Axion vs M4 in MW4
Data updated · Latest official patch:
M4 is ahead on 8 of the 12 key stats that both weapons report; Axion is ahead on 1, and 3 stats are tied. M4's biggest lead is bullet velocity (590 m/s against 400 m/s). Axion's is horizontal recoil (13.7 against 17.1). Fire rate and magazine size are Activision's numbers; the other key stats are community-reported by CODMunity, read November 4, 2026.
Official numbers
| Stat | Axion | M4 |
|---|---|---|
| Fire rate | 705 RPM | 810 RPM Ahead |
| Magazine size | 30 rounds Tie | 30 rounds Tie |
| Reserve rounds | 90 rounds Tie | 90 rounds Tie |
| Total rounds | 120 rounds Tie | 120 rounds Tie |
| Unlock level | Player Level 52 | Player Level 14 |
| Weapon levels | 69 | 72 |
| Apex Attachment | Axion Clearcut | M4 Hurricane |
| Apex blocks | Optic, Laser, Underbarrel, Stock and Rear Grip | Barrel and Magazine |
From Activision's launch weapon sheets. A damage table and time to kill are not published.
About Axion and M4
Axion
Subsonic rifle with a slower rate of fire and strong stopping power at most ranges; subsonic rounds hide enemy skulls on kills.
Apex Attachment, Axion Clearcut: Chainsaw-style rear grip with a handlebar foregrip, hip laser and canted aiming for mobile, hip-fire play. It blocks optic, laser, underbarrel, stock, and rear grip attachments.
M4
Fully automatic, highly adaptable service rifle that Activision pitches as effective in most engagements.
Apex Attachment, M4 Hurricane: Converts the M4 into a top-loading, high-capacity 5.7x28 mm variant that is lighter, more agile and fires faster. It blocks barrel and magazine attachments.
Community-reported stats
Community-reportedBase values with nothing attached, read from CODMunity on November 4, 2026. Unverified.
Across the 31 rows with a direction, Axion is ahead on 5 and M4 on 16; 10 rows are tied and 0 rows are not compared because a weapon has no value.
- Official numbers: M4 is ahead on fire rate (clear); Axion leads no row of this group. Level on magazine size, reserve rounds, and total rounds.
- Mobility: M4 is ahead on ADS movement speed (narrow), firing movement speed (narrow), crouch movement speed (tiny), movement speed (tiny), strafe speed (tiny), tactical sprint speed (tiny), and sprint speed (tiny); Axion leads no row of this group.
- Handling: Axion is ahead on ADS out speed (clear), and M4 is ahead on reload time (wide), raise speed (moderate), ADS speed (moderate), and drop speed (narrow). Level on sprint to fire speed.
- Recoil: Axion is ahead on horizontal recoil (clear) and horizontal gun kick (clear), and M4 is ahead on vertical recoil (clear) and vertical gun kick (narrow). Level on ADS idle sway and ADS gun bob.
- Range and bullets: M4 is ahead on bullet velocity (wide) and bullet penetration (wide); Axion leads no row of this group. Level on damage range.
- Hip fire and flinch: Axion is ahead on hip gun bob (moderate); M4 leads no row of this group. Level on hip idle sway, hip turn sway, and flinch received.
- Fire rate and ammo: Axion is ahead on headshot multiplier (moderate); M4 leads no row of this group.
Brackets give the size of the gap as a share of the larger value: tiny under 2%, narrow under 5%, moderate under 10%, clear under 20%, wide under 40%, very wide above.
The widest gaps across both tables are bullet velocity (M4 590 m/s against 400 m/s), bullet penetration (M4 13.0 in against 9.0 in), and reload time (M4 2600 ms against 3333 ms).
Axion Clearcut, community-reported effects from CODMunity: Horizontal gun kick +179% (worse), Hip idle sway −50% (better), Vertical gun kick −27% (better), and Movement speed −16% (worse).
M4 Hurricane, community-reported effects from CODMunity: Vertical gun kick +104% (worse), Magazine size +67% (better), Total rounds +67% (better), and Horizontal gun kick +58% (worse).
Attachment effects reported for Axion
The community-reported attachments for Axion with the largest change to a key stat, according to CODMunity.
- 100 Round Drum (magazine): Magazine size +233% (better).
- 20 Round Mag (magazine): Reload time −41% (better).
- 40 Round Mag (magazine): Magazine size +33% (better).
- Locus PX3 Canted (optic): Vertical recoil −30% (better).
Attachment effects reported for M4
The community-reported attachments for M4 with the largest change to a key stat, according to CODMunity.
- 60 Round Drum (magazine): Magazine size +100% (better).
