Modern Warfare 4 best guns after week one, ranked

Modern Warfare 4 has finished its first official week, and it's been a roller coaster. Reviews are mixed and changing every day, mine included, and I'll probably need to write a brand new review soon. The game has some hefty flaws, but there's good stuff in here too, and this list focuses on that. I'm putting a surprising amount of time into multiplayer, and I think I'm ready to give my thoughts on what I think are the 12 best guns available to you.

Keep in mind this list is going to change patch after patch: nerfs, buffs, DLC weapons, and Season 1, which is coming fast. But maybe there's a hidden gem or two in here for you. I said this in my review: the gunplay in Modern Warfare 4 is excellent. The time and effort they put into these guns shows in the looks, the punchiness, the sounds and the feedback. It's good.

12. Type 73: an LMG with 60 rounds for holding a position

The Type 73 is an LMG that takes the traditional LMG philosophy of giving one guy enough ammo to shoot everyone in the lobby at once. It fires hard hitting 7.62 rounds, comes with a 60 round mag and has a fire rate of over 800 rounds per minute. The trade off, of course, is that it's heavy. Its handling is sluggish, and you're going to feel that when you're not running around like a ninja.

If you can get yourself into a good position, though, you can lay down some fire, and the Type 73 could be a serious problem for anybody who crosses your line of sight. It also has an Apex attachment that replaces the normal mag setup with a top mounted one loaded with explosive rounds. That's wild, because apparently a normal LMG wasn't enough. It might not be the most versatile weapon in Modern Warfare 4, but sometimes you don't need versatility. You sit in the corner on a wall. "Sometimes you just need 60 rounds and complete disregard for ammo preservation."

11. Resi 12: a shotgun that's devastating up close and useless at mid range

The Resi 12 is a shotgun that packs serious stopping power. It cycles relatively quickly and gives you six rounds before you need to start reloading. Those are all green check marks. It's not an enormous mag, but you're using a shotgun, and the idea is generally to make sure the other guy doesn't have enough time to appreciate the view. Like most shotguns, it's extra strong when you build it around mobility and close range damage. You get to be more aggressive and punish anyone foolish enough to challenge you inside the effective range.

That range is also the weapon's biggest limitation. Try to take a fight at mid range and you'll discover your shotgun has turned into an empty garden hose. It's not going to work. Get close enough, though, and it's devastating. You can even unlock the Apex attachment that converts it to a pump action and adds explosive slugs. What is it with IW and explosive rounds in this game? I don't know. Apparently the devs looked at the Resi 12 and decided the one thing it was missing was something straight out of a Fast and Furious movie.

10. Victus XMR: a heavier hitting AR than the M4

I debated on this gun a lot. The Victus XMR is an AR for people who want their opponents to know that every bullet they take is going to hurt badly. The M4 is way more forgiving and a better all purpose option. The Victus is a heavier hitting alternative that rewards players who make their shots count and level up the gun. It reminds me so much of the CM91 from the original Modern Warfare 3.

It's a good choice if you want to engage opponents at mid range without feeling like you're holding a glorified staple gun, but you do have to run some attachments to get the recoil down. With this rifle, you have to find the balance between damage and handling. You want control to keep your shots on target, but you also want to avoid nerfing yourself into the ground. It's tough. Still, it's a compelling option for players who prefer a more deliberate approach, especially when they want to take advantage of the damage, because it has damage.

It's not necessarily the first rifle I'd recommend to somebody who wants to sprint around the map at full speed, and that's okay. Not everyone has an IV of G Fuel or Ghost in their veins. Sometimes you want the rifle that hits hard and can get the job done if you can get the bullets on target. That's the Victus.

9. KG7 Vulcan: a sniper for ending fights before they start

The KG7 Vulcan is a weapon for people who believe the most efficient way to win a gunfight is to make sure the other person never gets to participate in it. I can't lie, it's a pretty effective strategy. Unlike the ARs and SMGs that dominate most of this list, the KG7 is built around precision and long range engagements. You aren't picking it up to spray bullets while sliding around a corner. You're picking it up to line up a shot and make somebody's entire match considerably worse.

