The short answer : in the current MW2 multiplayer meta, most players and guides lean toward the Lockwood 300 as the best all‑round shotgun, with strong competition from the MX Guardian (later seasons) and classic picks like the Bryson 800 depending on your playstyle.

Quick Scoop: Best Shotgun in MW2

If you just want something to dominate close quarters in 6v6:

  • Lockwood 300 – Often ranked the top shotgun in MW2, thanks to huge damage, great one‑shot potential, and strong range for its class.
  • MX Guardian – Fully automatic monster, added later; insane fire rate and forgiving handling make it a close‑range multi‑kill machine, especially in newer seasons.
  • Bryson 800 – Frequently highlighted in guides as the most balanced, easy‑to-use shotgun, combining damage, range, and handling.
  • Expedite 12 / Bryson 890 – Fast‑firing, reliable options that many class/guide videos still recommend, especially for aggressive rushing builds.

A lot of community and YouTube breakdowns put Lockwood 300 at the top for “best shotgun” because it behaves like the classic 725: excellent one‑shot kill potential if your aim is on point.

Different Playstyles, Different “Best”

For raw one‑shot power (sweaty lobbies):

  • Pick Lockwood 300.
  • Great for holding lanes, rushing short hallways, and punishing people turning corners.

For spray‑and‑pray close quarters (Shipment, Shoot House, small maps):

  • MX Guardian feels ridiculous: high fire rate, big mag, and great accuracy for its class.

For an all‑round shotgun that still feels fair to use:

  • Bryson 800 gives strong damage and range with decent mobility; several written guides call it one of the best all‑round shotguns in MW2.

For classic semi‑auto rushing:

  • Expedite 12 and Bryson 890 are fan favourites in “top 5 shotgun” class videos, with builds tailored to fast handling and spammable shots.

Snapshot of Popular Picks

Below is a quick view of how different sources talk about the “best shotgun” in MW2:

[9][5] [5] [10][5] [5][10] [3] [3]

[2][1] [2] [1][2] [2]
Shotgun What people like Why it’s called “best”
Lockwood 300 Huge damage, strong range for a shotgun, two-round punch.Often labelled the best MW2 shotgun, ideal for one-shot, run-and-gun builds.
MX Guardian Fully automatic, high fire rate, lots of shells, very forgiving.Ranked top-tier in late-season lists as a close- range meta pick.
Bryson 800 Balanced stats: damage, range, mobility, accuracy, handling.Guides call it “the best of both worlds” and potentially the best shotgun overall.
Expedite 12 Fast rate of fire, good for aggressive rushing.Frequently featured in “best shotgun classes” videos.
Bryson 890 Similar to 800 with alternate builds; slug setups can be nasty.Included in top-5 lists, especially with specialized slug builds.

Tiny Story-Style Example

Picture a typical Shoot House lobby:
You load in with the Lockwood 300 , built for range and ADS speed.
First push down mid, you catch a player sprinting across and drop them in a single shot.
By the third round you’re hugging walls, pre-aiming corners, and every time someone ego‑challenges, they vanish to one pellet cloud.
Now drop into Shipment with an MX Guardian : instead of precision one‑shots, you’re holding the trigger down and mowing people off flags, trading range for a stream of shells that keeps the kill feed rolling.

Quick TL;DR

  • Best “pure meta” answer: Lockwood 300 for one‑shot power and consistency.
  • Best for chaotic close‑range spam: MX Guardian in newer seasons.
  • Best balanced pick: Bryson 800 if you want something strong but forgiving across maps.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.