TL;DR: The Season 1 meta in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 runs on three guns: the Cronen Osprey (free at Battle Pass tier 16, the most-picked gun in multiplayer at 11.5%), the VEL 46 and the ISO Nightshade. Run the Osprey as your all-round rifle and the VEL 46 for close range. The KG-7 Vulcan is the best sniper. The M4 is still strong, but the trackers disagree on whether it is S or A tier.
If you only build one class in MW4 right now, make it the suppressed 60-round Cronen Osprey with Ghost, Blood Rush and Battle Hardened. It is the most-used weapon in multiplayer per CODMunity's pick-rate data (11.5%, ahead of the VEL 46 at 8.8%), and it kills in 311 ms at 10 to 40 meters, where the VEL 46 (342 ms) and ISO Nightshade (398 ms) start to fall off. For small maps and Hardpoint, switch to the VEL 46 or ISO Nightshade. Both kill faster up close, and both got their damage profiles tuned in the Season 1 patch.
Data as of November 9, 2026, Season 1 (live since November 6). That is only three days of live data, so this is an early meta. The rankings below merge five trackers (CODMunity, MetaRadar, MW4 Intel, Mobalytics and Dexerto's tier list), and the places where they disagree are flagged. If you play on a pad, set up your sticks first with our MW4 controller settings guide. A good loadout won't help if your aim drifts.
MW4 weapon tier list (Season 1)
This covers every weapon in multiplayer: the 33 launch guns plus the two Season 1 additions. Tiers are the consensus across trackers. Unlock levels come from G2A and ConquestCapped, which agree on every launch gun.
| Tier | Weapon | Class | Unlock | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Cronen Osprey | AR | Battle Pass tier 16 (free) | Most picked in MP, best all-round TTK |
| S | VEL 46 | SMG | Level 5 | 252 ms close TTK, still S after a small range nerf |
| S | ISO Nightshade | SMG | Level 4 | Buffed range and minimum damage in S1 |
| S | Hyeon Burst | AR | Level 21 | Still S on most trackers despite the Hyperburst nerf (Mobalytics: A) |
| S | KG-7 Vulcan | Sniper | Level 4 | Consensus best sniper in multiplayer |
| S/A | M4 | AR | Level 14 | S on MetaRadar, Mobalytics, Dexerto. A on CODMunity, MW4 Intel |
| S/A | Axion | AR | Level 52 | S1 velocity and range buff. S only on Dexerto |
| S/A | Mosin-Nagant | Marksman | Level 36 | S on MetaRadar and Dexerto. Lower on CODMunity and MW4 Intel |
| A | Kastov 762 | AR | Level 34 | Medium damage 24â25 in S1 |
| A | Han 86 | AR | Level 4 | Best starter rifle. Mobalytics has it in S |
| A | Patriot XMR | AR | Level 27 | Range and ADS move speed buff |
| A | Oden | AR | Level 39 | Flattest TTK curve at range (290-365 ms) |
| A | PPSh-41 | SMG | Level 30 | Damage buffed at every range |
| A | Wz.55 Striga | SMG | Level 18 | Big S1 buff. Mobalytics still rates it C |
| A | X-58 Nyx | SMG | Level 46 | Built-in suppressor, damage buff |
| A | CSG-35 | SMG | Battle Pass tier 36 (free) | Akimbo. Fastest close TTK in the game (200 ms) |
| A | Signal 50 | Sniper | Level 50 | Semi-auto .50, good for aggressive snipers |
| A | Oris 8.6 | Marksman | Level 11 | Max damage range +19% in S1 |
| A | Rezi 12 | Shotgun | Level 4 | Best shotgun after an S1 range buff |
| A | Krait P68 | Pistol | Level 7 | Default secondary on most meta classes |
| B | FiNN LMG | LMG | Level 4 | Best LMG, but LMGs are weak in S1 multiplayer |
| B | Type 73 | LMG | Level 9 | Objective anchor. MetaRadar's #1 LMG in Warzone |
| B | MAR-9 | Marksman | Level 4 | Semi-auto 7.62, outclassed by the Mosin |
| B | Cronen Squall | AR | Level 55 | Better in Warzone as a battle rifle |
| B | Warlord | Shotgun | Level 32 | Pump with 14 shells, slow reload |
| B | Astaroth .57 | Sniper | Level 25 | Sluggish in 6v6. Mobalytics: C |
| B | SANG 9mm | Pistol | Level 4 | Low-recoil 9mm, outclassed by the Krait |
| C | APOC-338 | LMG | Level 44 | Nerfed in S1 |
| C | .50 GS | Pistol | Level 41 | Hard to control |
| C | Mojave .357 | Pistol | Level 48 | 8-shot revolver, niche pick |
| Not ranked | PILA, RPG-8, JOKR, PM-40 Anvil | Launcher | Levels 4, 23, 43, 54 | Anti-streak tools, not gunfight weapons |
| Not ranked | FSS Carbon Edge 1095 | Melee | Level 4 | Only melee weapon at launch |
Two more Season 1 weapons are on the way: the JAK 12 shotgun through the Wager Match event and the ZLR Talonhawk axe, per games.gg. They will be ranked once they are live.
