Best Assault Rifles attachments in CoD Modern Warfare and Warzone
The best assault rifles and attachments in Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Warzone. All guns are split in four tiers.
The analysis has been provided by qKatana, a veteran Call of Duty player who wrote each gun guide only after unlocking the corresponding Gold camo.
Note that optics are very subjective, and you may prefer a different one depending on your personal preferences, your tactical approach, and the game mode: this is particularly relevant in Warzone as we fight in a large map.
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Tier S
M4A1
There is an extensive number of attachments in Call of Duty, especially on the M4A1 with 71 levels (71 attachments), leading to a variety of setups. This is my personal favourite as it dominates at a distance and mid-range, and it still competes in close quarters thanks to a decent ADS time and sprint to fire speed.
Corvus Custom Marksman. Increases damage range by 30% and reduces the recoil by a fair amount, while also allowing faster bullet travel time for those greater distances. Reduces ADS speed by just 1 frame and movement speed by 3%.
It can be swapped with the Stock M16 Grenadier barrel for an extra 10% damage range, but the latter also reduces ADS speed by 2 frames instead of 1 and movements speed by 4% - recoil control is the same. In my opinion, it is not worth the slower ADS speed for public matches.
Compensator. Drastically reduces vertical recoil (recoil control) compared to under-barrel attachments. Hitting shots with it is a lot easier.
Stippled Grip Tape. ADS speed increased by 2 frames along with a sprint to fire time reduction: it helps with sudden engagements at close range to start shooting faster after sprinting. It also reduces aiming stability, but it is almost negligible.
Commando Foregrip. Reduces the horizontal recoil (recoil stabilization) and pairs very well with the Compensator to eliminate recoil almost completely. It is easily replaceable with the “no stock” attachment for a faster paced M4A1, which I enjoy using when playing on shorter maps.
G.I. Mini Reflex. This is my favourite optic. It doesn’t actually reduce the ADS speed at 60 FPS, even though the game description says it does. The M4A1 iron sights are good, but I think this makes it a lot cleaner and better. It can be replaced with the “no stock” attachment to be much more mobile and still easy to control.
Tier A
KILO 141
Initially, I was losing a lot of gunfights with the KILO 141, but then I realized I had been using it in the wrong way. I was handling it as an SMG, without pre-aiming corners or sight lines, so I switched my playstyle to be more like an AR, and it worked wonders.
Singuard Arms 16.6” SOCOM. Increases damage range by 30% and slows down ADS by 1 frame. I do not recommend the 19.8” barrel because even if it increases the range by 45%, it adds 2 frames to your ADS, and your movement speed is reduced by 4%! Essentially, your speed becomes almost the same as an LMG.
Stippled Grip Tape. Reduces ADS time by 2 frames, and it also seems to reduce sprint to fire speed by 5-10%, although isn’t consistent for every weapon.
Commando Foregrip. The KILO 141 doesn’t have much recoil, though it does bounce around a bit without this attachment. It just makes the gun much easier to control without reducing your ADS speed. I wouldn’t recommend any other grip as they reduce vertical recoil.
G.I. Mini Reflex. The iron sights on the KILO 141 are pretty good, although they can be a bit obstructive, and I prefer a nice clean red dot sight with a thin frame.
50 Round Mags. I tried using Compensator on this weapon, but honestly it didn’t do much like it does for the M4A1. There aren’t other useful attachments to put on the KILO, so I opted for a larger mag: it is not really necessary, but it is nice and only reduces movement speed by 1% (ADS speed is <1 frame).
I do not recommend using the 60 round mag as it takes away 3% movement speed. 2% movement speed for 10 more rounds is just unnecessary and hinders the weapon.
Notes: The “no stock” attachment can replace any of the last two attachments and the gun will be bouncier, but you will be a lot more mobile. I wouldn’t recommend the barrel with a silencer; the SOCOM is the only barrel you should be using on this gun, and it is a must have. Keep in mind that this gun is not an SMG, so do not play it like one.
AK-47
The AK-47 is a beast, with a 3-shot kill range of about 26m and a TTK of 216ms. This baby is very fun to use. It also has a very fast reload speed of approximately 1.1s, which seems as if sleight of hand is already built in to the weapon.