Sniper rifles demand a different kind of patience, one I don't have. The KG7 rewards players who understand positioning and sight lines, and who know when to take a shot rather than blindly firing at anything that moves, or spazzing with their hands like old man me. Naturally, there's a downside. If you miss, you've potentially given your opponent enough time to turn around and introduce you to whatever full auto monstrosity they're probably carrying. But when you get into a rhythm, it can make controlling long sight lines a very unpleasant experience for the other team, and a satisfying one for you.

8. PPSh-41: white phosphorus rounds and an angry sewing machine

I like the fact we're talking about this gun. The PPSh-41 is back, and apparently the developers decided the Modern Warfare 4 version needed to be an SMG loaded with white phosphorus rounds. That does annoy me, but whatever. The gun is good, and it's fun to use, assuming you can handle the recoil. It's at its best when you're fighting up close, where the rapid fire can overwhelm opponents before they have much opportunity to respond. At longer ranges, unfortunately, you'll find yourself burning through ammunition without getting the results you want.

If you're an aggressive player who likes pushing into enemy territory, forcing constant engagements and running Blood Rush and Tac Sprint, this is you. There's something deeply satisfying about winning a gunfight with a weapon that sounds like somebody broke open an angry sewing machine. Just remember to reload before you charge into the next room, because the enemy team is not obligated to wait for you to finish.

7. ISO Nightshade: an SMG that still gets work done at mid range

The good old ISO Nightshade, which you can find on the ground everywhere, is a great example of an SMG that doesn't need to sacrifice everything outside of close range to be effective. It's fast, it's responsive, and it can put serious pressure on opponents in tight engagements. Its appeal extends beyond running into a room and hoping your bullets arrive before theirs do. The damage profile gives it more versatility than, I think, some of the game's more specialized close range weapons. The recoil and handling make it an easy, comfortable gun to use, and it's easy to track a moving target with it.

It also benefits from a strong overall position in the early Modern Warfare 4 meta, with current weapon rankings placing it among the game's top options. That's a pretty good endorsement for a weapon that has to compete with the Vel 46 and the PPSh-41 for your precious SMG time. It doesn't force you into one style of play. You can be aggressive, or you can get some work done at mid range. In Call of Duty, I think versatility is beautiful. You never know when you're going to be fighting somebody in a hallway, somebody across a courtyard, a guy who's been sitting in a window long enough to register to vote there, or the guys camping behind doors.

6. Kastov 762: the big alternative to the M4

The Kastov 762 is for people who look at the M4 and think that's nice, but I want the big one. It offers a harder hitting alternative to the more forgiving and more popular M4, which makes it appealing for people who want substantial damage without giving up the flexibility of an AR. The trade off with a weapon like this is that you have to pay attention to the recoil and handling. Raw damage is great, but it means nothing if your second and third shots end up somewhere in the neighboring zip code. That's why a sensible attachment setup matters. You want to preserve the damage potential while making it easier to keep your shots on target.

It's also worth noting that the Kastov is currently rated among Modern Warfare 4's stronger weapons in early multiplayer tier lists. So this time it's not a nostalgia pick for people who like the classic AK 47s. It's a formidable rifle in the right hands, especially if you prefer deliberate, controlled engagements over spraying an entire magazine at someone and hoping one of the bullets eventually finds a home.

5. HANA 86: a possible hot take with a high skill ceiling

This may be a hot take, but the HANA 86 is one of Modern Warfare 4's most interesting guns. It offers a strong balance of damage, fire rate and versatility, though it's not quite as forgiving as the M4. The fact that it's available early is one of the reasons it's so high on this list, but don't mistake that for a sign that it's merely a beginner's weapon, because it's not. It's currently considered one of the game's strongest overall guns, with early rankings placing it in the top tier alongside the M4 and the Vel.