MW4 TTK chart: every automatic weapon
Time-to-kill in milliseconds by distance, from CODMunity's MW4 TTK rankings. The chart covers the 17 full-auto guns. Burst, bolt-action, semi-auto, shotguns and pistols are measured differently and are not included. "Drop" is the distance where damage falls to the next tier.
| Weapon | Class | 0-10 m | 10-40 m | 40-80 m | 80-120 m | First drop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSG-35 | SMG | 200 ms | 202 ms | 246 ms | 310 ms | 8.2 m |
| VEL 46 | SMG | 252 ms | 342 ms | 467 ms | 518 ms | 15.1 m |
| Axion | AR | 255 ms | 297 ms | 404 ms | 480 ms | 27.3 m |
| ISO Nightshade | SMG | 260 ms | 398 ms | 518 ms | 594 ms | 12 m |
| Cronen Osprey | AR | 272 ms | 311 ms | 392 ms | 460 ms | 25 m |
| Patriot XMR | AR | 279 ms | 283 ms | 406 ms | 461 ms | 39.4 m |
| Oden | AR | 290 ms | 290 ms | 315 ms | 365 ms | 38.3 m |
| APOC-338 | LMG | 291 ms | 291 ms | 312 ms | 359 ms | 26.9 m |
| M4 | AR | 296 ms | 316 ms | 408 ms | 466 ms | 32.5 m |
| Kastov 762 | AR | 300 ms | 304 ms | 452 ms | 529 ms | 27 m |
| X-58 Nyx | SMG | 307 ms | 481 ms | 625 ms | 725 ms | 9.8 m |
| Cronen Squall | AR | 312 ms | 325 ms | 442 ms | 503 ms | 26 m |
| PPSh-41 | SMG | 312 ms | 405 ms | 466 ms | 534 ms | 9.9 m |
| Han 86 | AR | 324 ms | 343 ms | 442 ms | 500 ms | 33.3 m |
| Wz.55 Striga | SMG | 340 ms | 481 ms | 611 ms | 702 ms | 13.9 m |
| Type 73 | LMG | 349 ms | 350 ms | 386 ms | 444 ms | 23.1 m |
| FiNN LMG | LMG | 356 ms | 356 ms | 378 ms | 427 ms | 25.7 m |
The numbers explain why the M4 slipped on some trackers. It is ninth up close and loses to the Osprey at every range, while the Osprey also has a 60-round mag. The CSG-35 tops the chart, but those figures are for akimbo fire, and Activision's own description says it trades accuracy for volume. Treat it as a close-range toy, not a VEL 46 replacement. The APOC-338's flat curve looks good on paper, but it has a 75 ms open-bolt delay and took a nerf.
Best MW4 loadouts for the meta guns
Each build is the five-attachment set with the most agreement between trackers. Build codes import the build in Gunsmith. Check that the attachments match after any patch, because codes from different sites can produce different builds.
