Best MW4 DMZ loadouts for starting out

Your early DMZ loadout depends on your DMZ level, not your Multiplayer level. Until DMZ level 10 there is no Gunsmith, so you play with the Free Loadout, what you loot and (from level 5) what the Vendor sells. Every time you infil, bring the four things Activision recommends: a plate carrier, a backpack, a weapon and a medkit.

This page is based on Activision's published systems and weapon stats. It is not a meta tier list. We will add attachment-by-attachment builds once we have tested them in the launch version.

Stage 1 · DMZ level 1: the Free Loadout

At Ready Up, choose Equip Free Loadout. If you exfil, you keep the items, which is how your Stash gets started.
You begin with the Basic Pack, which has 8 slots, and anything in it can be lost. Plates fill automatically when you infil.
Start with low-threat areas such as the Deadtown outskirts, Cheongun Village, Songdo Wharf and Mirae General Hospital. Use the threat map to plan your route.
Pick up any weapon that suits you. Anything you extract with goes into your Stash.

Stage 2 · DMZ level 2: print your armor and backpack

The 3D Printer unlocks at level 2. These are the most useful first prints for your loadout:

Medium Backpack. Needs Synthetics and Rigid Synthetics. It has Secure Slots, so the items you put in them survive a failed deployment. Make this your first goal.
2-Plate Armor Vest. Needs Synthetics and Reactive Metals. It doubles the plates you can carry compared with the 1-plate vest.
Medkit. Restores full health and lets you get back up from Last Stand. Needs 30 Chemicals, a Binding Catalyst and 5 Biomaterials.

Stage 3 · DMZ level 5: the Vendor

The Vendor sells weapons and gear for DMZ Cash, and the stock rotates. It is the quickest way to fill gaps in your loadout before you can build guns yourself.

Stage 4 · DMZ level 10: the Gunsmith and Weapon Manuals

To buy a base weapon you must first extract with its Weapon Manual. After that you can buy it as often as you want.
Gunsmith builds take up to 5 attachments. Each slot costs DMZ Cash, and each extra slot costs more than the last. Guns found in Hajin can have up to 8.
Activision's example is a base M4 for about 5,000 DMZ Cash.
Once the weapon is fully leveled, the Apex Attachment slot opens without paying for a slot. Weapon levels are shared with Multiplayer, so leveling in MP counts here too.
Not sure what to build? Gunny, the built-in optimizer, suggests close-range, balanced and long-range builds from your unlocked attachments.

Weapon picks by role

These picks follow Activision's own descriptions and stats, matched to the parts of Hajin where each role matters.

Quiet operator (stealth runs)

Activision recommends suppressed weapons, melee and throwing knives for getting through high-threat areas without raising the threat level. Subsonic rounds also hide the skull icon over enemies you kill.

Weapon	RPM	Mag	Why
X-58 Nyx	800	40	Its suppressor is built in, so you do not need to buy a muzzle slot to stay quiet.
Wz.55 Striga	651	25	Subsonic 9x18mm, with the best mobility and recoil control of any SMG.
Axion	705	30	Subsonic .300 BLK assault rifle for quiet mid-range fights.
Krait P68	260	10	Subsonic .45 sidearm.

Where it matters: The Political Prison towers, the Re-Education Centers in Deadtown and the Chang-san Air Base perimeter.

Close quarters (buildings and underground)

The Citadel, Mirae General Hospital, the casino and the NuriGO underground mall are all tight interiors, and Activision recommends NVGs for several of them.

Weapon	RPM	Mag	Why
ISO Nightshade	923	30	923 RPM all-rounder that you can use from level 4.
VEL 46	952	40	952 RPM with a 40-round magazine and smooth recoil.
PPSh-41	1110	71	1110 RPM and a 71-round drum, the most rounds of any SMG.
Rezi 12	150	6	Fast semi-auto 12-gauge for corners and doorways.

Where it matters: The Citadel, Mirae General Hospital, Heavenly Luck Casino and the NuriGO tunnels.

Open ground (long sightlines)

Imjin Farmland is flat with little cover and long sightlines. The Cheonwang Peak rooftop and the Mujin Pass ridge also give long-range overwatch.

Weapon	RPM	Mag	Why
MAR-9	315	20	Semi-auto 7.62 DMR with a 20-round magazine, available from level 4.
KG-7 Vulcan	41	10	Bolt-action sniper with a 10-round magazine.
Han 86	740	30	5.56 rifle that covers both close and long range.
FiNN LMG	587	100	100-round belt and stable recoil for holding a position.

Where it matters: Imjin Farmland and the Rice Mill, Cheonwang Peak Array and Mujin Pass.

Anti-vehicle and boss support

Hajin has helicopter patrols, armored vehicles at Compounds, and Commanders such as Deathstalker and a battle tank that ignore many standard weapons.

Weapon	RPM	Mag	Why
Signal 50	111	7	Its Apex Attachment, Signal Inferno, deals much more damage to vehicles and Killstreaks.
Type 73	821	60	Its Apex Attachment adds explosive rounds for more stopping power.

Where it matters: Compounds, SAM Sites (which you can capture to shoot down aircraft) and Commander encounters.

Carrying more than two guns

You start with two weapon slots (two primaries, two secondaries or one of each) plus a melee weapon. A Weapon Backpack, which you can find or print, lets you carry extra guns in and out. Activision suggests using one to bring out more loot or to drop a spare weapon for a squadmate.

FAQ

What is the best loadout for DMZ at the start?

Until DMZ level 10 you cannot use the Gunsmith, so start with the Free Loadout at Ready Up and loot weapons in Hajin. Activision recommends bringing a plate carrier, a backpack, a weapon and a medkit on every infil. Print a Medium Backpack at the 3D Printer (DMZ level 2) as soon as you can, because its Secure Slots protect items if you die.

Can I bring my Multiplayer loadout into DMZ?

Not directly. Weapon levels and attachment unlocks carry over, but in DMZ you have to acquire each weapon: by looting it, buying it from the Vendor, or extracting with its Weapon Manual so you can buy it at the Gunsmith. Gunsmith builds take up to 5 attachments.

What is the best stealth weapon in MW4 DMZ?

Going by Activision's stats, the X-58 Nyx is the obvious pick because its suppressor is built in and its Apex Attachment makes it even quieter. The Wz.55 Striga, Axion, Oris 8.6 and Krait P68 fire subsonic rounds that hide kill skulls.

How do you get more weapons in DMZ?

Find and extract with Weapon Manuals. Each one permanently lets you buy that base weapon at the Gunsmith. You can also loot weapons from Police Station and Compound containers, from players and from Lieutenants.

Compare every gun on the MW4 weapons stats table.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-20. Game data can change with patches. If you spot something outdated, email contact@loadoutvault.com.