Open beta meta
Modern Warfare 4 Tier List
This tier list is a snapshot of the August 2026 open beta after the published nerfs, not a promise for October 23. August 22 cut ISO Nightshade and Oris 8.6. August 23 dropped M4’s headshot multiplier from 1.5 to 1.2 and sliced Attack Helicopter health 45%. August 24 cut M4, HAN 86, Axion, and MAR-9 again. Open Beta day one rewrote TTK across the board. What will not change overnight is the shape of the sandbox: no bloom, class-shared attachments, Apex on the side. Full numbers: beta patch notes.
Use loadouts to copy a class. Use the weapons hub for systems. Pair SMG-heavy maps from core maps with ISO; pair Coal and Sentry with Kastov or Vulcan.
S-tier: you are throwing if you ignore these
M4 is the best overall gun in the test. Manageable recoil, usable irons, a fire rate that wins mid-range without giving up stairwells. If you only level one rifle before launch, level this. ISO Nightshade is the CQB king — high fire rate, honest irons, enough range that you do not immediately lose a 20-meter fight. Weekend One cut it three times; August 31 gave a little back (max 20 → 21, head 1.25 → 1.3). It stayed S.
Kastov 762 is the power AR. Recoil is real; damage per shot is the reason to learn it. Vault’s Voltspine blueprint plus Apex makes it the prestige stick. Oris 8.6 is the marksman that plays like a fast sniper. If you can hit chests, it deletes. Miss twice and you are holding a bolt-action meme. It still belongs in S because the players who can hit will run the lobby.
A-tier: specialist tools
KG-7 Vulcan is the sniper the highlight videos are about. Upper chest and head are one-shot; body is not a freebie. Handling is cleaner than recent Modern Warfare snipers even before attachments. Signal .50 is the heavier alternative. Patriot XMR and Han 86 are the “I do not want to learn Kastov” rifles — Han is easier, Patriot holds mid-to-long. X-58 Nyx sits just under ISO as the aggressive SMG swap.
Rezi 12 is A if you play the map, C if you do not. Point-blank it is a door gun. Cross-map it is a walk of shame. Hyeon Burst is the burst AR for people who liked the M16 fantasy; Apex builds make it interesting, stock builds do not.
B and C: usable, not the plan
PPSh-41 is a rush SMG with a fire rate that asks you to live in 10 meters. Type 73 is the LMG you take when a Hardpoint is a meat grinder. FiNN is slower and meaner. MAR-9 is the marksman you pick when Oris feels too sniper. Krait P68 and .50 GS are pistols; they are not primary replacements unless the round is Gunfight.
Launch will add guns not in this list. When it does, we will move rows, not rewrite the rules. For classes, go to loadouts. For the parent systems page, weapons.
| Tier | Weapons |
|---|---|
| S | M4, ISO Nightshade, Kastov 762, Oris 8.6 |
| A | KG-7 Vulcan, X-58 Nyx, Patriot XMR, Rezi 12, Signal .50 |
| B | Han 86, Hyeon Burst, PPSh-41, Type 73 |
| C | FiNN, MAR-9, Krait P68, .50 GS, PILA |
Related intel
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Field questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the best gun in the MW4 beta?+
The M4 is the safest all-round pick. ISO Nightshade is the best close-range gun. Oris 8.6 is the highest skill ceiling.
Will this tier list match launch week?+
Not exactly. It is a beta snapshot. The systems (no bloom, Apex, class attachments) are the part likely to survive.
Where are the actual builds?+
On the loadouts page and in the loadout planner tool.