- For the perk cut from Call of Duty: Ghosts, see Gunsmith (perk).
The Gunsmith is a feature in Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Mobile, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Vanguard, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. It allows the player to customize, view and build out their weapons incredibly precisely, as well as select multiple attachments and optics. This system has completely replaced the old attachment system seen from before Modern Warfare, and has been used in every game released since then.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III[]
With Gunsmith, players can design and create cosmetic variants of pre-existing weapons, outfitting their guns with the choice of five various attachments including an optical attachment and Paintjobs. Most weapon attachments have approximately four to five cosmetic variants which allows the player to further change the appearance of their weapon, alongside these features players can name their weapon.
The players can make custom camos for their weapons to the top and sides with up to 64 layers, similarly to the emblem creator. The players can also inspect their weapons with camo and attachments in full 3D and rename their weapons from the actual gun name to a custom, completely desired one. Weapon painting is absent on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare[]
The Gunsmith returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, allowing the player to customize their gun with various attachments and gun perks. Attributes as "integral" to a gun as the barrel length and the caliber can be changed as well at higher levels, allowing for weapons like the base 9mm AUG to equip 5.56 rounds and function similar to an assault rifle. Some of these changes, such as changing the stock on a MP5, will change the weapon's name as well. Barrel attachments and certain blueprint variations can also change the iron sights of a weapon.
A few blueprints with unique attachments are provided in the player's Armory. Players can choose to use these pre-modified weapons in their loadouts while the base weapon itself may not have these modifications unlocked, jump-starting their modification progress and possibly giving an advantage. Blueprints allow players to use weapons they may not yet have unlocked, though they may not change the attachments on the blueprint until the base weapon is unlocked.
As of the Season Three, Gunsmith Customs are available. It allows players to use different blueprint variations of attachments combined on a single weapon. For example, a user of the AK-47 may use the Monocle Reflex Sight seen on the Pink Perforator blueprint in tandem with the Skeleton Stock seen on the Revolution blueprint.
Call of Duty: Mobile[]
The Gunsmith returns in Call of Duty: Mobile, having been added to the game on August 15, 2020, as part of the Season 9 Conquest Update. It works the same way as in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, allowing the player to customize their gun with various attachments and Gun Perks, though Blueprints now only come in Epic to Mythic variants.
Gunsmith was updated in Season 13 Wint3r War; the attachments stats are now displayed with accurate changes in percentages, similarly to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. As of a patch, the sum of all of the stats changed (if at all) by attachments can be seen.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War[]
The Gunsmith returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and working exactly as in previous games, with the difference that there are no gun perks. By default, up to 5 attachments can be equipped on a weapon. With the Gunfighter Wildcard, up to 8 attachments can be equipped on one weapon.
As of the Season Two Reloaded, Gunsmith Customs are available. Like Modern Warfare, It allows players to use different blueprint variations of attachments combined on a single weapon.
Call of Duty: Vanguard[]
The Gunsmith returns in Call of Duty: Vanguard, and working exactly as in previous games. Now, up to 10 attachments can be equipped on a weapon.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II[]
The Gunsmith returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Only 5 attachments can be put on weapons, and the system has been extensively revamped with the addition of Weapon Platforms. Weapon Platforms groups weapons of the same real-life family together, such as an M16 and an M4 being put together. An optic unlocked on the M4 may also be unlocked for the M16, and so forth. In addition, weapon attachments are more or less universal, as once an optic, underbarrel, laser or some muzzle attachments are unlocked for one gun, it is unlocked for every other weapon in the game that also can use that optic. So, a foregrip unlocked on the Kastov-545 will be useable immediately by all other guns that can also use that same foregrip.
The newest addition to the Gunsmith is Weapon Tuning, which allows for every attachment on a weapon, once the weapon reaches the requisite level, to be tuned for certain traits. A sight for example, can be tuned to zoom in farther and aim down sights faster than its base variant. Blueprints also sport tuning, being marked "Pro-Tuned" and will list the traits primarily favored by the blueprint.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III[]
The Gunsmith returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, with the system being identical to the way it worked in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II with a few differences. These differences being that the weapon tuning feature is absent, as is the platform unlock system. However, even though the player can't see what platform the weapons belong to, they can still share certain attachments inside weapon platforms, such as in the case of the AMR9 and Riveter.