Counter Strike 2: Best Loadout For Each Side [Ultimate Guide]

There is only one true counter-strike loadout for each side. In this guide, I will explain why this is the Counter Strike 2 Best Loadout and the objectively better loadout in almost any scenario. I will only talk about the weapons that are swappable for the sake of brevity.

Counter Terrorist Side

On the CT Side, you have the option to swap out a few different weapons. These are reflected in the table below. There are a total of seven weapons that can be interchanged, but some of these are clearly better than others.

Weapon A	Weapon B
P2000	✔ USP-S ✔
M4A1-S	✔ M4A4 ✔
SCAR-20	✔ AWP ✔
✔ CZ75-Auto ✔	Five-SeveN
✔ Desert Eagle ✔	R8 Revolver
✔ MP5-SD ✔	PP-Bizon
MP7	✔ MP9 ✔

Taking a quick glance at the table, I have highlighted which guns you should include in your loadout for CT Side. There is a reason for each weapon, and I will explain it in one line or less.

USP-S

I use the USP-S since it feels better to fire, and the crunch on the headshot is satisfying beyond all belief. Otherwise, there is no major technical difference between the P2000 and USP-S. It’s really all in that meaty sound.

Damage	35
Magazine Capacity	12
Accurate Range	22 meters
Reload Time	2.2 seconds
Kill Reward	$300

M4A4

The M4A4 is one of the perfect examples of the “sound design” perspective. The gun is just more weighty when it fires. A spray feels like it could go through walls and concrete (I wish), but it instills you with a sense of power, which can make you play aggressively and get those montage clips.

Damage	33
Magazine Capacity	30
Accurate Range	28 meters
Reload Time	3.1 seconds
Kill Reward	$300

AWP

Next, I have the AWP. The one-shot machine is the most recognizable gun in the entire game for both its speed and power. The only gun to have an entire role dedicated to playing it on a team. You can have multiple riflers, but you really only have one AWP-er.

Damage	115
Magazine Capacity	5
Accurate Range	69 meters
Reload Time	3.7 seconds
Kill Reward	$100

CZ75-Auto

What more can be said about the pocket AK47? My favorite and A must-have if you are an AWP-er since its fast fire rate allows you not to get killed if people start running towards you in the middle of your downtime. This little pistol once dominated the meta but has been nerfed since then, but do not sleep on this gun.

Damage	31
Magazine Capacity	12
Accurate Range	11.4 meters
Reload Time	2.8 seconds
Kill Reward	$100

Desert Eagle

The Desert Eagle is another satisfying weapon. Tapping someone by quickly counter-strafing is the feeling of divine power. Hearing that sound of an enemy team going THUNK and hitting a few shots for someone on the enemy team to make them type hacker in the chat has a different type of dopamine rush to it. Meanwhile, the R8 Revolver is still loading its bullet.

Damage	53
Magazine Capacity	7
Accurate Range	24.6 meters
Reload Time	2.2 seconds
Kill Reward	$300

MP5-SD

The MP5-SD may lack the sheer magazine capacity of the PP-Bizon, but I’ll still take that over, feeling like my gun does no damage. The MP5-SD wins, but basically, by default, since the PP-Bizon is a gun, no one should be forced to use it.

Damage	27
Magazine Capacity	30
Accurate Range	15 meters
Reload Time	3 seconds
Kill Reward	$600

MP9

Lastly, I come to the MP9. Honestly, this just goes off of feelings. I feel more comfortable running and gunning with the MP9, but maybe you feel the same with the MP7. This boils down to a purely subjective “I like this one better,” and that is okay. So pick whichever one you want.

Damage	26
Magazine Capacity	30
Accurate Range	16 meters
Reload Time	2.1 seconds
Kill Reward	$600

Terrorist Side

On the T Side, you have the option to swap out a few different weapons. These are reflected in the table below. You can swap out five weapons on the Terrorist side compared to the seven on the Counter-Terrorist side. However, this is offset by having the AK47, the objectively best rifle in the game, with its one-tap headshot potential from nearly any range.

Weapon A	Weapon B
✔ Desert Eagle ✔	R8 Revolver
✔ Tec-9 ✔	CZ75-Auto
Mac-10	✔ MP7 ✔
UMP45	✔ MP5-SD ✔
G3SG1	✔ AWP ✔

Taking a quick glance at the table, I have highlighted which guns you should include in your loadout for T Side. Each weapon is chosen for a reason, and I will explain it very briefly.

Desert Eagle

For me, the Desert Eagle shines thanks to its raw power, faster fire rate, and ability to stay accurate on the move. Its larger magazine gives me a sense of confidence in intense moments, making it my top choice for precision and adaptability in the game.

Damage	53
Magazine Capacity	7
Accurate Range	24.6 meters
Reload Time	2.2 seconds
Kill Reward	$300

Tec-9

If you have a high enough CPM (Clicks Per Minute), then this pistol is your ticket to winning eco rounds on the T side. I personally use this pistol on save/eco rounds because I can click very fast, and it doesn’t matter if the enemy has a bigger gun than me if I can overwhelm them with a barrage of bullets that appear like a rifle.

Damage	33
Magazine Capacity	18
Accurate Range	13 meters
Reload Time	2.5 seconds
Kill Reward	$300

MP7

Once again, I am at a completely subjective impasse. This boils down to feelings and what you feel is more comfortable during running and gunning. Pick whichever one has worked for you more in the past, and keep at it.

Damage	29
Magazine Capacity	30
Accurate Range	14 meters
Reload Time	3.1 seconds
Kill Reward	$600

MP5-SD

The UMP45 is not a bad gun by any stretch of the imagination, but it has the same problem as the PP-Bizon. It feels like you are doing less damage, and your shots can be seen through smoke due to its tracers. The MP5-SD makes up for this with a silencer and a more natural feeling spray pattern. So, it always has my vote.

Damage	27
Magazine Capacity	30
Accurate Range	15 meters
Reload Time	3 seconds
Kill Reward	$600

AWP

Finally, why would this ever even be a question? The sound, the kill-feed, and the power you have is insane with the AWP in hand. You can single-handedly clutch out an entire round if presented with the opportunity or even snowball the game for your team if you are proficient with this beautiful beast.

Damage	115
Magazine Capacity	5
Accurate Range	69 meters
Reload Time	3.7 seconds
Kill Reward	$100

My Thoughts

Ok, so I said that I would give you the best objective loadout, but that isn’t the case in Counter Strike. You can perform well with any loadout you pick (save a few guns that no one should touch or even think about using) since this is a game that rewards precision, accuracy, and instincts.

My advice is to play how you would like. Also, let’s be real: you are only ever going to be using four guns unless you really need to force a buy round. But that’s also fine since the AK47, M4A4, AWP, and Desert Eagle are the bread and butter of this game.

If you like this guide then check out more on Counter Strike 2 written by our authors such as:

• Counter-Strike 2 Best Settings [Graphics, Audio, Gameplay]
• Counter-Strike 2 Ranking System [Definitive Guide]
• 9 BEST Skins In Counter Strike 2