Weapon of Choice: The Best Guns in Counter-Strike for Every Situation

The best Counter-Strike guns are up for debate every time a change or nerf is made to a weapon. The recent M4A1-S nerf had players rethink how they play CS2, the meta changing from a clear M4A1-S CT side, to a 50-50 split of players using the M4A4 instead.

Some CS2 weapons are classics, and seem to play their part on the server no matter the meta. These are the Top 8 best guns in CS2.

8. Dual Berettas

cs2 deagle

An immense fire rate. A one-shot kill to the head on unarmored opponents, two on armored. Great accuracy, with a high magazine capacity. All for just $300 – what’s not to love about the Dual Berettas? 

It can be the king of eco rounds – with Dual Berettas and light armor, you have a $950 investment that can see you wipe out entire teams all by yourself. Some of the best CS2 players in the world favor these beauties.

Here’s a pistol round tip – buy armor, and have a teammate buy you some Dual Berettas. They’ll still be able to buy themselves a weapon due to its low price, and enemies won’t expect you to have both a weapon and armor. It’ll make you a force to be reckoned with in that first round. 

7. FAMAS

cs famas

The FAMAS is the little brother of the M4A1-S, but in the right hands can be just as effect. This $2050 investment is primarily used when you want a CT rifle but you’re wanting to buy a lot of utility. 

Deceptively good at range, the FAMAS is great for defending a site from set positions. Its mobility isn’t the best, so we wouldn’t recommend brave pushes with the FAMAS. 

What the FAMAS lacks in damage or magazine size, it makes up for in fire rate, which can be changed by using the weapon’s burst fire mode. It definitely earns its place among the best CS2 guns, even if it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

6. MP9

mp9 cs2

You can really cause some chaos with the MP9. In early CT rounds, you can be an absolute menace with this weapon. 

At just $1250 you’re getting a gun with a crazy-high fire rate, that awards $600 per kill. If you can get a few kills early with the MP9, you can set yourself up for the entire CT side. 

The downside of the rapid rate of fire is the enormous recoil. Luckily, of all Counter-Strike guns the MP9 has one of the easiest spray patterns to learn, so it’s easily counteracted. Combine this with solid accuracy while moving, and incredible mobility, and you’ve got the perfect weapon for aggressive CT pushes.

5. Galil AR

galil counter strike

The Galil AR is one of the underappreciated CS guns. You can pick it up for just $1800, and it really isn’t too much of a downgrade of the AK-47 if your aim is on point. 

It has extremely high penetration, and a dink to the head of an armored opponent will bring them down to just 8HP. With 35 bullets to a magazine and high accuracy even at range, it’s a powerful tool during force-buy rounds. 

With the Galil AR, it’s extremely important that you aim as high as possible, as its power really begins to diminish the lower on the body it hits.

4. M4A1-S

m4 cs

The M4A1-S is a Counter-Terrorist’s dream. Its low recoil, high accuracy, and high damage can feel like firing a laser beam at times. You can also make controlling your accuracy easier for yourself by finding the best CS2 crosshair for you. The silencer combined with the lack of tracers through smokes make it ideal for countering Terrorist utility, too. 

Unfortunately, it’s a heavy investment at $2900, so do try not to lose it. For some, 20 bullets in a magazine won’t be enough, but at higher ranks, this matters a lot less for most. 

Valve has attempted to buff its alternative, the M4A4, to balance usage between the two. But it seems players just can’t let go of the M4A1-S, the perfect assault rifle for CS2’s Counter-Terrorists.

3. Desert Eagle

CS2 guns

There’s nothing more satisfying than a clean Desert Eagle headshot that wipes the opposition from the server. The weapon is a one-shot kill to the head, meaning it’s an absolute mainstay in the arsenal in competitive CS2.

A nerf to the weapon in 2021 reduced damage to the chest from 58 to 47, changing the weapon from a two to a three-hit kill to the chest. While this made the weapon less popular in lower ranks, its use among CS2’s deadliest marksmen was unchanged. The opportunity for one-hit kills at just $700 is too good to pass up, especially on eco rounds where less is more.

With its instakill potential to clean out teams in a flash, the Desert Eagle is the best pistol in CS2.

2. AK-47

AK47 cs2

The strength of the AK-47 in the hands of a great player can tip the balance on even the most CT-sided of maps. The weapon has potentially the steepest learning curve of all CS2 guns, with the unpredictable spray pattern meaning you’ll have to fire in controlled bursts. This makes it much easier to see exactly where you’re firing the AK-47, and you’re able to adjust accordingly.

The AK-47’s power sets it apart from the rest of the CS2 weapons. It kills a helmeted player in one headshot, which even its CT equivalents (M4A4 and M4A1-S) can’t do. It also brings down players faster than any other weapon to the chest, requiring just four clean bullets. With the M4A4 and M4A1-S at $3100 and $2900 respectively, the AK-47 is also cheaper than its counterparts at $2700.

When used by a skilled player, the AK-47 is a joy to watch. There’s a solid argument to be made for it being the best gun in Counter-Strike.

1. AWP

op cs2 counter strike

The AWP defines high-risk, high-reward. At $4750, the weapon won’t appear for a few rounds, but it’s worth the wait. On armored players, the AWP remains a one-hit kill, with only a leg shot giving players a chance to live. The iconic CS2 gun is only accurate when scoped, with no crosshair to assist while unscoped. This only increases the skill ceiling, with famous AWP no-scopes being the source of some of the most famous Counter-Strike clips ever.

The discussion of ‘best Counter-Strike player of all time’ is dominated by star AWPers. No matter your opinion, whether your GOAT is s1mple, kennyS, dev1ce, or ZwyOo, it’s likely an AWP player with good reason. With such a high skill ceiling, only the best players with the combination of lightning-quick reactions and pinpoint aim can utilize the AWP to its full potential.

The recent reduction in clip size from ten to five hasn’t deterred players from using the best gun in CS2. With only five enemies, a skilled AWPer only has one task – don’t miss.

FAQs

What gun deals the most damage in CS?

On a per-bullet basis, that answer is easily the AWP. On an unarmored enemy, the AWP deals an enormous 459 damage to the head. That’s enough to kill four-and-a-half enemies. It’s also the only weapon in the game that can kill an armored enemy in one hit, anywhere but the leg. You’ll need a good aim to use it, but if you can be on target, it’s almost certain you’re killing them. Next up is the SCAR-20, which does 319 damage with an unarmored headshot. One spray with this weapon can be all you need to win a round all by yourself. 

I've seen the best guns in CS2 - but what's the worst?

That title has to go to the Nova. Even as a shotgun, the Nova can only kill in one hit if the enemy is unarmored, and it’s a close-range headshot. It’s slow to fire, too, with a long reload time that will almost certainly get you killed. So its damage is low, it has no range, and it takes an eternity to reload. You might be wondering – is there any benefit to the Nova? Well, sort of. Due to its poor everything, it does award $900 per kill. If you surprise an enemy team at the right time, it can be a great way to build up your economy. Truthfully, we wouldn’t even bother trying.

What is the best CS gun for an eco round?

In eco rounds, you should weigh up risk and reward. Buying an MP9 can be great for building the economy back up, but lose it and you’ve wasted $1250. We’re going to say the Deagle. At just $700, its one-hit kill potential means that you can buy light armor if you’d like, or go full glass cannon. For just $700, you get a weapon that allows you to win an entire round in just five bullets, but remains affordable enough to lose without a massive effect. You just have to make sure you hit your target, or you’ll face a swift death.

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