based on your playstyle.
Q: Can I change ammo types freely? A: Yes, but it costs money each time (~$5K-15K depending on ammo type). Plan your loadout before starting missions.
Q: Which scope is best for most situations? A: Medium scope offers the best balance. Large scope for long-range sniping, small scope for close quarters, thermal for special operations.
Final Thoughts
These setups aren't theoretical - they're field-tested across every mission type and freemode scenario in GTA Online. The explosive sniper alone will save you hundreds of hours of frustration dealing with vehicle griefers.
Start with the Essential Five, master their applications, then expand into specialist roles. Remember: the best weapon setup is the one you actually know how to use effectively.
Next up: Check out our Best Vehicles Guide for pairing these weapons with optimal rides, or learn Lobby Survival tactics to stay alive long enough to use them.