Best M16 loadout for Modern Warfare 2

Hamza Khalid
Modern Warfare 2 M16 loadout

The classic M16 Assault Rifle is available in Modern Warfare 2, and here are all the attachments, Perks, and Equipment that you can use to make the best loadout for it in the multiplayer.

Modern Warfare 2 is finally here, with players filling up the servers, enjoying the new multiplayer maps, and racing to level up and unlock weapon camos.

MW2 features plenty of powerful weapons to choose from, with some being unlocked through leveling up Weapon Platforms such as the M16 Assault Rifle. You can turn this classic CoD gun into a powerhouse by equipping the best attachments, Perks, and Equipment.

Here’s the best M16 loadout for the Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer as well as how to unlock it.

Best Modern Warfare 2 M16 loadout attachments

  • Muzzle: Forge-Tac Castle Comp
  • Optic: Cronen Mini Red Dot
  • Stock: Demo Fade Pro Stock
  • Rear Grip: Sakin ZX Grip
  • Underbarrel: VX Pineapple Vert Grip

We’ll start off this Modern Warfare 2 loadout by equipping the Forge-Tac Castle Comp muzzle and Sakin ZX Grip to bring the M16’s recoil under control. You can use the VX Pineapple Vert Grip to improve hip-fire accuracy and gun-kick control.

The Demo Fade Pro Stock improves mobility by boosting the weapon’s aim walk speed and sprint speed. Finally, we went with the Cronen Mini Red Dot optic to accurately take out enemies in medium-range combat.

556 icarus in modern warfare 2

Best Perks and equipment for Modern Warfare 2 M16

  • Base Perk 1: Bomb Squad
  • Base Perk 2: Double Time
  • Bonus Perk: Quick Fix
  • Ultimate Perk: Fast Hands
  • Lethal Equipment: Semtex
  • Tactical Equipment: Stun Grenade
  • Field Upgrade: Dead Silence

We picked Bomb Squad and Double Time as our Base Perks in order to reduce damage from explosives while letting you sprint around the map longer. Quick Fix immediately regenerates health after each kill and the Fast Hands Ultimate Perk boosts your reload speed.

Coming to our choice of Equipment, we recommend using Stun Grenades and the Dead Silence Field Upgrade to surprise your opponents, as well as a Semtex to dish out damage to multiple targets at once.

How to unlock the M16 in Modern Warfare 2

Before you can get your hands on the M16 in Modern Warfare 2, you’ll need to get the 556 Icarus LMG to level 14 and select the weapon from the receiver platform in the new Gunsmith system.

Once this is done, the weapon will be available in your inventory. You can keep unlocking new weapons by leveling up Weapon Platforms, which are the base weapons from which players can unlock new Receivers with.

Alternatives to the M16 in Modern Warfare 2

If you feel that the M16 isn’t your cup of tea, we recommend checking out the M4 Assault Rifle which is exceptionally well-balanced. The KASTOV-74u is another great alternative for medium-range combat.


You’ll be able to customize this loadout even more with the new Modern Warfare 2 Weapon Tuning system. For more Modern Warfare 2 content, check out all of the launch updates.

Image credits: Activision

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