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CS2 Recoil Control & Spray Transfer Guide: Mastering the Pattern

April 20, 2026•14 min read
CS2 Recoil Control & Spray Transfer Guide: Mastering the Pattern
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The Mechanics of CS2 Recoil

In Counter-Strike 2, every weapon fires bullets in a specific, repeatable pattern when the trigger is held down. This consists of two separate variables:

  • Recoil: The upward screen kick and crosshair movement.
  • Inaccuracy / Spread: The random deviation of bullets from the exact pattern (minor at close range, major at long range).

Because the pattern is deterministic (it is identical every time you spray the AK-47), you can memorize the exact opposite mouse movement to force all 30 bullets to land in a tight cluster. This is called recoil compensation.

The AK-47: The King of Patterns

The AK-47 pattern requires specific, timed movements. The 30 bullets act as follows:

  1. Bullets 1-3: Almost perfectly vertical. Pull straight down gently.
  2. Bullets 4-10: Continuing up and kicking slightly right. Pull further down and smoothly sweep left.
  3. Bullets 10-20: The gun yanks hard to the left. You must drag your mouse firmly to the right.
  4. Bullets 20-30: The gun drifts back to the right. Drag your mouse back to the left.

The shape you draw with your mouse resembles an inverted "7" with a hook at the end.

How to Practice Recoil Control

Do not practice by shooting at players. Practice by shooting at a blank wall in a private server.

1. Use the commands from our Practice Guide to enable sv_showimpacts 1 and sv_infinite_ammo 1. 2. Stand close to a wall. Spray without moving your mouse to see the pattern. 3. Try to pull down to group the first 10 bullets tightly. Ignore the last 20 bullets for now. 4. Once you can land 10 bullets in a small cluster, try for 15. 5. Back away from the wall to increase distance and repeat.

The Art of the Spray Transfer

A spray transfer occurs when you kill one enemy, and while still holding the trigger, snap to a second enemy and kill them using the remainder of your recoil pattern.

The key to a successful transfer is understanding which bullet of the pattern you are currently on. If you kill the first enemy with bullet 8, and snap to the second enemy, you do not aim your crosshair at the second enemy. You must aim your crosshair where bullet 9's recoil compensation should be (which is significantly below the second enemy's feet).

Pro Tip: Spray transfers are vastly easier on low to medium sensitivity (eDPI 600-900). If your sensitivity is too high, dragging from enemy A to enemy B while maintaining downward pressure will result in over-flicking. Dial in your settings with our eDPI calculator.