Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 players are in for a wild ride, with a huge content offering and easily the most progression rewards of any Call of Duty before it. From grinding camos and competing in Multiplayer to slaying the horde in Ashes of the Damned and Dead Ops Arcade, the road ahead is looking awesome.

Those diving into Multiplayer will definitely find themselves trying out all the game’s weapons, with almost every weapon being a viable option. However, one notable Marksman Rifle that is performing quite well at the moment is actually a returning fan favorite from Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. This is, of course, the M8A1, and here is the best loadout for it.

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Best M8A1 Loadout in Black Ops 7

Best M8A1 Loadout in Black Ops 7

The M8A1 is not only an absolute classic weapon in Black Ops 7 that many players will want to use for sheer nostalgia alone, but it’s also a powerhouse of a gun. Firing four-round bursts with each press of the trigger, it’s more than capable of taking down an opponent with a single burst to the torso at 25 meters, and remains a reliable two-burst kill up to 50 meters if all bullets in a burst find their mark.

The main drawback of the M8A1 is its vertical kick. While this can certainly be toned down with the right attachments, focusing on boosting handling to make the weapon fast and agile still provides players with an excellent option capable of decimating enemies within that 50-meter range. For a full breakdown of the best build, see below:

Best M8A1 Build (M01-8XYDE-B8T51)

  • 5 Attachment Build:

    • VAS 5.56 Suppressor (Muzzle)
    • 23'' Ascend-KS Barrel (Barrel)
    • Envoy Foregrip (Underbarrel)
    • 3MW Motion Strike Laser (Laser)
    • Buffer Spring (Fire Mods)

  • Optional Gunfighter Attachments:

    • Echo Reverse Flip Mag (Magazine)
    • K&S Raze Grip (Rear Grip)
    • VAS Barrage-01 Stock (Stock)

M8A1 Loadout Benefits

M8A1 Loadout Benefits

The setup recommendation above is mostly tailored to improving the weapon’s versatility across all ranges while boosting its handling and mobility attributes. Some of the key benefits include faster ADS speed, improved movement speed, and added recoil mitigation alongside a much-needed damage range boost. While you may not be beaming players at one hundred meters, its ideal use sits comfortably around the 50-meter range.

Enhanced Stats Overview:

    • No-Minimap Firing Ping
    • Increased ADS Speed & Jumping ADS Speed
    • Increased Slide to Fire Speed
    • Increased Sprint to Fire Speed
    • Increased Horizontal Recoil Control

    • Increased Movement Speed & Sprinting Speed
    • Faster Reload Speed
    • Increased Damage Range
    • Increased Recoil Stabilization

Looking to pair the M8A1 with a solid Secondary? Then check out these Pistol builds in this guide here.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
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Released
November 14, 2025
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

ESRB
Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
Developer(s)
Treyarch, Raven Software
Genre(s)
Action, FPS, Sci-Fi