All about pistols in CS:GO. Best pistols. Guide by SCOPE.GG

Counter-Strike’s enduring appeal stems from its meticulously balanced gameplay, rich competitive history, and diverse tactical possibilities. The game’s dynamic pacing creates intense adrenaline-fueled moments, while its extensive weapon selection offers strategic depth across multiple engagement scenarios. Among the diverse arsenal of assault rifles, SMGs, sniper rifles, and pistols, the latter category provides crucial versatility for various in-game situations. Understanding pistol capabilities becomes essential for optimizing your performance across different match phases.

The game currently includes exactly 10 distinct pistol models, each with specific faction alignments and combat roles. Certain weapons remain exclusive to either Terrorist or Counter-Terrorist teams, while others are universally accessible. This distribution creates asymmetric balance opportunities that skilled players can exploit. While some pistols deliver devastating stopping power at premium prices, budget options offer cost-effective solutions for economic management. Professional competitors consistently demonstrate that tactical pistol usage can secure round victories even against superior firepower.

Strategic pistol selection directly impacts your team’s economic health and round success probability. Mastering these secondary weapons transforms them from backup options into primary strategic tools.

Glock-18: Terrorist Starting Pistol

As the default terrorist side sidearm, the Glock-18 provides substantial ammunition capacity with 20 rounds per magazine and an impressive 120-round reserve. This generous ammunition supply ensures you’ll rarely exhaust your resources within standard round timeframes. However, this volume advantage comes with trade-offs in precision and damage output. The weapon excels in close-quarters engagements where its high cyclic rate can overwhelm opponents through volume of fire. Effective engagement distance significantly impacts its performance characteristics.

The Glock delivers instant lethal headshots only at extremely close ranges against unarmored targets. At medium to long distances, securing eliminations typically requires multiple well-placed shots. Against armored opponents, its effectiveness diminishes considerably, particularly when facing better-equipped adversaries. Understanding these limitations helps maximize its utility during pistol rounds and economic constraints.

USP-S: Precision Defense Sidearm

This .45 caliber defensive pistol offers exceptional accuracy with controlled firing characteristics. Its integrated suppressor provides tactical advantages beyond simple sound reduction. Opponents struggle to pinpoint your position when engaged, and the absence of visible bullet tracers through smoke screens creates additional tactical opportunities. The silenced operation makes it ideal for stealthy positioning and unexpected engagements.

The USP-S enables successful economic round executions, contributing to its status as the most frequently selected pistol in competitive CS2/CS:GO matches. The weapon’s precision makes it particularly effective for holding angles and executing precise headshots. Many professional players consider it indispensable for defensive setups and retake scenarios.

P250: Cost-Effective Power

This weapon represents a significant upgrade from starting pistols in terms of armor penetration and stopping power. Competitive players frequently deploy the P250 during force buy situations due to its balanced performance characteristics. Previous game updates reduced its effectiveness against helmeted opponents at distance, but it remains a versatile choice.

The P250 delivers reliable performance for holding strategic map positions, especially considering its accessible $300 price point. The weapon’s combination of affordability and enhanced capabilities makes it a strategic choice for various combat scenarios.

Tec-9: Aggressive Assault Capabilities

This weapon creates devastating push potential when utilized correctly. While professional usage has declined following balance adjustments, its fundamental characteristics remain impressive. The 24-round magazine capacity coupled with 120 reserve rounds creates sustained engagement potential. Its stopping power exceeds the Glock’s capabilities, while maintaining reasonable accuracy during movement. Coordinated rushes with multiple Tec-9 wielders can overwhelm defensive setups through sheer volume of fire.

The Tec-9’s characteristics have earned it a reputation as beginner-friendly, though this underestimates its strategic value in skilled hands. It serves as a primary terrorist side weapon during force buy rounds, despite its relatively high $500 cost. Understanding when to invest in this weapon versus alternative options becomes crucial for economic management.

Desert Eagle: High-Skill Powerhouse

Commonly referred to as the Deagle, this weapon delivers exceptional lethality with precise shot placement. Considered the most powerful conventionally used pistol in CS2/CS:GO, it demands significant expertise and disciplined firing technique. The weapon combines tremendous stopping power with acceptable accuracy when employing proper movement mechanics.

These advantages come with notable limitations. The 7-round magazine capacity and 35-round reserve require careful ammunition management. Priced at $700, it functions as a round-winning weapon during force buy situations. Teams with skilled Deagle users can overcome economically advantaged opponents through precise shot execution.

The Desert Eagle delivers instant lethal headshots at virtually all practical engagement distances, completely ignoring helmet protection. It performs reliably when shooting through common map textures and materials. These characteristics maintain its position as a popular choice among experienced competitors.

