Modern Warfare 4 Best Guns: MW4 Beta Tier List & Loadouts

With October 23 closing in, Modern Warfare 4 is the shooter everyone seems to be talking about, and DMZ is finally coming back. The Beta showed just how hungry players are: millions jumped in every day across its two weekends.

All that playtime sparked one big argument. Was the time-to-kill, or TTK, way too fast? Infinity Ward listened and retuned nearly every gun mid-test. That's why this guide sticks to the final Beta balance: the August 31 tuning pass that stayed live until the Beta closed on September 1.

So which guns came out on top? Below, you'll find the full tier list, a build for each top gun, and which weapon to level first.

Still choosing an edition or how to start your progression? The Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 account listings are worth a look before the Multiplayer grind kicks off.

Update policy: This guide is based on the final MW4 Beta balance. We'll update the rankings and builds after the launch patch, again after a full week of Multiplayer, and after every big seasonal weapon update.

How We Ranked the Guns

We looked at each gun's final-Beta damage, effective range, recoil, handling, ease of use, how it played across different map lanes, and what its Apex Attachment actually adds. TTK matters, of course. But a fast kill on paper doesn't help much if you can't keep the gun on target. That's why an easy-to-control rifle that handles lots of common fights can sit above a specialist that only shines in one perfect spot.

We only ranked primary weapons you could put in a custom Multiplayer loadout. That rules out the Wz. 55 Striga, which only showed up in the Campaign mission, and the Axion, which was stuck in a preset class. Nobody could level either gun or try out its Gunsmith attachments and Apex progression.

MW4 Beta Gun Tier List

Here's the MW4 Beta gun tier list at a glance, with each weapon's name, class, and rank.

S

M4
Assault Rifle

ISO Nightshade
SMG

KG-7 Vulcan
Sniper Rifle

A

Kastov 762
Assault Rifle

Han 86
Assault Rifle

Hyeon Burst
Assault Rifle

Oris 8.6
Marksman Rifle

PPSh-41
SMG

Rezi 12
Shotgun

Signal .50
Sniper Rifle

B

Patriot XMR
Assault Rifle

X-58 Nyx
SMG

FiNN LMG
LMG

Type 73
LMG

MAR-9
Marksman Rifle

Below it, we go through the top guns one by one: how they play, and where each one lets you down.

Best Guns in the MW4 Beta

M4 — Best Overall Gun

If you just want a gun that works, take the M4. It behaves the same way whether a fight starts up close or drifts out to mid range. In the final Beta build, it did 24 damage per shot out to 26.3 meters and 19 after that. Those aren't big numbers, but the gentle recoil and steady fire rate make it much easier to string hits together than with the harder-kicking Kastov 762.

• Handling and accuracy: Weekend Two cut the M4's damage profile from four range bands down to two, so it no longer bleeds damage a little at a time as targets move away. You always have a good idea of what each burst will do. It isn't the best at everything. The ISO Nightshade wins a clean close-range duel, and a sniper owns an open sightline. The M4 makes S Tier because it so rarely ends up in a fight it can't win.
• Recommended Beta build: Run the FSS IS300, FSS Fireline Grip, Brace DX Grip, PF1 Fixed Stock, and SA LAZ-500. This setup keeps recoil in check without making the rifle feel slow. Not a fan of the iron sights? Drop either the laser or the stock and add a Slimline Elite optic.
• Apex value: The M4 Hurricane turns the rifle into a top-loading, high-capacity 5.7x28mm variant. It fires faster and handles more like an SMG. The August 31 update took it down a peg, though, cutting max damage from 30 to 27 and the headshot multiplier from 1.3 to 1.25. If your fights happen at all kinds of ranges, the standard M4 is still the safer bet. We'll retest Hurricane's recoil, mag handling, and TTK after the launch patch.

ISO Nightshade — Best SMG

The M4 does a bit of everything. The ISO Nightshade does one thing really well: close-range pressure. In the final Beta build, it did 21 damage per shot out to 10.1 meters, 17 out to 18.9 meters, 15 out to 25.9 meters, and 13 after that. The 1.3 headshot multiplier pays off if you can track the upper body, but what really sells the ISO is how fast it gets into a fight and back out.

