I’m trying to make the Kickback work, but it just underperforms compared to other weapons. Ripper does more raw DPS, Rumbler is a better crowd-controller. The only advantage the Kickback has is a) its fast draw time (which the Rumbler also has), b) ability to narrowly cleave through poxwalkers (which the Stubber is better as), and c) its ability to knock down big targets.
That knockdown is what makes the Kickback shine. Unfortunately, it does not knock down dogs, mutants, and bursters–the three biggest threats where knockdown + a fast draw time will matter the most. The mutant and the burster will outright ignore the stagger, while the dog will stumble but will keep running for its target.
This is why I suggest slightly modifying the kickback: let it knock down mutants, dogs, and bursters. Not just stagger, not just stumble, but a full-on knockdown like what happens with most other elites/specialists that eat a nice serving of lead from the kickback.
And since we’re at it: increase the reload speed of the kickback so it matches the base reload speed of a rumbler. No need for damage, just reliable CC plus a slight buff to reload speed.
These two changes ought to give the Kickback the love it sorely needs to stand out from the other guns available to the ogryn.