M4A1


 * For the similar rifle, see M4 Carbine.

The M4A1 is an assault rifle featured in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare: Mobilized, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and is set to appear in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
"Fully automatic with low recoil. Effective at medium range."

- Create-a-Class description

Campaign
In the Campaign, the M4A1 is introduced in "Blackout" as the SOPMOD variant, sporting a red dot sight, an AN/PEQ-2A laser module, a suppressor, and an M203.

During the campaign, the regular M4A1 is always equipped with a foregrip and a Tasco red dot scope, while the grenadier version is fitted with its grenade launcher and a holographic sight. All variants are equipped with the AN/PEQ-2A.

The Special Air Service uses the M4A1 SOPMOD in the missions "Blackout," "Safehouse," "Ultimatum," "All In," and "No Fighting In The War Room."

Force Recon Marines use the M4A1 Grenadier in "The Bog," "War Pig (Level)," and "Shock & Awe."

Captain Price always wields a suppressed M4A1 except in his flashback missions.

Multiplayer
The M4A1 can be modified with an M203, red dot sight, suppressor, or ACOG after having completed the respective marksman challenges. The M4A1 is an excellent weapon in the right hands, with moderate damage and fairly low recoil. However, the M4A1 has fast, large idle sway making it more difficult to aim properly at long range. The M4A1 shares ammunition with the M16A4 and the G36C. The M4A1 Carbine is one of the most commonly used weapons in online multiplayer on all platforms.

As stated above, the M4A1 is not particularly effective at long range due to its large idle sway. However, the M4A1 is ideal in both close quarters and mid-range combat due to its high rate of fire, decent hipfire accuracy, and low recoil. Steady Aim also makes the M4A1 a even better up close. Stopping Power improves further upon the weapon's versatility, making it deadly at all ranges, and Bandolier aids the player's longevity in combat by offering a large supply of ammunition.

The weapon's low damage output is mitigated by its high rate of fire and very low recoil, allowing for accurate automatic fire at both short and medium ranges and even burst fire at longer ranges. Whether equipped with optics or a grenade launcher for assault or a suppressor for stealth, the M4A1 remains effective in almost all combat situations.

Weapon Attachments

 * Grenade Launcher x2
 * Red Dot Sight
 * Silencer
 * ACOG Scope

Gallery

 * For the full gallery, see M4A1/Gallery. For camouflage images, see M4A1 Carbine/Camouflage.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
The M4A1 returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, this time with a tan finish like many other weapons in the game.

Single Player
The M4A1 is first seen in "S.S.D.D.," (notably as the first weapon in the game) when the player helps train the locals, and seen in almost every mission after that. The M4A1 is commonly used by the Rangers and Task Force 141, as it is the standard assault rifle for the two factions.

In right hands the M4A1 can be a very deadly weapon mainly due to high rate of fire, low recoil, and good accuracy. However, it also sways four degrees making it somewhat difficult to aim. Firing in short bursts makes for accurate medium-to-long-range fire.

A unique "SOPMOD" version of the weapon is used only in "The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday" and in "The Gulag." The SOPMOD M4A1 is equipped with a silencer, red dot sight, and M203. However, in "The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday" the silencer is detached later in the mission. Albeit rarely, there's also an ACOG version of this in the level "The Hornet's Nest", "Of Their Own Accord" and "Contingency" obtainable from fallen allies.

In "Museum", the silenced M4A1's pickup icon is different than usual. It appears to be the unused M4A1 with a silencer and a Tasco Sight from Call of Duty 4, a theory reinforced by the name "M4A1 Suppressed", which they share.

Multiplayer
In Multiplayer, the M4A1 becomes available at level 4, when Create-a-Class is unlocked. The M4A1 is very similar to the ACR, firing 50 RPM faster but having slightly higher recoil. These traits arguably make this rifle inferior to the ACR because the higher RPM is barely noticeable in contrast to its ever-present higher recoil and lower range.

However, even this small increase in fire rate may make the difference at close range, especially in conjunction with Stopping Power. Since this weapon excels at close range, perks like Marathon and Lightweight can be used to close the gap between player and opponent. If total stealth is preferred rather than speed or power, Cold-Blooded can prove to be effective. In addition, perks increasing ammunition availability such as Scavenger or One Man Army are very useful since the rifle uses ammo quickly due to its rather fast fire rate. Steady Aim makes the M4A1 a powerhouse in close quarters. Overall, the M4A1 is one of the most versatile weapons in multiplayer, though often overlooked because of its early unlock.

The M4A1's slight recoil forces the user to burst fire at long range, which makes it more suited to medium to close range while the ACR is more accurate at long range when firing full-auto. The M4A1 benefits greatly from Stopping Power due to its relatively low damage, making it kill in four shots at even the highest ranges. It has almost no benefits from Stopping Power in Hardcore modes, due to the M4A1 being one-hit-kill at close and mid-range, and two at long range. However, with Stopping Power, it will be able to one-shot players if a headshot is made at long ranges, but the effects are generally useless.

