Best Ranked Play loadouts for Modern Warfare 2 Season 3 Reloaded

Season 3 Reloaded of Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play remains the optimal battleground for those who want to play like the pros. This guide features the best loadouts, with weapons, attachments, Perks, and Equipment for use in MW2’s competitive mode.

Ranked Play debuted in Modern Warfare 2 Season 2, offering players a competitive Call of Duty experience and the fun has continued in Season 3 Reloaded alongside the brand-new Warzone 2 Ranked Play mode. There’s a lot to take in, from the Skill Division and Ranks format to the long list of Ranked Play rewards on offer.

Modern Warfare 2 players will also have to get accustomed to the CDL rules. Certain weapons and Equipment are restricted in Ranked Play. To help you better navigate the competitive mode in Season 3 Reloaded, we’ve put together the best Ranked Play loadouts in Modern Warfare 2.

• Best Ranked Play Primary weapons
• Best Ranked Play Secondary weapons
• Best Ranked Play Lethals and Tacticals
• Best Ranked Play Perks
• Best Ranked Play Field Upgrades

Best Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play Primary weapons

Ranked Play features 4 vs 4 gameplay of Hardpoint, Control, and Search & Destroy. Your role on your team of four will largely depend on your choice of Primary weapon.

Assault Rifles are perfect for holding down lanes and manipulating spawns, while SMGs will make you the ideal candidate to break into contested Hardpoints.

Prior to the launch of Ranked Play, certain weapons including the M4, Kastov-74u, and STB 556 were added to the list of restricted weapons. While these weapons were available in CDL Moshpit, they are not accessible in Ranked Play. The ISO Hemlock and Kastov 762 then joined the restricted list.

Regardless of the role you aim to play, here are the best Primary weapons for Modern Warfare 2’s Ranked Play mode.

TAQ-56 Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

• Muzzle: FJX Fulcrum Pro
• Barrel: 17.5″ Tundra Pro Barrel
• Underbarrel: FSS Sharkfin 90
• Ammunition: 5.56 High Velocity
• Stock: TV Cardinal Stock

The TAQ-56 is a simple Assault Rifle to control for those who prefer their long-range weapons to have a friendly recoil pattern. The weapon had its damage range nerfed in the Season 3 Reloaded update but it’s still the best choice.

To get the most from the TAQ-56, you’ll want to make sure it’s shooting straight with the FJX Fulcrum Pro Muzzle, 17.5″ Tundra Pro Barrel, and FSS Sharkfin 90 Underbarrel. The 5.56 High Velocity ammo will also make long-range fights easier and make HitReg feel slightly better.

As with any competitive Modern Warfare 2 weapon, mobility and fast ADS speed are vital. Therefore, the TV Cardinal Stock will come in handy as it boosts ADS speed amongst other mobility improvements. If you’d rather opt for more mobility, you can drop the Muzzle and add the Demo Cleanshot Grip. The TV XLine Pro Stock is also a popular choice.

Also, it’s important to note that pros are forced to use the 17.5″ Tundra Pro Barrel as a Gentlemen’s Agreement, but some Ranked Play enthusiasts agree that the weapon is better without a barrel attachment.

Lachmann 556 Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

• Barrel: 15.9″ Lachmann Rapp Barrel
• Stock: Lachmann S9 Factory
• Underbarrel: FSS Sharkfin 90
• Ammunition: 5.56 High Velocity
• Rear Grip: LMK64 Grip

Following the major buffs and nerfs in Modern Warfare 2 Season 3, the Lachmann 556 has entered the meta and this loadout comes courtesy of LA Thieves AR player Sam ‘Octane’ Larew.

This is the standard loadout when it comes to building Assault Rifles, with the 15.9″ Lachmann Rapp Barrel, FSS Sharkfin 90, and 5.56 High Velocity ammo boosting the weapon’s damage range, bullet velocity, and recoil control.

To keep up with the fast SMGs on the map, combining the Lachmann S9 Factory Stock and LMK64 Grip helps with movement and ADS speed.

Octane recommends using the XTEN Ported Muzzle if you’d prefer to remove the Stock or Ammunition, and while he says it has a “really good iron sight,” you can also opt for an Optic if you prefer.

While he said there are situations where the SCAR would win the fight, the Lachmann 556 is a powerful new choice that’s well worth trying in Modern Warfare 2 Season 3 Reloaded.

Vaznev-9k Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

• Muzzle: Bruen Pendulum
• Underbarrel: Commando Foregrip
• Stock: Otrezat Stock
• Rear Grip: True-Tac Grip

The Vaznev is an extremely viable close-range weapon for SMG players to utilize in Ranked Play. The Bruen Pendulum will tame some of the weapon’s kick.

When it comes to the stock, players can opt for the Otrezat Stock or the Broadside FCT. If you’re confident in your aim, the Broadside FCT will offer better mobility and speed at the cost of control. OpTic Texas’ Anthony ‘Shotzzy‘ Cuevas-Castro, claims that the Broadside FCT is the superior option.

Next, we have the underbarrel, which once again comes down to two options between the Commando Foregrip and FSS Sharkfin 90. It’ll be up to you to decide whether you prefer more control or speed for your Vaznev loadout.

As you may have noticed, we’ve only opted for four attachments due to the fact that a fifth would hurt some of the attributes we’re looking to boost with this weapon.

In Season 3 Reloaded, the Vaznev had its damage range decreased but it has remained the top competitive choice.

