CoD4 Weapons: M16 Expert Guide

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In depth guide about the Call of Duty 4 M16A4. This guide was submitted by: OSR with additions from X. If you would like to help editing, adding your own guide, contributing to this one or by correcting any wrong information on this guide click here. Thanks.

CoD4 Weapon M16

M16 Quick Stats
For in-depth M16 stats click here
Accuracy: 10 / 12
Damage: 7 / 12
Range: 9 / 12
Fire Rate: 9+ / 12
Mobility: 8 / 12
Clip Size/Reserve Ammo: 30/60
Recoil: low cluster
Reload Time: 2 seconds / 2.365 empty
Damage: 30-40
Range: 1500-2000 / 500-1000 SD
Rate of Fire: 925 RPM
Penetration: Medium / Large Bullet
Location Damage Multiplier: Head (1.4) / Neck: (1.0) / Torso: (1.0) / Stomach: (1.0) / Limbs (1.0)
Hip Accuracy: Stand (3-7) / Crouch (2.5-6) / Prone (2-5)

M16 Attachments

No Attachments
The M16 Iron Sights are at best average. They are the same as the M4, so they too get in the way of your aiming, and it's best not to use them when possible. A good tip for aiming with the iron sights is to first aquire your target without zooming in, then when you have them in the center of your screen, use the zoom to kill the target. That way you don't have the iron sights get in your way while you are aiming. They are good when you get used to them, otherwise they can prove miserable. If you are not going to have RDS or ACOG, I would recommend silencer over no attachments. With the normal sights, long range aiming is harder and peripheral vision is decreased.

M16 with no attachments
M16 No Attachments

Red Dot Sight - 25 Kills
This is my choice for the M16A4. The ironsights take awhile to get used to, but I like the additional peripheral vision and easy aiming capabilties RDS brings. RDS is especially useful since you will be firing from farther away, and RDS makes it a whole lot easier to aim from that distance.

M16 with Red Dot Sight
M16 Red Dot Sight Hip

Zooming in an M16 with the Red Dot Sight
M16 Red Dot Sight Zoom

Silencer - 75 Kills
This works well too, but you may have trouble with the ironsights until you get used to them. It makes you as stealthy as a ninja, decreases muzzle flash, and obviously makes you quieter. This is all at the expense of a range deduction, which may be troublesome since this gun works well at longer ranges.

M16 with Silencer attachment
M16 Silenced

ACOG
Advance Combative Optical Gunsight (ACOG) - 150 kills
The ACOG is excellent for hardcore, but it does not work too good in regular TDM since you lose a lot of peripheral vision, accuracy, and close-range abilities. When using the ACOG, the bullets tend to drift more, making it harder to get a one-burst kill. Only recommended for skilled ACOG users (or for hardcore). Grenade Launcher: Again, I always do not recommend the noobtube since it takes away Perk 1, requires no skill whatsoever, and you cannot use RDS with it. But, the decision is all yours.

M16 with ACOG
M16 ACOG Hip

Zooming in an M16 with the ACOG

M16 with Grenade Launcher
M16 Noob Tube
CoD4 Weapon M16

About the M16

Standard service rifle for the U.S. Armed Forces. Fires a 3-round burst. With the Stopping Power perk, this rifle is pretty much a guaranteed one-burst kill if you can land all three shots on your target. Definitely not recommended for the aggressive, run-and-gun player, but one of the deadliest guns in the game for those who like to hang back a little and engage in medium-long range fire.

General Tips: As mentioned above, with Stopping Power, this gun kills in one burst if all bullets hit the target. Therefore, quick aiming skills are needed in order to succeed, since this gun cannot spray and pray like full automatic weapons can. If you miss your first burst, you will need to wait slightly before you can fire again, making it highly unforgiving.

Also, it generally wastes ammo since one click of the trigger shoots out 3 bullets. This gun has excellent accuracy and range, so it can be successful at far and medium ranges, however, it is hard to use this gun close range when you begin. So when facing an enemy up-close and personal, try firing from the hip and slamming your finger on the trigger as fast as you can. Just a warning, with this gun your finger may get tired.

Another tip: It is important to paint your enemy as you shoot them, since the bullets do not come out simultaneously. A general strategy for this gun is to sit back, so you are safe but still watching the action and firing from some distance back. Running and gunning will not work since this is not a fully automatic gun. Also, when shooting long-range targets, you will need to fire more than once since the bullets deviate from their target.