• Handling and accuracy: The ISO was one of the few guns that got stronger on the last full day of the Beta. It picked up a point of max damage, slightly longer range bands, and a higher headshot multiplier. This 9x19mm SMG kicks more than the very low-recoil X-58 Nyx, but it's easy enough to control at normal SMG distances.

Once you're past 18.9 meters, it takes its second damage drop, and that's where its useful range ends. Walking it into an open lane against someone mounted with an assault rifle wastes the speed that makes the ISO good in the first place.

• Recommended Beta build: Go with the ZLR Carbon-900, FSS Crackdown, FSS TAC90 Grip, Demo STP-1, and XRK Clutch-LS. The barrel and underbarrel keep your shots tight near the edge of its first two damage ranges. The rear grip and laser keep it snappy for rushing an objective or taking a fight around a corner.
• Apex value: ISO Trace loads RFID-tagging rounds. Land a hit, and the built-in optic shows a red dot that follows the target's movement and direction. That's great for chasing down someone who limps behind cover. We'll know how good it really is at launch, when the full map pool and bigger perk list give players more ways to shake off a chase, or keep one going.

Kastov 762 — Best High-Damage AR

Want heavier hits and don't mind working harder for them? The Kastov 762 is your rifle. Its final Beta damage was 30 per shot out to 24.1 meters, 24 out to 40.1 meters, and 21 after that. The extra punch comes with a lot more kick, so it pays to open with a clean first shot and keep your bursts short. A long spray that starts off target usually ends badly.

• Handling and accuracy: Give the recoil pattern a few matches and it gets manageable, but each miss still hurts more than it would on a faster-firing rifle. Around the 40.1-meter mark, stick to short bursts. Try not to load it up with every heavy recoil attachment, either. Go too far and aiming and strafing start to feel like wading through mud.
• Recommended Beta build: Use the Gauge-12 Mono, FSS Fireline Grip, Spetsnaz S10 Stock, Slimline Elite, and XRK Clutch-LS. Put Kastov 545 in the Apex slot if you want smoother follow-up shots. Prefer the weight of the original 7.62x39mm rifle? Keep the same five attachments and skip the conversion.
• Apex value: Kastov 545 switches the rifle to 5.45x39mm, so it handles more smoothly and follow-up shots come faster. The catch is range. Weekend Two shrank its top damage band from 17.7 meters to just 11. Even so, it was the more useful of the two Apex options in everyday Beta gunfights.

Kastov ARC is a different beast. This experimental barrel fires a high-intensity RF pulse that can disable enemy soldiers, knock out electronics, and throw vehicles off balance. It's hard to judge in the Beta, though. We'll need the full launch lineup of maps, equipment, and Killstreaks to see where it fits.

KG-7 Vulcan — Best Sniper Rifle

If you trust your first shot, the KG-7 Vulcan is the sniper to grab. This high-capacity bolt-action cycles fast for its class, and it carries enough ammo to keep you in the game across several fights. Its final Beta damage was 102 out to 67.5 meters, 99 from there to 86.3 meters, and 95 past that.

Weekend Two pushed that top damage band from 56.8 meters out to 67.5, which covers most sightlines on a normal 6v6 map. On the odd shot beyond that, where you hit starts to matter more.

• Handling and accuracy: The KG-7 is accurate, but holding an angle gets tough once someone tags you first. Weekend Two made snipers flinch 28% more when hit, and flinch is that upward jolt your scope takes when you get shot. So pick your spot carefully and keep cover close. The quick bolt gives you a second try after a miss. It won't help much if you sit scoped in out in the open.
• Recommended Beta build: Equip the Haebang Naseon V.5 26", DS RKT-90, 6 Round Mag, Bruen KG-7 Mk. IV, and XRK Clutch-LS. You get a steadier rifle and more shots between reloads. This is a build for patient, deliberate sniping. Don't expect it to play like a twitchy quickscope setup.
• Apex value: KG-9 Drillcharge puts drill charges on the side of the rifle. Each one bores into a surface and blows up a moment later. Instead of waiting for a camper to peek, you can force them to move. The official Beta guide didn't say how many charges you get, how long the fuse is, or how it deals with thicker walls. Those are the first things we'll test at launch.

Hyeon Burst — Best Burst Rifle

The Hyeon Burst gives you a different way to own mid range. This North Korean 6.8 SPC prototype fires a hard-hitting three-round burst. In the final Beta build, it did 30 damage per shot out to 22.1 meters, 24 out to 42.1 meters, and 22 after that.