The catch is that getting the most out of it requires some recoil control. It rewards players who take the time to learn how the weapon behaves and unlock attachments. It's a good choice if you want a rifle with a high skill ceiling rather than something that does everything for you, and it's nice to have a weapon that rewards a bit of practice instead of making every gunfight feel like a participation trophy. You can build it around your preferred engagement distances, and its flexibility means you don't have to abandon it when the next gunfight happens on the other side of the map. It's a strong rifle, and I think it's one of the best reasons to experiment with your loadout rather than automatically picking the same weapon every single match.

4. Axian: a different flavor of AR that deserves more attention

The Axian earns its place by offering a different flavor of AR gameplay. It's a versatile platform with a strong position in the early Modern Warfare 4 weapon rankings, and it's an appealing choice for players who want something that feels a little different from the M4. Part of the appeal is that it gives you another way to approach engagements without forcing you to commit to a weapon class that only works in one situation. ARs are at their best when they can adapt to the changing pace of a match, and the Axian offers that flexibility while still giving you room to tailor your setup.

That doesn't mean every attachment combination is automatically going to be good. You still need to decide whether you want to emphasize control, handling or your preferred engagement range. That's part of the fun of building a loadout: you get to turn a weapon into something that suits the way you play, rather than blindly copying whatever setup somebody posted on TikTok five minutes ago. It may not be the first gun everybody reaches for, but I think it deserves some more attention.

3. Hayam Burst: a burst rifle that may be overpowered

The Hayam Burst is everywhere, which is interesting, because burst fire rifles are inherently less forgiving and typically less popular than full autos. With an automatic rifle, you can make small corrections and keep firing. With a burst weapon, you need to get your aim in the right place and make those bursts count. When you do, you can deliver concentrated damage without holding the trigger down for half a minute. When you don't, you can find yourself staring at an enemy who's still standing there wondering why you haven't shot them. That trade off is what makes it more rewarding for players who can consistently land their shots.

This weapon has been getting more popular by the day as more people figure it out. "It is a melt machine." It's a higher skill weapon in Modern Warfare 4, but the payoff is worth it. It's going to keep getting more popular if they don't nerf it into the ground. With the right build, it may be overpowered.

2. Vel 46: my favorite, and it's the MP7

Number two is my favorite, the Vel 46. It's the MP7, and we don't need to call it the Vel; just call it the MP7. It's a fast, aggressive weapon that excels in close range engagements, combining responsive handling with the kind of time to kill potential that makes it dangerous when you're pushing into enemy territory. It's also one of the strongest weapons in the early Modern Warfare 4 meta. It does everything. I think I've got a 60 round mag unlocked on mine, and I've got it kitted out. It's my second most used weapon. It may be my first, and the M4 may be second.

It's good for players who want to stay mobile, be aggressive and punish anyone who gives them an opening. It isn't necessarily the weapon I'd choose for long range by any means, but who cares? You can use the MP7 to get into somebody's personal space, put them down before they can react and move on to the next target, all while keeping a solid mid range time to kill. And if the enemy team starts complaining, that usually means you're doing something right.

1. M4: the strongest all round weapon in Modern Warfare 4

Shocker: number one is the M4. Another M4 at the top of yet another Call of Duty tier list. What is it about Call of Duty since Modern Warfare 2019 and the M4? This is probably Modern Warfare 4's strongest all round weapon. It has the combination of manageable recoil, responsive handling and versatility, and it's effective in any engagement. You can build it for close to medium range, or you can build it for longer range. It doesn't need a bizarre gimmick or a specialized play style to be effective. Like Todd Howard says, it just works.

When you need to take a fight across the map, it's capable of doing the job. When somebody rounds a corner unexpectedly, you aren't stuck with a weapon that handles like a heavy goods vehicle. And when you start experimenting with attachments, you have so much flexibility to make the rifle suit your preference. This thing is the Swiss Army knife of Modern Warfare 4: reliable, adaptable and almost impossible to justify leaving behind. It might not be the most exotic or exciting weapon in the arsenal, but there's a reason this rifle keeps climbing to the top of every tier list in every Call of Duty game.

Call of Duty can introduce a dozen new guns with fancy names, cool designs and attachments that look like they were invented by NASA, and somehow the M4 still ends up being one of the best choices. "At this point, it's not just a gun. It's the franchise's reoccurring villain."