One of the most exciting aspects of any Call of Duty game is the extensive arsenal a player has access to. With a litany of weapons to choose from across multiple tiers, players may find themselves overwhelmed and may not know exactly which gun to choose when they dive into Call of Duty Modern Warfare.
Every gun brings something to the table, although some are better than others – this was proven in the beta when many players were able to test out various guns available in the game and were able to see firsthand just how well each weapon performs.
The following elucidates, in unequivocal terms, where exactly each gun falls on a tier list. The highest possible rank a gun can have is an ‘S’ rank. What this means is that this is that its individual stats are higher than most other weapons in the game, making it the most balanced and powerful weapon. These are the best of the best, the ones all players should be vying for.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare Weapon Tiers
Below is the list of all the weapons in Call of Duty Modern Warfare, broken down by their ranks.
| Weapon | Tier | Tips |
| M4A1 (Assault Rifle) | S | Available to players by the time they’ve reached Level 6. Its base stats are already quite impressive but augmented with a few attachments and you have a monster at your disposal (the Operator Reflex Sight is recommended). Best to have it as your Secondary weapon with the aid of the Overkill Perk; as a backup if things get a little hairy. |
| M13 (Assault Rifle) | S | A very powerful weapon with good stats nearly across the board. The one area where it’s lacking is that of control. The gun’s recoil is a pain to deal with, especially when firing long-range. Augment with an attachment that lessens recoil to make it more usable. |
| AK-47 (Assault Rifle) | A | This fan favorite had been shockingly nerfed in the Beta, but has gone through some major changes since then, principally in its control. The gun no longer sways as much, nor did it have as great a recoil, making it a user-friendly weapon that retains all the power it’s known for. |
| FN SCAR 17s | A | A decent weapon with solid stats, enough to warrant its relatively high ranking. What gives it the edge over the guns below it is its range; capable of long-range combat, this is definitely a weapon people won’t mind using. |
| FR 5.56 (Assault Rifle) | A | A burst weapon that will surely kill any target if all 3 shots are to land, therefore it’s recommended to augment with whatever attachment increases accuracy. Players will struggler in long-range though, and it’s unlikely you’ll land all 3 hits from afar. |
| FAL (Assault Rifle) | B | A gun with enough DPS to be considered as a viable option in combat, but we still don’t recommend due to its high recoil, low fire-rate, and ineffectiveness in mid to long-range combat. |
| Oden (Assault Rifle) | B | If it weren’t for this weapon’s abysmal firing rate, it would actually be ranked a lot higher – it does tremendous damage per hit – but as is, it is simply too ineffective to be recommended. |
| Kilo 141 (Assault Rifle) | C | Undoubtedly the worst Assault Rifle in the game, and arguably the worst weapon entirely. Its incredibly low damage output makes it completely unusable during combat, and in terms of fire-rate, it is completely outclassed by any SMG. You’re recommended to toss this one away if you end up getting it. |
| MP7 (Submachine Gun) | S | It should go without saying that SMGs are not meant for long-range combat, therefore what you want from your SMG is power and efficiency in short to mid-range combat, and the MP7 is the absolute king in that regard. Veritably high fire-rate and great DPS, it will tear through enemies in half a second! Its low recoil and high control is only the cherry on top. |
| AUG (Submachine Gun) | A | A powerful weapon that can be augmented further with attachments. Its long-range capabilities makes it superior to most SMGs, and its high mobility makes it a breeze to move around with and use. |
| PP19 Bizon (Submachine Gun) | A | A powerful weapon in close-range but not so useful at a longer range, however what gives this weapon the edge is the size of the magazine. A weapon you won’t have to reload as often and will consistently maintain fire on an enemy for a considerable period of time. |
| MP5 (Submachine Gun) | A | An SMG that will hold its own in long-range combat, however its low fire-rate and low DPS means that despite a higher chance of hitting your targets, you’re likely to leave them alive than dead. |
| Uzi (Submachine Gun) | B | The high fire-rate and high mobility may offset the low damage for some people, but for the rest, this weapon is not recommended, unless you’re engaging in close quarters combat. |
