Yeah, since I'm mainly a PvE player, when I go in for testing I include reload times (accounting for something like Outlaw is harder- but I use spray & play numbers as a substitute). I'll actually time three complete cycles, including the reload times and take an average, for my calculations. So I'll get different 'best weapons' than the people who to by ttk in crucible.

What do you find to be the best for pve. Another thing is ammo efficiency.

Right now Doctrine of Passing (big clip, insane ROF) has the highest output of dps when you include reload times. My Arminius-D with feeding frenzy is a close second among weapons that I have. Then comes the Last Word, but my numbers are based on if you could hit crits with every shot, which is not usually possible with TLW at max firing rate. I'm always looking for extended mag and reload perks, since it's PvE and I need max output on crowds or yellow bar enemies, meaning I will be needing to reload a lot. I actually haven't had a chance to re-test since the update; I'm curious to see how the pulses have changed.

What about at range? I feel like in PvE when it comes to needing to DPS, I'm always at a distance. I can't see auto rifles being very effective. Also I feel like I would burn through all my ammo. Right now I'm using mid rof/impact pulse rifles like the Villainy. I feel like it has the right amount of impact, rof, and range but thats based off of feel and not any actual tests. I just started using hawksaw which I'm not too sure about yet.

Yeah, after the pulse nerf the dps on pulses knocked them out of contention. The vendor Nirwen's Mercy had been my go -to, but with the impact nerf it was really poor. The pulses that were still viable were Grasp of Malok and Suro pdx (less affected by the nerfs). The recent update was supposed to bring up the slow-firing archetype (Spare Change)- which I'm eager to test. At range, so far in year two I haven't found what I've been looking for. Back before TTK, when I got a Zero Point LOTP or Gheleon's Demise with Outlaw (or spray and play) and extended mag (or was it field scout back then?), they way outpaced anything else. But so far I've failed to get a good scout with a reload perk. The only one I'd gotten was a Suros DIS-43 with outlaw- which was my best for dps but wasn't close to the auto rifles. Still, when I'm doing a strike when I need range, that's my go-to. I recently got an Inward Lamp with Outlaw- haven't tested it yet. I love the feel, but based on impact I don't think it'll measure up. Do you have a Treads Upon Stars with a reload perk? I've had 16 drop, but none had a reload perk. I think if I got a Treads, an NL Shadow Tox, a Doom of Chelchis or a Last Extremity with a reload perk, it might rise to the top. But again, I haven't had a chance to test since the April update- so I'm curious if any of the pulses has been brought up to be competitive.

I would like to get a high impact scout rifle. They're my favorite type of scout rifle. I've gotten ton of tread upon stars but I always dismantle them because I don't like that type as much. Do all iron banner guns drop or only the ones that are being sold? I want the IB scout

I think you have a chance of any iron banner gun dropping. I have a Covalance- but it's not a great roll so I don't use it much. Yeah I miss my Gheleon's Demise.....

I loved gheleons demise. Although I had a vanilla version which couldn't roll firefly and outlaw at the same time. I think the HOW and TDB versions could.

Yeah I had the firefly/outlaw one (that they called baby fatebringer). Was my go-to in raids, PoE... People post about getting a Treads or an Imago Loop with that roll and I'm so jealous....

The numbers are different, but the damage scaling is the same.

So a high rof auto rifle would be the best for dps?

In a way but in a realistic situation a balanced scout rifle is more effective out of practicality :)