Modern Warfare 2 brings over 50 weapons, so we break down the best weapons to use in the early metagame.
Modern Warfare 2 features over 50 weapons for players to unlock and level up, so it can be daunting to choose what to use first. We’re counting down the best weapons to use in the early game meta to get you started with Modern Warfare 2.
Using the best weapons is just as important in Modern Warfare 2 as it is in any Call of Duty game. With a new platforming system that brings over 50 weapons to unlock, players are spoiled for choice this year. But with so many weapons to unlock and Mastery Masks to earn, you might struggle to know where to start.
Now that we’ve had the game in our hands for a few hours, we’re ranking the best weapons you should prioritize in the early meta of Modern Warfare 2. Expect this list to change as players start unlocking and upgrading more weapons, but these are the weapons that which you should gravitate towards for your first hours of Modern Warfare 2.
Modern Warfare 2’s best early game meta weapons
We’ve picked nine weapons that you should prioritize unlocking and leveling up in Modern Warfare 2, so before we explain why you should use them, we’ve listed them in descending order:
- FSS Hurricane
- M4
- VEL 46 (MP7)
- TAQ-56
- PDSW 528 (P90)
- FTAC Recon
- Kastov-74u
- MCPR-300
- Speed up 12
- The best weapons in Modern Warfare 2
- Expedite 12 – Best shotgun of Modern Warfare 2
Shotguns have always been in an odd place in Call of Duty, either incredibly powerful or basically useless, but the Expedite 12 is a solid choice.
Like any shotgun, you won’t want to use the Expedite 12 as your primary weapon, but pair it with an assault rifle and its one-shot potential makes for a great weapon to switch to for close combat. Once Hardcore mode comes, Expedite should be even better.
- MCPR-300 – Best sniper rifle in Modern Warfare 2
Sniping is a staple of Call of Duty, and luckily the first Sniper Rifle you unlock, the MCPR-300, is a great choice.
With a fast ADS rate and a very forgiving single shot area, the MCPR-300 has everything you could want in a Call of Duty sniper rifle. It may not remain the best choice as players unlock more options, but you can’t go wrong with the MCPR-300 in the early game.
- Kastov-74u
While the weapons in this list can all be unlocked early, the Kastov-74u is a bit of an outlier as it unlocks fairly late, but the default class it comes with is devastating.
Even if you’ve unlocked your own gear, you can still go back to Hunter-Stalker and absolutely dominate with the Kastov-74u. It’s scary to think how powerful Kastov-74u could become once players figured out meta attachments.
- FTAC Recon – The best Modern Warfare 2 battle rifle
Like Shotguns, Marksman Rifles in Call of Duty tend to range from completely broken to absolutely useless, but the FTAC Recon also strikes a nice balance in Modern Warfare 2.
You’ll need to be accurate to take full advantage of this, but if you are, you’ll be eliminating enemies with just a few shots to the body and one to the head. A very useful weapon that can be unlocked relatively quickly via the M4 platform, it’s a great place to start if you’re into semi-automatic weapons.
- PDSW 528 (P90)
An absolute classic, the P90 arrived in Modern Warfare 2 and is worth unlocking and leveling up in the early meta.
The P90, this time called the PDSW 528, quickly entered the limelight thanks to its incredibly low recoil and rapid fire. Its relatively low damage means you won’t be using it much further than melee, but it will crush enemies up close with absolute precision.
Another extremely early unlock at only level 5, you can start using PDSW 528 almost immediately.
- TAQ-56 (SCAR)
Perhaps the most dominant weapon in the Modern Warfare 2 beta, the TAQ-56 is a high-damage assault rifle that’s perfect for locking down lanes and winning those long-range firefights.
You won’t get the TAQ-56 until rank 19, so you’ll have to play for a few hours, but if you hit rank 30 in the beta, you’ll have a frontal impact plan in your inventory. It already comes with a hard set of accessories so you can level it up when you unlock it.
While not as easy to use as the M4, the TAQ-56 could easily be named the best weapon in Modern Warfare 2 as more players upgrade and master it.
- VEL 46 (MP7)
Fast-firing, high-mobility SMGs will always have a place in the Call of Duty meta, and Modern Warfare 2’s VEL 46 or MP7 fit perfectly into that category.
You won’t be lasering enemies across the map with the VEL 46, but get up close and there are very few weapons that can beat it. And to top it all off, it’s the first SMG you unlock so you can start using it right away.
- M4 – Modern Warfare 2’s best assault rifle
The M4 has been a consistently strong weapon in every Call of Duty game, and of course it’s an excellent choice in Modern Warfare 2 as well.
Since it’s the first assault rifle you unlock, and its platform leads to other great options, there’s no reason not to try the M4 when you’re just starting out and building your first loadout. The M4 may lose some of those melee fights, but it’s the perfect all-around weapon when you’re just starting out.
- FSS Hurricane – The best weapon in Modern Warfare 2 right now
If you are looking for a weapon that is highly mobile, has almost no recoil, long range, and fast TTK, then look no further than the FSS Hurricane.
Hurricane made waves in beta for the same reasons listed above, and it retains all that power at full launch. Although in the SMG category, you’ll find it to be an extremely versatile weapon and the best choice if you’re just getting started with Modern Warfare 2.
And these are the weapons we recommend you gravitate toward when jumping into Modern Warfare 2!