Five-SeveN: Balanced Performance

Abbreviated as FN or 5-7, this pistol previously dominated the competitive landscape, even surpassing the Desert Eagle in popularity. Its 20-round magazine capacity, rapid rate of fire, and excellent armor penetration previously established it as the most powerful pistol option. While opponents carefully aimed for precise headshots, Five-SeveN users could deliver overwhelming bullet volume with impressive accuracy.

Subsequent game updates moderately reduced the weapon’s precision, but it remains a viable force buy selection. The pistol’s balanced characteristics make it suitable for various defensive scenarios and retake attempts.

Game developers have implemented equipment customization systems allowing players to select preferred secondary weapons. Several pistols function as alternatives to primary options, with each faction possessing unique specialized sidearms. These include what was historically considered the most powerful pistol in CS2/CS:GO. Understanding these options enhances your strategic flexibility.

CZ75-Auto: Automatic Firepower

This weapon serves as an alternative to both the defensive Five-SeveN and offensive Tec-9. Its introduction created significant competitive impact due to its fully automatic firing capability. Essentially functioning as a compact automatic weapon, it delivers immediate engagement potential with simple trigger manipulation.

The CZ75-Auto provides effective armor penetration with reasonable close-range accuracy. Engaging distant targets proves challenging due to its firing characteristics and recoil patterns.

The weapon carries 12 rounds per magazine with an additional 12-round reserve capacity. This limitation represents its primary weakness. Developers recognized its potential to challenge primary weapons and adjusted its ammunition capacity accordingly. Extended reload duration further balances its automatic firing advantage.

Dual Berettas: Volume of Fire Specialists

We categorize these pistols as alternative options due to their infrequent selection, despite availability to both factions. The dual-wield configuration provides 30 combined rounds per magazine with 120 reserve rounds. This creates exceptional sustained fire potential at an accessible $400 price point.

Historical underestimation stemmed from specific performance characteristics. Despite reasonable accuracy, its armor penetration and per-shot damage remain moderate. However, these limitations are counterbalanced by distinct advantages. While not the most powerful pistol available, it has gained professional recognition for specific tactical applications. The affordable cost makes it particularly effective on maps featuring confined spaces like Nuke, Vertigo, and Inferno. Few opponents willingly engage in close-quarters combat against Berettas-wielding players.

P2000: Unsilenced Alternative

Originally serving as the most popular defensive pistol in CS2/CS:GO during the Global Offensive launch period, before USP-S implementation. It shares nearly identical performance statistics with its silenced counterpart, but includes one additional round per magazine. The weapon maintains comparable accuracy, but many competitors prefer the silenced option to maintain auditory stealth.

R8 Revolver: High-Risk Power Option

This devastating weapon joined the game relatively recently. It was briefly considered the most powerful pistol in CS2/CS:GO and saw limited professional usage. It never achieved widespread popularity due to developer-imposed balance adjustments.

The revolver features dual firing modes: precision-aimed delayed discharge and immediate firing with reduced accuracy. Currently, it functions as an unreliable option despite its theoretical lethality. It inflicts greater body shot damage against armored opponents than the Desert Eagle, but its impractical mechanics limit competitive viability.

Analyzing professional gameplay reveals clear patterns in pistol selection and utilization strategies. Understanding these approaches helps optimize your own weapon choices across different round types and economic situations.

During pistol rounds, competitors typically utilize standard issue weapons provided automatically. The Glock-18 and USP-S dominate these initial engagements for specific tactical reasons. Economic efficiency represents the primary consideration—preserving funds enables grenade purchases, armor acquisition, or defusal kit procurement. The tactical convenience factor also influences selection, as opponents cannot purchase helmet protection during these rounds, making headshots consistently lethal.

Force buy situations see professionals selecting Desert Eagle, P250, CZ75-Auto, Tec-9, and to a lesser extent, Five-SeveN. These selections balance cost considerations with combat effectiveness against potentially better-equipped opponents.

The USP-S maintains its position as the most frequently utilized pistol in Counter-Strike. Players consistently attempt to leverage its advantages during pistol rounds. The Tec-9 ranks second in popularity as the primary terrorist side option. Desert Eagle usage occurs slightly less frequently, reflecting the specialized skill requirements for effective deployment.

Mastering pistol mechanics provides critical advantages during transitional combat situations. Switching to your secondary weapon consistently proves faster than reloading your primary firearm. This tactical advantage can determine round outcomes during critical engagements. Developing proficiency with multiple pistol types enhances your adaptability across varying match circumstances.

Strategic pistol usage extends beyond simple backup weapon functionality. These firearms serve as primary tools during specific round types and economic situations. Understanding their nuanced characteristics and optimal deployment scenarios separates competent players from truly skilled competitors.

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