Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Guides

The best weapons in Modern Warfare 2: every gun ranked

By

Your performance in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2  has a lot to do with the weapon you come equipped with. Sure, a skilled player can excel with most weapons in the game, but having the best firearm for any given situation will lead you to more victories — regardless of your playstyle. Modern Warfare 2 has around 50 primary weapons across seven categories, each with different stats, strengths, and weaknesses.

The meta in Call of Duty games shifts constantly as weapons are added and tweaked, so it’s always a good idea to stay on top of the latest updates. In this guide, we’ll rank each primary weapon in Modern Warfare 2  across all categories (with the exception of the Riot Shield). This ranking is in descending order, with the first spot being the best and the last spot being the worst. We’ll also link to loadout guides for the weapons on this list so you know exactly which attachments to use.

Recommended Videos

Assault rifles

The Kastov 762 in Modern Warfare II.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As the quintessential weapon category, assault rifles are meant for mid- to long-range battles. The best assault rifles excel at all ranges, with minimal recoil, making them easy to control.

  1. M4
  2. Tempus Razorback
  3. Kastov-74U
  4. Chimera
  5. Kastov 762
  6. TAQ-56
  7. M13B
  8. Lachmann-556
  9. Iso Hemlock
  10. STB 556
  11. Kastov 545
  12. M16

Battle rifles

The Lachmann-762 in Modern Warfare II.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Unlike assault rifles, battle rifles are more so meant for long-range, with a typically slower rate of fire. Accuracy is key with these weapons, as you’ll have less room for error due to the semi-auto fire style.

  1. TAQ-V
  2. FTAC Recon
  3. SO-14
  4. Lachmann-762
  5. Cronen Squall

SMGs

The Lachmann Sub in Modern Warfare II.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

On the flip side, submachine guns (SMGs) are meant for close-range to midrange, often focusing on fire rate, mobility, and fast time to kill (TTK). The best SMGs are ones that hit hard, with snappy aim down sights (ADS) speeds and an overall lightweight feel.

  1. MX9
  2. VEL 46
  3. PDSW 528
  4. Lachmann Sub
  5. Iso 45
  6. Vaznev-9K
  7. BAS-P
  8. Fennec 45
  9. FSS Hurricane
  10. Minibak

Shotguns

The Expedite 12 in Modern Warfare II.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Shotguns are only usable up close, and the best ones have tremendous power, decent range, and enough ammo to take down multiple foes at once. Because shotguns have limitations, you’ll want to pick ones that are versatile to ensure they’re as effective as possible.

  1. MX Guardian
  2. KV Broadside
  3. Lockwood 300
  4. Expedite 12
  5. Bryson 890
  6. Bryson 800

LMGs

The RAAL MG in Modern Warfare II.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Light machine guns (LMGs), on the other hand, are best used at mid- to long-range, offering large magazine sizes and tremendous power. They usually feel slower than assault rifles, but the best ones hit like a truck, so you’ll want to avoid picking LMGs with slower TTKs, as they’re already limited by their ADS times.

  1. Rapp H
  2. Sakin MG38
  3. HCR 56
  4. RPK
  5. RAAL MG
  6. 556 Icarus

Marksman rifles

The Lockwood MK2 in Modern Warfare II.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Marksman rifles feel much more like snipers, though typically, they’re much lighter. These are best for aggressive snipers who want to run around the map as quickly as possible, with fast ADS speeds. You’ll want to prioritize marksman rifles that can secure eliminations in one hit in order to compete with snipers.

  1. EBR-14
  2. SP-R 208
  3. SA-B 50
  4. Lockwood MK2
  5. LM-S
  6. TAQ-M
  7. Tempus Torrent
  8. Crossbow

Sniper rifles

The Signal 50 in Modern Warfare II.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Finally, sniper rifles are meant for range. The best ones have fast bullet velocity, lots of power, and ADS times that can compete with other long-range weapons. They might not always be the snappiest, but their power makes up for it … if you can hit your shots.

  1. Victus XMR
  2. MCPR-300
  3. FXJ Imperium
  4. Signal 50
  5. LA-B 330
  6. SP-X 80

This list will continue to evolve as Modern Warfare 2 is updated.

Editors’ Recommendations

Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides for…
The best field upgrades for Modern Warfare 3 Zombies
A man holding a mysterious glowing vial.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode puts a slight twist on the mechanics you are already familiar with. It now plays much more like a souped-up DMZ mode rather than its old round-based format. And Field Upgrades have been modified in terms of both their effects and how you get them just for this game type. There are six different Field Upgrades you can bring into the map and use on a cooldown timer to help improve your chances of survival, but you can only pick one at a time. You will begin the game with only one option, but steadily unlock the rest as you level up. Once you have them all, the question then becomes which is the best Field Upgrade? We've managed to exfiltrate with the answer.

