M4A1

The M4A1 is an assault rifle that appears in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Mobile), Modern Warfare: Mobilized, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty Online. It is cut from Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Call of Duty: Ghosts.

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

- Create-a-Class description

Campaign
The M4A1 is introduced in "Blackout" as the SOPMOD variant, supporting a Red Dot Sight, an AN/PEQ-6 laser module, a silencer and an M203.

The regular M4A1 is always equipped with a foregrip and a unique Reflex Sight, while the Grenadier variant is fitted with its grenade launcher and a Holographic Sight. All variants are equipped with the AN/PEQ-6.

The regular M4A1 is used by Force Recon Marines in the mission "Charlie Don't Surf" and by the SAS in "Hunted" and "Game Over". The SAS uses the M4A1 SOPMOD in "Blackout", "Safehouse", "Ultimatum", "All In" and "No Fighting In The War Room". Marines use the M4A1 Grenadier in "The Bog", "War Pig" and "Shock & Awe". Captain Price always wields a suppressed M4A1 except in his flashback missions.

The M4A1 SOPMOD with iron sights that is found in "Ultimatum" (via "give all" console command) has the correct pick-up icon for the default M4A1 SOPMOD. Like the G36C, the M4A1 is not available without a Red Dot Sight or a substitute of it in the campaign, unless the player spawns a different version via the console in "Ultimatum", "All In", or "No Fighting In The War Room".

Multiplayer
Known instead as the M4 Carbine, it can be modified with an M203, Red Dot Sight, suppressor, or ACOG Scope after having completed the respective marksman challenges. The M4 Carbine is an excellent weapon in the right hands, with moderate damage and fairly low recoil. However, the M4 Carbine has fast, large idle sway making it more difficult to aim properly at long range. The M4 Carbine shares ammunition with the M16A4 and the G36C. The M4 Carbine is one of the most commonly used weapons in online multiplayer on all platforms, due to its low unlock level and good stats.

As stated above, the M4 Carbine 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 even better in close quarters. 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
 * Red Dot Sight
 * Silencer
 * ACOG Scope
 * Reflex Sight (Campaign only)
 * Holographic Sight (Campaign only)

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Mobile)
The M4A1 appears in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Mobile) under the name of "Primary Weapon" and is used by every character in the game.

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. Unlike its Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare counterpart, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 version does not have the carrying handle and iron sights, instead having a Picatinny rail and a backup iron sights mounted. Aside from the appearance and sounds, the weapon is completely unchanged from Call of Duty 4.

Campaign
The M4A1 is the standard assault rifle for the Rangers and Task Force 141. There are a total of seven variants of the M4A1 in the campaign, excluding Roach's unique Arctic Camouflage version.

The plain M4A1 is the first weapon used by PFC Allen in "S.S.D.D.", and can be taken from dead allies later in the game. This is also the only campaign variant without an M203.

The most common variants are the four "Grenadier" variants with different optics. The ironsight "M4A1 Grenadier" is commonly used by allies, and is one of Allen's second starting weapon in "No Russian". It is also acquired at the start of "Whiskey Hotel" along with an M9, unless the player plays it immediately after "Second Sun", in which case he retains his weapons from that level. It is also found next to some dead Rangers and ammunition crates in the aforementioned levels and "Of Their Own Accord".

The "M4A1 Grenadier w/ Red Dot Sight" is less commonly used by Task Force 141 members, most notably by Roach. One is given to him after planting the C4 in "The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday". It seems to be his M4A1 SOPMOD with the Suppressor detached. The same variant is used by Soap after Roach detonates the C4. In "The Gulag" Roach's second starting weapon is a unique Arctic Camouflage version of it, which is the only camouflaged M4A1 in the Modern Warfare 2 campaign. This variant also appears to have an invisible infrared laser sight under the barrel, acting identically to the one in Call of Duty 4, visible only with nightvision. The same weapon is later found in the armory in "Loose Ends", again, with the standard tan and black finish. This variant is also rarely used by Task Force 141 NPCs in most levels where they are encountered. Note that the Red Dot Sight on this variant has the zoom level of an ACOG scope.

The "M4A1 Grenadier w/ Holographic" is less commonly used by Rangers and Task Force 141 NPCs. It is the starting weapon of Pvt. Ramirez in "Of Their Own Accord". Another one is automatically taken after using the Javelin in the "crow's nest". After the helicopter crash another one is given to him by Wade, but most players abandon it after the EMP in favor of the iron sight variant.

The "M4A1 Grenadier w/ ACOG Sight" is less commonly used by Task Force 141 NPCs. In "The Gulag", Soap uses one to launch a flare from its M203 for the chopper to drop the SPIE rig. Several are also found on the upper floors of the building in "Of Their Own Accord", before boarding the Little Bird.

Before planting the C4 in "The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday", Roach uses a suppressed variant of the "M4A1 Grenadier w/ Red Dot Sight" called the "M4A1 SOPMOD". It uses the same attachments as in Call of Duty 4, with their Modern Warfare 2 appearances. Its Red Dot Sight has the zoom level of a Holographic Sight.

