MW4 Weapon Leveling: Getting Guns to Max Level

Modern Warfare 4 launched with 33 weapons, and leveling them is its own track, separate from your player level. Here is how it works and how to make it go faster.

Max level is per weapon

This is the thing that catches people out. Weapons do not share a max level in Modern Warfare 4. One gun can take substantially longer to max than another, and the attachment you are chasing might sit anywhere on that gun's track.

So "max level all my guns" is not one job repeated 33 times. It is 33 different-sized jobs. Before you commit to a grind, check what level the attachment you actually want sits at. Quite often you do not need max level at all.

What leveling a gun unlocks

Attachments, tied to the levels on that weapon. That is the practical reason to do it: the build you want is usually gated behind a handful of levels rather than the whole track.

Making it faster

Play modes with constant engagements. Weapon XP comes from using the gun, so anything that puts you in more fights per minute levels guns faster than a cautious match does.

Use the gun you are leveling, including when it is bad. A weapon at level 1 with no attachments is unpleasant to use, and that is exactly the stretch you have to push through. Put it in every slot you can so you are not tempted onto something else.

Stack it with what you are already doing. If you are working Multiplayer camo tiers, do it on the guns you also want leveled.

Use a bot lobby for the painful early levels. Constant engagements are exactly what weapon XP wants, and the early levels on a gun with no attachments are the worst part of the track.

Where leveling stops and Prestige starts

Once a gun hits its max level, an optional Weapon Prestige track opens. It resets that gun and relocks its attachments, including shared ones, in exchange for the Pyroclast camos. It is not something you fall into by accident, and it does not touch your player level. Details here.

Handing it off

Our MW4 weapon leveling covers specific weapons, a whole weapon class, or the entire roster, with the target levels agreed before anyone starts. If you only need a gun to the level that unlocks one attachment, say so: it is cheaper than a full run to max.

FAQ

How many weapons are in Modern Warfare 4?

Thirty-three at launch, alongside 33 Operators, per Activision's launch patch notes. Seasonal weapons are added after that.

Is the max weapon level the same for every gun?

No. Max level is set per weapon, so guns differ in how long they take to max out.

Do I need max level to get the attachment I want?

Usually not. Attachments unlock across a weapon's level track, so check where the one you want sits before committing to the full grind.

Does player Prestige reset my weapon levels?

No. Player Prestige and Weapon Prestige are separate. Classic Prestige resets player unlocks; Weapon Prestige resets a single gun.