COD Warzone M4A1 Detailed Guide

by Sorangkun

It’s a very well-balanced jack of all trades AR which both new and skilled players alike will love.

But because of how good it is all around, I felt like it’s kind of boring at some points.

However, because it’s so popular, I’ve seen a lot of people trying to use it with suboptimal builds!

In this guide we’re going to go into the differences between barrels, stocks, and other attachments, to help you end up building M4A1 in a way that will suit your own personal playstyle!

Note: I won’t be mentioning or comparing the 9mm or .458 SOCOM ammo types in this post because I plan on making guides just for them in the future.

They change how M4A1 works enough that each one is like having a completely different gun.

Acronyms

TTK = Time to kill

BTK = Bullets to kill

AR = Assault Rifle

ROF = Rapid of fire

1. DAMAGE

Base = 28 ~ 23 ~ 18

Headshots = 42 ~ 33 ~ 27

2. BTK

As of the January 28th update, M4A1’s headshot efficiency has been reduced so that one single headshot won’t affect the overall BTK anymore.

A random side note to those that have read my other guides, this change is what indirectly buffed M13’s now amazing headshot efficiency.

M4A1 doesn’t have any additional damage for Torso or Upper Torso hits, and its damage drop off isn’t really that special either.

In overall, it’s a gun that doesn’t really require any special skill or playstyle to use.

The advantage to that is that anybody can pick it up and do okay, but the disadvantage is that it doesn’t offer much reward for players that are more skilled.

Balanced, stable, consistent, and great. But never amazing.

3. Range

30m ~ 50m

By default, M4A1 has shorter range than FAL and M13,

almost identical to Kilo141 and Grau5.56, as same as FR5.56, while it’s slightly longer than the range of RAM-7.

4. TTK

Against an enemy with 3 Armor plates equipped, 600ms

Guns that have faster TTK than M4A1 (Without headshots)

– FN FAL (511ms)

– AK 47 (536ms / 5.45 ammunition 545ms)

– ODEN (585ms)

– RAM 7 (558ms)

Guns that have slower TTK than M4A1 (Without headshots)

– Kilo 141 (640ms)

– FR 5.56 (834ms)

– SCAR (737ms)

– Grau 5.56 (658ms)

– M 13 (667ms)

TTK on M4A1 is faster than guns that have longer range or better potential, while it’s slower than weapons that have more risk but higher reward.

I’ll compare M4A1 to some of other ARs later in the comparison section.

5. Recoil

The recoil pattern goes to the right and up.

The amount of recoil isn’t really strong, but not unnoticeable either.

I personally think M4A1 has the most standard-like recoil.

It has an average amount of vertical recoil, as well as a little bit of a random horizontal recoil.

6. Comparison

Since M4A1 is a gun without any serious risk nor any special potential,

It’s the gun I would usually compare to when I wanna explain pros and cons on a certain gun.

However, this time, I’m going to compare M4A1 to other guns.

M13

M13 has an amazing headshot efficiency which allows one single headshot to reduce down BTK by 1. Since it has way faster ROF, M13 has a potential that can possibly have a faster TTK than M4A1.

The range on M13 is 34m by default, which can be extended up to about 52m. Meanwhile the range on M4A1 isn’t special at all.

However, when there’s no headshot, or more than one headshot, M4A1 becomes any stronger than M13.

In conclusion, M13 is the gun for a skilled player who loves to be with more potential, even if it has a more risk, M4A1 is for anyone who wants their weapon to be stable and consistent.

Grau 5.56 and Kilo 141

While both of them have slower TTKs than M4A1, their potentials are just as bad.

However, they have slightly longer range by default, and can have way more range depending on attachments.

Their recoils are way easier to control than M4A1.

So in most situations M4A1 will outperform both guns, but when the distance is longer than 40m M4A1 starts to lose its strength quite dramatically.

RAM 7

RAM7 is pretty similar to M4A1 but just for a different playstyle.

Its recoil is way more random that that of M4A1, and the range is slightly shorter. However it has a faster, as well as better, mobility (ADS, Sprint Out).

If you’re more interested in a close to mid range combat around 20m ~ 40m, RAM7 would be a better option. But if you want more stability on a mid to long range combat, you can go for M4A1.

AK 47

While AK 47 theoretically has a faster TTK than M4A1, it requires upper torso shots to get the best possible TTK (without headshots).

However you wouldn’t need any crazy skill to perform well with M4A1.

AK 47 has a huge randomness on its recoil pattern that is really difficult to control.

While M4A1 does also have a little bit of randomness in its recoil pattern, it’s way more stable than AK 47.