Healing Aura
Regardless of whether or not you're playing with a team or running solo, Healing Aura is no doubt the best Field Upgrade to bring on any Zombie run. When activated, you and any teammates in the area will not only gain immediate healing, but it will also instantly revive any downed teammates. The downside to all this power is that this upgrade has the slowest recharge time and is unlocked at level 19.
Aether Shroud
This is another upgrade that you will be glad to have. Aether Shroud makes you you temporary invisibile to all Zombies. This won't make you invincible, mind you, and PMCs can still take shots, but if you're getting swarmed and have no way to escape, becoming instantly invisible to a bloodthirsty pack of zombies can save your skin more often than you think. This upgrade has a medium recharge rate and is unlocked when you hit level 39.
Frenzied Guard
Just past the halfway mark, Frenzied Guard has a massive upside, but not without some risk. When you pop this Field Upgrade, you instantly repair all your armor, but also draw all the aggression of any enemy nearby for 10 seconds. However, another perk is that anything you kill during this time also repairs your armor, so situationally, it can be great or detrimental. This one recharges slowly, unlocking at level 9.
Frost Blast
Frost Blast does exactly what you expect: it fires a freezing blast that will slow down any enemy you hit with it and deal a bit of damage. It's decent in a pinch, but not a game-changer. You can get it when you hit level 29.
Tesla Storm
An odd ability on paper, Tesla Storm is only good if you have a team working together. Activating it will create a lightning chain between you and your team that will damage and stun enemies that get close to any one of you. It lasts for 10 seconds and can be great in the final moments while holding out for an extraction, but not in other situations. It recharges slowly and is the last upgrade you unlock at level 50.
Energy Mine
This is your default Field Upgrade, so it makes sense that it's the "worst" on the list. Energy Mine isn't exactly bad; you simply lay down a mine that does what a mine does -- explodes. It's just that setting up traps like this in Zombies isn't all that applicable except when kiting a boss around or waiting for the helicopter. It has a medium recharge speed.

Read more
How to fix packet burst in Modern Warfare 3
A soldier shields themself from an underwater explosion.

The last thing anyone wants to see when booting up a game like Modern Warfare 3 to head online with your friends is to be stopped by an error. Online games are susceptible to all types of problems beyond the player's control, leading to plenty of frustration and disappointment in a possibly ruined experience. While there are more substantial issues that can completely prevent you from playing, seeing the packet burst issue is almost worse because, while it does let you play, you will experience a ton of lag that makes the game essentially unplayable. If you've been struck by a packet burst error in Modern Warfare 3, here are some possible solutions so you can get back to fragging.
How to fix packet burst errors

If you spot a symbol of three squares on the left of your screen while playing Modern Warfare 3, it means you're suffering from a packet burst. This is essentially an error where something is messed up in the communication between your system and the game's servers, resulting in terrible performance. While it could be simply an issue on the server side and not related to you at all, which you can check by looking at the Modern Warfare 3 server status here, there are a few things you can do to potentially fix the issue on your end.

Read more
Modern Warfare 3 Zombies: Mercenary Convoy guide
Soldiers in a car driving and shooting zombies.

The old format of Zombies has been left behind in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in favor of a more open-world, objective-based take on the undead survival game type. This time, you will squad up and drop into a map with specific objectives you can choose to complete to earn tons of XP, while also pushing the narrative forward and unlocking new, more difficult tasks to take on. The early-tier missions are generally very simple, but in Act 1, you will be given the objective to find and destroy a Mercenary Convoy somewhere on the map. This sounds easy enough on paper until you realize you have no idea where this convey is or how to find it. Every run in Zombies risks losing all your hard-earned progress, so we'll lead you to the Mercenary Convoy to take it out before the zombies even know you were there.
How to find the Mercenary Convoy

Your first challenge will be to find this Mercenary Convoy. The problem here is twofold: first is that it isn't marked on your map in any way, and second is that, being a convoy, it is mobile. Once you land, you and your team should find the nearest vehicle and head toward the center of the map. Depending on how the threat levels are on your particular map, you are looking for roads and highways that are around the medium-threat level zone. You will have to patrol these roads until you come across the convoy, which only consists of three vehicles. Once you are in range, it does appear on your map to let you know you've found it.

Read more