The "M4A1 Suppressed" is seen used by friendly NPCs during the stealth "The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday". It can only be obtained by the player in the Museum. This M4A1 has a unique pickup icon, which appears to be the unused M4A1 with a silencer and the singleplayer Red Dot Sight from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, a theory reinforced by the name "M4A1 Suppressed", which they share.

Multiplayer
The M4A1 is available at level 4 as a default weapon, when Create-a-Class is unlocked. The M4A1 is very similar to the ACR, firing faster but having slightly higher recoil. These traits arguably make this rifle inferior to the ACR because the higher rate of fire 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 the 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 high 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 ranges 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 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 combat. However, the Thermal Scope is not recommended as it greatly increases the recoil that the weapon already has.

Weapon Attachments

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

Special Ops
The M4A1 is a starting weapon in "The Pit" (M4A1 without any attachments), "Snatch and Grab" (M4A1 Grenadier w/ Red Dot Sight), "Breach and Clear" (Arctic camouflage M4A1 Grenadier w/ Red Dot Sight), "Estate Takedown"  (M4A1 Grenadier w/ Holographic) and "Wetwork" (M4A1 Grenadier w/ Red Dot Sight). It an also be picked up in "Overwatch", "Estate Takedown" (M4A1 Grenadier w/ Red Dot Sight, found in the armory), "Wreckage" (M4A1 Grenadier, found many times in the level) and "Armor Piercing". All its variants are the same as in the Campaign.

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

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

Campaign
In the campaign, the M4A1 is a starting weapon in the last few missions of the American campaign, and in the middle of the Task Force 141 campaign. Since it has a high rate of fire, and only 120 reserved 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 many players. It is the most powerful, but slowest firing assault rifle in the game.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
"In place of raw firepower, the M4A1 favors top handling and mobility. Minimal recoil keeps you on target through sustained fire, making up for the weapon's low damage output with consistent, accurate shots."

- Call of Duty: Elite description

The M4A1 makes its return in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The M4A1 has a new look; a matte black finish, a custom charging handle assist, MAGPUL M.O.E. stock, a different magazine, and slightly different iron sights. The M4A1 has a 30-round magazine. As in previous installments, a foregrip is mounted by default.

Campaign
The M4A1 is the first weapon to be used in the campaign, being Frost's weapon at the start of "Black Tuesday", in which it is equipped with a Hybrid Sight. It is also a starting weapon in "Goalpost", "Return to Sender", "Iron Lady", "Down the Rabbit Hole", and "Dust to Dust". It is an alternate weapon in "Persona Non Grata". Captain Price gives Yuri his M4A1 in "Blood Brothers" after carrying Soap to safety following their failed assassination on Makarov.

The M4A1 has the zoom of an ACOG Scope most of the time when aiming down the sights, regardless of which optic is attached, with the exception of the Hybrid Sight (in which case one will receive a normal zoom level when using the Red Dot Sight). Ironically, in "Down the Rabbit Hole", the M4A1 has an ACOG Scope attached, but it has the zoom of a Red Dot Sight.

Multiplayer
The M4A1 is unlocked as soon as Create-A-Class is unlocked at Level 4. It has low to moderate recoil and a high rate of fire. The damage up close is high, requiring three hits to the body to kill, but the damage at range is very low, requiring five hits to the body, making the M4A1 more suited to close quarters. Possessing the fastest time to kill out of all the fully automatic assault rifles at close range, as well as the second fastest reload time, the M4A1 is a great choice for an aggressive playstyle. Stalker is useful in this regard, making strafing enemies at mid to close range easier and allowing one to quickly check corners while aiming down the sights. Scavenger is also very useful due to the M4A1's high rate of fire, as it will run out of ammo frequently, but Sleight of Hand ensures its user will never be caught dead while reloading. Due to the weapon's low recoil, the Kick proficiency is not required for short to medium range engagements, freeing up the proficiency slot for other useful options, such as Attachments or Stability. Players that have difficulty using the iron sights may find optical attachments useful; Extended Mag is also an effective option due to the M4A1's high rate of fire.

Special Ops
The M4A1 is available for both Survival and Mission modes.

Mission Mode
The M4A1 is a starting weapon in the Mission Mode missions "Fatal Extraction", "Smack Town", "Flood the Market", and "Fire Mission". It is an alternate weapon in "Stay Sharp" and "Charges Set".

Survival Mode
The M4A1 is available in Survival Mode by default and costs $3000. It is a solid weapon to start off with due to the good damage at close range and high rate of fire. However, the M4A1 has low power at a distance and burns through ammunition quickly.

