How to build an AK-47 with ‘negative recoil’ in Black Ops Cold War

Liam Mackay
Black Ops Cold War AK-47 loadout

Black Ops Cold War’s Gunsmith allows players to build an AK-47 with ‘negative recoil.

The AK-47 is a classic Call of Duty Assault Rifle, known for dealing high damage but being difficult to control. The Gunsmith has returned in Cold War, allowing players to customize their weapons with up to eight unique attachments.

An essential attribute for any weapon in Call of Duty is vertical recoil control. Keeping vertical recoil at a minimum will allow you to consistently hit the upper torso and head, making the weapon extremely effective at range.

Even the most accurate Assault Rifles require some manual recoil control – until now.

Reddit user u/mdms has discovered that, with the right attachments, the AK can be made so accurate that it has ‘negative recoil.’

‘Negative Recoil’ AK-47 Loadout

  • Muzzle: KGB Eliminator
  • Barrel: 18.2 VDV Reinforced
  • Underbarrel: Spetsnaz Grip
  • Magazine: VDV 50 RND Fast Mag
  • Handle: GRU Elastic Wrap

As long as you have these five attachments, the AK-47 will shoot entirely straight. All of these attachments reduce the weapon’s recoil, so much so that they have potentially given it ‘negative recoil.’

U/mdms demonstrated the effect these attachments have on the AK-47 in this Reddit post:

As they explain, the first shot lands at the center of the crosshair. U/mdms then holds ‘fire’ on the mouse without controlling the recoil. Normally, while letting weapons shoot unassisted, you’ll see a very clear bullet spray pattern – usually up and then to the side.

On this AK-47 build, however, the Assault Rifle stays completely accurate. There is a slight visual recoil as the sight rises, but almost all shots land precisely where they initially aimed. A few shots land below the initial shot, which is either ‘negative recoil’ or bullet drop.

This was initially demonstrated with a mouse, so we tested this setup on a controller and found the same result.

It’s likely that these attachments aren’t meant to make the AK behave this way. Give this loadout a shot as soon as you can, and find yourself using the most accurate full-auto weapon in Black Ops Cold War. It might take a bit of time getting used to having no recoil, however.

About The Author

Liam is CharlieIntel's Editor. After graduating in Journalism from Edinburgh Napier University, Liam made use of his passion for FPS games, including Call of Duty, by writing for sites such as The Nerd Stash, Red Bull Gaming, and GAMINGbible before joining CharlieIntel in November 2020. You can contact Liam at [email protected].