After a substantive recoil nerf to the AUG, the M16 is now the best burst weapon in Warzone. The gun is certainly climbing the ranks in Verdansk as the third most used weapon. The AUG is slightly more difficult to use at range, and the M16 has remained untouched since the December 2020 update.

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The M16 has the potential to down enemies is just two bursts, which equates to an incredible TTK for a gun that has seemingly infinite range. Unless Raven implements drastic balancing changes, the M16 will be the meta gun for some time. This guide will cover the best attachments for the M16, as well as how to use it effectively in Warzone.

M16 Class Setup

Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War M16

Nearly all of the Cold War attachments are finally working as intended. The two attachments that almost all of the Cold War weapons should have are the Agency Suppressor/Silencer and the Field Agent Grip. The M16 needs to be a medium to long range option, as it will get out classed up close by a few different guns. The best build for the weapon will focus on accuracy, range, and damage values.

  • Muzzle: Agency Silencer
  • Barrel: 15.9" Strike Team
  • Underbarrel: Field Agent Foregrip
  • Ammunition: 45 Rnd Mags
  • Optic: Axial Arms 3x

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Agency Silencer

The Agency Silencer is essentially the Cold War version of the Monolithic Suppressor. Sound suppression is crucial, but more importantly, the attachment will increase both range and bullet velocity. Because the M16 will be used as a primary, increased damage range will play a huge role in the efficacy of the gun. Likewise, bullet velocity needs to be high so that players can be accurate and not have to lead their targets or account for bullet drop.

Field Agent Foregrip

Recoil is not an issue with the M16, which has the best recoil plot of all the burst weapons in the game. However, it does not hurt to make the gun's recoil even easier to control. The M16 will kick straight up, so the vertical recoil control reduces the bullet dispersion substantially. With each burst, two out of the three bullets will usually land in the same spot. This means that with accurate aim, the M16 is at worst a three burst weapon.

15.9" Strike Team Barrel

Damage range is not a concern with the M16 because it does not have a damage drop off. Gamers should opt for the Strike Team Barrel for improved burst speed. With improved burst speed, the M16 will have a faster theoretical TTK. The only con of the attachment is aiming stability, but the Cold War weapons all have idle sway anyway. The Titanium barrel will work too, but the aiming movement speed bonus makes the Strike Team a better option.

45 Round Magazine

Using the larger magazines or the fast magazines will hamper ADS speed significantly. The stock 30 round mags do not provide quite enough ammo either. The 45 round standard mag provides enough ammo to down several enemies while barely affecting ADS and movement speed.

Axial Arms 3x

The Axial Arms 3x scope is the best primary weapon optic for Cold War guns. It actually provides closer to 4x magnification than 3x, which is perfect for medium to long range fights. Players will be able to see enough of the enemy to place their shots on the chest and shoot opponents off of head glitches. Most people prefer the Precision reticle, but there are a few other viable options depending on preference.

Using The M16

m16 with dark matter camo bocw

The M16 is a ranged weapon, and it will excel in engagements beyond 20 meters or so. It will, however, lose to the FFAR up close. What makes the M16 so dominant is the weapon's two shot kill potential at any range. When using the M16, gamers will want to aim between the center chest and neck. Because of how controllable the M16's recoil is, all three bullets will disperse extremely close to each other. Players that have good aim at the chest will usually have one bullet fly up slightly to the head of an opponent, ensuring a two shot kill. It is always better to aim lower than at the head. The M16 kicks up slightly with each burst, which means one or two of the shots will land higher on the body.

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The gun has great bullet velocity, so players will not have to lead their shots as much as they think. Even if players miss a shot or two, the gun will nearly always be a three burst kill. Accuracy is far more important than TTK in long range engagements, and for that reason a ton of players are switching over to the M16. The AUG is no longer a long range threat, especially for controller players. The M16 is the new meta primary until future weapon balancing occurs.

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