Optics are a good choice for the M4A1 as some players find the flip-up Iron Sights to be obstructive, although others may find them to be perfectly usable. The Red Dot Sight is often seen used with the weapon. The Holographic Sight is seen much less often, but can be be slightly better for aiming at targets at close range. The ACOG Scope is surprisingly effective, though one's ability at close ranges will be affected negatively. When used with a silencer, muzzle flash is reduced significantly, making such a setup quite effective for both stealth and close quarters battles.

Weapon Attachments

 * M203
 * Shotgun
 * Red Dot Sight
 * Holographic Sight
 * Silencer
 * Heartbeat Sensor
 * ACOG Scope
 * Thermal Scope
 * FMJ
 * Extended Mags

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized
The M4A1 Carbine is featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized with two variants, the original 3-round burst M4 Carbine, and the fully automatic M4A1. The M4 Carbine and M4A1 have the same rate of fire, but the M4A1 has much more stopping power. However, even with a full-auto firing mechanism, it has the 2nd slowest rate of fire of all the assault rifles in the game.

The M4A1 is very similar in appearance compared to the console and PC one in Call of Duty 4. It has the same reload animation, and it is only found with a red dot sight and foregrip in single player as well, but that is where the similarities end. First of all, the weapon has a higher damage than the Call of Duty 4 version, as it can perform a one shot kill if it is aimed at the chest at any range. Second, it has a higher rate of fire, and, lastly,like all the weapons of Modern Warfare: Mobilized, it has almost no recoil when aiming down the sights.

Singleplayer
In single player, the M4A1 is a starting weapon in the last few missions of the American campaign, and in the middle of the British campaign. Since it has a high rate of fire, and only 120 extra rounds to start with, it usually runs out of ammo before the end of the level. It only appears once in the American campaign and once in the British campaign, making this rifle extremely rare.

Multiplayer
In multiplayer, it is the first weapon unlocked for the Coalition faction, taking 50 kills to unlock. Due to its high rate of fire and low recoil, it is favored by most players.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The M4A1 makes its return in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3; the carbine is shown in the single player mission "Black Tuesday" using 20 round magazines instead the more commonly seen 30 round models. The new M4A1 has a new look as well - a matte black finish and a custom charging handle assist. As in previous installments, a foregrip is mounted by default. From pick-up icons of the M4A1 in gameplay videos of Modern Warfare 3, it is referred to as an "M4." The M4A1 is also the first Assault Rifle unlocked in Create-a-Class.

Not much else is known at this time.

Weapon Attachments

 * M203
 * Holographic Sight
 * ACOG Scope
 * Hybrid Scope
 * Red Dot Sight
 * Extended Mags
 * Shotgun (attachment)
 * Heartbeat Sensor
 * Suppressor
 * Thermal Scope

General

 * When sensitivity is at least six and the player is turning to the right, the M4A1 appears to be missing a rail on the right side of the handguard; this modeling error is most likely for the purpose of saving memory and space.
 * The M4A1's fire selector is modeled on semi-automatic, even though it fires in fully-automatic.
 * The pickup icon for the M4A1 in Call of Duty 4 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer are the same, despite the actual weapons having very notable physical differences
 * It is always found with a purely cosmetic grip, unless a Grenade Launcher, Shotgun or FMJ is attached.
 * It has been in every installment of the Modern Warfare series, a distinction it currently shares with the AK-47, the P90, the RPD, the RPG-7, the M16A4, Dragunov and the Barrett .50cal.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

 * The lower receiver of the M4A1 has "BLUE4" written in tape; the M16A4 shares these markings. "BLUE4" is a reference to BluFor, the opposite of OpFor, which is applied to all NATO forces. It also says, "Property of U.S. Government, Caliber 5.56mm, M4A1 Carbine" over the magazine well, regardless of what faction for which the player is fighting.
 * In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex Edition for Wii, the M4A1 is referred to as the "M4 Carbine" in multiplayer. In campaign, it is correctly referred to as the "M4A1". This is also true for the PC.
 * The M4A1's serial number is "L141583"
 * The M4A1 SOPMOD has the same pickup icon as the M4A1 Grenadier in single player.
 * The M4A1 and the M16A4 has the same firing sound.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

 * The emblem received for getting 500 headshots with the M4A1 reads "M4 Carbine" instead of "M4A1."
 * The M4A1's foregrip disappears in multiplayer when equipped with FMJ, although the animation still looks like the player is holding a foregrip.
 * The M4A1 and M16A4 share reload animations.
 * Attaching an ACOG Scope to an M4A1 in multiplayer causes pickup text to change from "M4A1" to "M4 ACOG Sight."
 * Like the AK-47 and ACR, this weapon's designation with a grenade launcher is "M4A1 Grenadier."
 * In the Create-A-Class icon, the M4A1 lacks its grip.
 * In the Museum, the M4A1 has a different pickup icon.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

 * In the 'Tango Down' Multiplayer trailer the M4A1 can be seen with no foregrip when it's being reloaded, however the player still assumes the position of holding a foregrip, this is most likely due to it being an unfinished model at the time the trailer was made before CoD XP.

M4A1