The Bad: Some negative aspects of this gun include the constant torture of being labeled an “M16 noob”. People generally dislike this gun since they feel it has no negatives. But, it actually has a lot:

Unforgiving, meaning if you shoot and miss when the enemy sees you, you are in trouble

Shooting through walls is hard since you cannot go full auto

Close quarters action can be difficult for those not used to the M16

Bad against many enemies at a time

Bad when out of range (shooting enemies too far is very hard)

You often run out of ammo since 1 trigger pull=3 shots

Iron sights can be a problem for people who like AK's or RPD's ironsights

Unlocked: Level 1. (Assault Rifle Class)

M16 Perks

These Perks will help compensate for the M16’s weaknesses.

Bandolier - Since you will run out of ammo a lot, Bandolier will prevent this and give you extra ammo. What’s not to like?

Stopping Power - Highly recommended… it makes the M16 kill almost always in one burst.

Frag x 3 - Complements the M16 nicely since Frags can be tossed over wall, through windows, etc.

Overkill - Works well since you can have an SMG for close ranged encounters.

Deep Impact - Will help fire through walls and kill people hiding out behind them. If you like getting X-Ray kills, this works well.

UAV Jammer - When using a silenced M16, it is nice to never be on enemy UAV. It also feels and sounds good when you fire.

Double Tap - Some people say it's better than stopping power. It significantly increases fire rate and can kill very quickly if you aim well. However, the M16 already burns ammo quick, and you'll find yourself running dry very quickly if you use this. I'd say for total running and gunning use only. Typically I would like to get more damage into the person instead of more metal, but it’s all personal preference.

Sleight of Hand - Recommended for Hardcore mainly, can be used for non-hardcore as well but is kind of a waste. Reload time is average, nothing ridiculous but not really favored. If you find you have no problem with its natural stats, but reload constantly in the middle of firefights, this might be a good perk for you.

Steady Aim - Helps a whole lot when firing from the hip to take out SMGers. I also highly recommend this.

Dead Silence - Works well together with UAV Jammer, makes you very quiet and not make any noise when moving.

M16 Maps

The M16 is best used on larger maps because you should usually be using it at some range.

Some nice maps for the M16:

Backlot
Countdown
Crash
District
Downpour
Overgrown
Pipeline
Showdown
Strike

New Maps:
Broadcast
Chinatown

M16 Custom Classes

Class Name: Commander
Primary Weapon: M16A4
Attachment: Red Dot Sight
Side Arm: M1911 .45 w/Silencer
Special Grenade: Stun grenade
Perk 1: Bandolier
Perk 2: Stopping Power
Perk 3: Steady Aim
Note: The most general M16 class, good for a lot of different situations. Feel free to change up the pistol, as it is just our personal preference.

Class Name: Ghost (Stealth Class)
Primary Weapon: M16A4
Attachment:Silencer
Side Arm: USP .45 w/Silencer
Special Grenade: Flashbang
Perk 1: Bandolier
Perk 2: UAV Jammer
Perk 3: Dead Silence

Class Name: Noobsicle
Primary Weapon: M16A4
Attachment: Grenade Launcher
Secondary Weapon: G36c w/Silencer
Perk 1: N/A
Perk 2: Overkill
Perk 3: Martyrdom

Class Name:Hardcore
Primary Weapon: M16A4
Attachment: ACOG
Side Arm: M1911 .45
Special Grenade: Flash
Perk 1: Bandolier
Perk 2: UAV Jammer
Perk 3: Deep Impact

Class Name:The General
Primary Weapon: M16A4
Attachment: Red Dot Sight
Side Arm: Desert Eagle
Special Grenade: Stun
Perk 1: Frag x3
Perk 2: Stopping Power
Perk 3: Extreme Conditioning

M16 Challenges

Title Description Reward

Marksman 1 Get 25 kills with this weapon 100XP/Red Dot Sight

Marksman 2 Get 75 kills with this weapon 500XP/Silencer

Marksman 3 Get 150 kills with this weapon 1000XP/ACOG Scope

Expert 1 Get 25 headshots with this weapon 100XP/Digital

Expert 2 Get 75 headshots with this weapon 500XP/Blue Tiger

Expert 3 Get 150 headshots with this weapon 1000XP/Red Tiger Camo

M16 Videos

M16 Montages on Youtube

In-Depth M16 Stats

Thanks to Dairuka for getting this information from the games files. For descriptions of what each statistic is, click on it's title.

