Good marksman rifles in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 act as sniper rifles with enough mobility for mid-range encounters.
Some of the best players in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 use marksman rifles. It’s a weapon that can be a sniper rifle in one second and start knocking combatants dead from mid-range in the next. The best marksman rifles are capable of one-shot skills at any range and snap onto opponents even if they get up close.
This kind of hybrid weaponry occasionally makes too many sacrifices. Sometimes the weapon ditches mobility, in which case, just use a sniper rifle. Or the stopping power is poor and then an assault rifle is better. To get the best of both worlds in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, gamers need to be choosey about which marksman rifle will be their go-to.
SA-B 50
-SA-B-50-Weapon-Selection.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
| Category | Rating |
| Damage | T-1st |
| Fire Rate | 5th |
| Range | T-5th |
| Accuracy | 2nd |
| Recoil Control | 6th |
| Mobility | T-1st |
| Handling | 5th |
Players who use the SA-B 50 will have to equip some excellent field upgrades because their gun won’t be doing the talking. The damage and mobility are both tied for the best in the class and that is commendable. But the range and fire rate as so poor that it can’t excel unless it’s in tight quarters.
Even so, because of the rough handling, the SA-B 50 needs to utilize the element of surprise to come out alive. Against more than one opponent, there is no chance.
SP-R 208
-SP-R-208-Weapon-Selection.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
| Category | Rating |
| Damage | T-1st |
| Fire Rate | 6th |
| Range | T-5th |
| Accuracy | 1st |
| Recoil Control | 1st |
| Mobility | 4th |
| Handling | 6th |
There will be a firm split between gamers who love or hate the SP-R 208. Some consider it overpowered while others feel it’s not all that useful. Nobody will deny that headshot veterans can make this rifle look better than it actually is with a great build for the SP-R 208.
The issue is that it’s a bolt-action rifle, meaning there is a massive reload time in between each shot. If players don’t get a one-hit kill with it, they’re essentially doomed. The aim down scope time is so bad that opponents will always get the first shots in as well, so experts who master this gun will need to get that single good shot off while taking bullets.
LM-S
-LM-S-Weapon-Selection.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
| Category | Rating |
| Damage | T-4th |
| Fire Rate | 1st |
| Range | T-1st |
| Accuracy | 6th |
| Recoil Control | T-3rd |
| Mobility | 6th |
| Handling | T-3rd |
The purpose of the marksman rifle is to hit like a sniper rifle without sacrificing speed and positioning. The LM-S is dead last in both accuracy and mobility, meaning it needs to sacrifice both. The fire rate and range can make for some solid cross-map snipes for those who can land two shots at that kind of range.
But this is a very specific situation. The immobile marksman rifle might as well land only one shot for kills and simply be an assault rifle. Fixing up the aim sensitivity settings can help, but not enough to make this a valid primary weapon.
TAQ-M
-TAQ-M-Weapon-Selection.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
| Category | Rating |
| Damage | T-4th |
| Fire Rate | 3rd |
| Range | T-1st |
| Accuracy | T-3rd |
| Recoil Control | T-3rd |
| Mobility | 3rd |
| Handling | T-3rd |
The TAQ-M is as average as marksman rifles get. Players not looking to specialize in any particular aspect of the game may find they do the best with this weapon. The only real issue is that the fire rate and damage are both pretty middling.
Usually, players want one or the other category to be high. Either fire rate to get off quick shots or damage for one-shot kills. Without either being excellent, the TAQ-M can either be tuned to make it better or try to avoid direct confrontations.
EBR-14
-EBR-14-Weapon-Selection.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
| Category | Rating |
| Damage | T-4th |
| Fire Rate | 2nd |
| Range | T-1st |
| Accuracy | T-3rd |
| Recoil Control | T-3rd |
| Mobility | 5th |
| Handling | 2nd |
The standard EBR-14 is the first marksman rifle most players will use and it’s a delight. Really, it’s only a bit slow on mobility, which is indeed a drawback, but the rest of the attributes are so good that most players won’t mind as it’s a killer at any range.
The combination of handling and fire rate allows the EBR-14 to come out victorious against other mid-range weapons and assault rifles. Use the best build for the EBR-14 to find even more victories and longer killstreaks.
Lockwood Mk 2
-Lockwood-Mk-2-Weapon-Selection.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
| Category | Rating |
| Damage | T-1st |
| Fire Rate | 4th |
| Range | T-1st |
| Accuracy | T-3rd |
| Recoil Control | 2nd |
| Mobility | T-1st |
| Handling | 1st |
While no gun has a true consensus, the community has generally recognized that the Lockwood Mk 2 is as good as it gets for marksman rifles. When the graphics are tuned up just right, the Lockwood Mk 2 can spot anything at any distance and wipe it off of the map with a clean hit.
The handling is the start of the show, allowing players to outduel even assault rifles and SMG users at mid-range. Above average or in everything except fire rate, the lever-action is still quick enough to get two shots in during a fair fight most of the time. It’s the best in four of the seven categories. On paper and in practice, there’s no competition in this class.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
