MW3 Ranked Play banned guns & restrictions

Season 4 Reloaded updated the weapon restrictions for MW3‘s Ranked Play mode. The competitive mode allows fans of Call of Duty to play like the pros, but that also means following the CDL ruleset.

Here’s a full list of all of the banned weapons, attachments, Perks, Equipment, and Killstreaks you won’t have access to when building your loadout in MW3’s Ranked Play mode.

Banned Ranked Play weapons

• All MW2 weapons
• Assault Rifles
  • SVA-545
  • RAM-7
  • BP50
  • DG-58
  • FR 5.56
  • BAL-27
• SMGs
  • WSP Swarm
  • HRM-9
  • RAM-9
  • FJX Horus
  • Superi 46
• Battle Rifles
  • All
• Shotguns
  • All
• Marksman Rifles
  • All
• LMGs
  • All
• Sniper Rifles
  • All
• Melee
  • Riot Shield
  • Soulrender
  • Gladiator
  • Sledgehammer
• Pistols
  • WSP Stinger
  • COR-45
  • TYR
• Launchers
  • All

When creating your loadout in MW3 Ranked Play, certain guns will be restricted based on the rules in the CDL. If you’re familiar with Ranked Play, you’ll know that Shotguns and LMGs are restricted, but even some powerful ARs and SMGs are on the list of restricted MW3 weapons.

After analyzing the data from a weapon evaluation period test period back in Season 3, the devs have confirmed that the MTZ-556 and Holger 556 have been made available to use in Ranked Play at the start of Season 4 Reloaded.

MW3 MP Ranked play update:

Unrestricted the MTZ-556 Assault Rifle.

Unrestricted the Holger 556 Assault Rifle. pic.twitter.com/itXw2DHQlF

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) June 26, 2024

Restricted attachments

• Muzzle
  • All Suppressors
  • All Melee Damage Muzzles
  • JAK BFB
  • JAK Bullseye
  • Scratch 20-L Suppressor
• Barrel
  • All Silencers
• Lasers
  • All
• Optics
  • All Thermal
  • All Night Vision
  • JAK Glassless Optic
• Ammunition
  • All
• Underbarrel
  • All Launcher and Shotgun Underbarrels
• Trigger Action
  • All Fire Rate Triggers
• Grip
  • All Akimbo Grips
• Aftermarket Parts
  • All
• MW2 attachments
  • All

Restrictions also dictate which attachments players can equip in MW3 Ranked Play. While most are fair game, the above attachments are restricted.

Banned Perks

• Boots
  • Tactical Pads
  • Reinforced Boots
• Vests
  1. Engineer Vest
  2. Demolition Vest
  3. CCT Comms Vest
  4. Overkill Vest
  5. Gunner Vest
  6. Modular Assault Rig Vest
  7. Compression Carrier Vest
  8. Gunslinger Vest
  9. Ninja Vest
  10. Mission Control Vest
  11. Assassin Vest
• Gloves
  • Scavenger Gloves
• Gear
  • Control Comlink
  • Bone Conduction
  • Blacklight Flashlight
  • L/R Detector
  • Threat Identification System
  • Data Jacker
  • Signal Jammer
  • Hijacked IFF Strobe
  • High-Gain Antenna
  • Ghost T/V Camo
  • Compression Plate

There are plenty of Perks to choose from in MW3, but not all of them are available in Ranked Play.

Unavailable Equipment

Lethal

• Proximity Mine
• C4
• Claymore
• Thermite
• Throwing Knife
• Drill Charge
• Thermobaric Grenade
• Throwing Star
• Breacher Drone

Tactical

• Shock Stick
• Decoy Grenade
• Stim
• Snapshot Grenade
• Tear Gas
• Flash Grenade
• EMD Grenade
• Battle Rage
• Scatter Mine
• Smoke Grenade (Hardpoint & Control only)
• EMD Mine

Field Upgrades

• Tactical Camera
• Inflatable Decoy
• DDOS
• Deployable Cover
• Munitions Box
• Portable Radar
• Tactical Insertion
• Recon Drone
• Smoke Airdrop
• Suppression Mine
• Anti-Armor Rounds
• Heartbeat Sensor
• Comm Scrambler
• Med Box
• A.C.S
• Enhanced Vision Goggles

MW3 features a ton of Equipment including Tactical, Lethal, and Field Upgrades to use, but Ranked Play limits the amount of picks players have available.

Banned Killstreaks

• UAV
• Mosquito Drone
• Sam Turret
• Bomb Drone
• Care Package
• Guardian-SC
• Counter UAV
• Cluster Mine
• Precision Airstrike
• SAE
• I.M.S.
• Mortar Strike
• Overwatch Helo
• Loitering Munition
• Juggernaut Recon
• Wheelson-HS
• Missile Drone
• VTOL Jet
• Emergency Airdrop
• EMP
• Advanced UAV
• Chopper Gunner
• Gunship
• Carpet Bomb
• Remote Turret
• Juggernaut

Most of the damage-dealing Killstreaks aren’t available in Ranked Play, as they’d be overpowered in the competitive mode.

Why are Ranked Play restrictions necessary?

MW3’s Ranked Play restrictions follow the official COD League’s rules (with a few exceptions) to achieve the fairest competitive mode possible. This means restricting content that could provide greater advantages to some players.

While more content would bring variety to the competitive mode, the MW3 devs must deliver fair gunfights that rely more on players’ decisions and skills rather than on the weapon they’re using.

As new restrictions are added to the MW3’s Ranked Play mode each season, we’ll keep this list updated with any additional bans.

Season 4 Reloaded brought the new Sledgehammer and Reclaimer 18 Shotgun. Naturally, both weapons are banned in Ranked Play.