Argus

"Lever-action shotgun. Highly accurate buckshot spread, extremely effective when aiming down the sight."

- Weapon Description.

The Argus is a lever-action shotgun in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.

Specifications

 * Ammo: 12 Gauge
 * Length: 650.3mm
 * Weight: 2.35kg
 * Barrel: 423.2mm
 * Production Years: 2058 - Present
 * Country of Origin: United States of America

Multiplayer
The Argus is unlocked at rank 37. It has a tight cone of fire when fired from the hip, and has no spread when aiming down sight (unlike other shotguns). It also enters ADS faster than average.

The Argus has the longest effective range in the shotgun class, killing in one shot even at its maximum range, though it is also the shotgun most reliant on the player's accuracy to earn one-shot kills; even at close ranges, at least five pellets will need to hit their target to kill in one shot, making ADS mandatory at longer ranges.

The rate of fire is also very slow at 63 RPM, similar to the KRM-262. Despite potential consistency issues with the one-shot kill, it will never take more than two shots to kill in Core modes like the KRM-262, while a single pellet can kill an enemy at any range in Hardcore modes, making it a very reliable shotgun considering the effective range.

The Argus holds ten rounds by default in a disk-shaped magazine, which is reloaded all at once relatively quickly when reload cancelled, allowing a player to forgo Fast Mag or Extended Mags.

Long Barrel is not recommended, as while it adds to its damage range, it barely changes the one-shot kill range and simply adds a few meters of range where it will never kill in one shot.

Rapid Fire will only increase the Argus's rate of fire by 6%. This will only result in it firing 4 RPM faster. Due to this being a near negligible effect, this attachment is probably better to skip over.

Quickdraw Handle is by far the most useful attachment, as it allows faster access to the Argus's deadly ADS spread.

Stock goes hand in hand with the Quickdraw Handle; while the actual difference in movement speed while aiming is marginal, it still allows for better strafing, and is required to keep Ghost active when moving while aiming, as it is otherwise unable to do so.

Laser Sight is more situational, but as it tightens the Argus's already impressive hipfire spread even further, it can aid players in situations where ADS is not possible, though more accuracy is demanded from the player.

The Argus is the only shotgun that receives a damage nerf from the Suppressor (decreasing damage by 10%), and this will noticeably cut its one-shot kill range. Optics are available for the Argus, but players may be better off selecting attachments with more tangible effects.

Attachments

 * Reflex Sight (unlocked at weapon level 2)
 * Quickdraw (unlocked at weapon level 3)
 * Suppressor (unlocked at weapon level 4)
 * BOA 3 (unlocked at weapon level 5)
 * Stock (unlocked at weapon level 6)
 * Laser Sight (unlocked at weapon level 7)
 * ELO (unlocked at weapon level 8)
 * Fast Mag (unlocked at weapon level 9)
 * Extended Mags (unlocked at weapon level 10)
 * Long Barrel (unlocked at weapon level 11)
 * Rapid Fire (unlocked at weapon level 12)

Zombies
The Argus appears in Zombies, where it can be found in the Mystery Box in the maps Shadows of Evil, The Giant, Der Eisendrache and Zetsubou No Shima. It can be bought off the wall in various locations in Zetsubou No Shima for 1100 points. Unlike its multiplayer counterpart, it fires slugs instead of buckshot. It has fairly high damage, and can kill with one headshot until late teen rounds even without Double Tap Root Beer. Due to the slug rounds and lever action, missing a shot in close quarters or even not getting a headshot may get one killed.

This is the worst shotgun in Zombies seeing as the KRM-262 does a better job with a lower cost and buckshot spread, as well as being able to be bought off the wall. The Haymaker 12 and 205 Brecci are much better due to their fire rate.

When upgraded via the Pack-a-Punch Machine, it becomes the Ancient Messenger. It has increased damage, higher magazine capacity, and more reserve ammo. It increases the magazine size to a whopping 32 rounds but this does not make up for the slower pump/cycle rate compared to the Dagon's Glare (Packed KRM-262), nor does it beat the damage-per-second output of the Shoeshining 101 (Packed Haymaker 12) or the Stellar Screech (Packed 205 Brecci).