Ranger (weapon)

The Ranger is a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun. While use of the double-barrel has fallen in modern times, they are often sawn off and used as concealed weapons. Some are light enough to be fired one-handed.

In Game
The Ranger is unlocked at Level 42 in Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer mode. It's sights cannot be aimed down. Instead, the aim down sights button fires the second barrel. With the Akimbo attachment, the aim down sights button fires one shotgun while the fire button fires the other. Pressing the button again fires the second barrel of the respective shotgun. Thus, at most Ranger users can only fire two barrels at a time. Akimbo is one of the more preferable attachments as it gives you four shots without reloading, as opposed to only two without Akimbo. The attachment has little cost since you cannot use the iron sights on the Ranger even without Akimbo. Being able to fire four shots helps at medium range when the target is too far away to be killed in one or two shots. It is also fairly accurate, despite what the Create-A-Class stats and common sense would say.

Akimbo Rangers are often seen in multiplayer due to their sheer power. Much of the skill using the Ranger requires knowing when to fire two barrels or only one when faced with multiple enemies and knowing when to fire two shells from one shotgun, which allows the player to reload only one shotgun with the other still available for defense.

But the single ranger can boast a few attributes that it's akimboed counter part nor the other shotguns in the game can. The single ranger has the "special ability" of being able to kill enemies within it's maximum and minimum range almost 100% of the time without the the need of the perks stopping power or steady aim. This is because the game calculates the ranger's damage formula as

25-75 (x6) (150-450) + 25-75 (x6) (150-450)  = damage per shot (if the user is within the ranger's bullet range and if they fire both shells at once)

So this makes the minimum damage 300 (at the maximum range limit if all 12 combined pellets hit) and 900 (very close and if all the combined pellets ). Since each person has 100 health total, the single ranger's damage per shot is potentially overkill. But even if very few of the pellets hit, all a user needs is 4/12 pellets to make contact in order to get a kill (which is extremely likely of happening because of the much smaller spread of the single ranger compared to the akimboed one). But the setback of the single ranger is the constant constant reloading (especially if firing two shells at once).

Perks that go well with The Ranger

-Sleight of Hand (offsets the reloading time)

-Lightweight (Allows for a quick escape after shooting ) (Pro version allows for reduced firing delay after sprinting so its even more useful)

-Ninja Pro (silent footsteps) (The closer you are to an opponent the higher chance of getting an instant kill)

-Marathon (allows for an escape after firing OR getting closer to your opponent)

-Steady Aim (not needed for single ranger) (allows for a tighter pellet spread)

-Stopping Power (not needed for single ranger) (allows for a slightly greater pellet distance and more power)

-Scavenger (negates the rapid ammo depeletion effect of firing the two shells of The Ranger at once)

-Cold Blooded (potentially allows you to sneak up on your opponent easier)

-Scrambler (potentially allows you to sneak up on your opponent easier)

-Commando (Allows you to counter melee farther if you miss your shots miss)

Trivia

 * 4 shots will destroy a car at full health at point-blank range.


 * The challenge "Both Barrels" requires you to kill a player by firing both barrels of the shotgun at the same time. This can also be accomplished by using Akimbo.


 * When reloading, the user discards both shells even when there is still a shell left.
 * There is only one trigger on the create a class picture.
 * The Ranger actually has an extremely high rate of fire, but its ammo capacity balances it out.
 * The Ranger and the Model 1887 have the least attachments in the game, only being able to accept Akimbo and FMJ.
 * The Ranger is the modern version of the Double Barrel Shotgun
 * Akimbo Rangers long reload time can be mitigated by reload cancelling.