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.

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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.

Updated on May 2nd, 2023 by Hodey Johns: With a few seasons, new maps, statistical teaks, and some major overhauls over and done with, the landscape has predictably shifted in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The franchise has always been quick to nerf guns that see their win rates get too high and buff weapons that see their win rates drop off. The changes may be subtle, but in a game that differentiates time to kill by milliseconds, that's all it takes to see something's usage go from top to bottom. This list has been overhauled, looking at the loadouts of the best players and the most successful loadouts of the community at large.

8 TAQ-M

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II (2022) TAQ-M Weapon Selection

The TAQ-M is a tough sell. It has the best time to kill at short ranges but the worst time to kill at anything over 55 meters. That's the zone marksman rifles will be in most of the time. Furthermore, the gun has steep penalties on any shot that isn't on the head or upper body.

Usually, players want either the fire rate or the damage category to be high. Without either being excellent, the TAQ-M can either be tuned to make it better or try to avoid direct confrontations.​​​​​​ but it's likely best to just use a marksman rifle that is intended for this purpose.

7 SA-B 50

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II (2022) SA-B 50 Weapon Selection

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 mobility is 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.

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, it has no chance. Mobility can help, but this is one of the least important stats for the class.

6 SP-R 208

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II (2022) SP-R 208 Weapon Selection

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.

5 LM-S

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II (2022) LM-S Weapon Selection

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.

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But this is a very specific situation. Fixing up the aim sensitivity settings can help, but then it starts lagging behind other options in the marksman category. There is a range, from 60 to 70 meters, which this LM-S is best-in-class at, so gamers who know maps well enough to find these perfect distances may find the weapon is passable.

4 EBR-14

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II (2022) EBR-14 Weapon Selection

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. When over 75 meters, it's got the best time to kill numbers when landing headshots.

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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.

3 Tempus Torrent

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Tempus Torrent Marksman Rifle In Loadout

The statistics on the Tempus Torrent might not look like anything special, but the key is in the description. It uses the M4 platform and the M4 is one of the best assault rifles in the game. The reason is that it treats all hits, whether on the feet or hands, like upper body and headshots.

For gamers looking to strike at center mass, this potentially makes the Tempus Torrent the best. This advantage is more pronounced on assault rifles, which have greater firing rates, but the benefit translates well to the marksman class just fine.

2 Lockwood Mk 2

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II (2022) Lockwood Mk 2 Weapon Selection

While no gun has a true consensus, the community has generally recognized that the Lockwood Mk 2 is as good as it gets for classic 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 more 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 among gun marksman rifles in damage, range, mobility, and aim down sight time. On paper and in practice, there's no competition from the orthodox marksman rifles.

1 Crossbow

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Crossbow Marksman Rifle In Loadout

The Crossbow is an instant-death machine. It won't be considered the best by all since it has the built-in defect of only having a single "shot" in the "chamber" at once. But the hits are kills when landing on almost any player when it hits any part of them.

As night maps grow in popularity, the crossbow becomes an even stronger weapon as it has silence built into it. The kills are also hidden on radars, giving it the quality of many perks. It's terrible in the thick of combat but players should be avoiding these kinds of encounters with all marksman rifles.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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