With the number of weapon purchase options in CS:GO, one might question which weapon to buy in which situation. Here we will be ranking all the best weapons in CS:GO.
There are a total of 34 weapons in CS:GO, including 10 Pistols, 6 Heavies, 7 SMGs, and 11 Rifles. The Heavy category contains 4 Shotguns and 2 Machine guns. The Rifle category contains 7 Assault rifles, of which 2 can be scoped and 4 Sniper rifles. Besides those, there are multiple gears and utility options as well.
Since CS:GO is a dynamic game, the weapon you should buy will depend on many factors. There are no absolute rules about what gun you should buy in a specific situation, but some general rules will give you the best outcome in typical situations. But, of course, the best-case scenario is to buy the best equipment available to you to be able to get the most out of them. But you can’t always be able to afford all that gear. So depending on your team’s economy and your opponent’s economy, some specific situations will arise. This guide aims to advise you on the best weapons to buy, depending on the situation.
All the Weapons in CS:GO
First, let’s take a look at all of the weapons available in CS:GO. We’re not going to go into detail about utilities like grenades and armor in this guide and will be just focusing on the weapons.
| Category | Weapon Name |
| Melee | Knife |
| Pistols | CZ75-Auto, Desert Eagle, Dual Berettas, Five-SeveN, Glock-18, P2000, P250, R8 revolver, Tec-9, USP-S |
| Heavy: Shotguns | MAG-7, Nova, Sawed-Off, XM1014 |
| Heavy: Machine Guns | M249, Negev |
| SMGs | Mac-10, MP5-SD, MP7, MP9, P90, PP-Bizon, UMP-45 |
| Assault Rifles | Ak-47, AUG, FAMAS, Galil AR, M4A1-S, M4A4, SG 553 |
| Sniper Rifles | AWP, G3SG1, SCAR-20, SSG 08 |
| Other | Zeus x27 |
Now, we will go a bit into detail about each weapon and its comprehensive stats.
CS:GO Weapon Price, Kill reward, Damage, and more
Pistols
The pistols in CS:GO are the cheapest weapons you can get. They have a short-medium range, decent damage, and high mobility. If used correctly, it can easily net you a kill against an opponent with a rifle.
| Pistols | Price | Kill Award | Damage | Headshot Multiplier | Magazine Size | Mobility | Recoil Amount |
| Desert Eagle | $700 | $300 | 53 | 3.900x | 7 | 230 | 48.2 |
| R8 Revolver | $600 | $300 | 86 | 4.000x | 8 | 180 | 20.0 |
| Dual Berettas | $300 | $300 | 38 | 4.000x | 30 | 240 | 27.0 |
| Five-SeveN | $500 | $300 | 32 | 4.000x | 20 | 240 | 25.0 |
| Glock-18 | $200 | $300 | 30 | 4.000x | 20 | 240 | 18.0 |
| P2000 | $200 | $300 | 35 | 4.000x | 13 | 240 | 26.0 |
| USP-S | $200 | $300 | 35 | 4.000x | 12 | 240 | 29.0 |
| P250 | $300 | $300 | 38 | 4.000x | 13 | 240 | 26.0 |
| CZ75 Auto | $500 | $100 | 31 | 4.000x | 12 | 240 | 31.0 |
| Tec-9 | $500 | $300 | 33 | 4.000x | 18 | 240 | 23.0 |
Shotguns
Shotguns are some of the least used guns in CS:GO. Since they have a very short range, these are usually viable on the CT side and from unsuspecting angles. They also have the highest kill reward in the game, which makes them really good on Eco rounds.
| Shotguns | Price | Kill Award | Damage | Headshot Multiplier | Magazine Size | Mobility | Recoil Amount |
| Mag-7 | $1,300 | $900 | 30 | 4.000x | 5 | 225 | 165.0 |
| Nova | $1,050 | $900 | 26 | 4.000x | 8 | 220 | 143.0 |
| Sawed-Off | $1,100 | $900 | 32 | 4.000x | 7 | 210 | 143.0 |
| XM1014 | $2,000 | $900 | 20 | 4.000x | 7 | 215 | 80.0 |
SMGs
SMGs are the best option for run and gun tactics. They are useless against armored opponents but make quick work of opponents without armor. Except for the P90, the SMGs in the game have good kill rewards and will be your pick when opting for a rush or an Anti-Eco round.