Attachments

 * Red Dot Sight - Unlocked at weapon level 2.
 * Suppressor - Unlocked at weapon level 5.
 * Grenade Launcher (M203) - Unlocked at weapon level 8.
 * ACOG Scope - Unlocked at weapon level 11.
 * Heartbeat Sensor - Unlocked at weapon level 14.
 * Holographic Sight - Unlocked at weapon level 17.
 * Shotgun - Unlocked at weapon level 20.
 * Hybrid Sight - Unlocked at weapon level 23.
 * Extended Mags - Unlocked at weapon level 26.
 * Thermal Scope - Unlocked at weapon level 29.

Proficiency

 * Kick - Unlocked at weapon level 4.
 * Impact - Unlocked at weapon level 9.
 * Attachments - Unlocked at weapon level 12.
 * Focus - Unlocked at weapon level 16.
 * Breath - Unlocked at weapon level 22.
 * Stability - Unlocked at weapon level 28.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II
The M4A1 was seen in a reveal poster, being held by a soldier, but was cut in the final game. A clearly unfinished menu icon is in the game files, lacking a complete model and is untextured. It was likely intended for the 2025 missions. In the game files, it is named "M4". It was replaced by the M27 in the final game.

Call of Duty Online
The M4A1 makes an appearance in the Call of Duty Online reveal trailer. It looks near-identical to its Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 counterpart, except it has a black finish rather than a tan finish.

Call of Duty: Ghosts
The M4A1 appeared in the "Behind the Scenes Preview" video. Its appearance is that of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 M4A1. It is seen with a Grenade Launcher and Red Dot Sight at two points in the video. It still retains the foregrip as with previous Call of Duty games it appeared in. The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 M4A1 is also seen in the same video in demonstrations of melee combat and the new mantle system. However, none of these variants appeared in the final game.

General

 * The pick-up icon for the M4A1 in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer are the same, despite the actual weapons having very notable physical differences
 * It has been in almost every main installment of the Modern Warfare series, a distinction it currently shares with the AK-47, P90, RPG-7, M16A4, Dragunov, Desert Eagle, USP .45, Javelin, Stinger and the Barrett .50cal.
 * This is the only assault rifle that always comes with a foregrip by default in all of its appearances.
 * This is the default weapon for the player's second primary weapon if the Overkill perk is selected in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
 * Interestingly, had the M4A1 made it into Call of Duty: Black Ops II, it would have been the second main game to feature the M4A1's carrying handle instead of custom sights on a rail, the first being the first Modern Warfare.
 * The M4A1 seems to be Price's weapon of choice.

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.
 * The M4A1's serial number is "L141583"
 * The M4A1 SOPMOD has the same pick-up icon as the M4A1 Grenadier in the campaign.
 * The empty reload sound is used for when being supplied with the ammo care package in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's mutliplayer.
 * The M4A1 Suppressed (M4A1 with a suppressor), when not dry of ammo, has a different reloading sound than the usual M4A1 and is found in various campaigns with the 'give all' console command.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

 * The emblem received for getting 500 headshots with the M4A1 reads "M4 Carbine" instead of "M4A1."
 * When equipped with FMJ, the M4A1's foregrip is invisible. This does not have any effect on gameplay.
 * The Create-a-Class image also lacks the foregrip.
 * Attaching an ACOG Scope to an M4A1 in multiplayer causes pickup text to change from "M4A1" to "M4 ACOG Sight."
 * An M4A1 with an M203 in campaign and Special Ops is called "M4A1 Grenadier". The same is true for the ACR and AK-47. Other assault rifles in Modern Warfare 2 can attach a grenade launcher only in multiplayer.
 * In the Museum, the M4A1 has a different pickup icon. With iron sights, its zoom level when aimed down the sights appears to be enhanced as if it has an ACOG scope.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized

 * The M4A1 lacks the grip in its Inventory icon.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

 * In the pre-release trailer, M4A1 reused the skin from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
 * In the 'Tango Down' multiplayer trailer the M4A1 can be seen with no foregrip when its being reloaded; however, the player still assumes the position of holding a foregrip.
 * It has a unique reload animation on the level "Black Tuesday" when Frost pulls the charging handle after putting a fresh magazine into the gun; usually, the character only pulls the charging handle when picking up the weapon.
 * The HUD and the Create-A-Class icons lacked the grip at Call of Duty XP, but the grip was added in the retail game.
 * The M4A1 seems to be the preferred assault rifle of Yuri and Frost.
 * In the beginning of "Down the Rabbit Hole", an M4A1 with every attachment can be found, but cannot be picked up.
 * When looking from third-person, the grenade launcher is not placed directly in front of the magazine, unlike in first-person.
 * In "Black Tuesday", the player's starting M4A1 will have a different pickup icon. This icon has a Hybrid Sight on it instead of the default iron sights.
 * When the CM901 is equipped with the Shotgun attachment, it uses the pick up animation from the M4A1.
 * At Call of Duty XP, the pick-up name was "M4" instead of M4A1.
 * The third person model of M4A1 is very less detailed compared to other guns in the game.
 * In the mission "Black Tuesday", during the scene where Sandman throws you a magazine, his M4A1 has the skin from Modern Warfare 2.