CS2 Spray Patterns: Make Recoil Your Friend

Updated October 10, 2026 · MyCS2Guru crew

Every automatic weapon in CS2 has a recoil pattern that's the same every single time you hold down the trigger. Not random. Fixed. That's the best news in the whole game, bro, because it means you can learn it once and own it forever.

This hub explains how recoil works, how to control it, when to spray versus tap, and how to practice. Then dive into the weapon-specific pages for exact patterns and drills.

How recoil works in CS2

When you fire continuously, each bullet goes to a predetermined spot. Usually the first few bullets climb straight up, then the pattern starts drifting left and right. Your job is to move your mouse in the opposite direction so all those bullets land on the same spot.

Two things affect how accurate you are on top of the pattern:

• Movement inaccuracy: moving while shooting adds big random spread. Always stop (counter-strafe) before you shoot.
• First-shot accuracy: your first bullet is the most accurate. Each extra bullet adds a bit more random spread on top of the pattern.

There's also recovery: if you stop shooting for a moment, the pattern resets. That's why bursting works. Shoot 3 to 5 bullets, pause briefly, and you're back to an accurate first bullet.

Spray vs burst vs tap

A common mistake is spraying at long range. Even perfect spray control drifts at distance because of the random spread added to later bullets. Tap the head instead.

The universal technique

1. Stop moving before you fire.
2. Aim at the head (or slightly below at close range so the climbing bullets hit the head).
3. Pull down smoothly as the first bullets climb.
4. Counter the drift left or right as the pattern swings.
5. Stay relaxed. Tense arms overshoot the pattern.

Spray transfers

A spray transfer is when you kill one enemy and move to another without letting go of the trigger. The trick is to keep pulling down to counter recoil while you move horizontally to the second target. It's an advanced skill but it wins multi-kills. Practice it by spraying one bot and transferring to a second bot placed a meter or two away.

Practice routine for spray control

In a private match, use sv_cheats 1; sv_infinite_ammo 1 so you never reload, keep the recoil normal so you learn the real pattern, and add sv_showimpacts 1 to see exactly where your bullets land and how far off you are.

Common spray mistakes

1. Pulling down too early. The first bullet goes where you aim. Start pulling as the second and third bullets fire.
2. Pulling down too much. You'll end up shooting the floor. Watch your bullet impacts.
3. Ignoring the horizontal swing. Most players handle the vertical climb but forget the left-right drift around bullets 10 to 20.
4. Spraying while moving. Always stop first.
5. Spraying at long range. Tap instead.

Weapons with the easiest and hardest sprays

Start with your main rifle and learn its first 10 bullets perfectly. Then expand. Check the pages above for exact patterns. And once your spray is crispy, check our aim training guide to put it all together.