M4A4 Skins

The M4A4 Howl: the only Contraband skin in CS2

The M4A4 Howl is the single most significant skin in Counter-Strike history from a game-design perspective. Originally released in 2014 as a Covert skin in the Huntsman Weapon Case, it was pulled from the case and reclassified as Contraband after a copyright dispute over the artwork. Valve redesigned the skin with a new wolf illustration and permanently removed it from all case drops.

This makes the Howl the only skin that can never be unboxed again. Supply is fixed and slowly declining as copies get trade-banned or lost to inactive accounts. Factory New Howls currently trade at $4,229–$6,727, with StatTrak FN copies exceeding $13,000. The Howl is not just a skin — it is a finite asset in a growing economy, which is why it has been one of the most consistent long-term appreciating items in CS2.

M4A4 skins by rarity tier

Contraband (yellow) — the Howl

• Howl ($4,229–$6,727) — The only Contraband skin in CS2. Redesigned wolf illustration on a fiery red background. Cannot be unboxed. Supply only decreases over time. StatTrak versions are exceptionally rare. The most collected and invested-in weapon skin.

Covert (red) — the premium tier

The M4A4 has 13 Covert skins:

• The Coalition ($117–$2,092) — From the Train 2025 Collection. Souvenir available. New and already high-value.
• Eye of Horus ($181–$1,056) — Egyptian mythology theme. Detailed artwork.
• Buzz Kill ($188–$441) — Bee-themed design from the Gamma Collection.
• Bullet Rain ($71–$371) — Military camouflage with bullet casings.
• Asiimov ($90–$192) — The classic orange-black-white futuristic design. One of the most popular and liquid M4A4 skins.
• Royal Paladin ($50–$261) — Blue and gold medieval design.
• X-Ray ($66–$217) — Skeletal X-ray design.

Other Coverts: Neo-Noir ($26–$141), The Emperor ($49–$230), Temukau ($26–$114), The Battlestar ($26–$141), In Living Color ($27–$119), Desert-Strike ($28–$67), and Full Throttle ($26–$219).

Classified (purple)

• Poseidon ($1,116–$2,181) — A sea-god illustration from the Gods and Monsters Collection. One of the most expensive non-Howl M4A4 skins. Limited supply from a non-case source.
• Hellfire ($88–$470) — Fiery demon design from the Operation Hydra Collection.
• Hellish ($14–$240) — Dark fire theme from the Train 2025 Collection. Souvenir available.
• Desolate Space ($11–$89) — Space-themed with an astronaut helmet. Popular mid-range choice.
• Cyber Security ($18–$176) — Digital/hacker aesthetic.

Other Classifieds: Dragon King (龍王) ($14–$72), Tooth Fairy ($3–$16).

Restricted (blue)

• Daybreak ($518–$1,429) — A sunrise design from the 2018 Nuke Collection. Extraordinarily expensive for a Restricted skin due to extremely limited supply. One of the most unusual price anomalies in CS2.
• Modern Hunter ($46–$613) — Green camouflage from the Nuke Collection. Another expensive Restricted due to limited supply.

Other Restricteds: Griffin ($4–$127), Spider Lily ($5–$76), Zirka ($22–$103), Red DDPAT ($15–$87), Polysoup ($10–$41), Evil Daimyo ($3–$10), Turbine ($1–$22), Sheet Lightning ($1–$10), Etch Lord ($0.31–$5).

Mil-Spec, Industrial & Consumer

Budget options: Radiation Hazard ($32–$501 — expensive for Mil-Spec due to Nuke Collection), Global Offensive ($17–$65), Faded Zebra ($6–$66), Converter ($1–$2), Poly Mag ($0.04–$2), Magnesium ($0.18–$4), Choppa ($0.04–$2). At the bottom: Aeolian Dark ($0.02), Mainframe ($0.02), Steel Work ($0.02), Naval Shred Camo ($0.03). The M4A4 has some of the cheapest skins in CS2.

M4A4 vs M4A1-S: which CT rifle to skin

CS2 forces players to choose between the M4A4 and M4A1-S in their loadout. Both have strong skin collections, but they differ:

• M4A4: 50 skins. Has the Howl (Contraband, $4,229+), Poseidon ($1,116+), and Daybreak ($518+). Larger magazine (30 rounds) and higher fire rate. Preferred by aggressive CT players.
• M4A1-S: 45 skins. Has Printstream ($143–$447), Hot Rod ($212+), and Knight ($1,100+). Silencer and tighter spray pattern. Preferred by precise CT players.

From a skin perspective, the M4A4 has the higher ceiling (Howl) but the M4A1-S has more consistently popular mid-range options (Printstream is the most popular CT rifle skin in competitive play). Many players own skins for both and switch between them depending on the map.

Best M4A4 skins for the money

• Best overall: Asiimov FT (~$90). Orange-black-white futuristic classic. Clean in FT, liquid, universally recognized. The default M4A4 skin for most players.
• Best premium: Howl FT (~$4,229). The ultimate CS2 flex after Dragon Lore. Contraband rarity means it can never be unboxed again. FT is the value sweet spot.
• Best mid-range: Desolate Space FT (~$11) or Neo-Noir FT (~$26). Both are clean, popular designs at accessible prices.
• Best budget: In Living Color FT (~$27) or Temukau FT (~$26). Covert-rarity skins for under $30. Excellent value.
• Best absolute budget: Aeolian Dark ($0.02) or Mainframe ($0.02). M4A4 skins for 2 cents.
• Best investment: Howl (any condition). Fixed, declining supply in a growing market. The most collected weapon skin in CS2 history. Has appreciated consistently since 2014.
• Best for themed loadouts: Asiimov (orange), Neo-Noir (dark/blue), Bullet Rain (military), Desolate Space (space/purple), Hellfire (red/fire). See our skins by color page.

How float value affects M4A4 prices

Float value is particularly visible on the M4A4 because the receiver (the main body the player sees) is large and flat. On the Howl, the difference between a 0.15 FT and a 0.37 FT is hundreds of dollars — the wolf artwork shows significantly more wear at higher floats. Low-float FT copies of premium skins (Howl, Asiimov, Eye of Horus) are worth 10–30% more than high-float FT copies.

The Howl also has a unique characteristic: the wolf artwork was redesigned after the copyright incident. Pre-redesign copies do not exist because Valve updated all existing skins. But StatTrak copies are extraordinarily rare because the case was pulled before many were unboxed.