Cronen Osprey: best all-round loadout
| Slot | Attachment |
|---|---|
| Muzzle | XRK Mil-Tac Suppressor |
| Underbarrel | FSS Tac90 Grip |
| Magazine | 60 Round Mag |
| Rear Grip | Cronen 56 |
| Ammunition | 5.56 NATO Overpressured |
| Apex | Cronen Helix Mk. II (double-barrel receiver, fires on pull and release) |
Class: Krait P68, Ghost, Blood Rush, Battle Hardened, Flash, Frag, Trophy System, UAV / Artillery Beacon / Attack Helicopter. Code: A02-43QCD-CXJDX-MS11 (CODMunity). The suppressor and Ghost keep you off the minimap, and the 60-round mag means you rarely reload between two fights. Source: MW4 Intel. MetaRadar's Osprey long-range block repeats its VEL 46 attachments by mistake, so don't copy that one.
VEL 46: best SMG loadout
| Slot | Attachment | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | XRK Herder 40 | FSS Crackdown (MetaRadar) |
| Barrel | VB-46 Series 11 | - |
| Underbarrel | FSS Fireline Grip | FSS TAC90 Grip |
| Laser | Schlager Visiv-5 | XRK Clutch-LS |
| Magazine | VEL 46 Extended | 60 Round Drum |
| Apex | VEL 46 Snap (tactical sling, faster weapon swaps, no stock) | - |
Class: Ghost, Ninja, Battle Hardened, Flash, Frag, Trophy System, UAV / Counter UAV / Attack Helicopter. Code: S03-3NDFG-32W11 (Dexerto). The Season 1 patch cut its ranges by 4-5% but raised minimum damage from 13 to 14, so it loses a little past 10 m and nothing inside it.
ISO Nightshade: best rush loadout
| Slot | Attachment | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | XRK Herder 40 | FSS Crackdown (suppressed rush) |
| Barrel | ZLR Carbon-900 | - |
| Underbarrel | FSS TAC90 Grip | No Stock (MW4 Intel) |
| Laser | Schlager Visiv-5 | - |
| Rear Grip | Demo STP-1 | - |
| Apex | ISO Trace (tags the targets you hit) | - |
Class: Krait P68, Quick Fix, Blood Rush, Battle Hardened, Flash, Frag, Portable Radar, UAV / Crossfire / Attack Helicopter. Code: S06-3Q1JR-FJU11 (Dexerto). It is MW4 Intel's top class for Hardpoint and Domination. It unlocks at level 4, so it's the best SMG for a fresh account.
Hyeon Burst: best mid-range loadout
The Hyeon Burst is built around its Hyperburst Apex: a very fast three-round burst followed by slower auto fire. Dot Esports' patch summary says Season 1 cut the Hyperburst's maximum damage from 30 to 23 and minimum from 25 to 20, but extended its maximum damage range. It still sits in S on most trackers. The trackers don't agree on attachments, so this is the most common set:
| Slot | Attachment |
|---|---|
| Apex | Hyeon Hyperburst |
| Muzzle | FSS IS300 |
| Barrel | Mugi Seungri-OP 609.6mm |
| Underbarrel | FSS Fireline Grip |
| Ammunition | 6.8mm High Velocity |
| Rear Grip | HYN-Meipeul |
Code: A09-43QCD-D4HTW-VI11 (CODMunity). Level the gun to max for the Apex first. Without the Hyperburst it is an ordinary burst rifle.
M4: best loadout (and the M4 Hurricane)
| Slot | MetaRadar build | Dexerto build |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slimline Elite (optic) | 18 LE Crosswind (barrel) |
| 2 | FSS IS300 (muzzle) | SA Laz-500 (laser) |
| 3 | PF1 Fixed Stock | SZ Prima-4 Dot (optic) |
| 4 | SZ Gen.6 PEQ (laser) | ZLR Phase Grip |
| 5 | 5.56 NATO Overpressured | FSS Fireline Grip |
Dexerto code: A05-DGYMN-BQND1-1. Season 1 raised the M4's maximum damage range from 25.91 m to 27.94 m and its headshot multiplier from 1.25 to 1.3, per Dexerto's patch breakdown. The M4 Hurricane Apex turns it into a top-loading 5.7mm build with a 50-round mag and very low recoil, and it blocks the barrel and magazine slots. It also got a range bump in S1. The M4 is still the easiest rifle to control, even if the Osprey now beats it on TTK.
