Best guns in CS2: Weapons tier list

Nikhil Bahuguna
Terrorist character holding AK-47 in T-Spawn of Nuke map in CS2

Every gun you choose in CS2 can affect your chances of winning a round. So, here’s our CS2 weapons tier list that ranks the best guns to use in the current meta, including what to pick between the AK-47, M4A4, and M4A1-S.

CS2 brought a ton of changes to the Counter-Strike franchise while retaining all the game modes from the CS:GO. Valve have also brought back custom Workshop maps, after a few weeks since the release.

While you can dive into all the familiar maps in CS2, apart from the maximum number of rounds in each half, the core gameplay hasn’t changed. However, knowing which guns are in the meta is useful if you want to rank up quickly.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a tier list of all the guns in CS2, ranking them from best to worst in the latest patch.

T side loadout in CS2
You can now have the M4A4 and M4A1-S in the buy menu by equipping both Rifles in your CT loadout in CS2.

Best weapons tier list for CS2

Players on each side (CT and T) in CS2 have the option to choose from several Pistols, Shotguns, SMGs, and Rifles. Here’s our guns tier list for CS2, with S-Tier guns being the best and the D-Tier guns being the worst.

TIERCS2 Weapon
S-TierAK-47, AWP, M4A4, M4A1-S, SSG 08
A-TierAUG, Desert Eagle, Dual Berettas, G3SG1, SCAR-20, SG553
B-TierFAMAS, Galil, Glock-18, MAC-10, MAG-7, MP7, MP5-SD, P250, P90, TEC-9, USP-S, UMP-45
C-TierCZ75, Five-SeveN, Negev, XM1014, P2000, Nova
D-TierM249, PP-Bizon, R8 Revolver, Sawed-Off

S-Tier weapons in CS2

The S-Tier weapons in CS2 namely, AK-47, AWP, M4A4, M4A1-S, and SSG 08 (popularly known as the Scout), should be some of the top options in your loadout.

While the AWP is expensive, priced at $4750, there’s no denying that this sniper’s one-shot kill potential wins the round. You can lock down a chokepoint or a site by yourself using this weapon. On the other hand, the Scout (SSG 08) requires a relatively small investment of $1700, enabling you to one-shot kill with a headshot.

Although landing a headshot with the Scout requires good aim, the gun is a great tool for the eco or semi-buy rounds, allowing you to inflict heavy damage to your opponents.

What to pick between AK-47, M4A4 & M4A1-S in CS2?

AK-47 is slightly better as compared to M4A4 and M4A1-S in CS2 due to its potential to kill with a single shot. Since these popular Rifles are close in terms of stats and usage, we’ve created a table for you to check the differences between the weapons:

FeatureAK-47M4A4M4A1-S
Price$2,700$3,100$2,900
Buy Menu AvailabilityTerroristsCounter-TerroristsCounter-Terrorists
Magazine bullets303020
Fire rate600 RPM666 RPM600 RPM
Armor Penetration77.5%70%70%
Reload time2.4s3.1s3.1s
Accurate range22m28m28m
One-shot kills (Headshot)YesNoNo
RecoilRough recoil, hard to controlModerate recoil, easier to control compared to the AK-47Lowest recoil, easiest to control
Bullet tracersYesYesNo (Suppressed fire)
Terrorist in CS2 firing AK-47 in Overpass's B Site
You’re bound to love the AK-47 over its CT counterparts due to its one-shot kill potential.

A-Tier weapons in CS2

The CS2 guns mentioned in this tier are the AUG, G3SG1, SCAR-20, Desert Eagle, Dual Berretas, and SG553. They are good picks but require you to either land your headshots or position yourself in places where you can get the most out of the weapon.

The AUG, G3SG1, SCAR-20, and SG553 are all weapons with scopes, whereas the Desert Eagle and Dual Berretas are pistols that can be deadly, catching enemies off guard.

B, C & D-Tier weapons in CS2

All the CS2 weapons in these tiers of our list are good in certain situations. While the Shotguns and SMGs are good picks for close-range gunfights in CS2, guns like the M249 and Negev can help slow down a quick rush.

However, these weapons can have more than their usual impact if you’re a player who’s used to them. So, if you practice the recoil and where to position yourself on the map with them, you can put them to great use.

So there you have it! We’ve ranked all the CS2 weapons in our tier list. Now that you know which guns are in the meta, make sure to check the following:

How to convert Valorant to CS2 mouse sensitivity | Best CS:GO & CS2 crosshair codes used by pros | Is Counter-Strike 2 on macOS or Linux? | How to show FPS in Counter-Strike 2: Enable & disable commands | Best Counter-Strike 2 PC settings: High FPS, resolution, and moreHow to change FOV in CS2 | Can you play CS2 on console? Is there a PlayStation & Xbox version? | Best NVIDIA Reflex settings for CS2

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About The Author

Nikhil is a games writer who focuses on FPS titles like Call of Duty, Valorant, Counter-Strike and more. In his free time, you can find Nikhil setting a red carpet in Valorant. You can contact Nikhil at [email protected]