Assault Rifles are almost everyone’s go-to weapon in any battle royale, but with so much choice on offer in Warzone, it can be tricky to narrow it down. Most players will opt for either the Grau 5.56 or the M4A1 – but which is the better gun for your loadout?
It’s a big debate now, as the M4 faithful swear by the tried and true AR, but there is a growing number of players swapping it out for the Grau instead, arguing it’s a more versatile weapon, well suited to both long and short-range engagements.
And of course, attachment choices are paramount, so what should you be kitting your AR of choice with? We’ve broken down the pros and cons of each, as well as providing our best Warzone loadouts for whatever one you prefer.
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Time-to-kill
- M4A1 = 576 ms (vs full armored enemy)
- Grau 5.56 = 640 ms (vs full armored enemy)
This is typically the first thing you’ll look for when picking out your rifle. But, it should be noted that having a lower time-to-kill isn’t always ideal, because it relies on you not missing a single bullet.
On paper, the M4A1 wins here, as it’s time-to-kill vs Armor is a bit faster. But, there is an argument that it is harder to control the recoil than the Grau, and so if you can hit more shots consistently, the real time-to-kill might be better with a Grau in hand.
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Accuracy, Range, Damage
These are typically the three main components you’ll be interested in when choosing your rifle. Fire rate is also important, but typically this will be offset by the damage of the weapon. The Oden, for example, has a much slower rate of fire, but it’s damage is also much improved over other AR’s.
Grau
The Grau is incredibly easy to shoot straight, with very limited recoil. This is partly thanks to its slower rate of fire vs the M4. This is one of the reasons it found a new life in Warzone compared to multiplayer. It’s also incredibly versatile, meaning you’ll never feel let down by it at any range.
M4A1
The M4 meanwhile has the same damage (both use 5.56 rounds), but a faster rate of fire at 833rpm. This is what gives it the faster time-to-kill, but only if you hit all of your shots. The faster rate of fire makes it more difficult to control, and therefore you might miss a few of those shots. Here you can see the range comparison, via YouTuber XclusiveAce.
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Attachments
What you use on your weapon really is vitally important, and both the Grau and M4 are complemented in similar ways by the available attachments.
This is subjective, but the Grau arguably has better iron sights, with a much clearer view of the target than the M4. So, you might be able to save yourself a slot by running the Grau with no sight attachment. It actually has a few different types though, depending on the blueprint/barrel.
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You’ll probably want to run the monolithic suppressor on both the M4 or the Grau, and in Warzone they both benefit from barrels that give more damage at range, even if it does reduce ADS speed. A 50 or 60 round mag is also a great idea, so you don’t have to reload to fully kill an enemy who is shielded up.
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The M4 has a touch more recoil, as mentioned previously, so will benefit even more from some form of underbarrel foregrip.
What do the pros say?
If you can’t make up your mind, you might want to look to the pro players. Seth ‘Scump’ Abner argues that the M4 is actually better for controller players, while the Grau is the preference of PC players.
Former pro Anthony ‘NAMELESS’ Wheeler says the M4 is definitely the better weapon, but the reduced recoil on the Grau makes it a very tempting option.
When I consistently use the Grau the m4 feels like cheeks bc the grau has 0 recoil.
The M4 is definitely better tho…. what ya'll runnin?
— Anthony Wheeler (@NAMELESS) May 18, 2020
Meanwhile, Josiah ‘Slacked’ Berry and Tyler ‘FeLo’ Johnson both argue that the Grau is the better option overall.
Exactly. M4 is definitely the best for close/mid range but the grau is amazing for medium/long range and back pocket mp5 for up close
— Surge Slacked (@Slacked) May 18, 2020
Which one should you use? M4 or Grau
In conclusion, these two weapons are very close, neck-and-neck. Ultimately, it will come down to preference. But, you might also want to consider your playstyle.
If you don’t mind running and gunning without a sight on your weapon, the Grau is the better choice. You can burst into a small room and use this thing just like an SMG. Not having a sight on the weapon may also allow you to use an attachment slot on the Fully Loaded perk – making this the perfect loadout to pickup after winning your Gulag or being bought back.
The M4, on the other hand, is much better used with a red dot sight or maybe even a thermal hybrid. Use the M16 barrel, a ranger foregrip and 60 round mags, and you’ll be well prepared to pick off targets from a distance. It can even be a good substitute for a sniper, until you get your hands on a second loadout drop.
That’s just our opinion though, and there are many ways you could set up the M4 or the Grau to suit your playstyle. Check out our recommended loadouts for the Grau here.