- 45 Round Mag (magazine): Magazine size +50% (better).
- No Stock (stock): Vertical recoil +30% (worse).
- Corvus LVL-40 (muzzle): Horizontal recoil −25% (better).
| Stat | Axion | M4 |
|---|---|---|
| Mobility | ||
| Movement speed | 4.62 m/s | 4.70 m/s Ahead |
| ADS movement speed | 2.41 m/s | 2.51 m/s Ahead |
| Sprint speed | 6.11 m/s | 6.18 m/s Ahead |
| Tactical sprint speed | 7.16 m/s | 7.26 m/s Ahead |
| Crouch movement speed | 2.16 m/s | 2.20 m/s Ahead |
| Strafe speed | 3.54 m/s | 3.60 m/s Ahead |
| Firing movement speed | 4.05 m/s | 4.15 m/s Ahead |
| Handling | ||
| ADS speed | 260 ms | 240 ms Ahead |
| ADS out speed | 325 ms Ahead | 370 ms |
| Sprint to fire speed | 210 ms Tie | 210 ms Tie |
| Reload time | 3333 ms | 2600 ms Ahead |
| Raise speed | 1033 ms | 933 ms Ahead |
| Drop speed | 700 ms | 667 ms Ahead |
| Recoil | ||
| Vertical recoil | 48.9 | 40.6 Ahead |
| Horizontal recoil | 13.7 Ahead | 17.1 |
| Vertical gun kick | 17.6 | 16.9 Ahead |
| Horizontal gun kick | 2.8 Ahead | 3.3 |
| ADS idle sway | 0.40° Tie | 0.40° Tie |
| ADS gun bob | 0.09° Tie | 0.09° Tie |
| Range and bullets | ||
| Bullet velocity | 400 m/s | 590 m/s Ahead |
| Damage range | 100% Tie | 100% Tie |
| Bullet penetration | 9.0 in | 13.0 in Ahead |
| Hip fire and flinch | ||
| Hip idle sway | 1.31° Tie | 1.31° Tie |
| Hip gun bob | 1.09° Ahead | 1.15° |
| Hip turn sway | 20.9° Tie | 20.9° Tie |
| Flinch received | 0.29x Tie | 0.29x Tie |
| Fire rate and ammo | ||
| Headshot multiplier | 1.30x Ahead | 1.20x |
"Ahead" marks the better value of a row; "not reported" means no value, not zero.
Pick rates and tiers
Community-reportedOther sites' own figures and opinions about Axion and M4, not Activision data.
| Figure | Axion | M4 |
|---|---|---|
| Multiplayer pick rate (CODMunity) | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| ggranked tier | Tier A, 853 ms time to kill | Tier S, 819 ms time to kill |
| DMZ Radar tier | Tier B | Tier S |
| Community builds listed | 3 Multiplayer and 2 DMZ | 3 Multiplayer and 2 DMZ |
Latest official changes
The newest patch notes that change Axion or M4, as listed on this site.
No change to Axion is listed in the patch notes tracked on this site.
M4: First weapon tuning update, October 28, 2026
- Max Damage Range changed from 990 to 1,020 (+3%).
Weapon pages, builds and tools
More assault rifles comparisons
Other pair pages with Axion
Other pair pages with M4
Frequently asked questions
What do the Apex Attachments of Axion and M4 do?
Axion Clearcut (Axion): Chainsaw-style rear grip with a handlebar foregrip, hip laser and canted aiming for mobile, hip-fire play. It blocks optic, laser, underbarrel, stock, and rear grip attachments. M4 Hurricane (M4): Converts the M4 into a top-loading, high-capacity 5.7x28 mm variant that is lighter, more agile and fires faster. It blocks barrel and magazine attachments.
Where is Axion ahead of M4, and where is M4 ahead?
On CODMunity's base values (community-reported, read November 4, 2026): Axion is ahead on horizontal recoil (clear), horizontal gun kick (clear), ADS out speed (clear), headshot multiplier (moderate), and hip gun bob (moderate). M4 is ahead on bullet velocity (wide), bullet penetration (wide), reload time (wide), vertical recoil (clear), fire rate (clear), raise speed (moderate), and 10 other rows.
How often are Axion and M4 picked, and what tiers do they have?
CODMunity's Multiplayer pick rate is 5.2% for Axion and 5.6% for M4, so M4 is picked about 1.1 times as often. ggranked places Axion in tier A and M4 in tier S. ggranked gives a time to kill of 853 ms for Axion and 819 ms for M4; that is the site's own calculation, not a published value. DMZ Radar places Axion in tier B and M4 in tier S. These are community figures, not Activision data: CODMunity and the tier lists, read November 4, 2026.