VEL 46 Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

• Barrel: Tango 228 Barrel
• Underbarrel: Bruen Sync Shot Grip
• Stock: Assault-60 Stock
• Rear Grip: Schlager Soldier Grip
• Magazine: 30 Round Mag

The VEL 46 rose to prominence in Modern Warfare 2’s Ranked Play following the Season 2 Reloaded update. The 30 Round Mag attachment had its handling and mobility buffed, and the VEL 46’s damage ranges were also buffed.

The Tango 228 Barrel will boost damage range and bullet velocity, while the Schlager Soldier Grip and Assault-60 Stock will focus on improving ADS speed.

CDL pro player Shotzzy praised the weapon after experimenting with it in Ranked Play. The VEL 46 is the perfect weapon for players who want to try something new as an alternative to the Vaznev.

SP-X 80 Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

• Ammunition: .300 High Velocity
• Rear Grip: Schlager Match Grip
• Bolt: FSS ST87 Bolt
• Stock:  PVZ-890 TAC Stock

There are several viable Sniper Rifles that Modern Warfare 2 players can use in Ranked Play, but at the moment, the SP-X 80 is the most popular choice. This mirrors its rise in popularity in the CDL after players first flocked to the MCPR-300 at the start of the season.

The SP-X 80 combines the best attributes of the MCPR-300 and the LA-B 330 into one Sniper Rifle. You’ll find that the Sniper’s handling is excellent and it hits quite hard at most distances for Ranked Play Search & Destroy.

MCPR-300 Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

Activision

• Ammunition: .300 Mag High Velocity
• Magazine: 5 Round Mag
• Rear Grip: Cronen Cheetah Grip
• Stock: FSS Merc Stock

Thanks to its damage potential, the MCPR is one of the best Sniper Rifles to use in Ranked Play matches. For starters, the 5 Round Mag will make the Sniper lighter, which will increase its mobility and allow you to move faster.

The Cronen Cheetah Grip and FSS Merc Stock will allow you to ADS faster for those intense Search & Destroy moments in which a split second can cost your life.

LA-B 330 Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

Activision

• Barrel: 23.5” Fluted R-67 Barrel
• Bolt: FSS ST87 Bolt
• Stock: ZLR T70 Pad Extension Stock

If you’re looking for an alternative to the heavy MCPR-300 Sniper Rifle, then you’ll want to check out the LA-B 330. This quick and snappy Sniper can prove to be a deadly option in the right hands when playing Search & Destroy.

Currently, CDL pros are split between the three Snipers above, with those like former OpTic Texas player Indervir ‘iLLeY’ Dhaliwa favoring the LA-B 330.

Best Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play Secondary weapons

The list of Ranked Play secondary weapons is a brief one seeing as Launchers are banned as secondary weapons for the competitive mode. While a Handgun can provide the edge in certain gunfights, Melee weapons allow you to move around the map faster.

X12 Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play loadout

• Muzzle: XRK Ventor-900
• Trigger Action: XRK Ligting Fire
• Rear Grip: Cronen Lima-6

The X12 is the favorite for the go-to Secondary weapon in Modern Warfare 2’s Ranked Play. It’s the quickest handgun available, and for this reason, CDL pros have gravitated toward the weapon.

The XRK Lighting Fire will allow you to get off consecutive shots faster and showcase your trigger finger. Meanwhile, the Cronen Lima-6 and XRK Ventor-900 improve ADS speed and recoil control, respectively.

Ranked Play Combat Knife Search & Destroy

The Combat Knife is highly recommended for players aiming to get to their preferred power positions in Search and Destroy as fast as possible. The Knife will work in tandem with Double Time to drastically increase your Tactical Sprint duration.

Best Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play Lethals & Tacticals

As for Lethals in Ranked Play, Modern Warfare 2 players will want to choose between a Frag Grenade or Semtex. The Frag can be devastating in Search & Destroy if you know the key spots to bank them off of. A Semtex is recommended for respawn modes like Hardpoint and Control due to their precision on any given objective point.

When it comes to Tacticals, the powerful Stun Grenade is perfect for slowing down players in Ranked Play. Unfortunately, there are no other viable options, as the Flash Grenade and Smoke Grenade are on the restricted list.

Best Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play Perks

The CDL rules indicate that Ultimate Perks do not factor into competitive matches, and this carries over to Ranked Play. Therefore players will opt for a combination of three Perks in the Modern Warfare 2 mode.

For the first two Perk slots, you’ll want to opt for two of the following three Perks: Double Time, Battle Hardened, and Bomb Squad. Battle Hardened and Bomb Squad are recommended for Hardpoint and Control, while Double Time should be equipped for S&D.

Fast Hands is the optimal choice when it comes to the Bonus Perk slot. While Fast Hands should be your primary choice, Focus can help with reducing weapon flinch on long-range AR loadouts.

Of course, Cold Blooded should only be equipped when an enemy player has earned a Killstreak.

Best Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play Field Upgrades

Modern Warfare 2 players looking to play the Ranked Play mode can choose between Dead Silence and the Trophy System as their Field Upgrade of choice.

A well-balanced squad of four will want to have two players running Dead Silence and two players running the Trophy System. This is especially true in respawn modes. More players can opt for Dead Silence in Search & Destroy given the importance of not giving away your position in the mode.

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For more Modern Warfare 2 content, check out our other guides:

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