Battlefield 4 shipped from DICE on 29 October 2013 on Frostbite 3, launched in a famously broken state, and then spent two years being repaired through a public Community Test Environment until it became the reference point the series keeps getting measured against. It reached Steam years later when EA returned its catalogue to the store in 2020, under appid 1238860. The pitch is 64 player Conquest on PC, four infantry classes, Levolution events that permanently change a map mid round, and Commander Mode running above it all. It is still online in 2026, with Steam concurrents typically running between about 1,000 and 1,600 and a larger population on the EA App that Steam charts never see. Populated servers are concentrated in a smaller set of maps and modes than the map list suggests.
Your choice of weapons defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Weapons Rankings
| Weapon | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEK-971 | S | Aggressive Assault players on infantry maps like Operation Locker and Flood Zone | The highest fire rate assault rifle in the base game and the one with the sharpest recoil to match. |
| ACE 23 | A | Assault players who need consistent performance at medium range on mixed maps | The all round assault rifle, slower firing than the AEK but with much flatter recoil. |
| U-100 MK5 | A | Holding corridors and doorways on Operation Locker and Zavod 311 | A high rate of fire Support light machine gun with a large belt. |
| ACW-R | B | Engineers on large maps who spend as much time on foot as in a repair position | One of the more forgiving Engineer carbines, with handling good enough that you are not badly outgunned when a vehicle fight becomes an infantry fight. |
| CS-LR4 | B | Recon players learning bullet drop on open maps like Golmud Railway and Paracel Storm | A bolt action Recon rifle available early in the class progression, so you are not stuck with the starter rifle while you learn ranging. |
S-Tier: AEK-971
The highest fire rate assault rifle in the base game and the one with the sharpest recoil to match. It wins close range trades outright and punishes anyone who cannot control the first vertical climb.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Aggressive Assault players on infantry maps like Operation Locker and Flood Zone |
| Key Mechanic | Levolution events |
| Recommended Role | Assault |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using AEK-971: Pairs naturally with Assault thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: ACE 23
The all round assault rifle, slower firing than the AEK but with much flatter recoil. It is the safe default for players who want one gun for every map size.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Assault players who need consistent performance at medium range on mixed maps |
| Key Mechanic | Field Upgrades |
| Recommended Role | Engineer |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using ACE 23: Pairs naturally with Engineer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: U-100 MK5
A high rate of fire Support light machine gun with a large belt. Terrible from the hip and excellent from a deployed bipod, which is exactly the trade Support is supposed to make.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Holding corridors and doorways on Operation Locker and Zavod 311 |
| Key Mechanic | Commander Mode |
| Recommended Role | Support |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using U-100 MK5: Pairs naturally with Support thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: ACW-R
One of the more forgiving Engineer carbines, with handling good enough that you are not badly outgunned when a vehicle fight becomes an infantry fight.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Engineers on large maps who spend as much time on foot as in a repair position |
| Key Mechanic | Spotting and squad spawns |
| Recommended Role | Recon |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using ACW-R: Pairs naturally with Recon thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: CS-LR4
A bolt action Recon rifle available early in the class progression, so you are not stuck with the starter rifle while you learn ranging. Rewards holding a lane over roaming.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Recon players learning bullet drop on open maps like Golmud Railway and Paracel Storm |
| Key Mechanic | Vehicle countermeasures |
| Recommended Role | Vehicle crew |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using CS-LR4: Pairs naturally with Vehicle crew thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Weapons Progression Path
The order you should acquire weapons as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Siege of Shanghai
- ACE 23 → Your first real upgrade, available early
- U-100 MK5 → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- AEK-971 → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Weapons Tips
- Always upgrade your primary weapon before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your weapons to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Spotting is worth more than most kills. A marked enemy is visible to your entire team, and the assist score for a spotted kill feeds your Field Upgrade chain.
- Check our tier list for how weapons rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Battlefield 4 Guides
- Battlefield 4 Battlefield 4 Overview
- Battlefield 4 Best Builds
- Battlefield 4 Tier List
- Battlefield 4 Walkthrough
- Battlefield 4 Beginner's Guide
- Battlefield 4 Tips & Tricks
- Battlefield 4 Combat Guide
- Battlefield 4 Boss Guide
- Battlefield 4 Maps & Locations
- Battlefield 4 Crafting Guide
- Battlefield 4 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
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- Counter-Strike 2 Weapons Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Apex Legends Weapons Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Rainbow Six Siege Weapons Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
