Call of Duty: Modern Warfare offers many challenges that entice players to engage. But what if you find those boring? We present some weapon builds that will make Modern Warfare more challenging for you.
What kind of builds are these? The various setups and builds we show you here are special mod combinations for weapons that completely transform them. As a result, the weapons may suddenly belong to different categories or play very differently.
The goal of these builds is to provide you with weapons that change your gameplay experience in Modern Warfare and mix up your playstyle. You should fight with familiar weapons – but in a way you don’t know.
As a heads up: These setups can be quite difficult to master and are not “S-Tier”. So, they are not necessarily the “best weapons” and certainly not the best weapons in their respective categories.
The builds are meant to showcase new nuances in the weapons and gameplay and give you an incentive to try out as much as possible in Modern Warfare.
How do I build the weapons?
What you need for this: If you want to try our builds, you should first familiarize yourself with the Gunsmith feature of Modern Warfare. This is necessary to build the weapons we present to you.
If you want to use the weapons in multiplayer modes, you also need to level them up, as many attachments are only available at later weapon levels. If you just want to try them out, you can simply assemble them in a private game.
If you like a build, you can save it as your own blueprint and name it. Then the weapon setup can be accessed just like a blueprint and will be immediately applied to the weapon. This also makes it easier for you to adjust the builds to your preferences.
1. 725 – The Sniper Shotgun
What is this setup? The 725 is still considered the strongest shotgun. Shortly after the release of Modern Warfare, there were repeated complaints that it was way too strong.
Some players even transformed it into a deadly sniper rifle, even though it really shouldn’t be able to do that as a shotgun. After some nerfs, it disappeared from the focus of complaints. However, its sniper build still works.
This is how you build the weapon
This is what you need:
- Base weapon: 725
- Muzzle: Suppressor (Monolithic)
- Barrel: Tempus 32″ Competition
- Sight: Brownlee 32mm Scope
- Ammunition: Slug
- Perk: Full Metal Jacket
This setup turns the 725 into a sniper rifle capable of hitting accurately even at the longest ranges. However, you must keep in mind that the muzzle velocity is lower than that of snipers, so you have to compensate more.
The 725 has only two shots, so they need to count. With the right tips, you’ll quickly become a true sniper pro.
The suppressor on the weapon serves only to increase range and damage. However, it also helps you remain undetected. We have explained what suppressors do here.
This is how you build the loadout
This is the build we recommend:
- Secondary weapon: X16 or Pila
- Blue perk: Cold-Blooded or Overkill (with an SMG as secondary weapon)
- Red perk: Ghost or Alert
Yellow perk: Scout - Equipment: Claymore and Smoke Grenade
- Field upgrade: Ammo Box, Mobile Cover or Tactical Insertion
Where is the best place to use the build? As it is a sniper rifle with relatively slow aim-down-sight time, this build is particularly suitable for large maps or the Ground War mode.
If you want to play a bit more mobile and flexibly, you can remove the sight and instead attach a Tempus SlimGrip. Many strong players do without sights anyway.
Pros and Cons:
2. Scar – The DMR Assault Rifle
What is this setup? This setup is a version of the Scar, which players probably know from Counter-Strike. There, the Scar was not an assault rifle, but a semi-automatic sniper rifle.
In our variant, we turn the Scar into a DMR that leans somewhat towards the sniper rifle.
This is how you build the weapon
This is what you need:
- Base weapon: FN Scar 17
- Muzzle: Suppressor (Monolithic)
- Barrel: FORGE TAC 20″ LC
- Sight: Variable Zoom Scope
- Stock: XRK Obelisk Pro
- Perk: Full Metal Jacket
This is how you build the loadout
This is the build we recommend:
- Secondary weapon: X16 or Pila
- Blue perk: Looting or Cold-Blooded
- Red perk: Hardline or Ghost
- Yellow perk: Shrapnel or Scout
- Equipment: Claymore and Snapshot Grenade
- Field upgrade: Dead Silence and/or Special Ammunition
Since this loadout allows for many combinations, activating the “Specialist” is recommended for this build. This way, you forgo the various killstreaks and instead receive additional perks with more kills.
Where is the best place to use the build? As this is a DMR with relatively high rate of fire and good damage, you can use it almost anywhere. Just avoid fast-paced modes like Team Deathmatch, Free-for-All, and Kill Confirmed.
Pros and Cons:
3. PKM – The Submachine Gun LMG
What is this setup? This weapon setup allows you to effectively rack up kills. It takes the best LMG, the PKM, and transforms it into an assault rifle that is almost as mobile as an SMG.
In this build, you forgo everything else to achieve as much mobility as possible. The corresponding setup gives you a fairly balanced weapon.
This is how you build the weapon
This is what you need:
- Base weapon: PKM
- Barrel: Compact 18.2″ Barrel
- Laser: 1mW Laser or Tactical Laser (better, but visible to enemies)
- Stock: No Stock
- Grip: Textured Grip Tape
- Perk: Sleight of Hand
This is how you build the loadout
This is the build we recommend:
- Secondary weapon: .50 GS (similar to the setup below), .357 (similar to a shotgun) or Combat Knife
- Blue perk: Looting, KRD, or Sprinting
- Red perk: Hardline
- Yellow perk: Battle-Hardened
- Equipment: Semtex and Stim
- Field upgrade: Dead Silence and/or Ammo Box (without Looting)
Where is the best place to use the build? This build is comparable to our recommended Run & Gun build for the MP7. You do reload much more slowly and are a bit slower overall, but you deal significantly more damage, are stronger at distance, and are generally more precise.
