Best MP40 loadout and build in Warzone and Call of Duty Vanguard

Call of Duty Vanguard MP40 best build loadout
(Image credit: Activision)

Knowing the Call of Duty Vanguard and Warzone best MP40 loadout and build will make you a force to be reckoned with in either game, hip-firing from the waist as you crash into a room or creeping through the undergrowth in preparation for an ambush. Whichever your fancy, we've outlined the best loadout for the MP40 below in either game, with different builds to match the different demands of each game type. Check below to see what you need for the best MP40 build for Call of Duty Warzone and Vanguard.

Call of Duty Vanguard best weapons | Warzone Pacific map | Call of Duty Vanguard ammo types | Call of Duty Vanguard release time | Call of Duty Vanguard pre order bonuses | Call of Duty Vanguard Assassin Proficiency glitch | Call of Duty Vanguard error codes | Call of Duty Vanguard Prestige explained | Call of Duty Vanguard camo challenges | Call of Duty Vanguard Bloom

Best MP40 loadout in Warzone

Call of Duty Warzone

(Image credit: Activision)

Most guns in Warzone are vastly improved by boosting accuracy, control and damage above all else. The Pacific Caldera is no exception; the vast majority of firefights happen at medium-to-long distance and versatility is vital when it comes to venturing out. We've gone through a variety of builds for the MP40 and this is the one that serves us the best, built around recoil control and quick-draw punch - a classic point-and-shoot experience.

  • Muzzle: Mercury Silencer
  • Underbarrel: Mark VI Skeletal
  • Barrel: VDD 285mm Shrouded
  • Magazine: 9mm 64 Round Drums
  • Ammo Type: Lengthened
  • Optic: Slate Reflector
  • Rear Grip: Fabric Grip
  • Stock: Krausnick 33m Folding
  • Proficiency: Brace
  • Kit: Fully loaded

Here the emphasis is on finding the healthy middle ground for long-term, short-to-medium range power, with attention given to the idea of longer confrontations and survivability (hence additions like Fully Loaded and the larger Drum magazine, as well as the covert help of the Mercury Silencer). However, it also shouldn't lose the punch and power that makes the the MP40 so good in close quarters, working very effectively for ambushes and capturing buildings.

For the rest of the build, you want to keep that versatility and strength in the majority of situations. While many would understandably pick Overkill to keep a long-range weapon present (and that's usually our second choice) we chose the following, as this MP40 build should be sufficient on its own terms:

  • Secondary Weapon: .357
  • Perk 1: Double Time
  • Perk 2: Ghost
  • Perk 3: Combat Scout
  • Lethal Equipment: Thermite
  • Tactical Equipment: Heartbeat Sensor

Choices here are fairly explanatory - the .357 is a powerful handgun with decent range (though you should pick up another gun off your first kill, in most cases), and the others are designed to help you control the battle - moving quickly, quietly, and always knowing where your opponent is the following fight.

Best MP40 loadout in Call of Duty Vanguard

Call of Duty: Vanguard

(Image credit: Activision)

The MP40 is best built for speed and agility in Vanguard multiplayer, which is more close-quarters and short term than its older cousin, and by playing up these qualities you can make a kind of hit-and-run build about bursting into combat, spraying from the hip, and disappearing again before enemies can overwhelm you. This is one of those classes where perks really play a meaningful role, but once you have the playstyle down you can be incredibly effective on the battlefield. We'll lay out all the little details and nuances for you below.

Best MP40 attachments and build

Call of Duty Vanguard MP40 best build loadout

(Image credit: Activision)
  • Muzzle: Recoil Booster
  • Underbarrel: SMLE Pistol Grip
  • Barrel: Krausnick 317mm 04B
  • Magazine: 9mm 24 Round Fast Mag
  • Ammo Type: Lengthened
  • Optic: Mk. 8 Reflector
  • Rear Grip: Fabric Grip
  • Stock: Krausnick 33m Folding
  • Proficiency: Unmarked
  • Kit: Quick

The focus here is on speed, hip-fire accuracy and generally devastating anybody in close range, a gun made for ambushes and sudden attacks, but one that can also respond quickly to any similar assault. The MP40's main strength is as a punchy SMG, so we're simply playing into that with all our choices and building on what makes it deadly. With this build, get in close to enemies fast, avoid wide spaces where you can, and make an effort not to get flanked by focusing on situational awareness.

Best secondary weapon and loadout options

Call of Duty Vanguard MP40 best build loadout

(Image credit: Activision)

The natural choice here would be to choose a long-range secondary as a counterbalance for the MP40's short range, but there aren't a lot of options for that in secondary weapons. Try the Ratt pistol or any of the launchers, but we actually found that it's worth taking a second primary with Overkill to balance out the short-range of the MP40 - a marksman rifle or even a sniper, something you can rely on when circumstances force you out of your close-quarters comfort zone.

For perks, you want to emphasise speed and mobility, as well as keeping a high sense of local awareness. Pick Ghost to stay out of sight and Radar to turn that around, then Overkill for the third perk to get your second primary (or pick Scavenger and put a pistol or launcher on your back). For equipment, we recommend a Stim tactical to keep yourself alive in the mad dash to opponents, and any explosive that's generally effective - molotovs can be good in these circumstances. Now you've got everything you need, go in for the kill as fast as you can.

Joel Franey
Guides Writer

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.

Read more
The player in Cyberpunk 2077 holding a heavy machine gun on an escalator.
The best Cyberpunk 2077 weapons and guns
Helldivers 2 weapons
The best Helldivers 2 weapons tier list
Helldivers 2 automatons
The best weapons for Automatons in Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 Warbond
Best Helldivers 2 Warbonds tier list
A player wearing a gasmask and holding a gun during the shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
10 Games like Call of Duty that you should play now
The player in Cyberpunk 2077 holding a double-barreled sawn-off shotgun, shooting a police officer in the road.
The best Cyberpunk 2077 builds and character classes
Latest in Call of Duty
A player wearing a gasmask and holding a gun during the shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Call of Duty season 2 brings back Gun Game and a fan-favorite Zombies weapon we haven't seen in 10 years
A player wearing a gasmask and holding a gun during the shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
136,000 Call of Duty accounts have gotten banned since ranked launched for Black Ops 6: "We’re not slowing down in our mission to shut down cheaters"
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War reportedly surpasses Red Dead Redemption 2's huge development costs, with a massive $700 million budget
Black Ops 6
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 makes headshots deadlier while cutting back on weapon sway and recoil: "We will be keeping a close eye on sniper balance after this change"
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 movement.
Black Ops 6 player spent nearly 20 hours grinding to Prestige without getting a single kill, all by spamming Spy Cams
Black Ops 6 Zombies
Call of Duty hacker says "I had my fun" after reportedly getting thousands of Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 players falsely banned
Latest in Guides
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe wearing black kosode
How to acquire a kosode in Assassin's Creed Shadows and should you choose red or black?
A character's face in horror game REPO.
Best REPO mods to improve your matches with more players and new monsters
Assassin's Creed Shadows Mitsumune and Naoe
How to find Mitsumune in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows engravings
Best Assassin’s Creed Shadows Engravings for all weapons and armor
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe facing off against samurai warrior on red bridge
Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows have New Game Plus?
FC 25
FC 25 Dreamchasers tracker and full UEFA promo guide