Call of Duty/Weapons

This is a compendium of the weapons in the game. Know them well. In general, you will want a rapid-firing, short and medium range SMG and a long-range rifle of some sort, as well as a pistol and grenades.

German weapons
The German force has the most balanced weapon set of the four sides. German weapons are best at a longer range but can hold their own in close combat.

Luger

 * Range: Short
 * Rate of Fire: Medium
 * Damage: Low
 * Mobility: Very Fast
 * Magazine: 8
 * Max Ammo: 64

The Luger is the other pistol besides the Colt .45. From experience, it deals slightly less damage than the Colt and reloads slower, although it makes little difference. In fact, the Luger would probably be preferable because of its extra bullet. It is also the default Russian pistol (the TT-33 is only in the expansion pack).

Kar98k

 * Range: Long
 * Rate of Fire: Slow
 * Damage: Very High
 * Mobility: Medium
 * Magazine: 5
 * Max Ammo: 125

The Kar98k is the standard bolt-action rifle for the Germans. It is quite accurate at long range. Its iron sights take the shape of a "u" with a small iron bar in the middle. Aim at the top of this bar to hit your target. Because it is bolt-action, and because it is primarily a long-range weapon, don't try close combat unless you are very skilled. A shot to the head or torso kills in one shot. It doesn't have much in its magazine (only five rounds), but it has a decent amount of maximum ammo to carry, 24 clips. The chances are that you will be able to hit this maximum during the campaign, since most Germans carry this weapon.

For multiplayer, it's recommended that you go with the MP44 instead, because of its rifle-like zoom and larger magazine and rate of fire. While the Kar98k is a solid weapon in Campaign, the chances are that most people online have submachine guns and will be readily able to outgun you. If you do choose this, stay back and give cover fire in team multiplayer modes. In deathmatch, use your lean ability, take cover, and always aim for the head unless you are sure the enemy has been wounded previously.

MP40

 * Range: Short/Medium
 * Rate of Fire: Fast
 * Damage: Moderate
 * Mobility: Fast
 * Magazine: 32
 * Max Ammo: 320

The MP40 is the main sub-machine gun for the German forces. The MP40 is very light and compact, and as a result is perfect for running and gunning. It has a capacious 32-round magazine, with a slower, more manageable rate of fire than its other submachine gun counterparts. The best thing about the MP40 is that it has practically no kickback, meaning to say that it will not make your weapon rise as you fire it, unlike the MP44. However, it is less accurate over long distances and fires slightly slower than the MP44 (it is, however, the most accurate submachine gun, compared to the Sten, Thompson, and PPSh-41). Enemies close by can be easily gunned down full auto, standing or moving. However, medium to medium-long range is trickier. Go prone, fire in controlled bursts, and aim down the sight. With this strategy, it is actually possible to gun down people from quite far away.

In multiplayer, the MP40 is often passed up for the stronger MP44. Although it is weaker, its lesser recoil and quicker mobility makes it a favorite for the run 'n' gunner. By all means, give this weapon a try! If used correctly, it will not fail to disappoint.

MP44

 * Range: Medium
 * Rate of Fire: Fast
 * Damage: High
 * Mobility: Slow
 * Magazine: 30
 * Max Ammo: 240

The MP44 was the first assault rifle in history. It is a fairly rare weapon in Campaign, but gets more common as you go on. It is able to function both as a rifle and a heavy machine gun. The MP44 is quite powerful and is quite accurate with single shots. In fact, aiming down the sight gives a zoom comparable to a rifle's. Because of its power and versatility, it is favored online, for good reason. Perhaps the only downsides are that the MP44 makes you move rather slow and more susceptible to ambush, it has quite a lot of kickback, and it is not particularly accurate when repeatedly fired, even at a burst. It may be set on semi-automatic or full-automatic mode; the former is primarily if you prefer to snipe, but most often full-automatic is the mode of choice.

