Counter-Strike 2 weapon specifications
| Property | CS2 value |
|---|---|
| Buy price | $1,100 |
| Magazine / reserve | 7 / 32 shells |
| Pellets per shot | 8 |
| Damage per pellet | 32 |
| Maximum listed damage per shot | 256 before armor and range effects |
| Fire mode / rate | Pump-action · 71 rounds per minute |
| Armor penetration | 75% |
| Reload | 0.67 s for first shell; 0.50 s for each following shell |
| Range modifier | 0.45 |
| Running speed | 210 units/s |
| Kill reward | $900 Competitive · $450 Casual |
Pellet damage, spread and practical range
The Sawed-Off is the Terrorist-side pump-action counterpart to the MAG-7. Its seven-shell magazine fires eight pellets per shot, with 32 damage listed per pellet. If all eight connect at close range, the raw total is 256 before armor and distance effects. The large number is a close-range ceiling rather than a promise: the Sawed-Off has a wide, X-shaped pellet pattern, and its 0.45 range modifier rapidly reduces damage as distance grows. The Wiki’s weapon page describes the spread as especially high among shotguns and records a 1,400-unit range boundary for its pellets.
This makes the Sawed-Off a commitment weapon. At close range a well-placed shell can end an engagement immediately, but missed pellets leave the slow pump cycle exposed. Center-mass aim can be more reliable than insisting on a head hit because it gives more of the spread a chance to land. Avoid taking long sightlines or firing repeatedly at a target that has already crossed beyond effective shotgun distance. When holding an angle, use cover to make the opponent enter the distance where the pellet cloud is concentrated.
Reload cadence, movement and purchase tradeoff
The pump-action rate is listed at 71 rounds per minute. Shells load individually, with a 0.67-second first-shell reload and 0.50 seconds per following shell; the firing key can interrupt a reload when a target appears. A single shell can restore a possible close-range answer, but firing with an almost empty tube and reloading in the open is dangerous. The August 14, 2025 CS2 update changed the Sawed-Off deploy animation and fixed shell penetration during reload, a reload behavior issue rather than a damage adjustment.
The $1,100 price is low enough to leave more money for armor or grenades, but the source’s kill reward is $900 Competitive and $450 Casual, making a successful close kill a meaningful recovery. The listed 210 units per second is slow for a shotgun despite its short-barrel appearance; do not assume the model makes rotations faster. The weapon loses relatively little accuracy while moving, so it can support a close push, but that does not compensate for its limited range. Contrast it with the Nova for tighter, longer-range pellet coverage or with the XM1014 for a faster follow-up shot and higher purchase cost.
Team access and version-specific facts
Only Terrorists can buy the Sawed-Off in the CS2 loadout, while the MAG-7 is the Counter-Terrorist shotgun counterpart. That team restriction shapes which side can build an anti-eco close-range setup around it. The Sawed-Off is suited to an ambush around a short corner or a site entrance where the opponent must approach; it is poorly suited to chasing across open ground or challenging a rifle at range. Coordinate a retreat route and make the enemy clear the angle instead of walking into a prepared rifle lane.
The figures here are the CS2 weapon record and should not be mixed with values from earlier titles. CS2 uses the same recognizable seven-shell, eight-pellet pattern described on the Wiki, while dated older update notes explain the history of changes to range, spread, and price. See Buy Menu and Economy before committing to the purchase, and compare its team-specific role with the MAG-7.
Appearance improvement (June 7, 2023)
The June 7, 2023 update listed the Sawed-Off among weapons whose appearance was improved. No specific component or finish was named, and the update gives no evidence of a gameplay-stat change.
Deploy and reload animation changes (August 14, 2025)
The August 14, 2025 update modified the Sawed-Off deploy animation and fixed shell penetration during reload. The note does not clarify further whether this was a model-intersection or another shell-related problem, so the article keeps the wording at the level given by the update. The patch does not say that the reload capacity, ammunition count, reload duration or firing behavior changed. It is part of the dated CS2 animation update, alongside broader changes to knife and firearm deploy or inspect animations.