The Assault Rifle class is meant to be an all-rounded loadout in Modern Warfare 2. The Assault Rifle is supposed to have balanced numbers spread across all stats and is usually effective during mid-ranged engagements. But in reality, most of the weapons in the class are overtuned and dominate the meta.
It's a worthwhile investment to level up your favorite Assault Rifles, as they're strong in almost all situations. It takes quite a long time to grind out a weapon to its maximum potential, so you have to make sure you're picking the best Assault Rifle with high stats and one fitting your unique play style.
8 Kastov 545
Kastov 545, or the off-brand AK105, is one of the three Kastov guns in the game. The Kastov 545 ranks the lowest on the list because of its subpar damage compared to the other Assault Rifles. Normally, the guns in Modern Warfare 2 deal higher damage to the upper torso, but the 545 hits for 28 in all hit zones and 42 on the head.
The Kastov demands extra effort on your part since you need to hit three critical shots or four body shots to get a kill, without counting for the damage falloff starting at 32 meters. The low fire rate also doesn't help the weapon.
7 M16
Your mileage with the M16 depends on how well you can control its iconic three-round burst. If you've got the right aim and are in the ideal range, you can potentially one-tap an enemy. The issue is that too many variables are at play to call the M16 a consistently good weapon.
It's unfortunate because the M16 has high base stats compared to other weapons in its class. For example, the gun has a high fire rate of 811 rounds per minute (rpm) with a 148ms time to kill if all shots hit the upper chest.
6 Lachmann-556
The Lachmann-556 has average stats for an Assault R, and it. It shares the same damage numbers as the Kastov 545 but with a better fire rate of 723 rpm. The Lachmann-556 is a pain to grind out in its early levels, but once you get the right attachments, it becomes a lethal laser beam.
The Lachmann-556 is deadly accurate, especially at long ranges. Slap on some attachments that smooth out your recoil, and try this weapon on maps with long sightlines like Santa Seña Border Crossing or Taraq.
5 M4
It's fitting that the M4 sits in the middle of the list because it's a reliable weapon without too many outstanding strengths. The starting Assault Rifle can carry you hard, especially with attachments that increase its ADS time and stabilizes its recoil pattern.
The M4 has a relatively low time to kill of 222ms or four shots to the upper torso. Additionally, M4 is great for beginners because of its high rate of 811 rpm and manageable recoil pattern. The M4 is a fantastic introduction to the Assault Rifle's playstyle.
4 STB 556
The STB 556 is an incredibly powerful weapon in close combat encounters. The weapon has one of the fastest times to kill at 162ms within 15 meters. Additionally, its fire rate of 741 rpm means you'll most likely win in your ideal range. The STB 556 is also pinpoint accurate, and you don't have to work hard to melt your opponent's health.
Beyond 15 meters, the weapon will start to perform sub-optimally. It can still hit up to 27.4 meters hard, but you'll need attachments to temper your recoil.
3 TAQ-56
The TAQ-56 is Modern Warfare 2's take on the Scar L. You won't have a horrible time leveling this gun because it's immediately strong without any attachments. The TAQ-56 packs a heavy punch with a time to kill of 192ms up to 28.2 meters.
The TAQ-56 is on the slower end of Assault Rifles, with a fire rate of 625 rpm. As the TAQ-56 excels at mid-range, you want to avoid taking duels in close quarters because weapons with faster fire rates, like SMGs, will usually win.
2 Kastov 762
The Kastov 762 (AK103) is the best Assault Rifle in Modern Warfare 2 for general use. What makes the Kastov 762 so strong is that the weapon retains its hard-hitting damage profile at extreme ranges, boasting a 300ms time to kill beyond 46 meters. The sluggish fire rate of 600 rpm means you'll want to avoid rushing with this clunky powerhouse.
You'll get the gun early in the progression tree, unlocking it at 23. Get attachments that can manage its hefty recoil, and you'll be beaming down opponents from across the map. But at point-blank ranges, you're better off spraying at the hip.
1 Kastov-74U
If you love to rush and flank, the Kastov-74U is essentially an overpowered SMG consistent up to 35.6 meters. In its optimal range of 21.6 meters and below, the weapon has a time to kill of 184ms on the upper torso with a potential to two-tap headshot the enemy.
Think of the Kastov-74U as a pocket-sized Kastov 762, but you're trading the latter's range for mobility and faster ADS speeds for close-range brawling. The Kastov-74U is so strong that pro Call of Duty players are banning the weapon from their scrims and tournaments, but you don't have to abide by that gentleman's agreement in your lobbies.