Compensator. This recoil-reducing attachment benefits the AK-47 the most as the recoil pattern by default is very wild and kicks vertically with great magnitude. The Compensator probably cuts that to about 2/3 of the default height it reaches when testing recoil. The first 3-4 bullets are always very far from each other, then it gets much tighter, thus pre-firing is very good on this weapon.
Stippled Grip Tape. Reduces ADS time by 2 frames and sprint to fire time by about 5-10% (1-2 frames), which is an approximation as it is different for every weapon. A staple for every weapon loadout, IMO.
No stock. Reduces ADS time by 2 frames, which is very helpful as the AK-47 has a very slow ADS speed by default at 300ms. Increases movement speed by 5%: this is huge for an AR with a base movement speed of 93%, which the slowest in the AR category. Skeleton stock received a nerf, so it is not better than “no stock” now.
Merc Foregrip. Again, this just reduces recoil while barely decreasing ADS speed when paired with the Compensator. Merc Foregrip or Operator Foregrip are almost always better than Ranger Foregrip as the aiming stability that it provides is almost negligible.
Fully Loaded. The AK-47 has a unique ammo type that no other weapon uses, therefore you can only pick up ammo from other players using the AK-47 too. However, not too many people use it, so when you go on a streak you will have to pick up another weapon, if you’re not using Scavenger or Ammo Crate.
Other optional attachments instead of this perk could be the Spetsnaz Elite, which increases damage range by 20% and increases bullet velocity in exchange for 1 frame of ADS speed, or the 23.0” RPK barrel, which is fantastic for recoil reduction to make the gun viable for longer ranges with an increase of 35% to damage range, a reduction of 3 frames to ADS speed, and 4% movement speed.
The damage range on these barrels seems amazing, however, the AK-47 can 3-shot at any range as long as it hits one bullet to the upper torso or head. With this weapon’s recoil that bounces very high initially, you’re almost always going to be getting a 3-shot kill, therefore the range is not necessary. With this information, I decided that this gun perk is the best attachment possible to use.
Notes: The change of ammo to the SMG type ammo isn’t worth it at all: it increases the TTK by like 60ms out to 26m, and increases recoil significantly (apart from first 3 shots which is decreased), so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Tier B
FR 5.56
I thoroughly enjoyed using this 3-round burst weapon, so much that I almost ranked it in tier A. However, that won’t be the case for most of the player base, so I think B tier is more appropriate. The one bursts with this weapon are super satisfying and happen more often than you would think.
The FR 5.56 is pretty much the FAMAS from other Call of Duty games. The class I created is undoubtedly the best loadout I could’ve come up with. There is no point in putting recoil control attachments on it as it makes no difference to the burst magnitude, and the barrels are unnecessary, so there aren’t many other options.
Stippled Grip Tape. Reduces ADS time by 2 frames, and it also seems to reduce sprint to fire speed by 5-10%, although isn’t consistent for every weapon.
Commando Foregrip. Since recoil control makes about no difference for the burst recoil, the recoil stabilization is perfect and will definitely increase your one burst potential. This foregrip gets rid of the small shake when firing the bursts, and instead of reducing ADS speed like the Muzzle Brake, movement speed is slightly reduced, which is less important for the FR 5.56.
Cronen LP945 Mini Reflex. This is now my go-to reflex sight instead of the G.I. Mini Reflex, but you can put on whichever you prefer - a 1x optic is best though. The reflex helps to hit those one bursts easier due to the precise red dot and frame; the iron sight isn’t great but is usable.
Decrease to ADS speed is shown as a negative, but at 60 FPS it doesn’t make a difference, unless paired with another attachment with a <1 ADS speed decrease.
FSS Tac-Wrap. Increase to ADS speed by 1 frame and only a decrease to aiming stability which is negligible. With this the ADS speed is reduced from a base of 317ms down to approximately 267ms, which is crucial to aim at the enemy as quick as possible and get the full burst off before they can react.
Sleight of Hand. Reduced reload (add) time from 1.65s to 1.17s. This isn’t major, but it is the most helpful fifth attachment in my opinion.
Notes: The burst delay is 225ms, so if you miss a bullet the time to kill goes from a super quick 120ms to a very slow 345ms, which is what prevents this weapon from reaching Tier A.
