The Assault Rifle is a common find in any first-person shooter game. This class of weapon provides a good amount of firepower at close to medium range, with the SMG being the alternative for extremely close quester combat. With the right attachments, most ARs can excel at any distance. With an extended barrel, silencer, and scope, players can take out their enemies from range without being seen.
Alternatively, a short barrel/stock and extended magazine will give users the drop on enemies with out the need to reload and lose momentum. Here are our top picks for Modern Warfare’s best ARs and the scenarios they seem to stand out from the crowd.
5 M4
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The M4 is a staple of the Modern Warfare series, with its first introduction back in Call of Duty 4, the original Modern Warfare. As one of the most adaptable weapons in the game, players can take the M4 anywhere with a good amount of reliability that it will perform for the scenario that players may require.
Unfortunately, the M4 isn't the "best in class" as it has pretty severe damage drop-off, and the recoil can be somewhat difficult to manage at the longer ranges; even with attachments to mitigate this, it is difficult not to be outgunned by other Assault Rifles and Snipers.
As most players are still grinding for gold camos, the M4 will likely be a common sight on the battlefield for a little while.
4 TAQ-56
The TAQ-56 brings a slight variation from the M4. With attachments that allow for further damage range, the TAQ can allow for a slightly different play style. However, the player will have to counter this with exceptional recoil control, as the TAQ does pack a harder punch.
The downside to this Assault Rifle comes with its fairly low mobility after the attachments have been applied. This means you will have to set up with a slower play style and try to avoid the usual COD format of "run and gun." This newest Call of Duty release does have an emphasis on a much less rushed style of play, so the same can be said for quite a few of the weapons and classes in Modern Warfare 2.
3 Kastov-74U
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The Kastov-74u brings a slightly different alternative to the Assault Rifle class. This shorter barrel and light stock give this weapon the feel of an SMG but with a slight boost to damage range. However, this setup does come with its downsides.
The short barrel, unfortunately gives a massive drop-off to the Kastov's effective range compared to other ARs, meaning you'll have to close the gap between you and your enemy before you engage. This does lean into the slightly more fast-paced play style, allowing the player to swing corners with a bit more confidence.
As long as the user is aware of the perks that come with the Kastov, they'll have lots of fun with this slight change in the meta.
2 Kastov 762
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The Kastov 762 is very recognizable with its iconic AK-47 build. Players can change the play style of this weapon a lot with attachments from the other Kastov bases, such as the RPK with an extended magazine and barrel or the 74U with a light stock or short barrel.
In general, this model of the Kastov is probably one of the most versatile in the game. Players can interchange parts to create the perfect build for the user's style of play. This also comes with extremely high damage output, even at long range, allowing players to take on the long lanes that can be found on most maps.
Players will find this weapon excels with attachments that boost its effective range even further and help with its fairly high recoil. Using this setup and utilizing the key vantage points can become a deadly, unstoppable force for the enemy to attack. Mounting this weapon will also reduce its high recoil giving the player even better control for long-range engagements.
1 STB 556
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Players may recognize the STB 556 as the AUG from other first-person shooters or Call of Duty titles. As one of the few Bullpup models in the game (magazine loads behind the grip) its iconic look build provides some unique perks that players may not be expecting.
The advantage of a bullpup is the extremely low recoil, creating a weapon that is very effective at slightly longer ranges, even without attachments. This is especially clear when compared to other Assault Rifles. Unfortunately, this is mitigated with lower base damage and a decent amount of damage drop-off.
If the player does find it tricky to counter recoil patterns, the STB provides a good base to bring in attachments to build confidence with recoil control. It is recommended that most players level this weapon a decent amount before judging its full capabilities, as the attachments (especially the extended barrel) bring the gun's damage output up to par with other weapons in this class.
Overall, this is definitely the easiest weapon to use in the Assault Rifle class due to its low recoil and fast reload time, giving players the ability to adapt their play style on the move.
If players are struggling to utilize any of the weapons in Modern Warfare 2, the game does feature a shooting range (which will receive an update), giving them time to hone their aim and practice recoil patterns.
Modern Warfare 2 is currently available on Xbox, Playstation, and PC through Steam and Battle.net.