General Stats

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG
Penetration Type	medium
Impact Type	Large Bullets
Inventory Type	Primary
Aim Assist Range	1000 - 1500	1000 - 1500	1000 - 2000
Crosshair Range	1000	1000	1000
Zoom Range	50	50	30

Ammunition

Information	For All Attachments
Low Ammo Threshold	0.33 (10 bullets left)
Ammo Type	5.56 x 45 mm NATO
Maximum Ammo	180
Starting Ammo	90
Clip Size	30

Damage

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG
Base Damage	30 - 40	30 - 40	30 - 40
Damage vs Juggernaut	22.5 - 30	22.5 - 30	22.5 - 30
Damage with Stopping Power	42 - 56	42 - 56	42 - 56
Headshot Damage	(x1.4) 42 - 56	(x1.4) 42 - 56	(x1.4) 42 - 56
Minimum Damage Range	2000	1000	2000
Maximum Damage Range	1500	500	1500

Movement

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG
Hip Movement Speed Scale	1	1	1
Sights Movement Speed Scale	1	1	1
Sprint Duration Scale	1	1	1
Standing Minimum Speed	0	0	0
Standing Moving Forward	0	0	0
Standing Moving Reverse	0	0	0
Standing Moving Up	-1	-1	-1
Ducking Minimum Speed	0	0	0
Ducking Moving Forward	-1	-1	-1
Ducking Moving Reverse	0	0	0
Ducking Moving Up	-1	-1	-1
Prone Minimum Speed	0	0	0
Prone Moving Forward	-160	-160	-160
Prone Moving Reverse	3	3	3
Prone Moving Up	-120	-120	-120

Delays and Reloading

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG
Rate of Fire Time	0.065	0.065	0.065
Reload Time	2	2	2
Reload (from empty) Time	2.365	2.365	2.365
Re-chambering Time	0.1	0.1	0.1

Deviation

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG	Reflex Stats
Minimum Standing Hip Spread	3	3	3	3
Maximum Standing Hip Spread	7	7	7	7
Minimum Ducking Hip Spread	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.5
Maximum Ducking Hip Spread	6	6	6	6
Minimum Prone Hip Spread	2	2	2	2
Maximum Prone Hip Spread	5	5	5	5
Spread added per shot	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6
Spread added for Moving	5	5	5	5
Decay Rate	4	4	4	4
Ducking Decay Rate	1.05	1.05	1.05	1.05
Prone Decay Rate	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1

Recoil

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG
(Hip) Kick Pitch Minimum	5	5	5
(Hip) Kick Pitch Maximum	-15	-15	-15
(Hip) Kick Yaw Minimum\|(Hip) Kick Yaw Minimum	5	5	5
(Hip) Kick Yaw Maximum	-5	-5	-5
(Hip) Kick Acceleration	800	800	800
(Hip) Maximum Kick Speed	2000	2000	2000
(Hip) Kick Speed Decay	16	16	16
(Hip) Kick Static Decay	20	20	20
(Hip) Kick View Pitch Minimum	-30	-30	-30
(Hip) Kick View Pitch Maximum	60	60	60
(Hip) Kick View Yaw Minimum	45	45	45
(Hip) Kick View Yaw Maximum	-45	-45	-45
(Hip) Kick View Center Speed	1500	1500	1500
(Sights) Kick Pitch Minimum	5	5	5
(Sights) Kick Pitch Maximum	15	15	15
(Sights) Kick Yaw Minimum	-5	-5	-5
(Sights) Kick Yaw Maximum	10	10	10
(Sights) Kick Acceleration	800	800	800
(Sights) Maximum Kick Speed	2000	2000	2000
(Sights) Kick Speed Decay	32	32	32
(Sights) Kick Static Decay	40	40	40
(Sights) Kick View Pitch Minimum	-30	-30	-30
(Sights) Kick View Pitch Maximum	60	60	60
(Sights) Kick View Yaw Minimum	45	45	45
(Sights) Kick View Yaw Maximum	-45	-45	-45
(Sights) Kick View Center Speed	1500	1500	1500

Sway

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG
Shell Shock Sway	5	5	5
Hip Max Sway Angle	20	20	20
Hip LERP Speed	4	4	4
Sights Max Sway Angle	2	2	2
Sights LERP Speed	6	6	6
Sights Sway Pitch Scale	0.1	0.1	0.1
Sights Sway Yaw Scale	0.1	0.1	0.1
Sights Sway Horizontal Scale	0.14	0.14	0.02
Sights Sway Vertical Scale	0.25	0.25	0.02

Idle

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG
Hip Idle Amount	70	70	30
Sights Idle Amount	2	2	40
Hip Idle Speed	1	1	1
Sights Idle Speed	0.8	0.8	1.5
Idle Crouch Factor	0.75	0.75	1
Idle Prone Factor	0.4	0.4	1

Melee

Information	No Attachments	With Silencer	With ACOG
Melee Time	0.8	0.8	0.8
Melee Charge Time	1.16	1.16	1.16
Melee Delay Time	0.13	0.13	0.13
Melee Charge Delay Time	0.16	0.16	0.16

CoD4 Guides

Combat

Sniping

Stealth

Tactics

CoD4 SP

CoD4 Media

CoD4 Info

CoD4 Weapons: M16 Expert Guide

M16 Quick Stats

M16 Attachments

About the M16

M16 Perks

M16 Maps

M16 Custom Classes

M16 Challenges