Summary

  • Modern Warfare 3 brings back the nostalgia and spirit of OG fans with its memorable maps and nostalgic UI.
  • Players strive to find the most overpowered weapons in the game to dominate the lobby.
  • The top marksman rifles in Modern Warfare 3 offer great accuracy, handling, and damage capabilities for long-range fights.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has stolen the spotlight. Its release has driven the COD Community back to its roots. The game brings back memorable maps and a nostalgic UI which reignite the spirits of the OG fans. Modern Warfare 3 can’t seem to do anything wrong at this point.

Best-Handguns-In-Call-Of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-3,-Ranked
Best Handguns In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Ranked

The best secondary weapons in Modern Warfare 3 will certainly save players in a tight spot.

The variety of different weapons in Call of Duty is what makes it such a good game to play. Since the debut of MW3, players have been trying to find the right weapons to use. Having the most overpowered weapon in the lobby is a goal many players wish to accomplish. While some players are fans of the ARs, others love the SMGs, but there are also players that are absolutely crazy about marksman rifles. This guide helps players select the best weapon with the help of this Top 10 list.

Updated on August 6, 2024, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Marksman Rifles might never reach the popularity of assault rifles or SMGs in Call of Duty unless they rule the meta. Surprisingly, that was the case with Kar98k when it was added to the game back in Season 4.

Although the weapon is now nerfed, Kar98k is still quite powerful in long-range battles as it has the highest effective range among the best marksman rifles that a player can choose from. With that massive meta shake-up, it is worth going over the ranking and making some changes.

11 Lockwood MK2

.45 Govt. Lever-action Rifle

lockwood mk2 mw3

Headshot Damage

262

Upper Body Damage

150

Effective Range

6.4 m

ADS Time

240 ms

Movement Speed

4.9 m/s

The Lockwood MK2 is a high-power and lever-action rifle that is suitable for mid-range gunfights. It has great mobility and amazing accuracy. The recoil of the gun is pretty balanced and has good handling. It is a fun weapon to use with great stats to back it up.

Lockwood MK2 has the shortest effective range among all the weapons on this list, which makes it pretty weak against targets that are more than 7 meters away from the player. While having the highest Headshot Damage, the weapon is only suitable for close quarters and game modes where enemies are not too far away.

10 EBR 14

7.62 Marksman Rifle

ebr 14 mw3

Headshot Damage

114

Upper Body Damage

72

Effective Range

46 m

ADS Time

240 ms

Movement Speed

4.3 m/s

EBR 14 is a returning weapon from the previous Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It uses 7.62x51mm NATO rounds, making it a powerful gun to use. The EBR inflicts great damage and has a fast firing rate. It also has a great range, making it a worthy weapon to use in long-distance fights.

Despite all these stellar statistics, EBR 14 is quite a heavy weapon, making the player character move slower than usual. This could be a massive downside in small maps where players have to move a lot to avoid getting shot at and to surprise their opponents.

9 TAQ-M

8.5mm Sniper Rifle

taq-m mw3

Headshot Damage

154

Upper Body Damage

98

Effective Range

48.3 m

ADS Time

290 ms

Movement Speed

4.6 m/s

The TAQ-M is an amazing Marksman Rifle, it just doesn't rank higher than other options players have. It uses the 8.5mm Sniper round, making it easily one of the best rifles to use at long ranges. It offers great accuracy while providing great handling.

Overall, TAQ-M is quite balanced in most of its statistics. It offers a decent perfect range for a marksman rifle while keeping both upper body and headshot damages high enough to remain effective. The ADS Time is also short, which is another plus for this weapon.

8 Tempus Torrent

7.62 Marksman Rifle

tempus torrent mw3

Headshot Damage

90

Upper Body Damage

55

Effective Range

35.8 m

ADS Time

290 ms

Movement Speed

4.3 m/s

In the bottom three, players can expect the Tempus Torrent, a highly versatile and hard-hitting gun. While using the 7.62 rounds, the gun offers a decent damage range and great accuracy.

Best-Shotguns-In-Call-Of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-3,-Ranked
Best Shotguns In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Ranked

Shotguns are highly desired and intensely powerful, but which of them is the best in Modern Warfare 3?

It has increased mobility and enhanced handling. Match this gun with the right attachments, and the result will be one of the most lethal Marksman Rifles in the game. However, similar to Lockwood MK2, Tempus Torrent is also a heavy gun, which makes the player character move at a slower pace than the other enemies.