The 24.4” Sniper barrel is definitely unnecessary, as the recoil control is not needed. The damage range is welcomed, but again not necessary because you will be rarely able to one burst at a distance: the burst kick is too much for greater distances. Moreover, it decreases your ADS speed by 3 frames, and that will just bring us back to square one with ADS time.
Tier C
M13
The M13 is not the greatest weapon, and it is best suited to mid-range gun fights where its 5-shot kill range extends to. It has a below average TTK out to 39m (if range attachments stack how I think they do) at 260ms with this setup, but is very forgiving due to its high fire rate at 923RPM.
50 Round Mags. With a high fire rate and low damage, this weapon suffers from ammo consumption. It is strongly advised to use the 50-Round Mag over the .300 AAC Blackout rounds or 60-Round Mag because of the 3% movement speed reduction instead of 1% with the 50 rounds.
Tempus Marksman. Increases damage range by 33%, which is very important for the M13 as the 6-shot kill range begins at 27m usually, but with this barrel it extends to about 36m. The increased bullet velocity is nice, and the added recoil control is necessary for this weapon.
Stippled Grip Tape. Reduces ADS time by 2 frames, and it also seems to reduce sprint to fire speed by 5-10%, although isn’t consistent for every weapon.
No Stock. This stock reduces ADS time by 2 frames, which significantly helps with aiming at the enemy first, and it is great paired with the stippled grip tape. It does increase recoil control, but it isn’t very noticeable to me when paired with the Tempus Marksman barrel. Skeleton stock was nerfed and now is much worse than before due to the movement speed reduction from 8% to 0.
Monolithic Suppressor. This attachment isn’t too important if you hate the recoil on the M13, however, I don’t mind it and I find it very manageable without Compensator. The suppressor also prevents people from turning around immediately if you miss the first few shots.
Notes: Iron sights are very good for this weapon, so it doesn’t need a reflex, but it can be swapped with the Monolithic Suppressor or even the “no stock” if you’d like to play a bit slower.
FN SCAR 17
In the beginning, it was very frustrating to get kills with the FN SCAR 17, especially without attachments due to its slow ADS speed and low magazine capacity. I thought this gun was probably the worst in its category, but after playing with it to gold, I don’t believe it is that bad.
TTK out to about 30 meters is 200ms with the 3-shot kill range, and 300ms thereafter with 4 shots to kill. I believe this range is adequate, and it is not necessary to use an extended barrel as you’ll be spending all your attachments on ADS speed increase if you don’t use the one selected for this guide.
Compensator. The SCAR has a very strong kick like the AK-47 and requires many recoil-reducing attachments to negate it. Compensator is good alone, but it is best paired with the Commando Foregrip to balance out recoil control and stabilization, in order to form a more linear looking recoil pattern.
FORGE TAC CQC Pro. This attachment is excellent, but it does have its downsides. The SCAR has a slow default ADS Speed of 350ms, and this attachment brings it down to approximately 280ms, which is on par with the other weapons in the assault rifle category. Additionally, your 93% movement speed will be increased by 2%, again bringing the SCAR up to par with the other AR’s in this department.
Recoil control is almost completely negated by our recoil-reducing attachment combo, which is excellent. The decreased bullet velocity is a big con, but I still recommend using this barrel.
Stippled Grip Tape. Reduces ADS time by 2 frames, and it also seems to reduce sprint to fire speed by 5-10%, although isn’t consistent for every weapon.
Commando Foregrip. Paired with the Compensator, this is an excellent choice to get rid of the annoying bounce from side to side which causes a lot of missed bullets.
If you choose not to run with this attachment, it can be swapped out for a stock such as the FSS Close Quarters Stock (I wouldn’t recommend FTAC Collapsible as recoil control is significantly worse when only using Compensator with this), or an optic if necessary, but I feel the iron sights are excellent as they have always been for the SCAR in past Call of Duty games.
30 Round Mags. A base starting ammo capacity of 20 doesn’t really get the job done, so 25 round mags are needed at the least, even if using Ammo Crate or Scavenger. I opt for the 30 round mags as there is still no reduction to ADS speed with this bigger mag as there usually is.
