Battlefield 6 has no shortage of guns to choose from, as there are a staggering 45 weapons to play with at launch — a number that will only grow larger with BF6’s inaugural post-launch season. These 41 guns are spread out across eight weapon categories: Sidearms, LMGs, Assault Rifles, DMRs, Sniper Rifles, Shotguns, SMGs, and Carbines. Four of those weapon types are signature weapons of Battlefield’s iconic classes, with those being:
- Assault Rifles — Assault players can ready and fire Assault Rifles more quickly when exiting sprint.
- Sniper Rifles — Recon users have better breath control when scoped in and re-chamber their guns more quickly.
- SMGs — Engineers have increased hip fire accuracy with all SMGs.
- LMGs — Supports aim down sights more quickly and are not penalized when sprinting with LMGs.
Because of these specializations, Battlefield 6 players may be ignoring all the options within the DMR, Shotgun, and Carbine categories, as no class gets a special buff from using these weapons. However, that would be a mistake. Not only are DMRs a healthy middle ground between Snipers and Assault Rifles that can be effective a vast majority of the time, but Shotguns are a perfect second weapon for the Assault class. The Carbine category also hides one of the strongest guns at Battlefield 6 players’ disposal, and it’s available from the very start: the M4A1.
Why is Battlefield 6's M4A1 Worth Using?
Battlefield 6’s M4A1 has numerous upsides and only one true drawback. On the positive end of the spectrum, the gun fires incredibly fast, kills in a few shots, and is quite accurate — though this last point can be made into a stronger positive via attachments. It can also deal solid damage at range, feeling more like an Assault Rifle than an SMG (Carbines are a middle ground between the two, often favoring one or the other). However, because the M4A1 fires fast and kills just as quickly, players will find themselves emptying their magazine and reloading nonstop. As such, with their loadout, gamers will want to seek out the largest possible magazine at all times, going for increasingly large mags whenever possible. Other Battlefield 6 attachment points should be spent on accuracy so that as many shots as possible land.
An optimal loadout for the M4A1 is as follows:
- Scope: CCO 2.00X (10 points)
- Magazine: 40 Round (25 points)
- Barrel: 14.5” Carbine (15 points)
- Muzzle: Long Suppressor (25 points)
- Underbarrel: Ribbed Vertical (20 points)
- Ammunition: Standard (5 points)
This setup fully uses the 100 points available for weapon customization and directly addresses the magazine depletion issue. Weapon optics are personal preference, but seeing that players will always be using this weapon at mid-range, the 2.00 zoom is appropriate. The 40 round mag is a must, though since it’s a high level unlock (mastery level 34), it will take players some work to earn. Until then, using the points on a special ammunition type would be advisable, as the 20 round mags should be avoided at all costs. The barrel, muzzle, and underbarrel all strive to make the gun laser accurate, turning it into a hugely reliable quick killer that players can begin leveling up the second they start playing Battlefield 6’s multiplayer.
Battlefield 6’s M4A1 Users Should Tap The Trigger, Not Hold It
Because it takes some time to earn those extra 10 rounds in the M4A1, players may be scared off by how much they find themselves reloading, refusing to grind levels in Battlefield 6 to make the M4A1 all it can be. However, it’s worth pushing through those early doubts by taking advantage of the gun’s TTK. Instead of wasting shots by holding down the trigger, gamers should get used to tapping R2, burst firing the weapon as often as possible. Usually, that burst will do the trick if players are hitting their foe in the chest and above, allowing them to preserve more of their magazine and kill a few more enemies before needing to reload. If used correctly, the M4A1 is arguably the best starter gun in BF6, and players shouldn’t be afraid to give up their class-specific weapon buffs in favor of the deadly Carbine.
Battlefield 6
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 90%
- Released
- October 10, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-App Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Battlefield Studios
- Publisher(s)
- EA
