Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Guides

MW4 Oct 28 Patch Notes: Han 86, Oden and SMG Changes

Infinity Ward's first balance pass evens out torso and limb damage, so chest-shot bonuses shrink and SMG arm hits stop losing damage.

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Updated 7 min read
South Korean soldier in a helmet and goggles holding a rifle as a building burns behind him in Modern Warfare 4
On this page
  1. MW4 October 28 weapon tuning: what changed
  2. Dive speed and Quick Fix changes
  3. Camo and challenge tracking fixes
  4. Playlist, Free For All and other Multiplayer fixes
  5. DMZ changes in the October 28 update
  6. Known issues still open after the update
  7. MW4 weapon leveling and camo services
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Sources and update history

The MW4 update of October 28, 2026 is the first weapon tuning pass since launch. The Han 86’s neck and upper-torso multipliers drop while its max damage range goes up, the Oden’s torso multipliers drop, and five SMGs gain arm and hand damage. It also cuts the sprint-jump dive speed by 23%, stops Quick Fix healing through damage and widens Point Blank challenge tracking.

All of it comes from the October 28 section of Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 4 launch patch notes page. The section gives no release hour, so we have not converted times. If the changes send you back to leveling a new main, our MW4 boosting page covers weapon and camo services.

MW4 October 28 weapon tuning: what changed

Infinity Ward says this pass is about “normalizing hit location damage for a more consistent TTK”, plus better SMG performance. A follow-up line in the notes adds that the changes “primarily targeted upper limb damage multipliers for Submachine Guns”. In practice, guns that rewarded chest and neck shots extra now do the same damage there as elsewhere, and SMGs no longer lose damage on arm and hand hits.

The notes list range values without units, so the tables below copy the numbers exactly as published. A damage multiplier of 1 means that body part takes the gun’s normal damage.

Assault rifles

WeaponChangeBeforeAfter
Han 86Max damage range11201200
Han 86Neck and upper torso multiplier1.11
Kastov 762Max damage range9501050
M4Max damage range9901020
OdenNeck and upper torso multiplier1.21.1
OdenLower torso multiplier1.11
Oden, Sentinel ApexMax damage range / mid damage range 1870 / 1810820 / 1740
Hyeon Burst, Hyperburst ApexFull-auto max damage3734
Hyeon Burst, Hyperburst ApexFull-auto max damage range9701220
Patriot XMR, EXP Haste 80L 14″ barrelRecoil control penalty8%6%
Patriot XMR, FJX Fury IV gripRecoil control penalty5%4%

The Han 86 is the clearest trade: it keeps full damage further out but loses the bonus for chest and neck hits. The Oden’s Sentinel Apex also gets a small muzzle velocity cut (listed as -0.07), and the Hyperburst Apex loses its first mid-range damage step.

Han 86 assault rifle and its Skybreaker Apex attachment shown side by side on an Activision weapon cardOden assault rifle and its Sentinel Apex attachment shown side by side on an Activision weapon card
Image: Activision, Modern Warfare 4 Operators and Weapons blog (Han 86 and Oden), October 2026

SMGs

WeaponChangeBeforeAfter
ISO Nightshade, VEL 46Arm and hand multipliers (all six)0.951
PPSh-41Arm and hand multipliers (all six)0.951
PPSh-41Aim-down-sight time300 ms280 ms
PPSh-41Movement speed / sprint speed4.66 / 6.18 m/s4.7 / 6.21 m/s
Wz.55 StrigaArm and hand multipliers (all six)0.951
Wz.55 StrigaMax damage range / mid damage range 1440 / 825470 / 840
X-58 NyxArm and hand multipliers (all six)0.951
X-58 NyxHead multiplier1.251.3
X-58 Nyx, Void ApexMax damage range / mid damage range 1437 / 788460 / 815

The PPSh-41 also gets small gains to ADS strafe speed (2.75 to 2.78 m/s), crouch speed (2.17 to 2.19 m/s) and hipfire movement speed (4.19 to 4.2 m/s). The Striga and Nyx are the only SMGs whose range changes, and both go up.

PPSh-41 submachine gun and its Ember Apex attachment shown side by side on an Activision weapon card
Image: Activision, Modern Warfare 4 Operators and Weapons blog (PPSh-41), October 2026
MW4 Weapon Leveling (Max Level + Apex Attachment)MW4 Weapon Leveling (Max Level + Apex Attachment)Levels one MW4 weapon to max level, including its Apex Attachment.From $13.99View offer

LMGs and shotguns

WeaponChangeBeforeAfter
APOC-338Mid damage 1 / min damage38 / 3537 / 33
APOC-338Mid damage range 119801900
FiNN LMGMid damage range 117201620
FiNN LMGLeft and right upper arm multipliers1.11
Type 73, Assault ApexMin damage1920
Warlord, 12G Slug RoundsMid damage range 2900810

Weapons not listed in these tables were not changed by this update.