Scoped Kar98k

 * Range: Very Long
 * Rate of Fire: Slow
 * Damage: Very High
 * Mobility: Medium
 * Magazine: 5
 * Max Ammo: 200

This is virtually the same rifle as the Kar98k but with a 4x scope. Like any other sniper, it should only be used at long ranges. Be sure you have a backup weapon or pistol or something to defend yourself with when you are not sniping. When sniping, there is some natural sway, just compensate for this by moving your scope along with your own movements. Always aim for the head, even the tip of a helmet is enough to instantly kill someone. In Campaign, it will be there only when you need a sniping job taken care of, so don't expect to pick it off any dead bodies. Of course, the rifle is quite widely used in multiplayer. Remember to snipe responsibly. A sniper's job is to give cover to his comrades and lessen resistance against them, not just stay in some corner and camp. Camping is not only a way for your allies to hate you for life, it will also attract enemies to your position who will surely finish you off. Although the scoped Kar98k has increased ammo, you load each round individually, which makes reload time quite long. Don't get caught off guard while you reload.

FG42

 * Range: Very Long
 * Rate of Fire: Fast
 * Damage: High
 * Mobility: Slow
 * Magazine: 20
 * Max Ammo: 120

The FG42 is one of the most effective weapons in the Campaign mode. It is a rather stocky weapon with a magazine sticking out to the side and a 4x scope. It has two firing modes: semi-auto and automatic. Its damage is about the same as that of the BAR or the MP44, and it is more accurate than both of them when it comes to semi-auto, long range. Because it lacks that one shot potency of a rifle, headshots are needed. Although full-auto is nice, the FG42 is extremely inaccurate in this mode and can fire off its magazine of 20 rounds in a second or two, leaving you open for a few seconds while you reload. For this precise reason, do not use the FG42 for full auto combat unless your target is at very close range. Because of its unbalanced nature, it is not selectable as a weapon in multiplayer. Instead, they lie on the ground next to Panzerfausts. Many servers have this weapon banned, still, for its unbalanced nature. Don't count on using this weapon much, because it is very rare, in campaign and even more so in multiplayer.

Panzerfaust 40

 * Range: Long
 * Rate of Fire: n/a
 * Damage: Explosive
 * Mobility: Very slow

The Panzerfaust is your main anti-tank weapon. It is basically a tube with a giant warhead on top of it; there is no reloading. It is extremely powerful and can take down any tank in one hit. It is the heaviest weapon in the game and thus you will move very slowly when carrying this. Besides taking down tanks, the Panzerfaust is also very useful for clearing out rooms full of soldiers. In the campaign, where panzerfausts spawn infinitely, it's great fun to keep grabbing them and blasting away all the soldiers in your midst. Don't aim directly at your enemy if it is not as big as a tank. Instead, aim directly at a soldier's feet. If they are standing within three feet of you, do not fire or you will die. The weapon takes a second to fire, so don't get yourself killed before it is done firing.

In multiplayer, panzerfausts are found in boxes. There are no tanks in multiplayer, so it is primarily used to kill people just for the heck of it, clear rooms, or create a giant smoke cloud to give yourself some cover. Panzerfausts are sometimes banned, but not banned as often as FG42s. They are analogous to the RPGs in Call of Duty 4.

MG42

 * Range: Long
 * Rate of Fire: Very fast
 * Damage: High
 * Magazine: Infinite

You can't carry MG42's with you; they are fixed in their position. In the campaign, it is advantageous to man one of these when enemies are coming your way. Because the computer does mostly blind charges, you should be able to mow down a ton of Germans with one of these babies. The muzzle flash and smoke from these are enormous, so fire in short bursts. It is quite accurate, and can hit from a fair distance.

In multiplayer, MG42s are a mixed blessing. While they can kill enemies in an instant, they also make you a sitting duck for snipers and people coming at you from the back. Only man one when there's an enemy in the line of fire, and once that person's been taken care of, get your butt out of there. When facing other people manning these, rushing out is a sure way to get your ass lit up. Instead, use your lean, an accurate rifle or LMG, and grenades to help eliminate the threat.

