Throughout Call of Duty’s history, there have been plenty of memorable ARs, including the XM4 which is back and better than ever in Black Ops 6.
ARs usually reign supreme in medium and long-range engagements, but that hasn’t quite been the case in Black Ops 6. Sixty-one percent of players used the Jackal PDW during the first beta weekend because the SMG’s outrageous range capabilities went toe-to-toe with ARs.
Treyarch responded by nerfing the Jackal PDW’s damage range. The XM4 was arguably one of the best weapons in the game before this most recent update but now sits in pole position to take over multiplayer’s meta. With that said, here’s a look at which loadout is the best for the XM4 in Black Ops 6 right now.
Best Black Ops 6 XM4 loadout
- Optic: Merlin Reflex
- Muzzle: Compensator
- Barrel: Reinforced Barrel
- Rear Grip: Quickdraw Grip
- Stock: Balanced Stock
If you’re loading into a Black Ops 6 lobby for the first time, this is one of the best weapons to learn the ropes. The easy-to-use AR has a controllable recoil pattern, deals consistent damage, and boasts decent enough mobility and handling.
However, the XM4 doesn’t dominate any particular area. So, with that in mind, our loadout emphasizes accuracy, mobility, and firepower to take this weapon from an average AR into a force to be reckoned with.
That starts with the Compensator muzzle, which drastically improves vertical recoil. Horizontal recoil isn’t as much of an issue for the XM4, so we only have to hone in on eliminating any up and down movement.
Next up, the iron sights are challenging to see through, so we recommend using an optic. There are several red dot variations, so it ultimately comes down to personal preference, but the Merlin Mini offers a low intrusive frame with a clean line of sight.
Every AR loadout should have Quickdraw Grip equipped. It significantly improves aim-down sight speed and could end up being the difference between winning or losing a gunfight.
The same can be said about the Reinforced Barrel, because improved bullet velocity and damage range suits this otherwise average weapon perfectly.
Lastly, Balanced Stock moderately helps movement speed and aim walking speed, to get more in line with mobility stats of other AR options.
Best XM4 Perks, Equipment & Combat Specialty
- Perk 1: Ghost
- Perk 2: Tracker
- Perk 3: Double Time
- Perk 4: Vigilance
- Wildcard: Perk Greed
- Combat Specialty: Recon
- Lethal: Semtex
- Tactical: Concussion
- Field Upgrade: Trophy System
Omnimovement plays right into the hands of aggressive SMG players. ARs don’t have the same mobility of handling stats as SMGs, meaning players won’t be able to dive and move in the same way.
In saying that, AR players have less to worry about if they always know what’s happening around them. These Perks will reduce the number of times you get blindsided or flanked while holding a power position.
Perk Greed helps accomplish that goal by giving players an extra Perk Slot. Equipping three Recon Perks activates the Recon Combat Speciality.
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This ability allows players to see enemies through walls briefly after spawning and also provides a ping indicator when an enemy has their sights on you outside of your view.
Meanwhile, Vigilance displays a HUD Icon whenever you are on enemy mini-maps and makes you immune to Sleeper Agent, which was introduced during the second beta weekend. The scary Field Upgrade allows enemies to appear as teammates briefly, but you won’t have to worry about that nightmare.
UAVs are extremely easy to earn in Black Ops 6, so Ghost counters that by making you invisible to the Scorestreak.
And if you lose track of someone, Tracker reveals enemy footsteps and auto-pings enemies after you aim down sight on them. Finally, Double Time increases tactical sprinting duration when you need to get out of a jam quickly.
To round out our loadout, Semtex Grenades, and Concussion Grenades will help clear a room or draw an enemy out. And when you find yourself on the wrong end of a grenade, Trophy Systems destroy them.
XM4 AR pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | Poor visibility iron sight |
| Rewards accurate players | Slightly weak vertical recoil control |
| Generally fast time-to-kill speed | Average accuracy, mobility, and damage |
Where is the XM4 in the Black Ops 6 meta?
Within each weapon’s max damage range, the XM4 has the second-best time-to-kill speed among beta ARs clocking in at 300 milliseconds. The AK-74 bests that figure out at 276 ms, but a less-reliable recoil pattern makes the XM4 a better weapon.
An argument can be made that the AMES 85 is a better AR, but popularity rankings suggest that the XM4 is currently the most popular choice for this class. According to WZ Stats, the XM4 is the second most popular weapon in Black Ops 6, with a 10.91% pick rate, narrowly falling behind the Tanto .22 at 10.97%.
With that in mind, it’s safe to say that the XM4 is in an excellent spot to take the crown for best AR.
How to unlock XM4 in Black Ops 6 beta
The XM4 is unlocked when you can create classes at level 4. Because of the beta’s Double XP, you will only need to play a few matches before reaching that mark.
Black Ops 6 XM4 alternatives
If the XM4 doesn’t quite offer the accuracy or damage profile you want, two alternatives excel in those areas. First, the AK-74 sacrifices accuracy to be one of the hardest-hitting weapons in multiplayer.
On the other hand, what the AMES 85 lacks in firepower, the AR makes up for in pinpoint accuracy in medium and long-range gunfights.
For a better idea of other alternatives, check out our Black Ops 6 weapon tier list.
