All weapon buffs and nerfs in MW2 & Warzone 2 Season 1 update

Ryan Lemay
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The Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 Season 1 update added a long laundry list of weapon balancing. Here’s a breakdown of every nerf and buff included.

After just under a month of leaving up and testing every gun in Modern Warfare 2, the game’s meta is beginning to slowly take shape.

The Kastov-74u, M4, and SP-R 208 emerged as early front runners for best weapon, but the jury is still out. We took a crack at ranking MW2’s best weapons and provided a loadout for each gun. The meta will continue to evolve, especially as players discover what weapons work best in Warzone 2.

Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2’s first major weapon-balancing patch nerfed the game’s top weapons while giving some much-needed boosts to other forgotten guns.

modern warfare 2 attachments
Modern Warfare 2 Season 1 update made wide-sweeping changes to weapon balancing.

Most significant weapon buffs and nerfs

One of the most significant changes made is an increase in long-distance flinch on all Assault Rifles SMGs, and LMGs.

The Kastov-74u, M4, STB 556, and SP-R 208 all received much-needed nerfs but nothing that will completely take them out of the game’s meta.

Players should have less to fear when going up against a Kastov-74u or STB 556 in close-quarters combat.

While the FSS Hurricane, PDSW 528, and M16 received buffs to help bring them in line with other offerings. The M16 got a massive overhaul to its rate of fire, ADS movement speed, strafing speed, and recoil reduction.

Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 Season 1 buffs and nerfs

Here is the full list of MW2 Season 1 buffs and nerfs.

» Assault Rifles «

  • Increase to long distance flinch on all Assault Rifles

Kastov 545 

  • ADS speed increase
  • Improved ironsight ADS sight picture

Kastov-74u 

  • ADS speed decrease
  • Hip spread increase

M4 

  • Hip spread reduction

M16 

  • Rate of fire increase
  • Hip spread reduction
  • Recoil recenter speed increase
  • Shot grouping improvement
  • Increase ADS movement speed
  • Increase strafing movement speed
  • Semi auto recoil reduction
  • Semi auto damage reduction 

STB 556

  • Close range damage reduction
  • Reduced sprint to fire speed

» Battle Rifles «

FTac Recon 

  • ADS speed improvement
  • 5 round magazine – speed and handling improvement
  • Increased flinch caused by bullets
  • Hip spread decrease

SO-14

  • Increased hip fire when full auto

» Handguns «

  • Increase to close range flinch on all Handguns

» Light Machine Guns «

  • Increase to long distance flinch on all Light Machine Guns

» Marksman Rifles «

Lockwood 300

  • Damage range reduction

SA-B 50

  • Minor increase to flinch when hit

SP-R 208

  • Large increase to flinch when hit

» Shotguns «

  • Increase to close range flinch on all Shotguns

Bryson 800

  • Close range damage increase
  • Hip spread increase

» Submachine Guns «

  • Increase to long distance flinch on all Submachine Guns

FFS Hurricane 

  • ADS move speed increase
  • Increased headshot damage
  • Increased far damage range

Minibak 

  • Movement speed decrease
  • Damage range decrease
  • ADS speed decrease
  • Hip spread increase

PDSW 528

  • Movement speed increase
  • Damage range increase
  • ADS speed increase
  • Hip spread decrease
  • Adding Laser and Flashlight Attachments
    • 1mW Artemis Laser
    • 1mW Quick Fire Laser
    • Accu-Shot 5mW Laser
    • VLK LZR 7mW
    • 7mW Canted Laser
    • Schlager ULO-66 Laser

VEL 46 

  • Damage range increase

» Sniper Rifles «

Signal .50

  • Fixed attributes on the Signal .50 barrels:
    • 21.5″ Fluted Fifty
    • 23.5″ SA Fifty-H7
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