You can score points in faster modes or in more tactical formats and Ground War when you want to rush enemy positions. The damage and frequency of the PKM should be sufficient to make quick work of entrenched opponents when you break through the front.
Pros and Cons:
4. Bizon – The Submachine Gun MG
What is this setup? This setup is basically the opposite of the above PKM setup. It turns a fast Bizon, which is actually meant for fast playstyles, into a powerful “MG” with 84 rounds in the drum.
You forego MP-typical mobility and instead build for range, damage, and control – evenly across the board.
This is how you build the weapon
This is what you need:
- Base weapon: PP-19 Bizon
- Muzzle: Suppressor (Monolithic)
- Barrel: 8.7″ Steel
- Ammunition: 84-Round Spiral Magazines
- Grip: Textured Grip Tape
- Perk: Full Metal Jacket
Like with the 725, the suppressor here only serves to increase effective range. The concealment of shots is secondary.
This is how you build the loadout
This is the build we recommend:
- Secondary weapon: X16, 1911, or Combat Knife
- Blue perk: Looting
- Red perk: Hardline or Killstreak
- Yellow perk: Shrapnel
- Equipment: Semtex or Thermite (in Ground War) and Stim
- Field upgrade: Dead Silence or Special Ammunition
Where is the best place to use the build? Since you play with this build similarly to an assault rifle or an LMG, it is also suitable for similar areas of operation. You are particularly good at holding positions and securing areas.
Modes with tactical elements like Domination or Headquarters are your main areas of application. A significant advantage of the setup is the accuracy of the weapon. After the first 10-20 shots, the weapon virtually does not recoil at all, which allows for precise kills in sustained fire.
Pros and Cons:
5. Origin 12 – The DMR Shotgun
What is this setup? This setup fits quite well between the efficiency of a shotgun in close combat and the DMR build of the Scar. You modify the Origin 12 to make it deadly at short to medium ranges.
The advantage over the 725 sniper shotgun, however, is that the Origin 12 fires semi-automatically and has a significantly larger magazine. You are therefore less prone to mistakes but also have slightly less range and precision.
This is how you build the weapon
This is what you need:
- Base weapon: Origin 12
- Barrel: FORGE TAC Precision or FORGE TAC Aficionado (a little more accurate, but brings more disadvantages)
- Sight: any medium-range scope, such as Cronen C380 Pro-Scope
- Underbarrel: Command Foregrip or Stock: FTAC Hunter
- Ammunition: 8-Round Shotgun Magazines
- Perk: Full Metal Jacket
This is how you build the loadout
This is the build we recommend:
- Secondary weapon: Combat Knife or 725 (with Overkill)
- Blue perk: Cold-Blooded or Overkill
- Red perk: Hardline
- Yellow perk: Scavenger or Scout
- Equipment: C4 or Throwing Knife and Stun
- Field upgrade: Ammo Box or Trophy System
Where is the best place to use the build? This loadout is useful wherever DMRs are also applicable – with a slight bias towards shorter distances. Especially medium and smaller maps as well as modes with tactical elements are good for this setup.
If you have trouble aiming, tweak the modifications a bit. The strongest attachments for better aim can be found here.
Pros and Cons:
Other Special Builds
What other weapons are there? In addition to the builds mentioned above, we want to introduce you to a special weapon setup and discuss some other possible setups. Since the setup below is a secondary weapon, we have not included it in the main list.
Bonus: .50 GS – Deadly Hand Cannon with Obstruction
What kind of weapon is this? This setup is more of a fun weapon, but it is still quite powerful. You transform the .50 GS (“Desert Eagle”) into a true hand cannon that can kill with two shots even at medium range.
What makes it special, however, is that you hardly can aim with it. This isn’t necessarily a downside, but it makes the experience more enjoyable for you (and possibly more frustrating for opponents). It definitely ensures some laughs.
This is how you build the weapon:
- Base weapon: .50 GS
- Muzzle: Oil Can Suppressor
- Barrel: FORCE TAV Compensator
- Trigger: Quality Trigger
- Grip: Textured Grip Tape
- Perk: Full Metal Jacket
What makes it so special? Although this setup is indeed strong, you are somewhat obstructing yourself. Because with the oil can suppressor, you are blocking your view.
You’ll have to estimate where exactly you’re aiming. While this is technically a downside, it generally helps you get better at estimating where shots land without relying on aiming.
Additionally, you challenge yourself a bit more. Can you take down an enemy without even seeing him properly?
Secret Weapons in Modern Warfare
Additionally, there are also secret weapons in Modern Warfare. These are certain real weapon models that are not present in the game by name, but can be derived from modifications of other weapons.
How to build Modern Warfare’s secret weapons can be found here. Many of them are not necessarily strong, but like the builds mentioned above, they also change the playstyle. The secret G36 is also so strong that it can outclass other assault rifles.
If you are looking for more builds and setups to spice up Modern Warfare, here are three builds you probably haven’t considered:
