If you’ve played a Call of Duty game before, you’ve likely used the M16 assault rifle. It’s one of the most beloved assault rifles in the history of the series and is one of the leading weapons in Black Ops Cold War. If you want to use it for yourself, you’ll need the right attachments for it. But which ones should you use? In this guide, we’ve got you covered with the best M16 loadout, as well as an ideal attachment setup to get the most out of each gunfight.
Why the M16?
The M16 is what you’d get if a sniper and assault rifle had a baby. It’s got all the accuracy and range of a sniper, but thanks to its triple burst shot, you’ve got some wiggle room with each pull of the trigger. Because of this, players using the M16 can accurately take out enemies in just one or two bursts, making it one of the most deadly weapons in all of Black Ops Cold War.
Best M16 Attachments
- Optic – Millstop Reflex
- Muzzle – None
- Barrel – 20.5” Task Force
- Body – None
- Underbarrel – None
- Magazine – 45 Rnd Speed Mag
- Handle – Airborne Elastic Wrap
- Stock – Raider Pad
Unfortunately, the M16’s iron sights leave a lot to be desired and you won’t get the accuracy you need without some sort of Optic. That’s why we recommend using the Millstop Reflex, which offers 1.37x magnification — perfect for medium range engagements (but excels at long range, too if you’ve got the right attachments).
As with most weapons, the 20.5” Task Force should be your go-to Barrel, as it gives the M16 a 14 percent damage boost, and increases its damage range and bullet velocity by 50 percent each. This is key to taking out enemies in just one or two bursts, especially if they’re far away. Despite the downside of lowered vertical and horizontal recoil control, the Task Force is hands down the best Barrel to use.
You might not expect this since the M16 is a semi-auto weapon, but you’ll often find yourself having to reload frequently in the middle of gunfights, which is not ideal (especially if you’re still learning how to use the weapon). To combat this, we advise to use the 45 Rnd Speed Mag, which gives you an additional 15 rounds in your clip, more ammo overall, and increases the speed at which you can reload at the expense of a 20 percent decrease in aim down sights (ADS) speed. ADS is important, but not nearly as much as it is when using an SMG or even a sniper. You can get away with a slower ADS speed with this since you can take enemies out in just a couple of bursts.
To counter out the slower ADS speed, use the Airborne Elastic Wrap Handle. This boosts your ADS time by 30 percent and nearly doubles your flinch resistance. Basically, if you get hit, you’ll have an easier time keeping your crosshairs on your target, which is key to winning gunfights. Plus, this attachment allows you to aim while going prone, making “drop-shots” possible.
For the final attachment, we like the Raider Pad Stock. This speeds up your sprint to fire time by 30 percent, giving you a leg up when you see an enemy in the distance as you run by. In addition, it gives you a 40 percent increase to your aim walk speed and this is vital to avoiding gunfire while you’re scoped in.
There are other attachments that favor different play styles, but the M16 is best when used at medium to long range. Using the attachments mentioned above will guarantee you take out your opponents in three bursts or fewer, while maintaining accuracy, speed, and damage. It’s borderline overpowered if you know how to use it.
