M4A1-S | Guardian (Factory New)

Skin overview

M4A1-S | Guardian is a counter-terrorist rifle finished in an even cobalt blue, with the CT emblem stencilled on the magazine and small markings on the receiver and silencer. In Factory New the blue looks solid and uniform, and the fine lettering stays sharp enough to read up close. This grade suits buyers who want the paint exactly as designed.

Item type: rifle. The weapon is available only on the Counter-Terrorist side. Classified is the second-rarest weapon tier, only Covert sits above it.

Custom Paint Job: hand-painted across the whole body; this is the type where wear shows most, the artwork rubs down to metal.

Other qualities of this skin: Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn and Battle-Scarred.

How the skin looks in Factory New

The receiver, handguard, carry handle and stock are painted cobalt blue, while the barrel, pistol grip and silencer remain dark grey. The magazine carries a stencilled CT emblem in a muted gold tone, and fine stencil text runs along the receiver and the silencer. The ribbed handguard and the stock show the blue most broadly, so the finish reads as one solid colour block. On worn copies the paint goes first on edges and raised parts: the handguard ribs, the carry handle, the magazine corners and the rear of the stock, where dark metal shows through.

The blue coat is even across the receiver, handguard and stock with no visible marks. The CT emblem on the magazine and the small stencil text keep crisp outlines. In game the rifle shows a clean, saturated blue against the dark barrel and silencer. Every part looks fresh.

Factory New wear: float 0–0.07

The whole float range of M4A1-S | Guardian is 0–0.5; Factory New takes the 0–0.07 segment (14% of the scale). Within the range, copies with a lower float look cleaner and are valued higher.

Origin of the skin

M4A1-S | Guardian belongs to The Winter Offensive Collection, which holds 13 skins.

The source is Winter Offensive Weapon Case (on sale since Dec 18, 2013).

What it costs in each quality

By price this skin is 9th of 15 skins Classified M4A1-S in this quality (the first being the dearest).

StatTrak™ and Souvenir

This skin has a the StatTrak™ version with a kill counter. Right now it is 1.9× dearer than the regular one. There is also a the Souvenir version with tournament stickers.

Which stickers suit it

Gold, white and blue stickers match the cobalt paint and the gold-toned CT emblem. Small stickers placed in a line along the receiver keep the clean colour block intact, while a single gold accent works well near the magazine.

What to look at before you buy

• Check the float within the grade, since lower values keep cleaner handguard ribs and magazine edges.
• Look at the CT emblem on the magazine, which is the first detail to fade on worn copies.
• Inspect the rear of the stock and the carry handle for chips that show dark metal through the blue.
• Note any applied stickers and name tag, as they change how the plain blue finish looks.

Who should buy Factory New

• Collectors who want crisp stencils and an untouched blue coat.
• Sticker crafters who need a clean base for gold or blue sets.
• The choice for buyers who want the finish exactly as designed.