| SMGs | Price | Kill Award | Damage | Headshot Multiplier | Magazine Size | Mobility | Recoil Amount |
| PP-Bizon | $1,400 | $600 | 27 | 4.000x | 64 | 240 | 18.0 |
| MAC-10 | $1,050 | $600 | 29 | 4.000x | 30 | 240 | 18.0 |
| MP7 | $1,500 | $600 | 29 | 4.000x | 30 | 220 | 16.0 |
| MP5-SD | $1,500 | $600 | 27 | 4.000x | 30 | 235 | 16.0 |
| MP9 | $1,250 | $600 | 26 | 4.000x | 30 | 240 | 19.0 |
| P90 | $2,350 | $300 | 26 | 4.000x | 50 | 230 | 16.0 |
| UMP-45 | $1,200 | $600 | 35 | 4.000x | 25 | 230 | 23.0 |
Automatic Rifles
These are the bread and butter of your arsenal. You will find yourself using these guns in the majority of your rounds. The reason being they offer the highest damage, accuracy, and reliability in the game. If unable to afford these guns, consider saving up and having an Eco round to purchase these in the following round. Or just force buy and focus on killing a fully buying opponent and taking their rifle.
| Automatic Rifles | Price | Kill Award | Damage | Headshot Multiplier | Magazine Size | Mobility | Recoil Amount |
| AK-47 | $2,700 | $300 | 36 | 4.000x | 30 | 215 | 30.0 |
| AUG | $3,300 | $300 | 28 | 4.000x | 30 | 220 | 24.0 |
| FAMAS | $2,050 | $300 | 30 | 4.000x | 25 | 220 | 20.0 |
| Galil AR | $1,800 | $300 | 30 | 4.000x | 35 | 215 | 21.0 |
| M4A4 | $3,100 | $300 | 33 | 4.000x | 30 | 225 | 23.0 |
| M4A1-S | $2,900 | $300 | 38 | 3.475x | 25 | 225 | 25.0 |
| SG 553 | $3,000 | $300 | 30 | 4.000x | 30 | 210 | 28.0 |
MGs
These are pretty unpopular due to their inaccuracy and low movement speed. However, the Negev is a decent option on the CT side since it’s cheap and has a high rate of fire.
| MGs | Price | Kill Award | Damage | Headshot Multiplier | Magazine Size | Mobility | Recoil Amount |
| M249 | $5,200 | $300 | 32 | 4.000x | 100 | 195 | 25.0 |
| Negev | $1,700 | $300 | 35 | 4.000x | 150 | 150 | 20.0 |
Sniper Rifles
Sniper Rifles in the game are powerful but come at the cost of reduced mobility. And AWPer can dish out devastating amounts of damage but will usually be in an unfavorable condition when surrounded or at close distances.
| Sniper Rifles | Price | Kill Award | Damage | Headshot Multiplier | Magazine Size | Mobility | Recoil Amount |
| AWP | $4,750 | $100 | 115 | 4.000x | 10 | 200 | 78.0 |
| G3SG1 | $5,000 | $300 | 80 | 4.000x | 20 | 215 | 30.0 |
| SCAR-20 | $5,000 | $300 | 80 | 4.000x | 20 | 215 | 31.0 |
| SSG 08 | $1,700 | $300 | 88 | 4.000x | 10 | 230 | 33.0 |
CS:GO Weapon Tier list
Since the game has been out, the weapons have gone through many buffs, nerfs, and changes. And here is the tier list of the guns in CS:GO.
| Tier | Weapons |
| S-Tier | Ak-47, M4A4, M4A1-S, SG553, AWP |
| A-Tier | AUG, SCAR-20, FAMAS, Galil-AR, Desert Eagle, Tec-9 |
| B-Tier | P90, UMP-45, MAG-7, GSG31, MAC-10, MP7, MP5-SD, P250 |
| C-Tier | XM1014, Five-SeveN, CZ75, XM1014, Negev, SSG-08 |
| D-Tier | USP-S, P2000, Nova |
| E-Tier | Glock-18, Sawed-Off, PP-Bizon, M249, Dual Berettas |
| Revolver | R8-Revolver |
In the S tier, we have the M4A4/A1-S, Ak-47, and AWP. The T side SG553 is also included because of its scoped 1 shot kill potential. In the A tier, we have the FAMAS and Galil, slightly worse versions of the M4 and Ak. The CT Auto sniper has been included here since its lethal in defending long ranges. The Deagle and Tec-9 have been included because of their 1 shot headshot and rushing capabilities on a low budget.
In the B tier, we have the SMGs, which are good for anti-eco but have poor armor penetration. We also have the P250, an excellent Eco weapon, and the T auto sniper. In the C tier, we have shotguns and expensive pistols, which also work well on Ecos. In the D tier, we have the Ct starting pistol and the Nova because they are weak when the enemy has decent buys. The T pistol, Sawed-off, Bizon, M249, and Dualies are in the E tier because they are poor in damage, range, and cost-effectiveness.
