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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 offers 37 new weapons, raising the overall gun number to 77 with the MW2 armory. Each new weapon is unique in its category, but not all of them are hard hitters. Going to the Multiplayer lobbies now, you’ll see that most players are picking similar weapons, which are the best guns in MW3 – Modern Warfare 3 and are considered the meta, at least before Season 1 starts.
5. Lockwood 680
Let’s start the list with a one-shot weapon dominating close-range combat: the Lockwood 680. This shotgun is capable of dealing massive damage to enemies within 15m range, suitable for inside building fights in Skidrow.
This gun is a successor to its older brother, Lockwood 300, which was a meta weapon in Warzone Season 6 for one-tapping enemies even at long range! However, the old Lockwood needs a reload on every two shots, while the 680 model can have 8 rounds in its chamber.
4. DG-58 LSW
The LMG class in MW2 wasn’t the shining star of the show during 2023. The RPK was a good starter, but after several nerfs, nobody uses that old hunter anymore. Now, with MW3, we’ve got a new champion in this class.
With a high fire rate and one of the smoothest recoils you’ll ever see on a weapon, the DG-58 LSW is the best LMG gun in the Modern Warfare 3 right now. The gun feels heavy on every shot, but with some tuning, you can boost DG-58 LSW’s mobility while still keeping its sharp shooting accuracy.
3. SVA 545
Have you ever wondered how an AK-47 would work if it had a high fire rate? The SVA 545 is exactly the outcome of that thought in MW3. This new AR has an insane TTK that can eliminate the target in the blink of an eye!
Fire rate is the #1 perk of the SVA 545, which makes it one of the best guns in MW3 – Modern Warfare 3, but it also comes with solid accuracy. This combination can dominate in short to mid-range battles, and you can even tweak this AR to improve it.
2. Striker
The good old UMP from MW 2009 is back with a new name, the Striker. This is currently the best SMG in Modern Warfare 3 by having balanced stats in terms of damage, accuracy, handling, and, most importantly, mobility.
The Striker is a heavy hitter that can take down the opponents with only three bullets or two if you manage to hit their upper body. However, it has an unbelievable range for an SMG weapon, allowing players to take on 1v1 gunfights with an LMG wielder camping in the corner.
You can tune this SMG to be the best gun in Modern Warfare 3 with the highest mobility and still not sacrificing too much accuracy. Or change its attachments and build a mid to long-range puncher with good mobility. Whatever you do with the Striker, it never turns into a lousy weapon under the gunsmith transformations.
1. MCW
If you’ve played the MW 2009, then you’re probably familiar with one of its most iconic weapons, the ACR. That AR had the best accuracy in the game alongside M4, with solid damage and range stats. Now, the MCW is here in MW3 as the reincarnation of ACR while still carrying some of that weapon’s best stats to Call of Duty 2023.
Shooting with the MCW in Modern Warfare 3 feels very much like the SVA 545, but it is much more balanced. It doesn’t have SVA’s fire rate but offers much better accuracy and recoil control. Adding attachments to this rifle only makes it better in the way you want, coming with the most minor penalty on stats.
In fact, the MCW may not be a dominator on one particular field like close or mid-range, meaning that you can take on every fight with it. It has the mobility you need for better movement, enough firepower for a quick TTK, and a friendly accuracy that allows you to shoot long-range targets with ease.
And there you have it! These were the best guns in MW3 – Modern Warfare 3 that are currently the meta before the game’s first Season begins. But you should note that this list doesn’t mean that every other weapon in the game is just deleted as good ones.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is currently available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