Flak cannons

 * Range: Very long
 * Rate of Fire: Slow-Very fast
 * Damage: Explosive
 * Magazine: Infinite

Flak cannons come in two different varieties, and can only be used in the Campaign (although they can be seen but not manned in multiplayer). Their reticules come in the form of a black "T." The first is the Flak 88. This one has a single long barrel and fires single, slow shots that are capable of destroying tanks in a single shot. They turn very slowly, and the open seat allows you to get shot at. Carefully aim each shot, but since you have infinite ammo, you can use it against tanks and infantry alike. They are unaffected by gravity, so you can just aim straight at your target. In the campaign, these are often objectives for destruction in the Search and Destroy mode, but you really only get to use them in three missions.

The second is the Flakvierling. This one has four short barrels, and fires very fast. It is primarily used against aircraft, but it may also be used against infantry. When blasting down aircraft, don't worry about accurate shots. Just hold down your mouse button and place continuous fire. Since the flak takes a while to reach the aircraft, aim slightly in front of the aircraft rather than centering your sights directly on the aircraft. The planes will run into the flak and explode. Flakvierlings are only used in one single mission.

American weapons
The American arsenal is a little less damage dealing overall than the Germans, but is the fastest firing. All of its weapons except for the Springfield are semi-auto or automatic. It is the second largest with 6 weapons.

Colt .45

 * Range: Short
 * Rate of Fire: Medium
 * Damage: Low
 * Mobility: Very Fast
 * Magazine: 7
 * Max Ammo: 56

The Colt .45 is the main sidearm of the Americans and the British. It deals slightly more damage than the Luger, but the difference is negligible. If possible, the Luger's extra bullet might help you more. Don't depend on this weapon much, unless you have nothing else to shoot. In multiplayer, if you run through all the ammo to both your weapons, you will probably want to switch to this and finish them off rather than reload.

M1A1 Carbine

 * Range: Long
 * Rate of Fire: Medium
 * Damage: Medium
 * Mobility: Very Fast
 * Magazine: 15
 * Max Ammo: 300

Damage-wise, the carbine is the weakest rifle. However, it has the largest magazine capacity, the fastest mobility of any primary weapon, and one of the fastest firing rates for a rifle. Because of its single flaw of damage, it is often looked down upon, but it is actually one of the better rifles in the game. The ability to reload in between firefights and the larger magazine size is appreciated over the Garand. Range and accuracy-wise, it fares well at all ranges except for extremely long distances; however, for maximum efficacy it is advisable to go medium range. Also, taking out and putting away the weapon takes a second because the stock needs to be unfolded or folded; take this delay in mind when you switch weapons. In multiplayer, the carbine is good but not great. The Thompson's fire is much better at medium range and can put down a target more efficiently, while long distances are better handled by the stronger Garand.

M1 Garand

 * Range: Long
 * Rate of Fire: Medium
 * Damage: High
 * Mobility: Medium
 * Magazine: 8
 * Max Ammo: 240

The Garand is probably the best rifle in the game overall. When each trait is looked at individually, its stats do not seem as great, but overall it is a accurate and powerful rifle. The main downside to this rifle is the fact that it can't be reloaded between firefights, and that it has a rather large recoil when aiming down the sights. You have to fire off all your shots, and when the clip is released there is a very distinctive "ping" that will betray your presence to your enemies. Still, in multiplayer this is the rifle of choice. If you are playing multiplayer, if you have three or less shots left in the magazine, fire them off to make yourself reload. Because ammo preservation is a very low priority in multiplayer, you can fire off shots and reload them with no worries. In Campaign, firing them off is your call. You should definitely go for headshots and make every single shot count.

