While handcannons and shotguns may be the meta, it doesn't mean you can't succeed with other weapon types. I try to use a variety; pulse rifles, scout rifles, and snipers. Even the new sidearms are viable. You just have to find what you're comfortable with--what you do well with--and stick to it. Don't try to use what everyone else is using because it seems to be the most effective. What works for others may not work for you.