KG-7 Vulcan: best sniper loadout
| Slot | Attachment |
|---|---|
| Optic | Schlager 7X |
| Muzzle | Ivanov QR600 |
| Barrel | TT Baem 12" |
| Stock | Bruen KG-7 Mk. IV |
| Comb | TT Type 40 Comb |
Class: ISO Nightshade as secondary, Overkill, Blood Rush, Battle Hardened, Smoke, Sticky, Trophy System. Code: R04-2G9Q4-VHSZY-11 (CODMunity). The build is from MetaRadar. The KG-7 unlocks at level 4 and cycles faster than the other bolt-actions, which is why it beats the Astaroth .57 in 6v6.
Best gun in each MW4 weapon class
| Class | Best | Runner-up | Best build (5 attachments) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifle | Cronen Osprey | Hyeon Burst / M4 | See the Osprey build above |
| SMG | VEL 46 | ISO Nightshade | See the VEL 46 build above |
| Sniper | KG-7 Vulcan | Signal 50 | Signal 50: S50-SB Gen.2 22", Schlager VISIV-5, Cronen R808, Cronen SN-Pad50, GL Zero Drop 6 |
| Marksman | Mosin-Nagant | Oris 8.6 | Cronen R808, 330TC2 Gridlock, No Stock, Schlager VISIV-5, TV-Light 7-Bolt |
| Shotgun | Rezi 12 | Warlord | FTAC LTS-707, Haebang 635R-7, No Stock, Schlager Visiv-5, Demo Service-12G |
| LMG | FiNN LMG | Type 73 | Slimline Elite, FTAC Dominion, FTAC Firebase-70 15", XRK Aura-5, Hanbit Tech50 Gen.5 |
| Pistol | Krait P68 | SANG 9mm | Expedite Drill L4, SA Omni 5.5", Magtac .45, .45 Auto Frangible, P68 Tapper 9 |
Marksman, shotgun, LMG and pistol builds are from MetaRadar. The Signal 50 build is from Dexerto. Dexerto lists a different Rezi 12 build (ZLR Rogue 90 25, Schlager VISIV-5, XRK Quad-80, No Stock, XRK Bygone-39).
Best perks and equipment in MW4
MW4 uses a pick-3 perk system, one perk from each slot. WZStats rates Ghost and Quick Fix as the meta Perk 1 picks and Ninja and Blood Rush as the meta Perk 2 picks. WZStats has Battle Hardened in B, but Dexerto, MW4 Intel and Mobalytics put it in almost every Perk 3 slot, as the default. A Season 1 bug fix changed it to reduce Shock Stick effects instead of giving full immunity.
| Playstyle | Perk 1 | Perk 2 | Perk 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard / stealth | Ghost | Ninja | Battle Hardened |
| Aggressive SMG | Quick Fix | Blood Rush | Battle Hardened |
| Objective anchor | Quick Fix | Bomb Squad | Battle Hardened |
| Flanker | Ghost | Ninja | Tracker |
| Sniper with SMG secondary | Overkill | Blood Rush | Battle Hardened |
| Killstreak farming | Kill Chain | Hardline | Scavenger |
Equipment: Flash and Frag on most classes, Smoke and Sticky for snipers, Stim for Striga and PPSh rushers. Field upgrade: Trophy System, or Portable Radar on objective SMG classes. Streaks: UAV, Crossfire or Counter UAV, Attack Helicopter. Season 1 also cut Claymore and Prox Mine arming time to 0.75 seconds and halved Crossfire damage, so expect more mines on objectives and fewer Crossfire kills.
