Best MCW loadout, class build in Modern Warfare 3

Working out the best MCW loadout is essential if you want to use one of the best guns available in the Modern Warfare 3 beta so far.

The MCW is essentially the ever-popular ACR from previous Modern Warfare games, albeit with a fresh moniker as guns in Call of Duty are no longer named after their real-life counterparts.

For example, you’ll also find our best Striker loadout guide, which is actually the UMP-45. Here are the details on the best MCW loadout in the MW3 beta and how to unlock it.

How to unlock the MCW in the Modern Warfare 3 beta

To unlock the MCW, all you need to do is reach level 12 in the beta. You should reach this within an hour or two of playing, since the early levels in any Call of Duty multiplayer game typically fly by, with the later levels taking a little longer to ascend.

Once you hit level 12, you can create a class and start unlocking attachments for it. If you want to level the MCW before you’ve even unlocked it, you can use the ‘Frontline’ default class too, as that has the MCW as the primary weapon alongside a shotgun.

Best MCW loadout in Modern Warfare 3

Image: Activision via Polygon

Here is the best MCW loadout in the Modern Warfare 3 beta:

• Muzzle: L4R Flash Hider
• Barrel: Second Line Mammoth Heavy Barrel
• Underbarrel: Kimura RYN-03 Vertical Grip
• Rear Grip: RB Talon-X3 Grip
• Optic: Slate Reflector

The optic here is mostly personal preference — I found the Slate Reflector to be the best in terms of visibility and zoom — but as for the rest of the build, this is what you want to ensure the MCW is a pure laser beam. You’ll have hardly any recoil with this offering, so you can take enemies out from a considerable distance.

It can also compete at closer range too, but try to avoid running and gunning where possible, as the weapon draw speed after sprinting is a little slow. This is for players who like to play as an anchor, holding down positions and picking enemies off with ease rather than jumping on the objectives.

Best MCW class in Modern Warfare 3

Here is the best class to use alongside the MCW in Modern Warfare 3:

• Vest: Infantry Vest
• Tactical: Flash Grenade
• Lethal: Breacher Drone
• Field Equipment: ACS
• Gloves: Quick-Grip Gloves
• Boots: Climbing Boots
• Gear: Mission Control Comlink

For the most part, these choices should be self-explanatory. Flash Grenades are as reliable as they’ve always been, and the Breacher Drone is a new personal favorite over Frag Grenades thanks to their ability to fly in a completely straight line — if you can see your target, the Breacher Drone can hit it, instead of looping a grenade over buildings.

The ACS is excellent for playing the objective in Domination and Hardpoint, while the Quick-Grip Gloves allow you to switch to your secondary in an instant if any enemies sneak up on where you’re positioned. The Climbing Boots are the easiest thing to switch out here — the Stalker Boots are equally as good if you’d rather the strafe speed bonus. Finally, the Mission Control Comlink reduces your killstreak requirements by one; you’ll get a UAV in no time at all, which will facilitate more kills, shortly followed by your Guardian, Counter UAV, Juggernaut, or whichever other high-end killstreaks you prefer.