The best weapons in CS:GO

In CS:GO, choosing your weapon is one of the most pivotal elements of the game. 

Sometimes, players will be looking to pick up a high-damage rifle, especially in full buy rounds where they expect the enemies to bring out full equipment as well. Usually, in rounds like these, an AWP or two are useful since they eliminate opponents with just one shot in most instances and allow you to aggressively take over key positions. 

Other times, you will be looking to obtain an SMG when you expect enemies to go for an eco round. In those cases, getting your hands on a weapon like the MAC-10 or MP7 makes a lot of sense because they earn you a lot of money with every elimination, and there’s no better occasion to use them than in eco rounds where opponents don’t have any armor. 

Furthermore, there are times when you will be on an eco round. Purchasing a different pistol can be valuable depending on the state of the game. If you have the chance to hurt your opponent’s economy or go for a quick plant, it’s smart to buy a Desert Eagle or P250.

All in all, choosing the proper weapon is an essential part of playing CS:GO, something you will be evaluating in every single round. Therefore, we’ve compiled all the necessary information about every weapon in the game and explained which options are best in certain situations.

Best weapons in CS:GO

Pistols

Pistols usually come in handy during the pistol rounds and eco rounds, cementing themselves as one of the pivotal elements of the game. While there are 10 of them in the game overall, almost all of them are usable in your matchmaking game. 

In the pistol rounds, you’ll rarely want to spend the little money you have ($800) on purchasing another gun. In most cases, the Glock-18 and USP-S you’ll have on the T-side or CT-side, respectively, are enough to go into combat. It’s much better to grab body armor or some utility. Sometimes, you see people using P2000 on the CT side, but USP-S is much better due to its long-range efficiency, which Glock-18 lacks. 

When you’re playing CT-side in a pistol round and are an anchor in a close combat position, like Dust2’s B site, you can purchase Dual Berettas for a faster fire rate.

In eco rounds, it’s best to go for P250 if you’re looking to grab a kill or rush a site, or Desert Eagle when you actually want to put up a fight. The latter is a one-shot machine if you’re good at landing headshots. It has high recoil, but it can come in handy in close combat as well. And since we’re talking about close quarters, you might want to pick up a CZ75-Auto or Tec-9 (depending on which side you are playing), since their high damage and rapid fire rate are useful in them. 

Heavy weapons

There are two kinds of heavy weapons in CS:GO, shotguns, and machine guns, and in most scenarios, you won’t be using them.

The former is hardly usable due to its short range. If you want to grab a kill with a shotgun, you need to be standing really close to the enemy, and their slow fire rate usually doesn’t allow firing more than two shells. They are an alternative if you’re playing positions like B anchor on Inferno or vent on Nuke. Machine guns, however, are nowadays almost never picked, and you shouldn’t waste your money on them.

SMGs

SMGs are extremely useful in CS:GO when it comes to fighting enemies in close quarters, where aim doesn’t count as much as high fire rate and low recoil, so you hit as many bullets in a short amount of time. They are great when you’re playing anti-eco rounds since it’s easy to shred through unarmored enemies with an SMG. If you lack some money for a rifle in a full buy round, though, you can also pick up an SMG. 

In terms of SMGs, almost every single one of them is useful in the proper situation. In most cases, players should buy either MAC-10 or MP9 due to their low cost and relatively high damage. If you need something that has a bit higher damage, go for UMP-45. If you need more bullets for a five-man hit on your position, PP-Bizon is also a great choice. 

You shouldn’t buy P90, though, since it only awards you $300 for a kill and on its own isn’t as cheap as other SMGs in the game.

Assault Rifles

Assault rifles are the main pillar of CS:GO. Their damage, flexibility, and relatively small cost make them the best choice in the game for the majority of situations. 

The best assault rifle in the game is the AK-47 for one single reason: its ability to one-shot fully armored enemies if you hit them in the head. it also has an easy-to-learn spray pattern, high fire rate, and low cost, so you should always grab it if you have the chance on the T-side. If you’re playing CT-side and see an AK-47 on the floor, don’t hesitate to pick it up. 

Counter-terrorists don’t have the ability to buy AK-47s, so if they don’t have some saved from the previous rounds, they should go for M4A1-S or M4A4. The former is usually better, but if you’re playing alone on a site, you might need more bullets from the latter. 

If you’re looking for something deadly but for a lower price, Galil AR and FAMAS on T-side and CT-side, respectively, are both acceptable as well. AUG and SG 553 have fallen out of grace lately, but if you’re for example covering middle or A long on Dust2, and don’t feel comfortable with an AWP, they are all right as well.

Sniper Rifles

Last but not least, we’ve got a few of the most deadly weapons in CS:GO. And while there are four of them, only two should grab your attention: SSG 08 (also known as the Scout) and AWP. 

The former is a much cheaper, and less useful weapon. You should pick it up on eco rounds if you believe you can grab a headshot or two for your team. It also allows you to maintain a perfect scope while jumping, which is unique to the weapon. Therefore, it opens a few aggressive opportunities for you and often isn’t a bad idea. 

In the eyes of many, though, the best weapon in the game is the AWP. This costly piece of equipment will one-shot enemies on 99 percent of occasions and is best used in long-range duels, like in the middle of Dust2, Overpass’ long, or Inferno’s banana or middle. The AWP is the definition of a “tough to master” weapon. Quick reactions are compulsory once using it since every millisecond counts.