Best Ranked Play loadouts for Modern Warfare 3

❘ Updated: 2024-06-27T15:18:00

Activision

As MW3 Ranked Play players attempt to climb Skill Divisions, using the best loadouts in Modern Warfare 3 is key to winning. With the mode following the bans and restrictions of the league, you’ll want to know which weapons to use.

Here are the best class setups to secure all of the rewards up for grabs in Season 4 Reloaded.

Ranked Play Primary weapons

The meta has been established by the CDL‘s top players, and the top weapons continue to be the MCW and Rival-9 in Season 4 Reloaded.

Several weapons are restricted in Modern Warfare 3 Ranked Play while playing 4v4 matches of Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and Control.

The midseason update added the previously restricted MTZ-556 and Holger 556 to the weapon pool, so don’t miss out on testing them while you can.

MCW class

The MCW is MW3 Ranked Play’s top Assault Rifle choice.

Standard MCW

Muzzle: L4R Flash Hider
Barrel: 16.5″ MCW Cyclone Long Barrel
Optic: Slate Reflector or Mk. 3 Reflector
Underbarrel: XTEN Phantom-5 Handstop or DR-6 Handstop
Rear Grip: RB Claw-PSL Grip

Fast MCW

Muzzle: T51R Billeted Brake
Barrel: 16.5″ MCW Cyclone Long Barrel
Optic: Slate Reflector or Mk. 3 Reflector
Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop
Rear Grip: RB Rapidstrike Grip

The MCW remains the best Assault Rifle for Ranked Play in Season 4 Reloaded. The weapon received a buff to its headshot multiplier with the Season 4 update, making it deadlier than ever.

We’ve provided two recommended MCW loadouts for players to try, so feel free to test them out and decide which one is best for you.

There are a few variations you can pick from when it comes to the attachments. For starters, the Mk.3 Reflector or Slate Reflector comes down to personal preference. Then, the DR-6 Handstop offers more mobility, while the XTEN Phantom-5 Handstop offers more recoil control.

In addition, players can also pick between the use of a Muzzle like the L4R Flash Hider or T51R Billeted Brake.

Rival-9 loadout

The Rival-9 shreds in close quarters.

Muzzle: Purifier Muzzle Brake S
Barrel: Rival-C Clearshot Barrel
Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop
Stock: MTZ Marauder Stock
Rear Grip: Rival Vice Assault Grip

Compared to the MCW, the best Rival-9 loadout offers less variety when it comes to the ideal choice of attachments. The weapon received a slight buff to its damage range in Season 4.

While the Rival-9 is all about speed and dominating close-range fights, attachments like the Rival Vice Assault Grip, Purifier Muzzle Brake S, and Rival-C Clearshot Barrel will help keep the weapon’s recoil under control and boost its range.

However, we don’t want the SMG to become too sluggish, so the DR-6 Handstop and MTZ Marauder Stock will bring a vital boost to speed and mobility.

MTZ-556 class

Muzzle: Casus Brake
Barrel: MTZ Clinch Pro Barrel
Optic: Mk. 3 Reflector
Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop
Stock: MTZ Marauder Stock

The MTZ-556 is back and you won’t find an easier weapon to wield. If you’re struggling with accuracy and landing shots, this Assault Rifle equipped with the MTZ Clinch Pro Barrel and Casus Brake will make things easier.

The MTZ Marauder Stock and DR-6 Handstop will bring some needed mobility boosts to the steady weapon, while the MK.3 Reflector is the standard Optic for long-range weapons.

Holger 556 loadout

Activision

Muzzle: Casus Brake
Barrel: Chrios-6 Match
Optic: Mk. 3 Reflector
Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop
Stock: RB Addle Assault Stock

The Holger 556 returns alongside the MTZ-556 in Season 4 Reloaded. If you can’t decide which one to try out first, you’ll want to keep in mind that the Holger 556 is a tougher weapon to tame, but it packs more of a punch than the MTZ.

We’ll need three attachments here to tame the weapon’s hefty recoil, and that’s where the Casus Brake, Chrios-6 Match, and RB Addle Assault Stock come into play. You’ll need to balance things out by equipping the DR-6 Handstop to boost the weapon’s mobility.

Ranked Play Secondary weapons

Players have two viable options when it comes to the best Secondary weapons to use in matches, so let’s check them out below.

Renetti

Muzzle: ZEHMN35 Compensated Flash Hider
Barrel: MLX Short Competition Barrel
Optic: Slate Reflector (optional)
Rear Grip: EXF Eclipsor Grip

The Renetti is the optimal choice for competitive matches, as the Secondary weapon can be devastating in close quarters.

CDL pros have banned the use of certain mobility-boosting attachments when it comes to the Renetti, and some of those restrictions have appeared in Ranked Play. At the moment, the MLX Short Competition Barrel, EXF Eclipsor Grip, and ZEHMN35 Compensated Flash Hider are the best choices for this Renetti loadout.

The Slate Reflector makes my life easier when trying to hit shots outside of the Renetti’s close-range sweet spot, but players can choose not to equip an Optic for a cleaner ADS view.

Gutter Knife & Karambit

While the Gutter Knife or Karambit can be an excellent option, these weapons have fallen under CDL players’ Gentleman’s Agreement, meaning players have enforced their own bans on them.

The devs decided to keep them in the game after nerfing their damage in Ranked Play. Melee weapons require two hits to kill enemies in the mode. I often use the Gutter Knife or Karambit to reach key Search and Destroy power positions faster when a round starts.

Lethals & Tacticals

Both the Frag Grenade and Semtex are viable Lethal options. The Frag Grenade will appeal to players who know the best nade spots on each competitive map. Meanwhile, the benefit of the Semtex is that it can stick to enemy players, guaranteeing a kill.

Next, we have the Stun Grenade and Smoke Grenade. The Stun Grenade will slow down players as a key piece of utility, while the Smoke Grenade is vital for blocking crosses on Search and Destroy maps like Highrise, Invasion, or Rio. Keep in mind that the Smoke Grenade is banned in Control and Hardpoint.

Best Perks

Unlike the best weapons in the game, the best Perks to use offer players more wiggle room to experiment. At the moment CDL players are using a combination of the following:

Infantry Vest
Assault Gloves or Marksman Gloves
Lightweight Boots or Covert Sneakers
EOD Padding

Feel free to decide what works best for your playstyle after getting through a few matches. You’ll want to opt for Covert Sneakers over Lightweight Boots in Search and Destroy matches, as silent movement is vital in the mode.

Even with Covert Sneakers receiving a nerf in Season 4, they’ve remained the go-to option.

Field Upgrades

When it comes to Field Upgrades for, you’ll want to choose between the Trophy System and Dead Silence.

The Trophy System is sure to be a popular pick, and you may not even need to equip Dead Silence unless you’re swapping away from the Covert Sneakers Perk.

While you won’t be able to use them in the competitive mode, check out how to unlock the new Shotgun and Sledgehammer so you can get to using the Reclaimer 18 in standard Season 4 Reloaded playlists.