Warlord shotgun and its Lumen Apex attachment shown side by side on an Activision weapon card
Image: Activision, Modern Warfare 4 Operators and Weapons blog (Warlord), October 2026

Dive speed and Quick Fix changes

Two gameplay changes affect every loadout:

  • Dive after a sprint jump: players were using an instant dive after a sprint jump to gain speed. As a short-term fix, dive velocity is cut by 23%. Infinity Ward says a longer-term fix will remove the exploit without slowing the dive, and will share more in a later update.
  • Quick Fix Perk: Quick Fix kept healing after the player took damage, which the notes say made players “more tanky than intended”. Damage now interrupts the regeneration, and the hitmarker icon for the Perk is updated.

Our MW4 Perks guide lists where Quick Fix unlocks and what it does.

Camo and challenge tracking fixes

If you are grinding camos, these lines matter most:

  • Point Blank challenges: the maximum range that counts was increased, so more close kills should track.
  • Longshot challenges: the minimum range was decreased, so slightly shorter long-range kills now count.
  • Some Melee kills, Backstabs and Takedowns were not tracking for challenges; that is fixed.
  • Progress counters were missing from Camo and Special Camo requirements in several weapon categories; they are back.
  • Military Camos showed as locked after you Prestiged a weapon; that is fixed.
  • The Fungal Grid Camo now shows in the Camo menu, and Tracked & Near Complete now moves on to the next Camo Challenge automatically.

The notes do not give the new Point Blank or Longshot distances. One issue is still open: the Patriot XMR Platinum Camo Challenge does not show its progress correctly, though Infinity Ward says it can still be completed. Our MW4 camo challenges guide lists what each camo asks for.

Hyeon Burst assault rifle and its Hyperburst Apex attachment shown side by side on an Activision weapon card
Image: Activision, Modern Warfare 4 Operators and Weapons blog (Hyeon Burst), October 2026

Playlist, Free For All and other Multiplayer fixes

The playlist listed in the notes (updated October 27) is Shipment 24/7, Frontline, Inflation, Collateral, Kill Block: 6v6 Gunfight and Gun Game, with Shipment 24/7, Kill Block Gunfight and Gun Game marked as new. Our MW4 Shipment guide covers the map itself.

Free For All goes back to a score limit of 30 with a party limit of 2, after a short-lived change made matches run to time. Infinity Ward says Final Killcam will return to FFA in a later backend update. Other fixes in this section:

  • A Riot Shield out-of-bounds exploit is closed.
  • UAV visibility on Sentry is improved (the notes do not say more).
  • Players no longer load into Gun Game as Reece regardless of their chosen Operator.
  • Crossfire and Argonaut killstreak icons in the killfeed are corrected.

DMZ changes in the October 28 update

The biggest DMZ change is to the Possum trait, which revives a downed high-level Operator. Infinity Ward says it was being used to jump straight back into the fight, so you can no longer activate Possum while the team that killed you is nearby, or until 4 minutes have passed. The notes call this range and timer “tunable going forward”.

Other DMZ fixes:

  • The 3-Plate Armor Vest reward now arrives when you reach DMZ Level 37. The October 29 notes add that players who passed level 37 before this fix will get the vest later, with no date; see our MW4 October 30 update.
  • Prestiging from the DMZ FOB now resets Multiplayer Loadouts correctly.
  • Using the 3D Printer during deployment no longer sends you in without your Free Loadout.
  • Weapons no longer drop or disappear when moved between slots and Backpacks.
  • The Airbase Access Card can be upgraded during a Story Mission from the Secure Slot.
  • Several exploits are closed (the notes do not say which).

The MW4 DMZ level unlocks guide shows what else unlocks on the way to Level 37.

Known issues still open after the update

  • Patriot XMR Platinum Camo progress does not display correctly (it still progresses).
  • Some Calling Card challenges are not tracking as intended.
  • Best Play selection in Multiplayer is wrong in some cases.
  • Players who enter Classic Prestige from the DMZ menus cannot make new Multiplayer classes until they delete classes with relocked items.

Earlier fixes are in our October 25 update notes, and the running bug list is in MW4 known issues.

MW4 weapon leveling and camo services

Re-leveling a new weapon or finishing camos after a balance change takes time. These services cover it:

Frequently asked questions

Was the Han 86 nerfed in MW4?

Partly. On October 28 its neck and upper torso multipliers dropped from 1.1 to 1, but its max damage range went up from 1120 to 1200.

Which MW4 SMGs were buffed on October 28?

The ISO Nightshade, VEL 46, PPSh-41, Wz.55 Striga and X-58 Nyx all had their arm and hand multipliers raised from 0.95 to 1. The PPSh-41, Striga and Nyx got extra buffs on top.

Did the October 28 update change Quick Fix?

Yes. Taking damage now interrupts Quick Fix health regeneration. Before the fix it kept healing through damage.

Did the October 28 update fix Point Blank camo tracking?

It increased the maximum range that counts for Point Blank challenges. The exact distance is not confirmed in the notes.

What time did the MW4 October 28 update go live?

Not confirmed. The patch notes give only the date.

Sources and update history

Update history: Published October 29, 2026. Facts last checked October 29, 2026 against the sources above.

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