As for the R8 Revolver, we still don’t know why this even exists in the game in its current state. Some tweaks, like a reduced primary fire time with reduced damage, might help this gun get some play, if at all.
Which weapon to use in which situation
What you should buy depends largely on what situation you’re in. The game starts with the Pistol round, and which team wins/loses will determine the subsequent type of round you’ll face. Since the rounds are largely dependent on the economic condition of your as well as your opponent’s team, subsequent rounds will be Eco rounds, Anti-Eco, Force buys, and Full buy rounds.
Pistol Round
In the pistol round, you can always get away with using the starting pistols. For the CT side, it’s the USP-S/P2000, and for the T side, it’s the Glock-18. The CT default pistols are superior to the T side’s one because of higher accuracy and one-shot potential. But this comes at the cost of a smaller magazine size, where the Glock-18 reigns supreme. It is very hard to stop a full T rush with 20 bullet mag Glocks being spammed at your face in close range.
You can keep the default pistols and buy armor or buy utilities to aid your team. You can also opt to buy a better pistol, especially on the T side. The Five-SeveN, CZ75, and Tec-9 are good options as you can have just enough money left to buy a nade or a flash.
Eco Round
As the name suggests, “Eco” rounds or Economical rounds are played when you are very low on money and want to use the round-end bonus earnings to buy yourselves good weapons on the next round.
Playing Eco or Save rounds is crucial in CS:GO as managing the economy can affect the flow of the game to a huge degree. It is generally wise to save money to afford full-buy rounds rather than play with mediocre guns when low on money.
In Eco Rounds, you can either full-save with the intention being to save as much money as possible and get the round over with quickly. Another option is to buy a cheap yet effective pistol like the P250, Tec-9, CZ75, or the Desert Eagle with the intention to be able to take down one opponent at least and take their gun or to cause as much economic damage to the enemy team as possible. On the CT side, the shotguns such as the Nova might also be a valid option.
Anti-Eco Round
Anti-Eco Rounds refer to rounds where you know the enemy will be saving or Eco-ing. This can be right after they lose the pistol round or an important full-buy round.
Since the enemy is likely to have no armor on, the best weapons in this class are the SMGs. The Mac-10, MP7, MP5-SD, and MP9 dominate this category. The Negev on the CT side can also be highly effective. The high rate of fire and cheap cost of these weapons make them a solid option against Eco rounds.
Full Buy Round
This is what you will typically aim to get and use for most of the rounds in CS:GO. This will cost the most and will give you the highest chance of securing a round. Due to the higher cost of this buy, it is advisable to go for an Eco round when the majority of your team cannot afford to full-buy.
A full buy round will consist of getting any one of the three signature weapons: the Ak-47, the M4A4/M4A1-S, and the AWP. Depending on the side you are on, these weapons will be the most potent, and you will find yourself using any of these to secure the majority of your kills.
They are reliable, offer high damage, and are very accurate. Of the two rifles, the Ak-47 is arguably better due to its ability to one-shot headshot with a helmet at any distance. The M4 requires two bullets to the head, but it also shines due to its slightly lower recoil. The AWP is a huge investment but can pay off immensely, securing your team entry frags on the T side and effectively holding off an entryway on the CT side.
In any case, if 1 or 2 people on your team are unable to purchase any of the main rifles, you can also do away with purchasing the FAMAS and the Galil-AR, which are basically worse versions of the M4 and the AK but can offer pretty decent performance if used correctly.
You can also buy the SG-553, AUG, and SCAR-20, as they are really strong on full buy rounds. On the T side, you can buy the GSG31, but it comes with great risk, as losing will guarantee that your team will struggle in the following rounds.
Force Buy Round
These are the rounds when the enemy will expect an Eco round from you, or you desperately need to secure the round but do not have enough money to buy the main rifles.
In such a situation, you use all the money you have to get the best loadout you can while going against opponents who have fully bought. The cheaper rifles as discussed above, like the FAMAS and the Galil-AR can effectively take down their superior counterparts if wielded correctly.
Another option for a force buy rounds is the UMP-45 being cheap since it is an SMG. But what sets this SMG apart from the rest is that the gun has very good armor penetration meaning it will be extremely effective against armored opponents.
The SSG-08, MAG-7, P90, and XM1014 can also get you kills against fully buying opponents on these rounds.
So this wraps it up for the best guns in CS:GO and which gun to use in what situation. Remember that CS:GO is a dynamic game; the books do not play every round. So take this advice as a general guideline, and don’t be afraid to mix it up when things aren’t going according to plan.
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