Choosing the right gun is a must if you want to be competitive in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The most popular gun category by far is assault rifles thanks to their versatility. To help you figure out what assault rifle you should be using we’ve put together this tier list to help you discover the best assault rifle for you in Modern Warfare 2.
Note:Â For more information about the game, check out our Modern Warfare guides and features hub.
Below is the tiering for every assault rifle in Modern Warfare 2. The tiers of this list range from S to C: S Tier means that it is one of the best guns in the game; A Tier guns are strong but lack that extra punch to be S tier; B Tier weapons are usable but nothing extraordinary; and C Tier guns are not worth using outside of grinding for camos.
Assault Rifles tier list
- S Tier: Kastov 762,
- A Tier: Kastov-74u, M4, TAQ-56
- B Tier: Lachmann-556, STB 556
- C Tier: Kastov 545, M16
The king of CoD right now is undoubtedly the Kastov 762. This exceptionally well-rounded AK-47 variant performs well at close range, medium range, and from afar. It has surprisingly easy-to-manage recoil, hits hard, and is an all-around exceptional weapon. There’s no doubt that as of launch, the Kastov 762 is the best assault rifle in Modern Warfare 2.
Speaking of AK variants, the Kastov-74u also performs well. It isn’t as versatile as the Kastov 762 as it struggles at longer ranges, but when used like a submachine gun the Kastov-74u is excellent. It isn’t great for larger-scale game modes like Ground War, but in regular 6v6 modes the Kastov-74u is a strong choice.
Both the M4 and TAQ-56 fill more or less the same role. They are reasonably well-rounded assault rifles that don’t excel at much. Neither suffers from having notable flaws, but they also aren’t the best at anything. These are both good choices for players who just want a serviceable assault rifle that does the job.
Dropping down to B Tier, the Lachman-556 is one of the most average guns in Modern Warfare 2. Its only standout characteristic is that its simple recoil pattern is incredibly easy to manage. However, this comes at the cost of it having lower damage across most ranges. Regardless, the Lachman-556 does perform well at long range and is therefore a good choice for the likes of Ground War and Invasion.
The STB 556 is another respectable B-Tier assault rifle. This AUG variant isn’t one of the best assault rifles in Modern Warfare 2, but is still okay when used exclusively in close- to medium-range gunfights. In many ways, it is comparable to the Kastov-74u, but the STB 556 doesn’t hit quite as hard.
Unfortunately, both the Kastov 545 and the M16 are hardly ever worth using. The Kastov 545 is a lower caliber AK variant that is worse in just about every regard than the Kastov 762. As for the M16, it does excel at close range but its effective range is so limited that you may as well just use an SMG or even a shotgun instead. Until its burst recoil is greatly reduced the M16 is unlikely to ever be worth using.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is available on PC via Battle.net and Steam.
