Modern Warfare best guns explained: Our best assault rifle, sniper rifle, shotgun, SMG and LMG weapon recommendations

What are the best guns in Modern Warfare after the Season 5 update?

Note: This page is only up to date for the end of Season 5, so some suggestions might be out of date. However, unlike other battle royale games, the meta in Warzone and Modern Warfare tends to shift a little slower than most battle royale games - so recommendations on this page are likely to still be good choices.

The seasons change far faster in Modern Warfare than in real life, and each one brings with it new weapons, tweaks, and potential meta changes.

Season 5 has brought with it two new weapons and a slew of changes, but the the Grau 5.56 remains the top choice, followed closely by two guns that were recently nerfed but are still somewhat viable: the Bruen MK9 and FAL.

While the Grau has been the standout rifle in Modern Warfare for some time now, especially for the Warzone and Ground War game modes where long-ranged weapons are king. The Grau is able to dish out dependable damage at a considerable range, while also boasting excellent iron sights so you don't need a scope.

This is despite some mid-season nerfs at the end of June. While they sounded pretty drastic in the patch notes, the actual changes to the weapon are negligible, given how powerful it is in the right hands.

Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® & Warzone - Official Season Five Trailer

Pairing this with either a short-range weapon like a submachine gun or shotgun, or going along with the long-range options like a sniper rifle, remains a powerful strategy.

It's a little sad to see the classic M4A1 not back at the top, but you can't deny the Grau 5.56, even if you try and nerf it out of the meta. The MP5 also got some nerfs a few patches back, but thanks to the focus on the 10mm ammo, you can sidestep a lot of these by simply using the 9mm ammo as per usual.

Beyond that - which weapons are the best in class? This page goes into it in detail - but first, let's look at the two new Season 5 additions...

Now then, let's dive into each of the classes to see why each of these guns is worth talking about:

Best Assault Rifle in Modern Warfare recommendation: Grau 5.56

How to unlock the Grau 5.56: Eliminate five players with an assault rifle in a minute, 25 times.

Alas, spare a moment for the M4A1, a king among kings, but struck down from the throne by the almighty Grau 5.56.

Despite it seeming as though the M4A1 would be in power forever, it turns out that a mix of nerfs, buffs, and other tweaks mean that the Grau 5.56 is the best assault rifle in Modern Warfare now.

It's great even at a base level, but kitted out with the right attachments becomes an absolute monster.

It's range rivals that of a marksman rifle, and its accuracy is surprisingly laser-like too.

It's just a very strong weapon, and that's why it's the best assault rifle in Modern Warfare, and probably the best gun in Warzone too.

(If you're looking to use it in Warzone - which we highly recommend - our best Warzone loadouts can give you specific attachments to try out.)

Best Sniper Rifle in Modern Warfare recommendation: AX-50

How to unlock the AX-50: Reach Character Level 37

Snipers have the AX-50, which isn't unlocked until far later in the progression but has incredible stopping power. More often than not a single shot from it will put an enemy down in standard multiplayer and it has good mobility when compared to the other options.

This makes it a great choice for people who like to fire once and then move to a new position. Its advantage over other sniper rifles like the HDR and Rytec AMR is that with the right attachments, aiming down the sight can become very quick indeed, allowing a rapid succession of kill shots. However, the AX-50 isn't as stable and its bullet travels more slowly than these alternatives, making it a poorer choice at the extreme ranges of Warzone.

Best Marksman Rifle in Modern Warfare recommendation: MK2 Carbine

How to unlock the MK2 Carbine: Reach Character Level 15

The MK2 Carbine is a particularly powerful marksman rifle and is a good choice if you want to try something a little bit different. It is, however, a rather slow firing, so you'll want to make sure you fit the title of marksman if you're going to use it. Unlike faster-firing options like the SKS, your enemy will be sure to punish any missed shots.

Best Shotgun in Modern Warfare recommendation: 725

How to unlock the 725: Reach Character Level 17

If you prefer close-range combat, then the 725 Shotgun offers formidable stopping power with a surprising range. It's double-barrelled and has a fairly tight spread when firing too, this allows its effective range to be much higher than most shotguns and makes it far more versatile as a result. Many players also remember the 725's dominance in early Modern Warfare, making it a good choice if you want your opponents to get angry.

Best SMG in Modern Warfare recommendation: MP5

How to unlock the MP5: Reach Character Level 12

On the other hand, the MP5 SMG is an excellent option if you're not as confident in your ability to hit a target at close-range but still like to tussle. While it lacks the speed of the MP7 it has a bit more oomph behind each bullet and offers an easy-to-manage recoil as well. A great choice for enclosed spaces.

Looking for multiplayer help? Learn the best guns in Modern Warfare, how to access Modern Warfare Hardcore modes and Modern Warfare Ground War. We can also teach you how to quickscope. Finally, there's the story, with a handful of Modern Warfare campaign missions to complete, as well as how to kill a Juggernaut in Modern Warfare.

Best LMG in Modern Warfare recommendation: M91

How to unlock the M91: Reach Character Level 25

Finally, the M91 LMG sacrifices mobility in favour of pure stopping power and even has a substantial range to boot. Just keep in mind that trying to use it in a close-quarters battle is likely to lead to you losing your life.

As it stands, it's very hard to recommend any LMG over any of the other weapon classes, but the option is there if you want it.

Best non-traditional weapon in Modern Warfare recommendation: Crossbow

How to unlock the Crossbow: Get 5 kills in 25 different matches using a marksman rifle with a reflex optic

Technically speaking, the Crossbow is part of the Marksman Rifle family. That means mid-long range and a focus on accuracy above all.

It can be tricky using one of these rifles anyway, but the Crossbow is particularly challenging to master due to its slow wind up on each shot. However, it does also tend to be a one-hit kill, and you can even upgrade it to use special bolts for even more impact.

The fact the Crossbow is silent makes it useful if you are willing to put the time in to master it - but it's a rather hard sell compared to the other weapons due to its sluggish nature. One nice bonus that might make it worthwhile is that people become extraordinarily angry if you shoot them enough times with it, so at least there's that!

That should be plenty of firepower to keep you going. And if you want to fast track your way to certain armaments, learning about Modern Warfare Blueprints can help.