With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III’s release quickly approaching, many of you are probably wondering- what are the best guns in the game? If you’ve played previous Call of Duty titles, you’ll know that guns are not created equally. Each weapon has unique characteristics that make it suited for certain situations. Thankfully, we got to play the beta over the last couple of weeks, so we have a decent idea of which weapons will be the top performers. If you want to dominate all those overly-caffeinated CoD kiddies come opening week, then this list is for you.

10. Pulemyot 762

The Pulemyot 762 Light Machine Gun

The Pulemyot is a versatile light machinegun that can be used to put heavy amounts of lead downrange. While LMGs are not the most popular class of weapons, some players like them for their large-capacity magazines and manageable recoil. While this weapon struggles competing head-to-head with weapons ranked higher on this list, it is a reliable option for those looking to blast their way through a map, without having to reload after each kill or two. 

This LMG can be converted to a bullpup assault rifle if you have the correct conversion kit. This allows for increased mobility and weapon handling, making the Pulemyot a potent tool.

The Pulemyot 762 is Great For:

• Suppressing enemies
• Controlling power positions
• Long-range engagements 

Pulemyot 762 Details:

• High fire rate
• Poor mobility
• Good damage range
• Great accuracy

9. Rival-9 

The Rival-9 Submachine Gun

The Rival-9 is a submachine gun that is rather one dimensional, but still a potent weapon in the right hands. It has an extremely high fire rate, fast aim-down-sight speed, and decent damage up close. However, due to its poor recoil control and weak damage range, it’s almost useless during mid-range and long-range gunfights. 

If you played CoD: Black Ops II, you’ll probably remember the popular Scorpion SMG, which the Rival-9 is based on. Players who love to be aggressive will enjoy using this weapon.

The Rival-9 is Great For:

• Aggressive players
• Close-range gunfights
• Smaller maps
• Chaotic, objective-based gamemodes 

Rival-9 Details:

• Extremely high fire rate
• Poor recoil control
• Fast movement speed
• Weak at mid and long range, but strong at close range

8. Riveter 

The Riveter Shotgun

The Riveter is… a shotgun? Yep, you heard that right; looks can be deceiving! Although it looks much closer to an assault rifle, the Riveter is a powerful, automatic shotgun capable of massive damage output and surprisingly good range.

If you equip slug rounds and the suppressor barrel attachment, the Riveter almost turns into a a shotgun-assault rifle hybrid, allowing you to spray down enemies at shockingly long ranges for a gun of this kind.

The Riveter is Great For:

• Aggressive playstyles
• Smaller maps
• Clearing out buildings and rooms
• Making the other team ragequit 

Riveter Details:

• Automatic fire rate
• Super-high damage at close ranges
• Strong mobility and handling

7. SVA 545

The SVA 545 Assault Rifle

The SVA 545 is a reliable assault rifle, remniscient of the AN-94 from previous CoD titles. Although it doesn’t pack as much of a punch as other ARs lower down on this list, it’s still a powerful gun if used correctly. 

The main advantage of the SVA is its “hyperburst” feature. This means that the first 2 bullets you shoot at the beginning of a spray will have a much higher fire rate. This takes effect every time you begin shooting, not just at the beginning of a magazine.

So if you adjust to shooting in repeated, small bursts (similar to a burst-fire weapon) then this gun can have a very fast time-to-kill.

The SVA 545 is Great For:

• Mid and long range engagements 
• Slower styles of play
• Leveraging its hyperburst feature

SVA 545 Details:

• Average damage and range for an assault rifle
• Reliable and satisfying to use
• Decent handling and mobility

6. Longbow 

The Longbow Sniper Rifle

The dreaded (or blessed) sniper rifle category. We’ve all run into enemies that are quickscoping gods, able to instantly delete you from across the map. MW3 will be no different, offering game mechanics that allow for fluid sniping.

The Longbow is easily the best sniper rifle in the game so far. It’s a one-hit kill almost anywhere on the body, and can be modified to have insanely good movement speed and aim-down-sight speed. It also comes with a built-in suppressor, making you much harder to track down.

