The Tool Desk
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Recommended M87A1 buckshot build
Battlefield Meta’s M87A1 page, updated October 7, 2026 and labeled Season 4, recommends the following configuration:
| Slot | Attachment |
|---|---|
| Barrel | 20-inch Factory |
| Underbarrel | Slim Handstop |
| Ammunition | Buckshot |
| Muzzle | CQB Suppressor |
| Magazine | 7 Shell Tube |
| Accessory | 50 MW Green |
| Sight | Iron Sights |
This is a practical configuration to try, not a guarantee of a particular kill distance or performance. Attachment effects can change with updates, so check the live in-game descriptions before spending points. Battlefield Meta’s M87A1 build page is the source for this specific attachment list.
How to choose between buckshot and slugs
The M87A1 is a default-unlocked pump-action shotgun that uses 3-inch shells. EA’s weapon guide describes shotguns as firing either multiple pellets or a single slug. Buckshot follows the pellet-spread approach; slugs fire one projectile and are the alternative for players who prefer aiming precisely. The reviewed sources do not establish that either ammunition type is universally better. EA’s weapon guide and Battlefield 6 news provide the official weapon context, while Zilliongamer’s M87A1 guide presents separate buckshot and slug builds.
#1 Best Overall
- FPS: 380 - 306
- Lightweight and durable injection formed polymer construction keeps the weight down
- Pump action design chambers three rounds at once with each rack of the pump
- Tri-shot design fires three BBs with each pull of the trig
- Polymer shoulder-rest and fore-end
- Choose buckshot if you want to use a pellet-spread setup. The Season 4 build above is a third-party starting recommendation.
- Choose slugs if you prefer a single projectile and are comfortable aiming for precision. Do not assume this automatically makes the weapon more effective at a specific distance.
Adjust the build to your priorities
EA’s loadout system permits up to 100 attachment points. Attachment categories offer different trade-offs: barrels can affect ADS speed, aiming speed and hipfire accuracy; underbarrels can affect recoil control; muzzles can affect recoil, gunshot audibility and muzzle flash; magazines generally change capacity; ammunition can affect damage and penetration; and top- or right-side accessories include lasers and flashlights. Check the descriptions and point costs in your current game version rather than assuming an attachment has the same effect after a patch. EA’s loadout instructions explain the system.
Prioritize close-range hit consistency
Start with buckshot if you want a multi-pellet setup. The reviewed official sources do not provide a current M87A1 pellet damage or range table, so they cannot support a precise one-shot distance claim. Avoid treating older damage or range figures as current without confirmation in the game.
Rank #2
- 3-round or 6-round fire mode selector located inside the chamber
- Uses removable 30rd airsoft shotgun shell
- Full metal receiver gives realistic weight
- Full metal outer barrel and magazine tube
- Real wood stock and forend
Prioritize handling and ADS
Barrels can affect aiming and hipfire behavior, and EA notes a Season 4 trade-off for the new shotgun barrel extension: it increases projectile velocity while reducing ADS speed and some mobility. If quick aiming and movement matter more to you, weigh those costs before equipping it.
Prioritize capacity and reload needs
Magazine attachments usually affect capacity. The recommended build uses the 7 Shell Tube; compare its in-game point cost and capacity against other available choices, and decide whether fewer reload interruptions are worth any associated trade-off.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- ATTN: Optics, batteries, charger, and accessories NOT INCLUDED by default unless stated clearly. Do not assume they come included. Please check ALL features and descriptions before purchase. Blaze Orange tips are preinstalled to meet 15 C.F.R. Part 272 requirements and style may differ from the images. Airsoft guns cannot be sold to certain jurisdictions, including (but not limited to) CT, IN, DC, DE, NJ, NY, & PA. Some assembly may be required but most parts will be prebuilt.
- FPS: 280 - 306
- Lightweight and durable injection formed polymer construction keeps the weight down
- Pump action design chambers three rounds at once with each rack of the pump
- Tri-shot design fires three BBs with each pull of the trig
Season 4 barrel extension: a separate option
EA introduced a 4-inch Shotgun Barrel Extension for non-double-barrel shotguns in Season 4. At launch, it cost five attachment points. EA says it increases projectile velocity but reduces ADS speed and some mobility. The official roadmap asks players to consider pairing it with #00 Buckshot or slugs; that suggestion is not proof that either pairing is a universal best choice. Confirm the extension’s current availability, cost and description in your game, since patch changes may affect them. EA’s Season 4 roadmap and weapon updates describe the extension.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the available balance information does—and does not—show
EA’s Open Beta debrief says the M87A1 was changed after the beta so that more pellets are required to secure a kill. That is historical balance context, not a statement of current damage or a reliable basis for predicting present-day performance. The reviewed official sources do not give a current M87A1 pellet-damage or range table. EA’s Open Beta debrief documents the beta-era change.
Rank #4
- Stamped aluminum heat shield
- FPS: 300 - 330
- Optic not included. Only 3 shells included.
- Model: Black
- Durable full aluminum alloy body, front-end, and pump h-guard
Build recommendations differ across guides, and the October 7, 2026 Season 4 Battlefield Meta page is the freshest specific build reference among the sources cited here. Treat its attachments as advice to test, not as an official or independently verified ranking. Recheck the in-game attachment list and effects after balance updates.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Operation: Single Shot Pump Action for a realistic shooting experience
- Muzzle Velocity: 300 - 340 FPS with 0.20g BBs for great distance and accuracy
- Heavyweight full metal Barrel construction provides a realistic look and feel
- Comfortable length stock and textured grip with grooved handguard for improved handling and grip, even with gloves
- Easy to use pump action mechanism mimics traditional pump action shotguns
How to equip and refine the setup
- Open the M87A1 in your loadout and review the current attachment list and point costs.
- Equip the recommended buckshot attachments as a starting configuration, if they are available in your current version.
- Play with the setup and identify the issue that matters most to you: pellet-hit consistency, aiming and movement, or reload frequency.
- Change one attachment at a time, using the in-game description to understand the intended trade-off. Keep the buckshot-to-slug choice aligned with whether you want pellets or a single projectile.
- After a game update, review attachment availability and effects again; do not assume an older guide still reflects the live balance.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