BAR

 * Range: Medium-Long
 * Rate of Fire: High
 * Damage: High
 * Mobility: Slow
 * Magazine: 20
 * Max Ammo: 300

The BAR is a very powerful light machine gun. Its high rate of fire and high damage make this a very potent weapon. It is limited by its slow mobility, its not-so-stellar accuracy while moving, heavy recoil, its relatively small magazine capacity (20 rounds disappears quickly on full-auto), and its slow reload. The BAR, as a support gun, is not well suited for running and gunning, although there are some player who do this well. Instead, it is most effective when fired prone; accuracy and overall damage is top notch when prone. Crouched will also do. Fire in short, controlled bursts, as the recoil makes it unsuitable for fully automatic fire. In multiplayer, make sure you have some teammates covering your back with this weapon. The BAR is also very deadly in deathmatch, coming only third to the Bren and the Thompson in terms of sheer pwnage.

Thompson

 * Range: Medium
 * Rate of Fire: High
 * Damage: Medium
 * Mobility: Fast
 * Magazine: 30
 * Max Ammo: 360

The Tommy Gun is a legendary weapon, one of the favorites in Call of Duty, and the American's submachine gun. It has a very fast rate of fire, very good mobility, and a fair-sized magazine to allow it to be the run and gunner's staple weapon. Although its accuracy and range leaves much to be desired, in the right hands and in short bursts it can kill a target from a decent distance. There is a slight recoil that can be most readily perceived when aiming down the sights. The Thompson is best used on the run in close-up action, much more so in multiplayer, where it is probably the favorite weapon of the Americans. You can chew through your magazine very quickly, so reload after each firefight to make sure you won't get caught by surprise.

Springfield

 * Range: Very Long
 * Rate of Fire: Slow
 * Damage: Very High
 * Mobility: Medium
 * Magazine: 5
 * Max Ammo: 200

The Springfield is the American and British sniper rifle. It is equipped with a 4x zoom. Like any other sniper rifle, it should only be used at long ranges. Be sure you have a backup weapon or pistol or something to defend yourself with when you are not sniping. When sniping, there is some natural sway, just compensate for this by moving your scope along with your own movements. Always aim for the head, even the tip of a helmet is enough to instantly kill someone. This weapon is only available in one mission in the Campaign, but sees increased use in multiplayer. Remember to snipe responsibly. A sniper's job is to give cover to his comrades and lessen resistance against them, not just stay in some corner and camp. Camping is not only a way for your allies to hate you for life, it will also attract enemies to your position who will surely finish you off.

British weapons
The British arsenal is very simple but in my opinion the most deadly. The Lee-Enfield and the Bren especially are absolutely devastating when used correctly.

Lee-Enfield
The Lee-Enfield is the British main long rifle. It has a unique 2 stripper clip capacity, which means you can only reload after you expend five or more shots. Because of this, you should reload after every five shots so that you have a full magazine. As with all rifles, it is preferable to stay at medium range. Its sights are not as open as that of the Kar98k or the Mosin-Nagant, so be warned.
 * Range: Long
 * Rate of Fire: Slow
 * Damage: Very High
 * Mobility: Medium
 * Magazine: 10
 * Max Ammo: 160

Bren LMG
The Bren is a godly weapon in Call of Duty, especially in multiplayer. Of the three support guns (the others being the MP44 and the BAR), the Bren is the most accurate, whether it be running at the hip or prone. It also sports a fast rate of fire, a good range, and a very good amount of damage. Because of these attributes, the Bren is often the weapon of choice in multiplayer, a good choice especially in maps such as Chateau. It does, however, have a few downsides. The Bren is the slowest weapon besides the Panzerfaust, making you more susceptible to ambush (gutsy submachine gunners will run up right behind you and melee you in the back). It also has quite some recoil, most noticeable when stationary or aiming down the sight. Move your mouse down to compensate for this. It takes a long while to look through the sights, probably the least open of any in the game. In addition, it takes a long time to reload.
 * Range: Medium-Long
 * Rate of Fire: Fast
 * Damage: High
 * Mobility: Slow
 * Magazine: 30
 * Max Ammo: 300

There are a few ways to effectively use the Bren. The first is as a support gunner would, prone. When prone, it is suggested that you aim at the legs or feet and let the recoil work all the way up to the head. I find it easier to do this without the sight and just the crosshairs. A properly supporting Bren gunner can really help the offensive in team deathmatch. The other is more difficult, but tends to be more prevalent in multiplayer, especially deathmatch, is running and gunning as a submachine gunner would. If you do manage to master such a way, it is highly rewarding: the Bren has a larger magazine than the BAR, and is more accurate than the MP44. Play as you would a submachine gunner, but remember your lessened mobility.