Weekend Two was rough on it. Top damage fell from 36 to 30, and most of its body-part multipliers got flattened. Now it's all about keeping all three rounds together and getting the next burst out fast.

• Handling and accuracy: The gun settles between bursts far more easily than it would during a long full-auto spray. Miss that first burst, though, and you'll feel the delay. The August 31 patch brought back a 1.1 neck multiplier, so clean upper-body shots are worth a bit more again. Infinity Ward didn't share final numbers for its ADS time, sprint-to-fire time, bullet velocity, or burst delay, so we'll measure all four at launch.
• Recommended Beta build: Use the FSS IS300, Mugi Ingoem 558.8mm, Slimline Elite, Mugi UN-R5 Grip, and SA LAZ-500, then put Hyeon Hyperburst in the Apex slot. These parts keep the first burst grouped and your view clear when Hyperburst drops into its slower full-auto.
• Apex value: Hyeon Auto turns the rifle into a steady full-auto gun. Hyeon Hyperburst opens with a lightning-fast three-round burst, then slows into full-auto. Hyperburst is the one that keeps what makes the Hyeon special, even after Weekend Two trimmed its top damage range from 29.4 to 24.6 meters. Auto is easier to pick up, but then you're competing with assault rifles that are more forgiving from the very first shot.

Oris 8.6 — Best Marksman Rifle

The Oris 8.6 sits somewhere between a nimble marksman rifle and a full sniper. It's a lightweight bolt-action chambered in 8.6 Blackout. In the final Beta, it did 95 damage out to 19 meters, 84 out to 30 meters, 70 out to 46 meters, and 58 after that.

With a 1.6 headshot multiplier, a clean headshot drops anyone. Body shots are another story. What happens depends on your range and on exactly where the round lands, so 95 base damage on its own doesn't promise a one-shot kill.

• Handling and accuracy: It moves and aims more easily than a full-size sniper, and plenty of Beta players ran it aggressively in medium lanes because of that. The speed has a cost. If a body shot doesn't kill, you have to cycle the bolt while recoil throws your sight off target. The August 31 update also shortened its two strongest damage ranges. Up close, you can't count on just any body hit.
• Recommended Beta build: Equip the EXP Crosstac 22", XRK Clutch-LS, Lightfir-5 Quick Bolt, Schlager 7x, and Bruen R7-TC Grip. You get more damage range, a faster bolt, better flinch resistance, and a steadier scope. On smaller 6v6 maps, trade the 7x scope for a clear low-zoom optic so close targets are easier to follow.
• Apex value: Oris 8.6 Razor adds a small blade module with two quick-draw kunai, a quiet backup for when someone gets too close. An August 22 patch made you wait longer between throws, so think of it as a panic button, not your main attack. At launch, we'll recheck which body areas give a one-shot kill, how fast it aims down sights, and how long Razor makes you wait between throws.

MW4 Weapon Systems

Apex Attachments

A few of the builds above rely on systems that are new to Modern Warfare, so here's a quick rundown. Apex Attachments are what you get for maxing out a supported weapon. They have their own slot, so all five regular Gunsmith slots stay free. Don't expect simple stat boosts. Hurricane changes the M4's caliber and design, Hyperburst changes how the Hyeon fires, and Drillcharge gives the KG-7 a way to clear cover.

Since they can change a gun's whole job, the base weapon and its Apex version can feel like two different guns.

Gunny Builds

Gunny, short for Gunnery Sergeant, is an optional build helper in Create a Class. It builds Short Range, Balanced, or Long Range setups out of attachments you've already unlocked, all designed by Infinity Ward's developers. It's a nice shortcut when you pick up a gun you don't know yet. Once you've figured out which lanes or routes you like, though, your own build will make better use of those five slots.

Shared Attachment Progression

You only unlock each attachment once, and then it works on every weapon that can use it. If a gun hits a level that would hand you an attachment you already have, Bonus Level Up skips that level for you. The early grind feels much less repetitive because of it. It's also a good reason to max out one flexible starter gun before you move on to the specialists.

What to Level First

Knowing all that, the M4 is the best first gun for most players to level. You can learn the launch maps with it without being stuck at one range. Once you know the close flanking routes and how teams move between objectives, switch to the ISO Nightshade. Already a sniper at heart? The KG-7 Vulcan is open from the start and makes just as good a first project.

