Call of Duty: Mobile | 3 Best M16 Loadouts

(Activision via Mike Bruton)

Human Made

Penned by Mike Bruton

Michael is our expert Call of Duty writer.

Reviewed by Benjamin Barr

The M16, though replaced by the M4 carbine, has held a place in the hearts of military members and gamers alike for years. The assault rifle may seem somewhat out-of-date against some of today’s modern weaponry, but it has a ton of utility when it comes to clicking heads.

Call of Duty: Mobile’s enormous armory includes the world-famous weapon and some of its polarizing quirks. For starters, it’s longer than many of the ARs and SMGs in the game. Speed is not exactly its strong suit, and the stock version sometimes feels downright unwieldy. However, it is accurate and effective, and its 3-round burst mode inspires a love/hate relationship among players.

The Stock M16 is stuck in 3-round burst mode, though holding the trigger will result in multiple streams of 3-round bursts with a tiny delay between. The upshot is that each trigger pull spits 90 potential damage points (30 per bullet). The result is an AR that hits like a sniper rifle—assuming all three rounds find a target. 

Unlike a sniper rifle, shifting fire to do it all again is as quick and easy as acquiring another target. It may be polarizing, but with some practice, the M16 has a unique advantage that dominates in the right hands. 

Fortunately, CoD: Mobile offers as many attachments and perks as it does weapon types—so modifying the M16 to your preferences is as easy as it is fun. We’ve play-tested CoDM’s M16 in all forms and developed the best loadouts for battlefield domination. 

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Loadout #1: Carbine M16

This build seeks to alleviate the worst of the M16—slow ADS and chunky handling—and gear it toward close-quarters combat.

Attachments & Setup

MIP Light Barrel (Short), Holographic Sight 2, YKM Light Stock, Merc Foregrip, Sleight of Hand

The first order of business is cutting down the weapon’s length. The MIP Light Barrel (Short) becomes available at weapon level 30, and coupling it with the YKM Light Stock barrel boosts Mobility from 83 to 89 points. 

The Carbine M16 snaps nicely to targets, and the Holographic sight is perfect for making the most of the three-round burst mode. Three on-target rounds are enough to down any enemy, and if the first shot happens to finish one, the other two can certainly find nice homes in unfortunate nearby teammates. 

Improving recoil will also ensure the entire burst goes where you want it, so we like to throw on the Merc Foregrip to keep the barrel climb manageable, and Sleight of Hand keeps that hungry magazine well full. 

Strategies

Think of the Carbine M16 as an M4 with much better range. It excels at close combat, pumping bursts into enemies from the hip, but with a superior second-in-class Range score of 62, reaching further is no problem when the situation arises.

Perks

Vulture, Agile, Alert

At three rounds per trigger pull, the M16 runs out of ammo fast, and since you’ll be kill-streaking like a maniac with this build, Vulture provides ammunition supplies with each kill. Alert keeps you a step ahead of the enemy and agile helps on the move.

Streaks

Predator Missile, Cluster Strike, Care Package

A high-powered air attack coupled with the lottery ticket of a Care Package will keep you on the move and, in the game, raining fire from the skies.

Maps & Modes

Small maps and point-based modes work best for the Carbine M16 with their concentrated groups of enemies and whirling play styles.

Maps

• Shoothouse
• Rust
• Hijacked

Modes

• Free-For-All
• Hardpoint
• Domination

Hunter M16

If keeping out of the fray and eliminating enemies from afar is more your style, the Hunter M16 has you covered.

Attachments & Setup

3x Tactical Scope 1, OWC Marksman Barrel, MIP Strike Stock, Wounding, MIP Laser 5mW

Though not recommended for small maps or close-quarters battles, the 3x scopes are perfect for hitting the 3-round burst shred at a distance. Replacing the barrel with something longer helps score those long-distance hits. It will make the M16 feel a little delayed—especially compared to the Carbine build, but the visible laser makes hip firing a breeze—and the M16 loves nothing more than strafing side to side when confronted by a gang of enemies. 

Wounding slows down enemies hit by the initial bullet, allowing players to finish them with follow-up shots. 

Strategies

Striking from a distance to eliminate enemies who don’t see you is where the Hunter shines. Due to its decreased mobility and increased accuracy, posting up and picking off unsuspecting enemies is ideal.

Perks

Lightweight, Cold-Blooded, Dead Silence

Striking from a distance to eliminate enemies who don’t see you is where the Hunter shines. Due to its decreased mobility and increased accuracy, posting up and picking off unsuspecting enemies is ideal.

Streaks

Counter UAV, Sentry Gun, VTOL

Block the enemy’s intelligence and slay with stealth and offensive warfare. Counter UAV wipes out enemy radar, leaving you free to rack up enough kills to bring in a Sentry Gun and, ultimately, for a ride in the VTOL. 

Maps & Modes

Try the maps and modes below to make the most of this M16 loadout.

Maps

• Crossroads
• Crash
• Hacienda

Modes

• Team Deathmatch
• Frontline

Loadout #3: Battle Royale M16

Though quirky, the M16 may be the best weapon in the game to set up for Battle Royale. 

To get your customized M16 in a Battle Royale match, head to the Battle Royale lobby and click loadout—just as you would for multiplayer games. From there, you can assign and set up a weapon to drop in an Arsenal Airdrop in-game. Imagine your favorite setup floating down from the heavens to slay the final circle.

Attachments & Setup

48-Round Extended Mag, YKM Combat Stock, YKM Integral Suppressor Light, RTC Laser 1mW, 4x Tactical Scope.

The longer combat range of Battle Royale calls for a nice 4x magnification paired with the RTC Laser 1mW for an invisible laser right that reduces hip fire spread for final circle domination. The integrated silencer on the YKM Light Barrel saves an attachment slot while keeping enemies confused about your location. At the same time, the YKM Combat Stock lightens up the feel of the weapon for accurate shooting on the go. 

Try our Battle Royale setup next time you drop into a fight, and you won’t be disappointed.

There are hundreds of ways to slay at CoD: Mobile. Strap on one of the above M16s and let us know how you like it in the comments below!