The Longbow is Great For:

• Quickscopers and aggressive, fast-paced sniping
• Stealth sniping, thanks to its suppressor
• Supporting teammates with longer-range shots

Longbow Details:

• Fast aim-down-sight speed
• Excellent movement speed
• Very good damage and range

5. Renetti 

The Renetti Pistol

Having a decent secondary weapon is paramount to a good CoD loadout. But the Renetti isn’t just decent, it’s over powered. If you played the original MW2 in 2008, you might remember the Raffica, another burst-fire pistol.

The Renetti is based on it’s MW2 counterpart, mimicking its appearance and burst-fire characteristic. However, the Renetti takes things to a whole new level, able to melt enemies at extreme ranges with very little recoil.

With the correct conversion kit, it can also be transformed into a fully automatic SMG-version of itself. This gives you a powerful option for the secondary slot. Until it’s nerfed, the Renetti should be your go-to option for the pistol category.

The Renetti is Great For:

• Needing a powerful secondary in a pinch
• Close and mid range engagements
• Players that have trouble managing recoil

Renetti Details:

• Excellent damage
• Virtually zero recoil
• Extreme range for a pistol
• Very fast movement speed

4. Striker

The Striker Submachine Gun

You probably recognize the Striker, since it’s based on the legendary UMP-45 submachine gun seen in numerous CoD titles over the years. Initially, this was the best SMG in the game before Sledgehammer decided to nerf it.

Despite its nerf, it’s still a solid SMG with good enough damage, range, and recoil control to be a reliable option. Despite it not being the best gun of its class, it earns its spot high on this list because of its SMG characteristics. 

SMGs allow for great movement speed, mobility, and handling, all of which are important traits for winning your gunfights. Becoming skillful with SMGs is a worthy investment, since it teaches you how to efficiently navigate maps and outmanuever your opponents. 

The Striker is great for: 

• Aggressive playstyles
• Close-range engagements
• Players with good aim and map awareness

Striker Details:    

• Good damage output
• Decent range
• Average recoil controil
• High fire rate

3. AMR9

The AMR9 Submachine Gun

Following the Striker’s nerf, the AMR9 became the game’s strongest SMG. It offers great damage, fire rate, and range for a submachine gun. If you’re in the mood to play like a speed demon and whiz around the map, taking on gunfight after gunfight, then this gun is a good fit for you.

But if you’re a more slow-paced player, don’t let SMGs scare you. They can still be modified to fit a leisurely style of play, trading slower ADS and movement speeds for improved recoil control and damage range.

What the AMG9 is Great For:

• Fast-paced gameplay
• Smaller maps
• Hectic gamemodes
• Objective-focused players

AMG9 Details:

• Excellent damage
• Solid recoil control
• Good range
• Fast movement speed

2. MTZ-556 

The MTZ-556 Assault Rifle

Now we’ve made it to the most potent part of this list- the top-tier assault rifles. ARs are so dangerous in Call of Duty because in the right hands, they can do it all. You can run-and-gun or post up in a power position, and an AR can be just as powerful in either scenario.

The MTZ-556 supplies a high fire rate for an AR in exchange for decreased damage range. If you want to use an AR that can compete with SMGs at closer ranges, then the MTZ is probably your best bet. Although it struggles to keep up with other ARs at long range, it’s an efficient killing machine otherwise.

The MTZ-556 is Great For:

• Medium sized maps
• Players that want a balance between long and short-range capabilities
• Good aimers who can manage the gun’s recoil

MTZ-556 Details:

• High fire rate
• Good mobility and handling
• Subpar damage range
• Mediocre recoil control

1. MCW 

The MCW Assault Rifle

The MCW, or ACR as it was known in MW2 2008, is the closest thing to mythology in Call of Duty gun history. It dominated the original MW2, from the beginning to the end of its lifecycle, offering players an assault rifle that had extremely low recoil, high fire rate, and exceptional damage range.

You’ll be happy to know, or maybe terrified, that the MCW is just as formidable as its predecessor. This gun absolutely shreds its enemies, and is incredibly easy to use. It mimics the 2008 ACR in all of the ways mentioned above.

Thanks to these characteristics, it’s a viable option in virtually all  scenarios. It can handle aggressive SMG players, mid-range AR players, and even snipers that are across the map. If there’s one gun that you’d want to master in MW3, it’s this one.

The MCW is Great For:

• Basically… everything

MCW Details:

• Exceptional damage range
• High fire rate
• Low recoil
• But inferior mobility and handling compared to the MTZ-556

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