Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is less about advanced movement and more about smarter rotations. Flankers could rely on the competitive SMGs to force duels in close-range encounters, which they'll usually win due to the class' higher fire rate. The inherent mobility and increased ADS speeds of SMGs are especially sought after because of the quicker time to kill in the game.
Most SMGs in Modern Warfare 2 are solid choices with little variances between them. There's barely a niche or specialty regarding the weapons in the class, as your choice will ultimately depend on personal preference and a bias for better raw numbers. While it was a close fight deciding which of the great SMGs was the best, some were more reliable than others in bringing consistent results.
8 MX9
The MX9 (AUG Para) is a good gun, but it's currently outclassed as an SMG when it comes to accessibility and comfort. The MX9 has a strong damage profile, hitting 49 in the head and 34 in the chest. It has a fire rate of 769 rpm, so you'll have an ideal time to kill 162ms below nine meters. It's also quite accurate and can take positive engagements up to 34 meters.
MX9 is a clunky gun, especially its abysmal sprint-to-fire and tactical sprint-to-fire time. It's not as mobile and responsive as expected from an SMG. Ironically, its Assault Rifle counterpart, the STB 556, makes for a way better SMG than the MX9.
7 Vel 46
Lightweight and agile, the Vel 46 (MP7) is one of the weakest SMGs when comparing damage per shot, needing four shots to the head to take down an enemy. The weapon compensates with the second-highest fire rate of the SMG class and a comfortable 40-round magazine size. The Vel 46 also has a sporadic recoil pattern, so you'll have to spray and pray it finds a target.
The combination of all its stats means you won't have a frustrating time maxing out the weapon, but there are better choices in its class. It's a great weapon up close, but its inconsistency makes it a difficult SMG to master. Overall, not bad for one of the starting SMGs.
6 PDSW 528
The PDSW 528 (FN P90) is one of the first SMGs you can use in Modern Warfare 2. The PDSW 528 doesn't give a lasting first impression because it's underwhelming out of the box. The light SMG doesn't have competitive stats; it has low damage and becomes a peashooter at range. It also has the slowest ADS speed and time to kill.
But, with the right attachments, the PDSW 528 has an almost non-existent recoil. The weapon is extremely easy to use, and it's great if you don't want to think about precise aiming.
5 Minibak
The Minibak (PP-19 Bizon) is the furthest weapon down in the Kastovia tree, which is unlocked by leveling the Kastov 74-U to 18. The SMG deals the most damage per shot in its class, hitting for 49 damage for a headshot and 36 on the chest. Despite that, it has the slowest time to kill of any SMG because of its sluggish 660 rpm.
However, the Minibak is a comfortable SMG because of its 64-round magazine. If you love to flank and expect to fight multiple enemies quickly, the weapon's large magazine capacity will come in handy.
4 FSS Hurricane
If the STB 556 is an Assault Rifle that functions like an SMG, the FSS Hurricane (AR57) is an SMG that works like an Assault Rifle. At 680 m/s, the FSS Hurricane can reasonably take down an enemy at 31 meters. The FSS Hurricane hits as hard as the other top-tier SMGs, trading away rpm for range engagements.
The FSS Hurricane always comes with the second largest magazine for an SMG, holding 50 rounds per magazine. However, the gun has an irregular recoil pattern that you'll need to tame with the right attachments.
3 Vaznek-9K
If you're overwhelmed with the number of weapon trees in the game, start with the Kastovia tree. Progressing through it rewards with two of the best Assault Rifles in the game: Kastov 762 and Kastov-74U. It also rewards a powerful SMG called the Vaznek-9K. The Vaznek-9K has a time to kill of 154ms below ten meters but remains strong up to 24 meters.
Like the Minibak, the Vaznek-9K has a starting ammo count of 45 per magazine. Overall, it's a top-tier weapon out of the box, especially with its clean iron sights.
2 Fennec 45
The Fennec 45 (KRISS Vector .45) is niche and relatively hard to use compared to the other SMGs in Modern Warfare 2. It has the highest fire rate at 1091 rpm but the lowest muzzle velocity of 300 m/s. These stats mean that you need great aim in close-quarter maps, or else you'll eat through your magazines— the slow reload time also doesn't help.
If you can control the recoil, the Fennec 45 melts through health pools like it was nothing. Up close, the Fennec has accurate hip fire, so you're free to jump peek and turn sharp corners. The weapon even keeps its damage potential in long engagements and provides the biggest move speed bonus in its class.
1 Lachmann Sub
Like its past iterations in Call of Duty, the Lachmann Sub, or the MP5, is still the most dominant SMG in the game. The Lachmann Sub shreds enemies in its ideal range, with the fastest time to kill of 150ms. The weapon's other stats are on the higher end of its peers, like a high muzzle velocity and low recoil.
The Lachmann Sub is an agile weapon that offers great mobility and quick ADS speeds. Both new players and skilled veterans can appreciate this powerful all-around weapon. This iteration of the MP5 is the jack-of-all-trades and master of all. It also has the option to toggle the gun into burst fire mode, which is not necessarily useful for multiplayer maps, but it could find some use in larger maps or Warzone 2.