Key Takeaways for CS:GO Weapons Guide: Rifles
- The AWP and SSG 08 are the only rifles available on both sides.
- Counter-Terrorists need to choose between the M4A4 and M4A1-S in their loadout.
- The AUG and SG 553 are also known as the ‘Call of Duty’ guns due to their scope.
- Both $5000 snipers will keep shooting bullets with a single hold of the fire button.
A Brief Overview of Rifles in CS:GO
Rifles to CS:GO are what racing is to Italy: inseparable. They are the most important weapons in the game and get the most playing time regardless of skill level with high marks in damage, armor penetration, and range. These weapons aren’t the easiest to pick up and start using, however with much time and practice anyone can become proficient in the game’s most trying weapons.
A significant distinction of rifles to SMGs are their mobility, with rifles mostly being used while stationary due to their unforgiving movement inaccuracy. The very best players in the world all made their marks on the Counter-Strike scene through their prowess wielding rifles, and these have oftentimes determined the outcome of history’s greatest tournaments.
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SSG 08
The SSG 08, more commonly known as the Scout in homage to previous games, is one of two bolt-action sniper rifles available for purchase in the buy menu. It costs $1700 and comes with 10 bullets in the magazine alongside a hefty 90 in reserve. Its damage is only second to the AWP and is capable of killing an opponent with two shots to the body and one to the head.
One of the SSG 08’s defining features is its fast movement even while scoped, making it easy for snipers to re-peek and even bait shots from opponents. It is also a favorite back-up weapon of AWPers during eco rounds or when team economy simply does not allow them to wield their mighty sniper rifles just yet.
Galil AR
The Galil AR, or Galil for short, is a Terrorist-exclusive rifle and the cheapest of its kind in the game. At $1800, it comes with a decent amount of ammunition at 35 rounds in the magazine and 90 in reserve. The Galil AR’s best features are its high rate of fire and decent armor penetration, though its damage and accuracy leave something more to be desired. In certain situations, the UMP-45 is preferred over the Galil AR due to its higher damage output, better movement speed, and accuracy all while being $600 cheaper.
FAMAS
The FAMAS is a CT-exclusive rifle and direct counterpart of the Galil AR, taking its spot on the buy menu while playing as the defenders. It costs $2050, $250 more than its T-side equivalent, but offers minimal differences overall. The FAMAS has a smaller ammunition count with 25 in the magazine and 90 in reserve, slower reload time, and a slightly shooter accurate range.
Like the Glock-18, it comes with a burst-fire mode a player can toggle to and is the only rifle to have said feature. Just like the Galil AR, though, the FAMAS also falls in the shadow of the UMP-45 for a good chunk of players.
AK-47
A rifle really needing no introduction, the AK-47 is one of the most popular weapons in the game and has been a part of the Counter-Strike franchise since the very beginning. A Terrorist-exclusive assault rifle, the AK-47 costs $2700 in the buy menu and comes with 30 bullets in the magazine and 90 in reserve — more than enough to make a significant impact.
The AK-47 is capable of taking down an opponent with a single bullet to the head even with a helmet, making it a deadly weapon for tapping or spraying. Its recoil pattern gets more complicated after the first nine bullets, however by that time most opponents would have already hit the deck.
M4A1-S
The M4A1-S is a CT-exclusive assault rifle and one of two M4s available for use, occupying the same loadout slot as the M4A4. It costs $2900 and comes silenced with 20 bullets in the magazine and 80 in reserve, the lowest of all assault rifles after a recent nerf by Valve. The M4A1-S more than makes up for its low ammunition count with higher damage than its unsilenced counterpart and better accuracy even while moving.
SG 553
The SG 553, also referred to as the Krieg with respect to its predecessor from past installments of the franchise, is a scoped assault rifle exclusive to the T-side. The Krieg costs $3000 and comes with 30 rounds and 90 in reserve. Its main feature and selling point is, unsurprisingly, its scope. This can be activated using the secondary fire button which is the right-click in most cases. A player experiences less recoil, more accuracy, and can easily spot targets from further distances.
The Krieg also has a whopping 100% armor penetration as the highest out of every assault rifle, however this is balanced out by an extremely slow rate of fire which is the worst among all in its class. Both the SG 553 and AUG are
M4A4
The M4A4 is a CT-exclusive assault rifle and the second of two M4s available for use and swapping between loadouts. It is $200 more expensive than the silenced version at $3100 but also comes with more ammunition having 30 rounds in the magazine and 90 in reserve.
It deals less damage than the M4A1-S but makes up for it with a significantly faster rate of fire. Its recoil is also closer to that of the AK-47 and a lot less accurate while moving. The M4A4 also happens to be the more preferable choice of the two in retake scenarios due to its higher magazine capacity and faster rate of fire.
AUG
The AUG is a CT-exclusive scoped assault rifle that is the direct counterpart of the Terrorists’ SG 553. It costs $3300 and comes with a fairly standard 30 bullets in the magazine and 90 in reserve. Its main difference to the Krieg is its higher rate of fire and accurate range while balanced by its lower damage, armor penetration, and slower reload time. The AUG’s recoil is also quite strong, making short bursts a better option than spraying an entire magazine.
Both the SG 553 and AUG are also referred to as ‘Call of Duty’ guns given that they are the only assault rifles with scopes, making it much easier to learn and use especially for newcomers.
AWP
Just like the AK-47, the AWP is one of the most recognized and used weapons in all of Counter-Strike. It is a bolt-action sniper rifle that is capable of killing any opponent from any distance with a single shot from the body upwards. It costs $4750 and comes with only five bullets in the magazine at a time, with 30 in reserve. Its steep price makes it a risk in most stages of a normal game and can usually make or break an entire match.
The AWP harshly lowers a player’s movement and is extremely inaccurate un-scoped, not even having a crosshair while in the hip-fire position. Even the tiniest bit of movement while scoped negatively affects bullet accuracy, making a completely stationary position the ideal way to handle the sniper.
G3SG1
The G3SG1 is an automatic sniper (autosniper for short) that is exclusive to the Terrorist side. It costs $5000 and is tied for being the priciest rifle along with its CT-side counterpart and second-most expensive weapon in the entire game. It has a large ammo capacity with 20 in the magazine and 90 in reserve, but its fully-automatic nature makes it possible to breeze through an entire clip with ease.
It deals less base damage than the AWP and requires two shots from anywhere except the head to kill an opponent. Its drawbacks also include an extremely slow reload time and high recoil even while holding down the scope.
SCAR-20
The SCAR-20 is the CT-exclusive autosniper and direct counterpart to the G3SG1. It costs $5000 and also comes with 20 in the magazine and 90 in reserve. The differences to the G3SG1 are very minimal, with the SCAR-20 having a significantly faster reload time and slightly stronger recoil.
