Counter-Strike Source Guides

-Pistols
Don't underestimate the power of the pistol. The Counter Terrorists start off with a decent pistol. The first round just buy secondary ammo. This way you will still have money for a defuse kit. The terrorists start with the Glock. This gun is ok but I usually buy a Deagle instead. The Desert Eagle is just as good at most of the primary weapons but only if you can aim. With this gun you only have seven shots per clip so take an extra half-second to line up your shots. The other pistols in the game are all pretty decent so just use what you feel comfortable with. Pistols are most effective at short to medium range. It is not recommended to use the silencer on pistols because it decreases the damage each shot inflicts.

-SMGs
If you do not have enough money for a rifle yet you may want to buy an SMG. Some advanced players skip the SMG and just buy a Desert Eagle. This way there is a better chance of being able to afford a rifle the next round. When it comes to SMGs you have two good options. The P90 and the MP5. Both are most deadly at medium to close range. The third choice for SMGs is the TMP. This gun is not that great but if you happen to pick one up the best strategy is to circle strafe your enemies while firing. Do not try to make long shots, try to engage enemies close up at short range and keep moving erratically. The spray of bullets will get you a surprising number of head shots.

-Shotguns
There is not a lot to say about shotguns because there are only two in the game. The more powerful one is the pump shotgun. Make sure to line up your shots because the shotgun must be pumped between shots. The auto shotgun is less powerful but can shoot faster. Just because it can shoot fast doesn't mean you should, however. Don't just hold down fire but click it once for each shot. This makes your shots more accurate and conserves ammo. The best part about shotguns is that they do not loose accuracy while jumping or on ladders. A good strategy for using a shotgun is to jump around while firing. It makes it harder for others to hit you. Shotguns are best as short to medium range.

-Rifles
Rifles are some of the most important guns in the game because they are most used. As a CT I prefer the m4a1 above all else. For Terrorists the choice is not as simple. The Ak-47 is a very solid gun but so is the Sig. Personally I prefer the Sig to the AK because of the scope but the AK is very accurate and seems to get slightly more headshots. The Galil is a good choice for a budget rifle. Riles are good for medium to long range.

-Machine Guns
I rarely use the machine gun. It's very expensive and has a long reload. If you do use it, however, it can be very deadly. If the target is between medium and long range shoot in bursts. For closer targets just hold down fire and mow your enemies down.

-Sniper Rifles
There are three types of sniper rifles; the AWP, the auto sniper, and the Scout. The auto sniper is good for people who are not good at aiming. The AWP is best for people who can get a torso or head shot most of the time because it will usually kill on the first shot. The Scout is best for people with really good aim. Its bullets are not as powerful as the AWPs but if you can get head shots it is even deadlier than the AWP. Sniper rifles are long range weapons only so you will need to have a good side arm. Many snipers buy a Desert Eagle as backup.

-Items
Buy a defuse kit if you are a CT. If you are playing a de map the first thing you should buy each round is a defuse kit even if that is all you can afford. You don't want a bomb going off while trying to defuse because you didn't buy a defuse kit. Next buy Kevlar and a helmet. This will help you stay alive and keep your items from the last round. Flashbangs, HE grenades and smoke grenades are all very useful. I will often buy all 3 types. Smoke bombs are good for masking a bomb site while planting or defusing the bomb. HE grenades are pretty self explanatory. Just throw them anywhere near the enemy. Flash bangs have many uses. You can throw one in one direction and run around and get behind the enemy. Another good trick is to throw two flash bangs, one after the other. This will catch your enemy off guard. Whenever you throw flashbang you should immediately rush as soon as it goes off. If you wait to long the enemy will no longer be blinded and the flash bang will be useless. If you get flashed you may be able to still find some cover if you do not get too disoriented while blind. If you can not make it to cover wildly move around and jump. It is generally not a good idea to shoot while blind because you want to be ready with a full clip once you can see again. I often reload while blinded because I can't shoot anything anyway.