Call of Duty 4

Overview

The M4A1 is a more compact version of the M16A2, in that it shares 80% of its parts with the M16A2. Firing full auto at 800 RPM, its rounds move at an incredible 2,900 fps. In use by over 30 countries, it is one of the most popular weapons for use with Special Forces. The M4A1 can accept many different accessories, like the M203 Grenade Launcher or the Advanced Combat Optical Gun sight.

In Call of Duty 4, the M4A1 is one of the best guns for the fact that it is very powerful and for this has not too much recoil. Because of its lack of recoil, it can act like a sniper with a ACOG but it has the power to fight in close-quarters combat (CQC) with the Red Dot Sight (RDS). The M4A1 is one of the most useful weapons in the game for its versatility.

The Sights

Here I'll briefly describe the sights for the M4A1, which like all Assault Rifles has three: the default iron sights, the Red Dot Sight (RDS), and the ACOG. Sights for the M4 series are all a matter of personal preference with the ACOG taking the most skill to master, but since the majority of CoD4 maps are closed-in and small, the RDS or iron sights would be preferrable.

Regular Gun Sights



The iron sights are fairly good on the M4A1. They are a small ring with a three-pronged fork in the middle. You line up the middle prong with the enemy and fire. Although they slightly obstruct targets that are a long way off, they are overall rather open and so they are good to use until you get the RDS, which is even easier to use.

Red Dot Scope



The RDS is very good on this weapon since the sights are open. It's incredibly easy to use. Just place the dot on the enemy and pull the trigger. Since there is little recoil, it is easy to keep the dot on the enemy, which is in effect nice for relatively easy headshots with the M4.

ACOG Scope



Since the hit-detection with the ACOG was improved in a recent patch, the ACOG has become much more useful. It allows the M4 to become a sort of sniper because of the zoom it gives and since the normal gun has minimal recoil which isn't overtly effected by the ACOG's recoil. This sight is most useful on large, open maps like Overgrown. If you're playing on a map like Vacant, then the iron sights and RDS are recommended.

Accuracy

The accuracy is perfect in this game since there isn't a significant bullet drop or any wind effects modeled in the game. Bullets will go where you point the gun, or at least with the M4A1. Recoil is much more important in the game. While the gun sway glitch does affect accuracy with the silencer, using the iron sights with this weapon is awesome even though firing from the hip is quicker at closer ranges.

Recoil

The M4A1 has very little recoil for its power. If you fire a three- to five-round burst then the enemy will probably go down and you won't really feel the recoil. However, if you fire uncontrollably and a target far away, then the recoil will obviously start throwing your bullets off course. You should only fire full-auto at close range when the recoil doesn't matter much anyways. But for firing at long range targets you should use short bursts to counter the effects of the recoil. After firing each burst wait a second to let the weapon drop back on target.

Range

The range of the M4A1 is somewhat easy to guess. If the enemy is hidden by any parts of the sight, then you probably can't hit them just from missing. Even recoil is more effectual than the range of this weapon in CoD4. In-game, the M4 will hit anything at any range, so just lay down the fire; however for those long range targets you may find yourself hitting them several times but for all you know they could just be leg shots.

Targeting

When firing at a target with this weapon, it is best to aim for the upper chest in order to kill someone in the most efficient time. If you're firing in this target area then ideally the recoil will cause the bullets to "walk" up and into the enemy's head for the kill. Another variable to consider is firing at longer ranges because for all its power, you need to lead your targets with the M4A1 in these situations. Although, if you're in close-quarters then you don't need to worry about where your firing, you just need to drop the target as fast as possible.

Attachments

The M4A1 has two other attachments besides the sights: the M203 Grenade Launcher and the Silencer. While the nade launcher is not used in competitive play, the silencer is a reliable option for any team. It is extremely popular with many competitive players since the M4's standard sights are pretty good, allowing you to use the silencer instead of the other sights.

Attachment 1

The M203 Grenade Launcher is incredibly easy to use; you point it at the enemy (accounting for range with your crosshairs) and fire, usually resulting in an explosive kill. You can carry two grenades with you at a time. Equipping this attachment and going gun crazy will normally bring you to the top of the score board in any pub as it pretty much ensures a 2-1 kill/death ratio at any given time; coupled the quick ability to switch back to normal firing, the n00btube should not be overlooked if you want to climb the ranks quickly.

Attachment 2

The silencer is actually very good on the M4 unless you're trying to snipe with it. It reduces the sound of the M4 firing to a muffled sound that could be ignored in the heat of battle. It also means that when you fire the weapon, you don't show up on the radar. Its only noticeable drawback is that it reduces damage done at long range, and so makes it difficult to snipe with it, but you won't be doing much of that kind of playing in an Assault Stealth class type.

Suggested Perks

Here I'll give recommended perks that work well with the M4; overall though the M4 works well with almost every weapon-modifying perk for public and competitive play. The M4A1 is one of the mainstream assault rifles and just like th AK, it pretty much dominates in mid range combat but can hold its own in CQC against Spec Ops classes. Given that the perks modify the assault classes' biggest advantage over the Spec Ops which is range and penetration.

Perk Level 1

From the first perk level, I would recommend Bandolier because of the M4's high rate of fire. It goes through a lot of ammo very quickly. However since many people use the M4, you'll probably have ammo to pick up most of the time, and if that's so, then really any of the other perks work well with the M4.

Perk Level 2

From the second perk level, I would recommend Stopping Power since it gives you the damage capabilities to stop enemies at close range by killing them in fewer shots. But, it also helps with sniping where you can kill someone before they move. With stopping power the M4 has enough power to kill with a three to five round burst, but this is all a matter of personal preference and what map it is.

Perk Level 3

Deep Impact is a great addition to the M4, which itself has modest wall-penetrating abilities. However, when you add this perk into the mix you really get something special. You get a gun with the strong point of the AK but with increased accuracy and lower recoil. When you're in a firefight, this perk is extremely helpful as you don't have to stop spraying just because an enemy dodges behind a wall or corner. Coupled with Bandolier in level 1, you can just continue spraying until you see a yellow +10 on your screen.