CDL pro Shotzzy shows off best TAQ-56 Ranked Play loadout for Modern Warfare 2

Nathan Warby
Shotzzy on stream

The TAQ-56 has quickly become the dominant Assault Rifle in Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play, and CDL star Anthony ‘Shotzzy’ Cuevas-Castro has revealed the ideal loadout to help you increase your Skill Rating.

Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 finally introduced the competitive Ranked Play mode, and it seems to have brought new life to the CoD multiplayer. Many players and popular streamers who had jumped over to Warzone 2 returned, causing MW2’s Twitch viewership to explode once again.

Ranked Play ramps up the difficulty and plays by stricter CDL rules, so running the best loadout is essential if you want to start increasing your Skill Rating to hit those higher Divisions.

The TAQ-56 has comfortably become the go-to Assault Rifle in Modern Warafre 2 Ranked Play, and OpTic Texas pro Shotzzy has revealed the best way to set up the weapon.

Shotzzy’s TAQ-56 Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

  • Barrel: 17.5″ Tundra Pro Barrel
  • Underbarrel: Commando Foregrip
  • Ammunition: 5.56 High Velocity
  • Rear Grip: Demo Cleanshot Grip
  • Stock: TV Cardinal Stock

He started with the 17.5″ Tundra Pro Barrel, which boosts the TAQ-56’s range and bullet velocity to make it a beast over longer distances. This is essential as you can only run one primary in MW2 Ranked Play, so you’ll be able to challenge at all ranges.

Shotzzy paired it with 5.56 High Velocity rounds, so every bullet reaches the intended target. Then, he picked the Commando Foregrip for better recoil stability, ensuring each shot is deadly accurate.

Next up he went for the Demo Cleanshot Grip, offering better ADS speeds alongside other useful mobility buffs. He complimented the grip with the TV Cardinal Stock, improving your sprint speed and aim walking speed to allow you to tear around the map.

Although Shotzzy isn’t usually known for running an Assault Rifle, the CDL pro believes this is the optimal AR to run in Modern Warfare 2, especially now that the ISO Hemlcok has been banned.

Running this build should improve your game and give you the edge in evenly-matched gunfights, making climbing those ranks a touch easier.


For more Modern Warfare 2, be sure to check out our other guides:

Best guns in Modern Warfare 2 | Best Assault Rifles in Modern Warfare 2 | Best audio settings for Modern Warfare 2 | Best SMGs in Modern Warfare 2 | Best controller settings for Modern Warfare 2 | Best PC settings for Modern Warfare 2

Image credit: Shotzzy

About The Author

Nathan is a Senior Writer for CharlieIntel and Dexerto, primarily covering FIFA and Call of Duty, as well as general gaming news and guides. After leaving university with a degree in Sports Studies and a master's degree in Magazine Journalism, he took on a role as a local news reporter before moving into games media. You can contact Nathan by email at [email protected].