Understanding how gun mechanics work in Valorant can drastically improve accuracy and gameplay. Bullets in Valorant are not always perfectly aligned with the crosshair. This causes confusion and leads many to blame RNG for missed shots. However, players can reduce randomness by mastering specific shooting fundamentals. Here’s a detailed Valorant Gun Guide to help mitigate bullet spread and gain an edge.

The Three Types of Bullet Errors in Valorant

Valorant has three types of shooting inaccuracies: first bullet accuracy, weapon firing error, and movement error. Each of these contributes differently to how bullets behave.

  • First Bullet Accuracy: Guns like the Phantom and Vandal show a clear difference. The Phantom is 20% more accurate on the first shot compared to the Vandal. Scoped weapons like the Marshall have zero error when aiming down sights, while unscoped, the Marshall has a 1° bullet spread. The Operator, when unscoped, spreads even wider with a 5° deviation.

  • Weapon Firing Error: This error increases as players spray more bullets. The shooting error graph in settings helps visualize how accuracy decreases with each successive shot. Around the fourth or fifth bullet, the inaccuracy spikes, making it difficult to land consistent shots even with controlled spray.

  • Movement Error: This error happens when moving. Standing still creates a 0.2° error, walking increases it to 3°, running to 6.2°, and crouching reduces it to 0.17°. Combining crouching and ADS (aim down sight) tightens the spread significantly.

Valorant Gun Guide: First Bullet Accuracy Drills

To make the most of the first bullet, players need to practice with intent. A reliable drill is:

  • Head to the practice range

  • Stand at the tile line where the floor tiles misalign

  • Flick to two bots at a time

  • Micro-adjust before firing to ensure the crosshair aligns with the head

Repeat this slowly, then gradually speed up. This trains muscle memory for accurate flicks and head-level tracking.

For an advanced variation, climb onto a ledge using Jett and use a metronome. Time each micro-adjusted shot with the beat. This builds consistent rhythm and improves precision under pressure.

Weapon Firing Error and Spray Control

Spray control becomes crucial when the first bullet doesn’t land. Many players forget to pull down after the first few bullets, leading to missed shots.

To practice:

  • Stand at the 10m mark in the range

  • Fire 5-shot bursts with Phantom and Vandal

  • Notice the difference: Phantom recoil requires pulling from head to waist; Vandal from head to thigh

For spray transfer:

  • Prioritize killing the further target first

  • Flick to the second target mid-spray

  • Pull down while transferring to maintain control

Adding strafe movement and crouch into the drill increases difficulty and realism.

Reducing Movement Error with Proper Strafing

Strafing properly helps reduce the impact of movement error. Since accuracy resets at the moment the movement changes direction, players should shoot precisely at that instant.

Practice this by:

  • Constantly strafing left and right

  • Shooting only when switching direction

  • Aiming for headshots while micro-adjusting

Use pistols or rifles like the Sheriff or Vandal. Increase the difficulty by enabling bot strafing. Mastering this ensures accurate shots during peeks and movement-based duels.