If you’ve played Modern Warfare 2 online you’ve probably been in a lobby with Level 67-70 players, and have been absolutely owned by the double shotguns they run around with.  These are the Akimbo Model 1887′s and you’ve probably heard that they were patched to be less effective.  If you follow the scene you may have even heard that there is  a work-around to use the Akimbo Models as they were pre-patch.

In-game last night I was surprised by the number of people who were confused about this subject so I am going to set the record straight once and for all.

What You Need To Know
1. The Akimbo Model 1887′s were patched to be less effective.
2. The Model 1887′s can still be used exactly like they were pre-patch.

So What’s The Work-Around?
The work-around is simple.  Use Bling Pro in your first perk slot and apply Akimbo and FMJ.  Your Model 1887′s now have the same range as they were pre-patch.  ModernWarFAIL2 Blog and nearly every gaming forum have posted this work-around.

Huh?  How Does FMJ Affect Range?
Quite simply, FMJ doesn’t affect range.  It gives greater bullet penetration and nothing else.  Although ModernWarFAIL2 gave the work-around, they failed themselves to explain WHY this works.
The work-around has nothing to do with FMJ.

Most people imagine that the weapons are programmed like this, where each gun has a base entry and then the damage numbers would change depending on the attachment:
(I just made these damage numbers up for the sake of a visual)

In reality it looks more like this inside of the game, every combination has its own entry with its own values:
(One again, made up numbers)

So when the Infinity Ward programmers were told to lower the values of the Akimbo Model 1887′s, they literally altered those values, but ONLY those values.  They completely overlooked that Model 1887 + Bling + Akimbo has its own values.  This was a programming oversight, something I thought ModernWarFAIL2 blog would have been salivating at the prospect of roasting.

FMJ has nothing to do with range, and has nothing to do with this work-around.  Bling is the reason why this works.  It just happens that shotguns have only two possible attachments, Akimbo and FMJ.  FMJ is being used so people jumped to the conclusion that it was the reason the work-around works.  But now you know that isn’t the case.

My Advice Regarding The Models
I say get to Level 67 as fast as you can and have fun with the pre-nerfed Akimbo Models while you still have the chance.  I’ll be shocked if they’re not patched properly in the next update.  If you see someone named barrow running around with them you know who it is.  Bling Bling.  (That’s a B.G. reference, look it up.)