Best weapons in the Modern Warfare 3 beta

The best guns in Modern Warfare 3 won’t be something we can tell you for definite until the full release in November, but we can tell you what’s worth aiming for right now in the MW3 beta.

With the PlayStation-exclusive weekend wrapped up, we’ve had plenty of time with the weapons available — anything unlocked up to level 20, that is — and have found the best weapons in the beta for you to try.

With that in mind, with the second beta weekend’s max level being raised to 30, there will be a few more weapons (including the AMR-9 SMG, Riveter shotgun, and Longbow sniper rifle) not on this list. For the majority of players, they will be out of reach for some time, making our choices still relevant as you climb the ranks.

Modern Warfare 3 best guns in the beta

The best weapons in the Modern Warfare 3 beta are as follows:

MCW (assault rifle)
Striker (SMG)
BAS-B (battle rifle)
MTZ Interceptor (marksman rifle)
MTZ-556 (assault rifle)

We’ve stuck the MCW at the top of our rankings because, for the most part, it’s your jack-of-all-trades gun. You can kit it out for long-range engagements — which our suggested attachments below are apt for — or to deal with enemies up close if needed.

However, if you want to primarily focus on close-quarters combat with the occasional ranged battle, opt for the Striker in second instead. The BAS-B and MTZ Interceptor are even better at longer range, and despite being classed as an assault rifle, the MTZ-556 is better suited to even shorter range than the Striker thanks to its rapid fire rate.

Let’s go through each weapon, one-by-one.

1. MCW (assault rifle)

Kicking things off is the MCW, which is the first assault rifle you unlock. Modern Warfare 3 doesn’t have real weapon names, so the MCW is best known as the ACR from previous installments. Which is all to day, the MCW is a very reliable assault rifle that is fully automatic, with consistent range, recoil, and damage.

Essentially, with the right attachments, the MCW becomes a laser beam. Any of the heavy barrels do the job — we’d recommend the Second Line Mammoth — along with any vertical grip, though we found the Bruen Pivot to be the best (which requires leveling the SVA 545 to level 12 first). As for the rest of the attachments, an optic is always a good shout for enhanced visibility, alongside any combination of muzzle/stock/rear grip that assist with recoil control and bullet velocity.

For more on how to kit out this weapon, see our dedicated MCW loadout page.

2. Striker (SMG)

Modern Warfare 2 2009 fans don’t only have all 16 original maps to look forward to in Modern Warfare 3 2023, because the best gun from that game has also returned in the form of the UMP-45, now known as the Striker. It’s not quite the ridiculous killing machine it was back then, but it’s still very consistent, and certainly a better SMG than the Rival-9, which is only good in small rooms thanks to its ridiculous fire rate.

You’ve more flexibility with attachments when it comes to the Striker, but much like the MCW, we found it most effective when kitted out to also deal with enemies at a further range than it would otherwise be used for. A long barrel plus a vertical grip, and appropriate muzzle/stock/rear grip attachments will allow for this. Alternatively, if you want to decimate enemies up close with the Striker, stick a 20-round mag, laser, and specifically select ‘no stock’ in the stock attachment option.

For more on how to kit out this weapon, see our dedicated Striker loadout page.

3. BAS-B (battle rifle)

All the weapons in this list are fairly similar: fully automatic guns that are best at varying ranges. The BAS-B is no different. The first battle rifle on the list, this is the gun you want to switch to if our MCW build above still doesn’t have enough range for you. It doesn’t fire quite as quickly as the MCW, but each bullet packs way more of a punch, and once you have some recoil-managing attachments on there, you can put a longer-range optic on it such as one of the 2.5x options.

When you’re in the opening levels of using the BAS-B though, we have just a few recommended attachments. The Bruen Venom Long Barrel is a no-brainer thanks to the range it adds, and the 30-round mag — or the 45-round once you unlock it — ensures you can mow down multiple enemies without needing to reload. We’d also recommend the Ravage-20 Heavy Stock, which you unlock once the BAS-B has reached level seven.

4. MTZ Interceptor (marksman rifle)

Finally, we come to the only semi-automatic gun on this list in the form of the MTZ Interceptor. In lieu of the sniper rifle options not being particularly impressive in the beta, this marksman rifle strikes a lovely balance between range — especially once you stick an optic on it — and versatility. It’s a one-shot kill to the head as long as you’re not too far away, and two shots to the torso up close if you get caught by surprise.

The one big caveat with the MTZ Interceptor is that to begin with, it has some fierce vertical recoil, so you should get some attachments on as soon as possible to deal with that. The best ones you can unlock fairly quickly are the MCW Blackjack Stock, the Bruen TR-24 Assault Grip, and the MTZ Drifter Barrel. As a side note, stick the Gunner vest on and equip a shotgun as your other primary weapon: you’ll be sorted for all combat encounters then, and it’s especially strong on Skidrow, where you can go from long-distance to close-quarters combat in an instant.

5. MTZ-556 (assault rifle)

Fancy an assault rifle with the ability to also compete up close? The MTZ-556 is what you need. It can fill the hole between the Striker and the MCW, but beware — it kicks like a mule if you don’t have any recoil control attachments equipped. Aim for the same sort of attachments we’ve listed above for the MCW, and you’ll find yourself with an assault rifle a little more suited to close-quarters combat.

However, if you want to go all in on getting up close and personal, you can essentially turn the MTZ-556 into a fully fledged SMG. Stick the MTZ Carbine Ultralite barrel and MTZ Skeletal Folding Stock on, along with the 20-round mag, and while you’ll be reloading a lot, your gun will also sound like a chainsaw as it rattles through bullets. Give up any hope of taking enemies out at a distance though.

That’s our list of the best weapons in Modern Warfare 3. If you’re reading this while you wait for open beta access and want to jump in now, you can access with a Modern Warfare 3 pre-order. That said — you won’t have long to wait if you want to play for free!