XP earn rate for classes when using different weapons

In Killing Floor 2 each weapon has a class to it, Firebug, Sharpshooter and so on. When you're playing a particular class it encourages you to buy and use the guns from your class to level up who you are playing as. When selecting your class, it tells you that you earn XP for them by doing X, Y or Z. Usually killing Zeds with weapons from your class (or other activities such as wielding).

That being said, does using weapons from other classes earn you XP slower than normal for them if you are not using the actual class the weapon comes from? Same goes for wielding when you're not playing support for instance.

Do you earn the most XP when playing a class and earning XP the way it specifies for them vs using off-class weapons, or is it the same XP to any class, and it just goes towards class of the weapon you are using?

Solution 1:

The EXP gained towards a perk is decided by which gun gets the killing blow. It does not matter which perk you are, it only matters what gun was used. The purpose of a perk is to boost stats of certain guns and certain character benefits (health, body armor, etc), but does not decide which perk gains EXP. If you are a commando and kill a clot with a shotgun, it will gain EXP for the support perk.

Solution 2:

I have tested a bit during these days, and LostWookie's answer is not completely correct.

If, for example, you play as Commando, your perk weapons are all assault rifles. This includes the HMTech-401, that is normally a medic's weapon: if you equip the HMTech while playing commando, all the kills will count towards the commando progression, only healing teammates will count towards the medic progression.

Source: I played commando for several rounds, and I always used the HMTech, getting always XPs for commando.