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Best Battle Rifle in Modern Warfare 2

Which is the best Battle Rifle in MW2 right now?

Want to know which Battle Rifle is the best in Modern Warfare 2 right now? Battle Rifles are a new addition to the Call Of Duty weapons roster compared to 2019's Modern Warfare. A Battle Rifle in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 lacks the versatility of the best Assault Rifles, but it packs higher damage and greater effective range, making it a powerful hybrid of ARs and Marksman Rifles.

If you're looking for the best Battle Rifle to use in Modern Warfare 2, you've come to the right place. Below we'll walk you through our ranking of each Battle Rifle in turn, exploring each of the 4 guns' strengths and weaknesses so you can understand exactly how to use each one, and which is the most competitive Battle Rifle right now.

Unsure what gun to choose in Modern Warfare 2? Confused which weapons pair best with one another? Look no further. The answers to your questions (and more) lie within the video above.

What is the best Battle Rifle in Modern Warfare 2?

The best Battle Rifle in Modern Warfare 2 is the FTAC Recon. It may only hold 10 bullets by default, but 10 bullets are all you need when you factor in the FTAC Recon's best-in-class damage and controllable recoil. It's easy to use, its upgrade potential is high, and it can drop enemies very quickly at any range. What more do you want?

Here is our tier list of the best Battle Rifles in Modern Warfare 2:

  1. FTAC Recon
  2. TAQ-V
  3. Lachmann-762
  4. S0-14

Below we'll explore the strengths and weaknesses of each of the Battle Rifles on offer in MW2, and why they deserve their rank in the above Battle Rifles tier list.


FTAC Recon

Modern Warfare 2 image showing the FTAC Recon battle rifle up close.

Boasting the highest damage in its class, the FTAC Recon is the strongest and most competitive Battle Rifle in MW2 right now. Its main downside is that it only takes 10 Round Mags by default instead of the other Battle Rifles' 20. But considering its stopping power, 10 bullets is more than enough in both semi-auto mid-to-long-range fights, and full-auto close quarters engagements.

It's a very reliable weapon, one which packs a punch but also remains controllable thanks to its comparatively low recoil - which you can improve even further with the right set of attachments. Learn how with our guide to the best FTAC Recon loadout in Modern Warfare 2.


TAQ-V

A close-up of the TAQ-V Battle Rifle in the Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith screen.

The TAQ-V, based on stats alone, is a very formidable Battle Rifle. It focuses hard on long-range prowess, matching the FTAC Recon's low fire rate in order to keep the recoil as steady as possible over long ranges. While it beats out all other Battle Rifles in terms of effective range, the TAQ-V can't quite match the FTAC Recon's combo of controllability and punishing damage.

But it's a close run thing. The TAQ-V is still a hell of a gun. Learn how to make the most of it with our Modern Warfare 2 best TAQ-V loadout guide.


Lachmann-762

A close-up of the Lachmann-762 Battle Rifle in the Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith screen.

The Lachmann-762 is the first Battle Rifle you'll gain access to in Modern Warfare 2, but sadly it represents a very noticeable step down in controllability and reliability from the FTAC Recon and TAQ-V, thanks to its high recoil. Its only real advantage over the above weapons is a slightly superior rate of fire, allowing for quicker follow-up shots and a stronger spray-and-pray attack at full-auto. But this isn't enough to topple its far more controllable and higher-damage brethren.

Nonetheless, the Lachmann-762 is a decent foundation on which you can pile the attachments mentioned in our Modern Warfare 2 best Lachmann-762 loadout guide to create a very effective rifle build.


S0-14

A close-up of the S0-14 Battle Rifle in the Modern Warfare 2 Gunsmith screen.

if you thought the Lachmann-762's recoil was bad, oh boy. The S0-14 kicks like a mule, making it near-impossible to use at full-auto, and challenging to use as a mid-to-long-range semi-auto rifle too. It's strong if you are able to land your shots, matching the TAQ-V's damage and at a higher fire rate too.

Sadly, even with the ideal attachments, it's not quite reliable enough as a primary weapon to justify taking it over any of the above Battle Rifles. But if you need or want to use it, you'd best consult our Modern Warfare 2 best S0-14 loadout guide to make the most of it.

Well, that's all the Battle Rifles on offer in Modern Warfare 2, and by now you're well aware of our opinion on which is the best and which is the worst. If you want to gain a more complete idea of the current gun meta then check out our Modern Warfare 2 best guns tier list. You can also consult our guide on the best Sniper Rifle in MW2 if you want to go the whole hog with the biggest, heaviest long-range weapons in the game.

Alternatively you can look to the future of MW2 with our guides on the Modern Warfare 2 Hardcore mode, and on the Warzone 2.0 release date.


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About the Author

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Ollie Toms

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Ollie is known round these parts for having just about the deepest voice in existence. Some say he used to be pretty darn good at Rocket League, but he has since sacrificed that accolade in order to become passably decent at Apex Legends. His favourite pastimes include playing piano covers of his favourite game soundtracks, and burying his face in the warm fur of his two cats.

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