Two unusual M4A4 skins
Two M4A4 skins show how much skins of one weapon can differ.
The M4A4 | Howl has a separate rarity, Contraband. It arrived as a Covert skin in the Huntsman Weapon Case in May 2014. A month later its wolf artwork turned out to be copied, so Valve redrew it, removed it from the case and moved it to Contraband. New copies no longer drop. Its float range is 0–0.40, which gives a very thin Well‑Worn band between 0.38 and 0.40 and no Battle‑Scarred at all.
The M4A4 | Asiimov is Covert and starts at a float of 0.18, so it can only be Field‑Tested, Well‑Worn or Battle‑Scarred. If you want the cleanest one, look for a Field‑Tested copy close to 0.18.
How M4A4 skins wear
The M4A4 has a large magazine, a long receiver and a solid stock. On light designs like the Asiimov, grime spreads over the white magazine and lower receiver at high wear. On darker designs like the Howl, the red strokes and edges collect scratches while the main artwork stays clear. The exteriors guide explains what each exterior means, and the comparison guide shows how to judge wear.
M4A4 or M4A1-S
Both rifles sit in the same slot of the counter-terrorist loadout, and each has its own skins. A skin for one can't be used on the other. If you can't decide, compare both lineups; the silenced rifle's list is on the M4A1-S page.
Sources and variants
The M4A4 | Asiimov comes from the Winter Offensive Weapon Case and has a StatTrak™ version. The Howl also has a StatTrak™ version. For every other M4A4 skin, the skin page lists its rarity, float range, exteriors, collection and cases. You can also look for M4A4 designs in the red skins and blue skins selections.