7 SA-B 50

.308 Win Marksman Rifle

sa-b 50 mw3

Headshot Damage

240

Upper Body Damage

151

Effective Range

10.4 m

ADS Time

270 ms

Movement Speed

4.8 m/s

The SA-B 50 isn't a bad weapon by any means, especially since it's a swift and impactful Bolt-action Rifle. This rifle excels in providing significant long-range support. Supported by sniper ammunition, the SA-B 50 boasts exceptional damage capabilities, making it a formidable choice.

Looking at the damage units, SA-B 50 is a tempting option on this list, especially knowing that it is lightweight enough to let players move at a significantly higher speed. Effective range is the only part that SA-B 50 falls short, but for close-quarter game modes, this should not be a big deal.

6 SP-R 208

.308 Win Marksman Rifle

sp-r 208 mw3

Headshot Damage

251

Upper Body Damage

180

Effective Range

13 m

ADS Time

354 ms

Movement Speed

4.5 m/s

Ranked in the middle is the SP-R 208, a Bryson bolt rifle, renowned for its excellence in mid-range gunfights. This rifle exhibits commendable mobility, enabling swift movement, and boasts exceptional accuracy, perfect for precision shots. Its excellent recoil control further enhances accuracy, rendering it a highly viable choice.

Dealing the highest upper body damage among the weapons on this list, SP-R 208 is a solid choice for players who are confident or skilled enough at landing headshots. The weapon's 13-meter range makes it only work well in close-quarter battles.

5 KVD Enforcer

7.62 Cal Marksman Rifle

kvd enforcer mw3

Headshot Damage

154

Upper Body Damage

84

Effective Range

47 m

ADS Time

240 ms

Movement Speed

4.6 m/s

The KVD Enforcer, an MW3 weapon, uses 7.62 ammo rounds, making it highly capable of destruction with a huge damage range and accuracy. The right attachments would make this gun unstoppable.

Best-Sniper-Rifles-In-Call-Of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-3,-Ranked
Best Sniper Rifles In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Ranked

Sniper Rifles have incredible power for those who have the skill to use them, and Modern Warfare 3 unlocks great potential for those who enjoy them.

The weapon is quite capable in long-range gunfights, and thanks to its considerably brief ADS time, players will have a better chance of shooting the first shot at the opponent with this weapon, especially in maps and game modes where constant movement is inevitable and players cannot stay stationary and hold angles for a long time.

4 MCW 6.8

6.8mm Remington Marksman Rifle

mcw 6.8 mw3

Headshot Damage

121

Upper Body Damage

66

Effective Range

40.6 m

ADS Time

245 ms

Movement Speed

4.4 m/s

The MCW 6.8 secures a spot in the top 4, being hailed as the new DMR of Warzone. Renowned for its sheer lethality, this firearm stands as a powerhouse during combat. Its marksman attributes include exceptional accuracy and an impressive damage range.

Looking at the statics, MCW 6.8 should have been placed behind KVD Enforcer, but that could only happen by ignoring the recoil. MCW 6.8 comes with an easily controllable horizontal recoil, which makes it a better gun for steady fires. It also has a much higher bullet velocity.

3 MTZ Interceptor

7.62 Cal Marksman Rifle

mtz interceptor mw3

Headshot Damage

153

Upper Body Damage

95

Effective Range

22.9 m

ADS Time

300 ms

Movement Speed

4.6 m/s

Number 3 on the list is the MTZ Interceptor. It is rated so highly due to its ability to shut down any enemy attack within seconds. This rifle uses the trusty 7.62 ammo rounds, making it great for long-range gunfights. The MTZ has great accuracy, which mixed with its recoil control makes it a must-have weapon.

Sacrificing some range to gain more damage on the upper body and headshot shouldn't be a bad idea, especially if the weapon still remains strong in mid-range fights. That is the exact quality expected from the MTZ Interceptor, which comes with a higher ADS time but a lighter weight compared to MCW 6.8.

2 DM56

5.56 NATO Marksman Rifle

dm56 mw3

Headshot Damage

75

Upper Body Damage

65

Effective Range

35.6 m

ADS Time

235 ms

Movement Speed

4.6 m/s

The number 2 undisputed marksman rifle is the DM56. It uses the 5.56 NATO rounds, making it a terrific force. The gun has an excellent fire rate along with the ability to smash everything in its path. The mobility of the weapon allows players to move around easily during fights. It is the King of this category and is unchallenged.

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Fastest Weapons In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

These Modern Warfare 3 weapons are the best for close-quarter, rapid combat situations.

Although DM56 has the lowest damage rate among all weapons listed here, it comes with 20 rounds per magazine, which is almost as high as an assault rifle. Reloading in fast-paced gunfights is one of the major nightmares for every player, and DM56 will help a lot with that.