| P90 (Submachine Gun) | B | This weapon sacrifices range, damage, accuracy, and mobility for a fast firing rate, making it one of the most unbalanced and useless guns in the game! |
| AX-50 (Sniper Rifle) | S | It is a bolt-action sniper rifle, meaning that it won’t be firing rapidly, however its absurdly high damage output means that you’re looking at a one-hit kill every single time. It’s recommended that you attach a greater sight on it so your long-range combat is supplemented, and you take out hordes of enemies without them even knowing. |
| HDR (Sniper Rifle) | A | A bolt-action sniper rifle like the AX-50, its stats are similar to the AX-50, all except the damage. Doing relatively less damage than its predecessor, this gun is still highly effective, just not as much as the AX-50. |
| Dragunov (Sniper Rifle) | A | Unlike the other two sniper rifles, this one is not bolt-action – it’s semi-automatic. It will fire more consistently and you’re likely to land more hits (and get a follow-up shot if you miss the first one). The biggest drawback it has is its low damage. It’s unlikely to kill an enemy with one shot, unless it’s a headshot, making it slightly less reliable than the other 2 sniper rifles. |
| SA87 (Lightmachine Gun) | S | A powerful weapon that will decimate all opposition, especially in long-range. However, its relatively low fire-rate makes it unreliable in close-range, especially against SMGs. Therefore, it’s recommended that you maintain your distance and make full use of this weapon’s high accuracy. |
| PKM (Lightmachine Gun) | A | Absurdly high damage, even more so than the SA87, however it’s letdown by problematic recoil, making it a difficult to use weapon at all ranges. Therefore, you should augment with a Foregrip or anything that can increase accuracy and reduce recoil; when this weapon’s under control, it shreds! |
| M91 (Lightmachine Gun) | A | A relatively powerful weapon that can deal a fair bit of damage in long-range, however its performance in close-quarters combat is what brings its overall rating down. Its low mobility makes it cumbersome to run around with, and the low fire-rate makes it unreliable in close-range. |
| MG34 (Lightmachine Gun) | B | A WWII relic, this weapon has a surprisingly high fire-rate (making it a viable option in close-range) but the low damage output, accuracy, and mobility makes it too much of a hassle for any other setting. |
| 725 (Shotgun) | S | You would think a double-barreled shotgun wouldn’t be effective as this, but the 725 would prove you wrong. Doing high damage in close and mid-range, this weapon will kill multiple enemies at once, and you will always have a backup shot to finish the job. The reload speed is actually quite swift, making it the most feasibly useful shotgun in the game. |
| Model 680 (Shotgun) | A | A pump-action shotgun that isn’t as consistent as we’d want it to be. Doing great damage per hit, its downside comes in its fire-rate – it’s simply too slow. If you end up missing a shot, you may not get the chance for a follow-up due to the time it’ll take to actually pull the trigger. |
| R9-0 (Shotgun) | A | Another double-barrel shotgun that surprisingly does more damage than the 725, however what it provides in damage and recoil control, it lacks in range. Unlike the 725, which is powerful even in mid-range, this is strictly a close-range weapon. If you find yourself even slightly away from the enemy, it’s dubious whether you’ll actually kill them. That uncertainty is what lowers this weapon’s ranking. |
| Origin 12 (Shotgun) | B | A semi-automatic shotgun that will consistently keep fire on an enemy, however it is completely ineffective when even a few feet away from the target. Its high fire-rate belies the fact that this is a weak and powerless weapon. |
| MK2 Carbine (Marksman Rifle) | S | This mid-range rifle is the only one in its category of Marksman Rifles to actually have the damage output to kill enemies with one hit. Despite the fact that it doesn’t fire as quickly as you would want, it is still the most effective and reliable from its class. |
| EBR-14 (Marksman Rifle) | A | This semi-automatic rifle does a staggeringly large amount of damage per hit, and the low recoil makes it a great choice. However, its iron sights make long-range shooting difficult – even mid-range shots are challenging. Therefore, it’s recommended that you attach some scope to it. |
| Kar98K (Marksman Rifle) | A | Another WWII relic that can be relied upon to kill enemies if the shot connects, but it lacks accuracy to a shocking degree. It can be augmented with attachments, so it’s recommended to not equip this weapon until you have all the required attachments to bring the accuracy up. |