Save the Kastov 762 for later. It's a better fit once you're ready to swap easy recoil for harder hits, and it comes with two very different Apex options to play with.

It's tempting to try every gun early on, but spreading your weapon XP that thin slows you down. Maxing out one gun unlocks its Apex Attachment and gives you parts you can reuse on the next one. One fully leveled weapon usually opens up more options than six guns stuck halfway.

Beta Data and Launch Updates

What the Beta Covered

Keep in mind that the Beta only showed part of the arsenal. MW4 launches with 33 weapons: 24 primaries, eight secondaries, and one melee weapon. The Beta had 22 of them, and not all of those worked in custom loadouts. The Axion and Sang 9mm were locked to preset classes, and the Wz. 55 Striga only appeared in the Campaign mission. None of the three could be leveled or built in Gunsmith, so they're not on the tier list.

What Can Change at Launch

Launch brings the other 11 weapons plus another round of balance changes. In its September 1 Beta wrap-up, Infinity Ward said it still wasn't fully happy with TTK and would keep tuning weapons before release. Expect damage, multipliers, recoil, and attachment penalties to shift first. Today's S-Tier guns are smart ones to learn early, but no Beta can promise they'll still be the best Modern Warfare 4 guns in Season 1.

How This Guide Will Be Updated

The official MW4 Beta patch notes are the starting point for this version. Our first post-launch update will hold that up against the day-one patch and the full launch arsenal. After we've played enough Multiplayer, we'll add measured handling numbers and notes on how each gun does across the whole map pool.

After that, each seasonal update will only touch the rankings, builds, and damage ranges a patch actually changes. That keeps old Beta numbers from getting mixed in with live-game data.

Final Thoughts

Your best first gun really depends on the fights you like to take. Grab the M4 if you want a steady rifle for most of the map, or the ISO Nightshade if your job is to crash close objectives. The Kastov 762 is for players who can tame heavier recoil, and the KG-7 Vulcan rewards anyone who trusts their first shot. The Hyeon Burst and Oris 8.6 are more unusual picks, and both punish misses harder.

If the Beta taught us anything, it's this: pick a gun for the fights you can set up again and again, then use Gunsmith to make it even better at that job.

Modern Warfare 4 Best Guns FAQ

Should I Level the M4 or ISO Nightshade First?

Go with the M4 first if you want a flexible starter that also unlocks recoil and handling attachments you'll use everywhere. Pick the ISO Nightshade instead if you love pushing contested Hardpoints, flanking defenders, and keeping fights inside about 19 meters.

Is M4 Hurricane Better Than the Standard M4?

Not as an everyday replacement. Hurricane makes the M4 a faster-firing 5.7x28mm gun built for close fights, but the final Beta nerf dropped its max damage to 27 and its headshot multiplier to 1.25. If your route runs through tight rooms and medium lanes in the same life, the standard M4 is the more reliable pick.

Can the Oris 8.6 Get a One-Shot Kill With 95 Damage?

Yes, if you hit the head. At its closest range, the final Beta Oris did 95 base damage with a 1.6 headshot multiplier, so a clean headshot is always a kill. Body shots are harder to call. Each part of the body has its own multiplier, and Infinity Ward never published the Oris's torso numbers. Two shots from the same spot can end very differently depending on where they land.

Do MW4 Beta Weapon Levels Carry Over?

No. Your Player Rank, weapon levels, unlocked attachments, and other Beta progress all reset at launch. Beta rewards are the exception. Cosmetics like the Level 30 Beta Forged Han 86 Blueprint carry over and will be waiting for you in the full game.

Are the Best Multiplayer Guns Also Best in Warzone?

Not always. Infinity Ward tunes damage ranges, bullet velocity, ADS speed, sprint-to-fire speed, and mobility separately for Warzone. During the Resurgence Beta on Zodiac, for example, a Warzone-only update cut the M4's sprint-to-fire time from 210ms to 180ms. A close-range ISO build made for 6v6 objectives will probably need more range and recoil control on a bigger Resurgence map.

Does an Apex Attachment Use a Normal Gunsmith Slot?

No. Apex Attachments get their own slot, separate from the five regular Gunsmith slots. You can keep a full recoil or handling build and still add the weapon's unique conversion or gadget on top.

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