The Iron Sight is an available attachment for Ballista in the campaign. It is unlocked at the same time as the Ballista, upon completing the mission "Time and Fate".
Multiplayer[]
The Iron Sight is available solely for the Ballista as the tenth and final attachment in multiplayer. This makes the weapon operate without its default scope, allowing for significantly enhanced peripheral vision and lower aim down sight time (making it the same level as assault rifles' ADS time), at the cost of a lower zoom level and the use of an attachment and one of the Pick 10 points. It should be noted that the screen prompt to hold breath is removed, but players can still hold their breath with this attachment, despite the prompt to do so not being visible. Overall, this attachment can prove to be a deadly one for a more aggressive sniper, as it can easily be used to quickly kill at all ranges provided that the player has good aim, though if the player misses or encounters multiple enemies, recycling the bolt is usually enough time for the enemy to retaliate. Due to the lower zoom level it does not excel at traditional sniping as well, but with a good eye it can be used for short-medium to long range combat, giving the Ballista a good amount of versatility.
Zombies[]
The Iron Sight is available for the Pack-a-PunchedDSR 50 (Dead Specimen Reactor 5000) as one of the attachments cycled when upgraded multiple times, and for the Ballista by default in Origins (that are identical to its multiplayer counterpart). The Dead Specimen Reactor 5000's sights are quite open and less obstructive than the Ballista's. Overall, this attachment is rather effective in close quarters, more so than the scoped version. However, precise aim over long distances is more lacking, although given the ranges in the game mode is not very long, the Iron Sight can prove very useful in close to medium range.
Gallery[]
Iron Sight mounted on the Ballista
Aiming down the Ballista with the Iron Sight
Iron Sight mounted on the Dead Specimen Reactor 5000 (upgraded DSR 50)
Aiming down the Iron Sight on the Dead Specimen Reactor 5000
Call of Duty: Ghosts[]
"Remove the scope for close range."
— In-game description.
The Iron Sight returns as an attachment for all Marksman Rifles. It removes the default scope of the weapon it is used on, resulting in a zoom level identical to that of a Red Dot Sight. Because the default scope of the Marksman Rifle is removed from using an optical attachment, this means that the Marksman Rifle in use will lose the recoil reduction that the default scope provides.
The Iron Sight contends with the other close-range oriented optic for Marksman Rifles, the Red Dot Sight. The iron sights of the Marksman Rifle are not electronic and thus cannot be wiped out by Ground Jammers or 9-Bangs, marking the biggest advantage they hold over the electronic Red Dot Sight. Unlike other optical attachments, the iron sights given to each Marksman Rifle are unique and not shared by other Marksman Rifles, so the preference one has for the Iron Sight attachment might be on a case-by-case basis. If the player wants a sight picture that is better suited for aggressive play and enabling the preservation of more peripheral vision, the Iron Sight should instantly be considered, and if the player likes the iron sights of the Marksman Rifle, the user should choose it over the Red Dot Sight so as to ensure a consistent sight picture.
Extinction[]
The Iron Sight is mounted by default on all the marksman rifles in Extinction mode, though it isn't listed as an attachment in the HUD. The Iron Sight can be replaced by other optical attachments, and once that is done, the Iron Sight cannot be recovered. The Iron Sight cannot be acquired from Search Piles either, so if the player gets rid of the Iron Sight for something else, it is gone for good, so players might want to be hesitant to pick up optical attachments when using Marksman Rifles.
The iron sight attachment returns in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, called Ironsights in-game, and compatible with all sniper rifles except the Atlas 20mm. It does not appear on any sniper rifles during the campaign.
Multiplayer[]
The Iron Sight attachment is available for all sniper rifles except for the Atlas 20mm. The Iron Sight gives the sniper rifle a standard set of iron sights, allowing for a full peripheral view, and access to the HUD while aiming. The Iron Sights are not well suited to a traditional sniper rifle role, as the lower zoom level will make distant enemies very hard to hit, whereas with a regular or enhanced scope option, the enemy would have much more clarity on the player's screen; as well, the player will not be able to hold their breath while aiming with the Iron Sights, forcing the player to account for the large amount of sway the sniper rifles possess. The Iron Sight is recommended for more aggressive roles, such as quickscoping or a mobile marksman role. Maps smaller in size, such as Urban and Solar, make for good usage of the Iron Sights, where mobile enemies may constantly attempt to flank players.
The iron sight was originally only compatible with the Kar98k in both the campaign and multiplayer and the Karabin in the campaign exclusively, but is was added as an attachment to all weapons in the Sniper Rifle class on May 29th, 2018 with the Attack of the Undead event.