Best Shotgun In Modern Warfare 2 | All Shotguns Ranked

Here you can find the best shotgun in Modern Warfare 2. There are currently four shotguns in the game and we ranked them all for you.

Best SHOTGUNS MW2
What is the best Shotgun in Modern Warfare 2. | © EarlyGame

Modern Warfare 2 once again comes with a nice selection of weapons. Assault rifles and SMGs are of course the best weapons in the game, but there is also a completely new weapon category with the battle rifles, which we have never had in Call of Duty before. However, no matter which weapon you choose, you will always need a reliable secondary gun. If you're looking for something with a lot of power in close combat, shotguns are the right choice.

Shotguns usually finish off any enemy with just one hit, as long as the guy is not more than a few meters away. Sometimes it can happen that shotguns are absolutely OP, just think of the R9-0 or the JAK-12 in MW2019. Luckily, so far, shotguns seem kind of well-balanced in MW2, and we hope it stays that way.

Note: We rank the shotguns for Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer here. Here are the best shotguns for Warzone 2.0.

The Best Shotguns In Modern Warfare 2

6. Bryson 800

This isn't completely awful, and it will behave like a shotgun should in close-range. But it's definitely the worst of them. It's very slow to reload, and the firing rate is atrocious. Unless you can one-shot someone, they will have a long time to turn around and gun you before you can get your second shot out.

Bryson 800
I can't see anyone using this except for the camo grind. | © Activision

Good luck levelling this one, it does at least reward you with some solid attachments.

5. Bryson 890

The Bryson 890 is basically the Bryson 800 but with a detachable magazine that makes it much quicker to reload. It benefits from that upgrade, but it's still pretty damn mid. The problem once again is that the slow firing rate leaves you in a very vulnerable position if you can't get the kill in one shot.

Bryson 890
How very meh. | © Activision

I mean, it is better than the Bryson 800, at least.

4. Expedite 12

The Expedite 12 was the only shotgun available in the beta, and even then we could tell it was solid. As is typical for a shotgun, it only works at a few meters away, but then it really stops everything with just one hit. The Expedite is not recommended as a primary weapon, but it is a good choice for anyone looking for a good secondary weapon for close combat.

Expedite 12
The best Shotgun in Modern Warfare 2. | © Activision

The Expedite is very well-balanced, and is about as good as any shotgun should ever be in a CoD game, but sadly, it's not first-place on this list...

3. KV Broadside

The KV Broadside was introduced in Season 2 and it instantly became the go-to shotgun. It's not as cheesy and broken like the best shotgun for multiplayer, so it's in the number 2 spot, but we can still highly recommend it.

KV Broadside
This is going to be an infuriating weapon to fight against on the smaller maps. | © Activision

Unlike most other shotguns, the Broadside has an amazing rate-of-fire and impressive range.

2. Lockwood 300

When I first saw this in the gunsmith, my heart skipped a beat. Yep, the 725 is back. God save us.

Lockwood 300
Oh no. | © Activision

For those lucky enough to not have played pubs in the first few months of MW2019, allow me to explain. The 725 is a one-shot shotgun with a ridiculous range, and while it can only shoot twice before reloading, that's not really an issue. This is the epitome of everything wrong with IW's game design and pandering to low-skilled players. This weapon has no place in a competitive environment, and it makes the game worse for us all. Let us pray for a nerf.

1. MX Guardian

The MX Guardian is the first shotgun in MW2 that can actually be played full auto. Yes, its range is pretty restricted, but it shreds like nothing else. Shipment with the MX Guardian is pure hell for everyone who isn't playing that gun himself.

MX Guardian
The first full auto shotgun. | © Activision

That's about it. There aren't many shotguns available in Modern Warfare 2 at the moment, but we will of course update the list as soon as new weapons are added. Until then, we have ranked all currently available weapons in MW2 for you here:

Here are some of the most exciting new features in Modern Warfare 2:

Jon Ramuz

Jon has a BA and MA in English Literature, and as senior content manager for EarlyGame has written over 1,500 articles. He focuses on Call of Duty, for casual and competitive audiences, and also writes about Apex, Battlefield and XDefiant....

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