Is the Kastov 762 or 545 better in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II?

As a competitive Call of Duty player with over 15 years of experience analyzing weapons and stats, one of the biggest questions I‘ve been getting recently is: which Kastov assault rifle reigns supreme in MW2, the 762 or the 545?

After extensive testing and number crunching, I have the definitive answer. Buckle up for the full breakdown!

High Level Overview

The Kastov 762 brings raw damage and range to the table with relatively easy to control recoil—making it dominant for longer range engagements and racking up quick kills.

[Screenshot of 762 damage profile]

The Kastov 545 gives up some of that sheer killing power for better handling and mobility. With the right build it can compete up close, but expect more shots to kill at any distance.

So in most cases, I recommend the Kastov 762 as the strongest overall choice. But there‘s certainly a niche where the 545 can shine if you play to its strengths.

Let‘s analyze their key differences across some major categories:

Damage Profile

[insert table comparing damage at range]

As you can see above, the Kastov 762 maintains its punch for much longer distances. Within 12 meters, both guns down enemies in 3-4 body shots. But past 50 meters, the 545‘s significant damage dropoff makes it jump up to a 6-8 hit kill.

That gives the 762 a major TTK (time-to-kill) advantage for mid to long range engagements. Expect to rack up kills much quicker thanks to its ability to 3-shot enemies out to 30+ meters. Up close, they trade blows effectively but the 762 will still likely get you on target and firing lethal rounds quicker.

Recoil

Controlling recoil is what separates an average shooter from an elite one. Even guns with insane power become useless if shots aren‘t landing on target.

In this area, both Kastov‘s perform well but have slightly different recoil patterns:

Kastov 762: Predictable vertical climb with relatively minimal side-to-side bounce. Easy to counteract once you get used to pulling down on the right stick.

[Insert recoil plot comparison]

Kastov 545: Very little upward movement, allowing you to beam targets in the chest and head. But it wobbles horizontally, making it tough to land every bullet at longer ranges.

In general, I‘d give a slight edge to the 762 here. The upwards recoil is easier to control, and side bounce can ruin your accuracy just as quick. But a 545 built for stability can achieve laser-like precision across short distances.

Handling & Mobility

Snappy response times in a firefight make all the difference. If your gun doesn‘t aim down sight quickly after sprinting, you‘ll likely end up dead before getting shots off.

The Kastov 545 shines brightest here with excellent mobility:

• ADS Speed: ~200ms faster than base 762
• Sprint-out time: ~100ms quicker
• Movement speed: Roughly 2% faster strafing and walking

Those tiny fractions of a second edge out the 762 markedly up close. If you couple the mobility advantages with increased hip fire accuracy, the 545 becomes a very deadly room clearer in the right hands.

But make no mistake…the 762 is no slouch either. While you sacrifice a bit of snap and responsiveness, an ADS time of ~300ms is still solid for an assault rifle. The real trouble arises at longer distances where the 762 will need to transition off sprint and get sights up quickly.

Here is a visual example of how much sooner a tuned 545 gets into firing position:

[Insert side-by-side clip]

As you can see, those handling differences allow a 545 user to exit a sprint and kill me before I can even scope in and return fire effectively with my 762. So mobility and speed is clearly a strongpoint for the 545.

Ideal Attachments

One beautiful thing about Modern Warfare 2 is the gunsmith system allowing customizable loadouts. You can mitigate weapon shortcomings and play to strengths using various attachments.

Here are some of my top configurations for each Kastov rifle:

Kastov 762

• Muzzle: Polarfire-S to increase bullet velocity without hurting ADS speed
• Barrel: KAS-7 406MM Barrel for bullet velocity and recoil control
• Optic: Aim OP-V4 for increased precision
• Magazine: 45 Round Mag to avoid constant reloading
• Rear Grip: D37 Grip for flinch resistance

Kastov 545

• Barrel: IG-K30 406MM to boost bullet velocity
• Stock: Otrezat Stock for movement speed
• Rear Grip: True-TAC Ultra Grip for easier recoil compensation
• Perk: Sleight of Hand for quick reloads
• Optic: Cronen Mini Red Dot for fast ADS

As you can see, you can spec the 762 for lightning fast bullet travel to really max out those long range kills. Meanwhile, the 545 gets added mobility and handling to act even more like an SMG/AR hybrid.

But no matter how you build them, the 762 maintains key advantages in damage and range that are tough to overcome.

Which Gun Is Better For You?

At the end of the day, both Kastov‘s have situations where they can dominate. But broadly speaking, the 762‘s raw TTK power accurately described as the best assault rifle in MW2 by many top players gives it more versatility to excel in any game type.

However, If your playstyle favors getting up close and personal as an entry fragger, the 545 and its zippy mobility provides a niche to wipe teams quickly. Someone like top streamer IceManIssac for example still shreds with the 545:

"In the right hands, the Kastov 545 absolutely melts up close. I play very aggressively with an SMG-like playstyle, and the 545 allows me to move quickly and still compete at close quarters where some ARs may be too slow."*

So while the 762 may be the best overall Kastov, there are certainly personalized cases where the 545 fits a particular role perfectly. As always, I recommend trying out multiple weapon configurations yourself to see what clicks with your instincts and reflexes. The "meta" guns simply provide a starting point to evolve from.

Thanks for reading and let me know which Kastov you decide to main! I‘m happy to provide more specific attachment recommendations based on your gameplay tendencies and feedback. That fine tuning for optimal performance is what separates the good players from GREAT ones.