With a 3% movement speed reduction, you’re back down to 92% movement speed, which is not bad. You can also use the 25 round mags as it will not reduce ADS speed either and will only penalize movement speed by 1%.
ODEN
The Oden was very frustrating to play with, and honestly one of the toughest weapons to find a good loadout for. With this weapon loadout there is one big downside: the ammunition. I suggest selecting the Munitions Box field upgrade when using the Oden as you only have 60 ammo total.
Stippled Grip Tape. Reduces ADS time by 2 frames, and it also seems to reduce sprint to fire speed by 5-10%, although isn’t consistent for every weapon.
Compensator. The recoil pattern on the Oden is vertical and curves towards the left. The distance between the first few shots is reduced by the combination of Compensator and an underbarrel attachment that improves recoil control. This is very important for the Oden and will decrease the strong magnitude of the recoil. Less than 1 frame reduction to ADS speed, so it is not noticeable at 60 FPS.
Operator Foregrip. Paired with the Compensator, the Operator Foregrip is a great addition to the Oden, and it doesn’t reduce aim walking movement speed like the Merc and Ranger foregrips. Same negative stats as the Compensator.
Tac Laser. Increased ADS speed by 2 frames, which is what we are looking for here. The main downside is that the laser is visible, yet it is necessary for the Oden since it has the slowest ADS speed in its class. Other benefits include improved aim walking steadiness and aiming stability, the former being more useful.
Substitutes could include the improved ADS stock attachment, which only increases ADS speed by 1 frame instead of 2.
Sleight of Hand. Significantly reduces the reload speed from 1.95s to 1.13s: it is a huge difference of 42%. Personally, I think this increase is much better than having an extra 5 rounds in each mag, but that is also an option which will also decrease movement speed by 1.5%.
Notes: You can possibly use Colossus Suppressor instead of the Compensator, but the ADS speed will be a little slower.
FAL
I got tired of single tap firing for hours, and I honestly hated this gun at some stages. The theoretical TTK for the FAL out to about 42m is fast at 120ms (assuming 500RPM), but that is very difficult to achieve in reality. It’s a 2-shot kill to the upper torso or head, so you better aim high.
The challenges weren’t a problem for the most part, but I have regrets in my class setups while levelling and completing this weapon. I tried pretty much everything: from burst mode to ADS heavy attachments to recoil reducing attachments, and I eventually found a happy medium after achieving gold.
XRK Marksman. You absolutely don’t need the range increase of 25% on this gun, but it is nice. The more important parts are recoil control and bullet velocity: the former is better than using a compensator, and the latter is very helpful due to the semi-auto nature of the FAL.
It supposedly decreases ADS time by 3 frames but doesn’t feel like it; along with a 2% decrease to movement speed. Nonetheless, it is worth it as the default ADS time is unexpectedly good at 284ms.
Stippled Grip Tape. Reduces ADS time by 2 frames, and it also seems to reduce sprint to fire speed by 5-10%, although isn’t consistent for every weapon. This attachment is undoubtedly a must have on this gun to get the ADS speed back to normal.
Commando Foregrip. The combination of XRK barrel and Commando Foregrip is much stronger than the usual Compensator + Commando Foregrip, and it achieves the same goal of gaining greater accuracy. Without Commando, the gun bounces side to side a lot more, so this attachment is almost a necessity. This gun won’t get many 2-shot kills without recoil reducing/stabilizing attachments.
Factory 18” Aluminum Stock. Usually, I wouldn’t opt for this type of stock that increases aim walking speed or “strafe” speed, but it’s a very nice addition to the FAL because it gives the ability to peak corners faster while aiming down sight. Without it, you might lose the fight before you can get 2 bullets out.
Sleight of Hand. Reduces reload (add) time from 1.94s to 1.25s, which is a 35% reduction and is much better than the 24 round mags, IMO. I wouldn’t recommend the 30 round mags though since there is an ADS decrease by 1 frame and movement speed decrease of 2%, but it isn’t too bad.
Originally, I used the Compensator as I thought it helped to hit my shots, but afterwards I felt it wasn’t worth the attachment slot, so I opted for Sleight of Hand.
Notes: The FAL is certainly one of the worst Assault Rifles in the game, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
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Credit for guides and gun images: qKatana - Header image: Activision