Season 1 buffs and nerfs: what changed the meta
Multiplayer weapon changes from the Season 1 update, per Dexerto and Dot Esports:
| Weapon | Change | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Axion | Buff | Medium damage range 34.8 â 38.61 m, muzzle velocity 415 â 470 m/s |
| Han 86 | Buff | Head multiplier 1.25 â 1.3 |
| Hyeon Burst (Hyperburst Apex) | Nerf | Max damage 30 â 23, min damage 25 â 20, max damage range 24.64 â 30.99 m |
| Kastov 762 | Buff | Medium damage 24 â 25, range 40.13 â 42.16 m, head 1.33 â 1.35 |
| M4 | Buff | Max damage range 25.91 â 27.94 m, head 1.25 â 1.3, Hurricane range up |
| Patriot XMR | Buff | Max damage range 31.24 â 33.53 m, ADS move speed 2.22 â 2.26 m/s |
| ISO Nightshade | Buff | Max damage range 10.54 â 11.68 m, min damage 13 â 14 |
| PPSh-41 | Buff | Medium damage 15 â 16 and 13 â 14, min damage 12 â 13 |
| VEL 46 | Mixed | Ranges down 4-5%, min damage 13 â 14 |
| Wz.55 Striga | Buff | Max damage 26 â 27, min 17 â 19, head 1.3 â 1.4 |
| X-58 Nyx | Buff | Medium damage 15 â 16, min 13 â 14 |
| APOC-338 | Nerf | Min damage 33 â 32, head 1.35 â 1.3 |
| Type 73 | Buff | Max damage range 24.89 â 25.53 m, head 1.25 â 1.3, Apex buffed |
| Rezi 12 | Buff | All damage ranges extended, min damage 14 â 16 |
| Mosin-Nagant | Buff | Max damage range 36.83 â 40.13 m |
| Oris 8.6 | Buff | Max damage range 19.05 â 22.61 m, min damage 58 â 63 |
| Krait P68 | Buff | Max damage range 8.89 â 9.4 m, lower torso 1 â 1.1 |
Hardcore health also dropped from 30 to 22 HP, per Mobalytics.
Which MW4 guns to level first
- ISO Nightshade at level 4: S-tier from your first match.
- VEL 46 at level 5: level it to the Snap Apex if you play close range.
- Cronen Osprey at Battle Pass tier 16: free, and the best rifle in the game right now.
- M4 at level 14: the most forgiving recoil of any rifle while you learn the maps.
- Hyeon Burst at level 21: only worth it once you push it to max level for Hyperburst.
- KG-7 Vulcan at level 4: for Search and Destroy and larger maps.
- CSG-35 at Battle Pass tier 36: fun, but not a replacement for your main SMG.
The Battle Pass catches you up automatically to the current day of the season, up to day 50, so a late start doesn't lock you out of the Osprey.
MW4 meta in Warzone (Season 1)
Season 1 put every MW4 gun into Warzone. The battle royale meta is close to multiplayer but leans further toward range:
| Role | Weapon | Attachments | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long range | Cronen Osprey | Locus PX3 Canted, FSS IS300, IO-556 Tac 18", FSS Fireline Grip, 60 Round Mag | A02-2TKF8-24ZCN-11 |
| Close range | ISO Nightshade | ZLR Mag-Z 9", 40 Round Mag, Demo STP-1, EXP G2-44 Stock, 9mm High Velocity | S06-3K9Y5-K39PZ-B911 |
| Close range alt | VEL 46 | TA TacPro-56, RV-B V2, FSS Fireline Grip, EXP U-Turn Stock, 4.6x30mm High Velocity | S03-3K9Y5-L7T46-8711 |
| Sniper | KG-7 Vulcan | Gauge-12 Mono, Haebang RMT762 29", TT G76-RP Stock, 7.62x54mmR High Velocity, KT76 Light Bolt | R04-3K9Y5-JTFYN-8S51 |
Builds are from MetaRadar's Warzone meta and PandaPlay. MetaRadar ranks the ISO as the best Warzone SMG, while CODMunity and PandaPlay prefer the VEL 46. The top pair is Osprey plus ISO. Long-range Warzone fights punish a drifting right stick more than 6v6 does, so if your aim pulls to one side at rest, check the stick on our stick drift test before blaming the gun. Use the result to set your deadzone with our Call of Duty deadzone guide.