Warzone trendsetter reveals best Assault Rifle after NZ-41 & KG M40 nerfs

Luca Di Marzo
Cooper Carbine Warzone loadout

An August 3 Warzone update delivered nerfs to the meta-defining NZ-41 and KG M40, and Warzone expert Isaac ‘IceManIsaac’ Hamilton revealed the Assault Rifle that could take the top spot in Season 4 Reloaded.

Since the start of Season 4 Reloaded, the Warzone meta has been the most diverse and varied its been in a long time. While the long-range meta has a ton of viable options, experts like JGOD had the NZ-41 and KG M40 as the two top options.

However, both the KG M40 and NZ-41 should suffer setbacks after being nerfed in an August 3 update. The long-range meta is destined to shift once again and Call of Duty content creator IceManIsaac believes another Vanguard Assault Rifle will rise to the top.

Best Warzone Pacific cooper carbine loadout

Interestingly enough, IceManIsaac claimed that the Cooper Carbine has what it takes to rise to the top in Season 4 Reloaded before news of the nerfs broke. The expert claims that even before the nerf, the Cooper Carbine “kills faster than the KG.”

With a fast TTK and the weapon’s notoriously easy-to-control recoil, it’s no surprise that the Cooper Carbine is destined to dominate.

After factoring in the nerfs that will send the NZ-41 and KG M40 down the ranks, the Cooper Carbine has an even greater chance of claiming the top spot.

IceManIsaac’s Warzone Cooper Carbine loadout

  • Muzzle: MX Silencer
  • Barrel: 22” Cooper Custom
  • Optic: SVT-40 PU Scope 3-6x
  • Stock: Cooper Custom Padded
  • Underbarrel: Carver Foregrip
  • Magazine: 9mm 60 Round Drums
  • Ammunition: Compressed Rounds
  • Rear Grip: Polymer Grip
  • Perk 1: Tight Grip
  • Perk 2: On-Hand

IceManIsaac explains that with one small change you can truly maximize the potential of the Cooper Carbine for long-range gunfights. The change that players are overlooking is swapping the standard Lengthened ammunition with Compressed Rounds.

The Compressed Rounds will see the weapon’s fire rate rise to incredible levels, effectively covering its only weakness: “it’s going to add a little bit more recoil, but keep in mind the Cooper hardly has any recoil to begin with and that’s going to bring us to an insane TTK.”

The Cooper Carbine’s excellent base recoil control means that players can get away with improving fire rate at the cost of adding some more recoil. The Carver Foregrip and Polymer Grip will help keep your shots nice and steady as well.

IceManIsaac claims that this loadout is particularly dominant in solos and duos. They also confirm that it kills faster than all of the meta ARs in the game even before the recent nerfs.


For more, check out how the Warzone devs finally fixed the frustrating Gas Mask bug that was getting players killed at the start of Season 4 Reloaded.

Image Credit: Activision

About The Author

Luca is an Associate Editor at CharlieIntel. An accomplished, writer with interests in sports and gaming alike, Luca is focused on Call of Duty and FIFA as a content creator. After earning his BA in English Literature at Concordia University, he began writing for Gamelevate, OddsShark, and H4X. Luca joined CharlieIntel in 2021. You can reach Luca at [email protected], or via X @TheLucaDiMarzo.