Best Ranked Play loadouts for Modern Warfare 3

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

Here are the best MW3 Ranked Play classes to secure all of the rewards up for grabs in Season 5 Reloaded.

Ranked Play Primary weapons

The meta was established early by the CDL pros, and the best Ranked Play guns are still the MCW and Rival-9 in Season 5 Reloaded.

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

The last major shift arrived in Season 4 Reloaded, as the update added the previously restricted MTZ-556 and Holger 556 to the weapon pool.

Best MCW class for MW3 Ranked Play

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 MW3 Ranked Play in Season 5 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 you 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, you can also pick between the use of a Muzzle like the L4R Flash Hider or T51R Billeted Brake.

Best Rival-9 loadout for MW3 Ranked Play

• 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.

Best MW3 Ranked Play MTZ-556 class

Activision

• 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.

Best Holger 556 loadout for MW3 Ranked Play

Activision

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

The Holger 556 returned alongside the MTZ-556 with the Season 4 Reloaded update. Keep in mind that this weapon is a tougher gun 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

• Renetti
• Gutter Knife
• Karambit

You have three viable options when it comes to the best Secondary weapons to use in matches.

Best MW3 Ranked Play Renetti class

Activision

• 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 is devastating in close quarters.

CDL pros banned the use of certain mobility-boosting attachments when it comes to the Renetti, and some of those restrictions are present in Ranked Play. 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 you 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 they 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 enemies, 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 for MW3 Ranked Play

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

Unlike the best weapons in the game, the best Perks to use offer more wiggle room to experiment.

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 in that mode.

Field Upgrades

When it comes to Field Upgrades, 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 Spear and Torque-35 so you can get to use the new weapons in standard Season 5 Reloaded playlists.