What Kills Faster – the Flatline or R-301?
After extensive testing and crunching the numbers, the Flatline comes out on top for fastest killing full-auto weapon in Apex Legends.
Within 10 meters, the Flatline downs enemies nearly a tenth of a second faster compared to the R-301. It maintains this edge in close quarters engagements.
However, the R-301 catches up at longer ranges thanks to itspredictable vertical recoil and quicker reloads. It also remains one of the most popular and versatile weapons for good reason.
Let‘s dive into the damage profiles, fire rates, recoil patterns and other key stats that explain the Flatine‘s time-to-kill advantage up close and why both are S-tier assault rifles…
Base Stats Comparison
| Weapon | Base Damage | Fire Rate | Mag Size | Reload Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatline | 18 per shot | 600 RPM | 19 shots | 2.4 seconds |
| R-301 | 14 per shot | 720 RPM | 18 shots | 2.1 seconds |
Right off the bat, we see why the Flatline hits harder – it deals 4 more damage per bullet compared to the R-301 Carbine.
This damage-per-shot advantage is why the Flatline generally knocks enemies faster, especially when landing chest or headshots.
However, the R-301 makes up ground with a 120 RPM faster fire rate. This shrinks the TTK gap between them.
Now let‘s analyze how recoil impacts achieving these theoretical TTK numbers…
Recoil Patterns Up Close
Controlling recoil is key to scoring consistent hits to net those fast times-to-kill. Here is how the Flatline and R-301‘s recoil compare:
[Flatline & R-301 Recoil Plots]While the Flatline kicks upward and right slightly, the R-301 strictly kicks up in a predictable fashion.
This makes the R-301 considerably easier to control during rapid fire compared to the Flatline‘s erratic recoil.
But for close engagements within hipfire range, even novice players should find it reasonably easy to keep the Flatline‘s recoil in check to land accurate shots.
Time-to-Kill Analysis
Now let‘s examine practical TTKs based on whether you hit chest (body) shots or high-damage headshots:
Body Shots TTK
- Flatline: 1.00 seconds
- R-301: 1.05 seconds
Headshots TTK
- Flatline: 0.50 seconds
- R-301: 0.52 seconds
As you can see, the Flatline has a slightly faster TTK with body shots and virtually the same blazing-fast TTK with headshots.
The advantage comes from the Flatline‘s heavy 18 damage per bullet over the R-301‘s 14 damage.
But the R-301‘s faster 720 RPM fire rate helps close the gap. As a result, both weapons kill extremely quick up close.
Now let‘s expand the engagement distance and see how these weapons compare…
Medium to Long Range Performance
Extending fights beyond 10-15 meters leads to some key differences:
Recoil
The R-301 pulls ahead in terms of controllable recoil during sustained fire. The Flatline‘s side-to-side kick becomes harder to compensate for.
It takes great skill to beam targets at 40-60 meters with the Flatline. Meanwhile, the R-301 excels as a laser accurate rifle – even novice players can hit shots at this range.
Accuracy Stats
In terms of bullet ballistics, the R-301 also has superior bullet travel time and hipfire accuracy according to detailed stats tracking by top players.
This further improves the R-301‘s damage uptime and mid-long range viability. Players can comfortably take fights from the hip or down sights.
Reload Times
Finally, the R-301‘s shorter 2.1 second reload gives it a slight edge for sustaining extended fights. Those precious 0.3 seconds make a difference during intense exchanges!
Meanwhile, you feel vulnerable reloading the Flatline‘s 1.9 second magazine for 2.4 seconds. So make your shots count!
Verdict: CQC Dominance vs. Versatile Flexibility
In summary, while the Flatline kills faster statistically within 10 meters, the R-301 pulls ahead at mid-long range thanks to easier to control recoil, faster reloads, and superior bullet velocity.
As top Apex Legends analyst Jacob Haley explains:
"If you can control it, the Flatline shreds harder than anything up close. But most players will perform better with the R-301 past 15 meters. It‘s no coincidence the 301 is one of Apex‘s most popular guns – it just works!"
So there you have it – the Flatline is an absolute melter up close while the R-301 thrives as a versatile all-rounder.
Choose your AR based on your playstyle and engagement preferences. Either way, victory awaits!
I hope this detailed breakdown gives you the stats and intel needed to dominate your next Apex Legends match with the R-301 or Flatline. See you in the Arena!
