Warzone best M16 loadout: Our M16 class setup recommendation and how to unlock the M16 explained
How to get the most out of the M16 in Call of Duty: Warzone.
The M16 is one of the more accurate, deadlier rifles in Call of Duty: Warzone, now that it's made the jump to the battle royale game from Black Ops Cold War.
As a marksman rifle, the M16 fires in bursts of three rounds with one trigger pull. Because of this, it's a typically accurate rifle from range, while also potentially killing a target immediately if you can lock into the enemy's head.
The M16 isn't a particularly difficult weapon to unlock in either Black Ops Cold War or Warzone. If you've been using the weapon in the former game's multiplayer mode, you're almost guaranteed to unlock it as soon as you boot up Warzone thanks to its low unlock level in Treyarch's new game.
On this page, we'll be taking you through everything you need to know to get to grips with the M16, as well as everything you can do to maximise the weapon's potential in Call of Duty: Warzone. This includes the best M16 loadouts, the best M16 class, and much more besides.
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As well as our overall best Warzone weapons choices, if you're looking for other loadout recommendations, we have pages on the XM4, Krig 6, MP5, AUG, and for owners of the latest Call of Duty game, our picks for the best guns in Black Ops: Cold War.
How to unlock the M16 in Warzone
The M16 is unlocked pretty early on in the grand scheme of things in Call of Duty: Warzone. Now that the debut crossover season between Black Ops Cold War and Warzone has arrived, you'll unlock the M16 as soon as you hit level 10.
This is because it's the same level that you would unlock the M16 at in Black Ops Cold War. Activision has streamlined unlock levels for weapons between the two games, meaning that when you unlock a weapon in Black Ops Cold War, you'll also unlock it in Warzone.
M16 best loadout and attachments in Warzone
Below, you can find our list of the best attachments to equip with the M16 when taking it into battle in Call of Duty: Warzone.
- Flashguard 5.56 (Unlocks at level 11)
- 16.3” Rapid Fire (Unlocks at level 4)
- Visiontech 2x (Unlocks at level 2)
- Speed Tape (Unlocks at level 9)
- Infiltrator Grip (Unlocks at level 15)
Saying the M16's base stats make it a pretty slow weapon is a massive understatement. You'll find that when you first start using the rifle, it can take what feels like forever to actually pull it up, aim, and fire at an opponent. That's why most of the attachment picks above are aimed at significantly speeding up the weapon, whether that's in aim down sight time, sprint speed, or anything else.
Firstly, the M16 can be pretty difficult to control when you're firing off multiple bursts in very quick succession, so we really like the Flashguard 5.56 on the muzzle of the weapon. This conceals muzzle fire and increases the weapon's control statistic, but if you prefer to be stealthier at the cost of effective damage range, then the Suppressor is a great alternative choice.
We spoke about how slow the M16 can be, and that includes firing speed. The weapon's base stats really don't favour close to medium-range combat against rapid weapons like an MP7 or AK-47u, but you can give it an edge with the 16.3” Rapid Fire on the barrel. This greatly increases the fire rate of the M16 without incurring any stat penalties, which is why we prefer it over the 16.3” Titanium, which penalises the M16's effective damage range.
Next, the Visiontech 2x is a great optic for the M16, and it's one of the very first attachments you'll unlock for the weapon. Another choice like the Millstop Reflex or the Quickdot LED might be better suited to players who plan on getting up close and personal with the M16 in Call of Duty: Warzone, but the Visiontech strikes a great balance between close and mid range zoom.
The Speed Tape is an excellent choice for the rear grip slot of the M16. This attachment is only unlocked at weapon level nine, and increases the M16's aim down sight times, so you can pull the weapon up quicker when an enemy player gets the drop on you. If you're finding that getting hit by enemy fire tends to throw off your aim, consider switching this out for the Field Tape attachment.
Finally, the Infiltrator Grip is a great bonus for the M16 in the underbarrel attachment slot. This attachment gives a huge stat boost to the M16's mobility, and increases the weapon's movement speed, sprinting movement speed, and aim walking movement speed, so you're not stuck rooted to the spot while pinpointing a target. Again, if you're finding that the M16's recoil is a little too much to handle at times, don't be afraid to switch the Infiltrator Grip out for the standard Front Grip, which gives a nice boost to horizontal recoil control.
M16 best class setup in Warzone
In the full list below, you can find our picks of the best equipment items and Perks to work in tandem with the M16 in Warzone.
- Perk 1: Kill Chain (Unlocks at level 34)
- Perk 2: Overkill (Unlocks at level 8)
- Perk 3: Tracker (Unlocks at level 51)
- Secondary: MP5 (Unlocks at level 12)
- Tactical: Stim (Unlocks at level 47)
- Lethal: Claymore (Unlocks at level 1)
To kick things off, the Kill Chain Perk basically works a treat for any custom class in Call of Duty: Warzone, because it gives a significant boost to your chances of finding a Killstreak in a Supply Box. If you're the sort of player that loves rifling through houses and buildings to uncover precious Supply Boxes, then this is the Perk for you.
Next, you'll want the Overkill Perk in slot two. If we're being totally honest, the M16 isn't suited to close quarters combat in any scenario, and you're nearly always going to lose in a straight gunfight against someone with an SMG. Taking the Overkill Perk lets you equip a primary weapon in your secondary weapon slot, so take the Black Ops Cold War MP5 as your backup weapon for tight scenarios. For the best attachments to get the most out the SMG, head over to our Warzone MP5 page for more.
Rounding out the Perks in this custom class is the Tracker in slot three. This Perk lets you pinpoint and follow the footprints that enemy combatants leave behind, while also hiding death markers from other players when you kill an enemy, so the opposing squad isn't breathing down your neck as soon as you've downed their friend.
The Stim might take you a fair while to unlock at player level 47, but it's well worth the time and effort. Using this item immediately replenishes your health, meaning you can be back up and fighting from the brink of death in a second. If you're not yet at level 47, consider taking the Heartbeat Sensor in your tactical slot instead, as it pinpoints enemy locations within a 50-meter radius.
Finally, the Claymore is a solid pick to complement the M16, and it's unlocked from the moment you first start playing Call of Duty: Warzone. This item uses a tripwire to detonate upon any enemy players getting too close, meaning it's the perfect option for protecting yourself when you're hunkered down in one location.
If you need a hand with Modern Warfare weapons in Warzone, you can read how to get the best Grau loadout, best MP7 loadout, best Kilo loadout, best M4A1 loadout and the best M13 loadout.