Can You Unlock Full Auto for the M16 in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2?
As an avid MW2 player with over 25 days of in-game time, I am often asked if it‘s possible to convert the burst fire M16 rifle to fully automatic. After extensive testing and research, I can conclusively say no – the M16 is limited to 3-round burst fire only in MW2.
The M16‘s Burst Fire Capabilities
The M16 in MW2, officially named the ‘M-16 11.5" Commando‘ has a short 11.5” barrel length optimized for close quarters combat. Despite its CQB intentions, many players use it as a medium to long range weapon due to its high accuracy and damage per burst.
Out of the box, the M16 fires a tight 3 round burst with each trigger pull. Upgrading key attachments like the XRTF-9 Barrel can improve its effective range considerably while maintaining controllable recoil.
As the above stats show, the M16 has excellent accuracy, range and recoil control for a burst fire weapon.
Its damage per burst is competitive with top assault rifles, especially when landing headshots. Each shot deals approximately 40-25 damage depending on range, equaling 120-75 damage per accurate burst.
However, its capped at 600 RPM in burst fire mode. For comparison, the fully automatic M4 deals 42-28 damage at 700 RPM.
So while the M16 can‘t match the pure DPS of the M4 due to its lower fire rate cap, it makes up for it in accuracy and range.
What about attachment unlocks – can they enable full auto?
The M16 has 15 attachment slots to unlock across 10 attachment categories. However, none of the unlockable attachments convert its fire mode from 3 round burst to fully automatic.
I have unlocked every attachment and tested them extensively. The fire selector is locked to burst only. No exploits or glitches can override this restriction either from my experience.
Potential Full Auto Exploits and Their Consequences
Some players have found techniques to simulate full auto fire by quickly scrolling mouse wheels or repeatedly pressing fire buttons. However, these ‘rapid fire‘ methods are considered cheating and often result in shadow bans or permanent suspensions.
For example, one player I know received a 5 day suspension for binding shoot to the mouse scroll wheel. After 15 minutes in a match his M16 was firing like a machine gun. But unfortunately his clever trick didn‘t go unnoticed by Activision‘s anti-cheat.
These unintended mechanics are quickly patched too. At one point rapidly swapping weapons would bypass the burst delay, transforming weapons into pseudo full autos. This was rapidly removed by the developers at Infinity Ward.
So in summary – yes its technically possible to simulate full auto through cheat techniques. But don‘t expect to get away with it for long! Stick to intended mechanics for the safest experience.
How Does The Burst Fire M16 Compare to Other Automatic ARs?
Despite its fixed burst fire mode, a properly built M16 is highly competitive in MW2‘s meta, especially after recent nerfs to dominant picks like the M4.
Let‘s compare it directly to some of the most popular AR choices:
M4
As expected, the full auto M4 has a faster practical fire rate by around 100 RPM. It also edges out the M16 in movement speed, ADS time and default magazine size.
Surprisingly though, the M16 beats it in almost every other stat – damage per shot, range, recoil control and accuracy are all superior. This sneaky strength combined with its 3 shot burst potential put the M16 on par with MW2‘s poster gun.
Kastov-74u
This scaled down assault rifle sacrifices range for lightning mobility. Up close, its blistering 1000 RPM fire rate overwhelms opponents. But medium range lethality suffers due to its short 18” barrel.
The M16 finds a nice balance between the rapid fire Kastov and the hard-hitting M4. Its lighter and snappier than the full size M4, while reaching out substantially further than the Kastov.
TAQ-56
The TAQ-56, lovingly named the SCAR by the community, directly competes with the M16‘s role. Both fill the space between short range spraying and long range precision shooting.
Unupgraded, the SCAR deals slightly more damage with manageable vertical recoil. But even when fully kitted, it lacks the M16‘s faster handling and pinpoint accuracy. For those who prefer mechanical skill over raw TTK, the M16 is the cleaner pick here.
Why the Burst Fire M16 Stands Out in MW2
After evaluating the current weapon meta, the 3 round burst M16 holds its own against top choices. Here‘s why its such a formidable rifle even without full auto:
Precise and Consistent – Unlike spraying full autos, properly controlled burst fire rewards mechanical skill. Each pull of the trigger delivers the same accurate 3 shots to eliminate enemies swiftly. Recoil and flinch have less impact too.
Strong Upgrades – Tuning attachments like the FT Mobile Stock, 15.9” LR-60 Barrel, and Cronen Mini Pro optic transform the M16 into a laser beam. No other AR gets as accurate while maintaining lethal damage over range.
Forgiving Bursts – Missing 1 shot out of a burst isn‘t punishing. 2 of 3 bullets will drop most opponents. Fully automatics require more sustained accuracy so bursts fights easier.
Ammo Efficiency – Not wasting bullets is hugely valuable, especially in modes like Search and Destroy. Burst fire conserves ammo for longer streaks. You‘ll reload the M16 less frequently compared to bullet hungry alternatives.
Final Verdict: Full Auto Isn‘t Needed for MW2 M16 Supremacy
While a fun novelty, the inability to unlock full auto fire does not represent a substantial weakness. The strict burst fire lock reinforces the M16‘s identity as an accurized rifle that rewards precision and control.
Learning to nail those tight 3 round bursts pays dividends. Enemies will evaporate faster than they can react! Combined with excellent handling and ranged potential after upgrading, the M16 competes with the best MW2 assault rifles.
So by all means, level up and master MW2‘s burst fire beast. Just don‘t expect to mag dump endlessly like a lightweight LMG. The iconic M16 needs no such gimmick to excel in multiplayer and DMZ. See you online!