Sten
The Sten is the submachine gun that does everything to a fault. As a weapon, it is the most mobile with the M1 carbine. Use this mobility to your utmost advantage; weave around your opponent and shoot them in the back. It also has a capacious magazine, manageable recoil, and a very large rate of fire, as well as a pretty fast reload. Its main downsides are its lack of power and its poor accuracy. Don't expect to be sniping anyone down with this. To compensate, go for short ranges and increased volume of fire to overwhelm your foes. If you are forced to go for medium range, fire in bursts of five or so. In multiplayer, Sten gunners are generally advised to go for a flanking attack. Let your Bren gunners and rifleman take the main front; Sten gunners should speed towards the back door.
 * Range: Short
 * Rate of Fire: High
 * Damage: Low
 * Mobility: Very fast
 * Magazine: 32
 * Max Ammo: 320

Russian weapons
The Russian faction has never been known for variety or quality in their weapons, but they get the job done if you know how to use them correctly. Besides the PPSh, in my opinion the best spray and pray weapon of all time, it's best if you stick with German weapons instead.

Mosin-Nagant
The Mosin-Nagant is just like the Kar98k, only with less ammo and a seemingly faster mobility. It also has a very open, different sight. As with all rifles, stay back for medium or long ranges. If up close, aim for the upper torso where you will most likely get a hit.
 * Range: Long
 * Rate of Fire: Slow
 * Damage: Very High
 * Mobility: Medium
 * Magazine: 5
 * Max Ammo: 120

PPSh
The PPSh is the main (and only) sub-machine gun for the Russian force. It has an extremely high rate of fire but an extremely low rate of damage (in a one-on-one firefight, it usually takes around 20 or so rounds to finish an opponent). The PPSh is often referred to as the "noob-gun" because it is very easy to down people with very little experience. This weapon is very light and has a gigantic 71 round drum for "spraying and praying". Aim at the lower torso and let the kick back drive up the enemy's body. Use your increased mobility to your advantage as well. Russian maps in multiplayer tend to be very large (with the exception of Harbor), so stay indoors to avoid snipers.
 * Range: Medium
 * Rate of Fire: Very fast
 * Damage: Medium
 * Mobility: Fast
 * Magazine: 71
 * Max Ammo: 355

Scoped Mosin-Nagant
Like any other sniper rifle, stay at an extremely far positions and pick off other enemies. It is wise to carry a backup weapon if the situation calls (semi-auto or sub-machine gun). This weapon is better than the Scoped Kar98k with its five round reload, faster than the individually reloaded rounds of the other scoped weapon. Stay on the upper floors of buildings in maps like Pavlov and Stalingrad.
 * Range: Very long
 * Rate of Fire: Slow
 * Damage: Very High
 * Mobility: Medium
 * Magazine: 5
 * Max Ammo: 150

Grenades
Grenades are basically the same for each faction: they explode and do great splash damage. The American M2 Fragmentation Grenade and the German Stielhandgranate seem to be the lightest grenades, and the Russian RGD-33 grenade seems to be the heaviest. Keep this in mind when you toss in an arc. German grenades can be found in black boxes. You can hold a maximum of 10 grenades. In multiplayer, if you spawn with a sniper rifle, you spawn with one grenade, two with a submachine or support gun, and three with a rifle.

Unfortunately, grenades cannot be cooked in this installment. However, this gives them an important role as a deterrent. Most people, unless they are not aware of the grenade or suicidal, will not step in a grenade's path, this hesitation will often allow you to finish them off. Grenades are also key in team deathmatch games for creating chokepoints and assaulting spawn points.