Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 recently launched with great reception and is taking notes from past additions to the franchise with new game modes and many weapon attachments. The wide selection of weapons and attachments available gives players a lot of control and customization to suit their preferred playstyle, but might make it hard to choose the right one. This flexibility is really great for the players as they can now have more unique combinations to build the loadout of their dreams.
While it’s still very early in the lifespan of the game, today we’re here to break down some of the best gun selections in the game. How well a gun performs is ultimately up to knowing its strengths and weaknesses, and finding the best attachments for any given scenario. The “meta” will constantly be shifting as guns are balanced with patches so take this list as a general guide to learn about some of the guns and the attachments that can make them excel in whatever playstyle you choose.
10/10 PDSW 528
The PDSW 528 is one of our top picks for SMG’s and once you play around with it, it’s clear to see why. It has a high rate of fire and a high bullet velocity. It’s going to be an effective close-range weapon as the recoil is not that severe.
Where it really struggles though is with long-range as the recoil and damage really take a turn for the worse. Load it up with the Fox-202 Flash Hider, 9.5″ Duke-30. and the Stovl Tac Laser and you’ve got yourself a mean machine.
9/10 RAAL MG
Up next is the RAAL MG, it’s one of our top picks for LMG’s largely due to the sheer amount of raw killing potential this thing brings. It can guarantee 2-3 shots to kill from any distance and the recoil is very manageable.
Of course, being an LMG, it’s going to be slower to shoot, move, and aim, and the RAAL has a delay before firing that will also take getting used to. Attach the 100 Round Belt Mag to get more kills before having to reload and the Fast Hands Bonus Perk to make reloads not seem so scary.
8/10 Bryson 800
We couldn’t leave shotguns out of our list now, could we? The Bryson 800 is excellent for close-range encounters and even has good enough range that it can still take targets down at mid-range up to about 27 meters.
While the Lockwood 300 has a slightly better range, the Bryson 800 has more shells and a faster reload time keeping you engaged for longer. Once you unlock the Explosive Rounds this shotgun is truly terrifying.
7/10 SP-R 208
The SP-R 208 has an impressively versatile marksman rifle. It behaves much more akin to the Sniper Rifles with its bolt-action chamber mechanism but offers better speed and handling in comparison to them.
It is still going to give one-shot headshots at any range and body upper body 1-shots in mid-range. Remember though, it is a marksman rifle, so the damage profile is going to drop off significantly in the longer ranges. Outfit this one for greater mobility and control in the mid-ranges to make it really shine. For a better quick-scoping sniper, go with the SP-X 80 once you unlock it.
6/10 KASTOV-74U
The KASTOV-74U is classified as an Assault rifle but the stats and performance are very close to an SMG. Either way, this gun packs a punch up close; it’s capable of landing a 2-shot headshot, something only the powerhouse Kastov 762 can also proclaim.
It has really great smooth handling as well. Customize it for longer-range encounters with the Underbarrel Phase-3 Grip and the 5.45 High Velocity Ammunition and it will feel much more like an assault rifle.
5/10 RPK
The RPK is also a fantastic LMG to use, it’s highly mobile and very accurate. The recoil is very manageable and the iron sights are unobtrusive, giving more options for other weapon attachments.
With the right attachments, it can also be a versatile weapon to use for either close or long-range engagements.
4/10 M4
The M4 is an all-around versatile Assault Rifle that performs well in most scenarios. It can have attachments that make it specialize more into close or long-range engagements, but it doesn’t stand out as the very best gun for either.
Outfit this gun with attachments to improve Recoil Stability and Aim Down Sight speed for better mid-range capabilities. The Echoline GS-X is a great suppressor that also improves Recoil Smoothness without sacrificing ADS Speed. If you don’t like the iron sights, the DF105 Reflex Sight offers some really great clarity. For longer-range encounters go with the VLK 4.0 or SZ Bullseye.
3/10 FENNEC 45
The Fennec returns as the highest rounds-per-minute fire rate gun that will dominate many close-range encounters. Players will likely want to equip the Fennec 45 mag attachment as it burns through ammo very quickly, and you don’t want to be stuck in a reload mid-fight.
For the Stock attachment, the Agile Assault-7 Stock, will help improve aiming speed without sacrificing too much stability.
2/10 KASTOV 762
In the right hands, the KASTOV 762 can be an absolute monster of a gun. With a very slow rate of fire and fairly large recoil, it can be quite difficult to handle. In close to mid-range fights no other gun can compete.
It does come with Semi-Automatic fire mode, which will definitely help with those distance shots. Attachments that smooth out that recoil, like the BORE-490 Muzzle and KAS-10 584MM Barrel, will make this gun a beast in longer ranges.
1/10 Signal 50
The pinnacle of sniping in MW2, the Signal 50 is the best sniper right now. It is the strongest sniper in the game due to its amazing damage profile and high rate of fire.
You can choose to lean into the fast rate of fire and improve the quick scoping potential or pick attachments to dig your heels in and control that recoil. It certainly feels like an overpowered sniper at the moment.