The magazine size for M4A1 can be extended up to 60 on M4A1 and 45 on AK47.

This makes a huge difference in combat situations where you can possibly face more than one enemy at the same time.

7. Recommended Build

ADS: Aim down sight speed

Sprint out: Sprint to Fire Speed

Aim Stabilization: Reduces shakiness while aiming down. Apart from actual recoil, when you areusing high magnification and on certain guns, the optic itself will be shakingback and forth a lot. This stat also helps to reduce that.

Recoil Control: Reduces the amount of recoil.

Recoil Stabilization: Reduces the randomness of recoil, making the bullet pattern more uniformand efficient.

The reason I’m going into which attachments are more essential, rather than just introducing a build, is because honestly you can do what you want with M4A1.

But some attachments should be avoided, at least in Warzone, unless you build around them specifically.

Good Attachments for Warzone

These attachments are good. You want to pick stuff from this list.

Stock M16 Grenadier

ADS +2 Frames, Range +40% (Faster Bullet Velocity), Movement Speed -4%, Enhanced Recoil Control

Corvus Custom Marksman

ADS +1 Frames, Range +30% (Faster Bullet Velocity), Movement Speed -3%, Enhanced Recoil Control

These two barrels are good because they add range.

They have 10% difference on range, but the actual number when applied to the range is less than 5 meters. And the difference between them in recoil control aren’t too big but are noticeable.

Choose more based on whether you’d like more mobility or more range and recoil control.

FORGE TAC CQS

ADS -1 Frame, – Aim stabilization

Stippled griptape

Sprintout +8%, ADS – little less than 1 Frame, -Aim stabilization

No stock

Sprintout +20%, ADS -2.5 Frames, Movement Speed +4%, -Recoil Control, -Aim stabilization

Laser visible to an enemy on Aim down.

Tac Laser

ADS -2 Frames, Enhanced Aim stabilization, Enhanced Aim Walking Steadiness

Forge Tac CQS and Stippled Griptape are attachments that you should pick for ADS reduction in most situations.

If you put too many attachments with ADS penalties you will also need either No Stock or Tac Laser.

No Stock has lots of various advantages, but has a recoil control penalty. When it’s combined with M16 Grenadier barrel, the recoil ends up being about what the gun has at default.

Tac Laser’s downside, of course, is that the enemy can see it.

I don’t actually think that’s a huge downside in Warzone, though, because of how big the map is and how bright the colors are in game. It’s a lot less noticeable than in regular Multiplayer.

Extended Magazines

50 Rounds Mag: Movement Speed -1%

60 Rounds Mag: Movement Speed -2.5%

There’s a bit of difference on movement speed, as you can see.

If you use other attachments that bring down your movement speed even more, you should put some thought into whether the extra bullets in a mag are worth lowering it even more.

Commando Foregrip

Enhanced Recoil stabilization, Enhanced Aim stabilization, Movement Speed -1%

Monolithic Suppressor

ADS +1 Frame, Range +7.5%, Sound Suppression

As of right now these are my favorite attachments on most guns in Warzone.

Commando Foregrip reduces the randomness in the recoil pattern, and monolithic suppressor is the best suppressor in the game. And sound suppression is necessary in Warzone IMO.

Bad Attachments for Warzone

This list is what you should avoid.

FFS 14.5 Tac Lite

ADS -1 Frame, Range -13% (Slower Bullet Velocity)

FFS 11.5 Commando

ADS -2 Frames, Range -20% (Slower Bullet Velocity), Movement Speed +2%, -Recoil Control

FFS 12.4 Predator

ADS -1 Frame, Range -36% (Slower Bullet Velocity), Sound Suppression

These 3 attachments just reduce the range WAY too much.

While it looks like Commando Barrel is the only one with a penalty to recoil control, the other barrels actually reduce it even though it’s not written on the in game information. One thing you’ll start to notice overtime is that the “stats” they have in game aren’t always accurate and can even sometimes be misleading.

Lightweight Suppressor

Range -25%, Sound Suppression

It just reduces the range too much.

Example Builds

Mid to Long range Build

This is for more mid to long range.

The mobility is not the best, but it has decent recoil control and stabilization.

Balanced Build

The second build is balanced. Everything is just average with nothing special.

If you need an optic, you can replace stippled grip.

This is the build I’d go for, usually, if I wanted to use the gun as my main weapon in Warzone.

Theoretically Ideal Build

Theoretically, this is the best build. Emphasize on that theoretical, however.

Good mobility, recoil control, and range. The problem is that it has less recoil control than the previous builds, and it can’t have an optic. I’d use this if I brought the gun as my secondary.