MW3 best MCW loadout

A versatile assault rifle with plenty of power.

Image credit: Activision

Guide by Kelsey Raynor Guides Writer

Published on Nov. 9, 2023

If you’re jumping into Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer modes anytime soon, you’ll be surprised (or not) that there’s a huge array of weapons for you to choose from and customise to suit your playstyle. As ever, though, some weapons stand out amongst the rest, and the MCW is one of them.

The MCW, depending on your attachments, can be a very versatile weapon for mid-long range fights. It can hold its own at short-range too, but this is not what you want to be using it for. Without further ado, here’s our MW3 best MCW loadout with all the attachments, equipment, and gear you might need.

MW3 best MCW loadout: best attachments
MW3 best MCW perks and equipment
How to unlock the MCW in MW3

MW3 best MCW loadout: best attachments

The MCW is probably the most powerful weapon to use in MW3 right now. Depending on your attachments, it can be incredibly versatile and incredibly aggressive, capable of catching you kills from any range with its minima recoil and damage capabilities. This particular loadout is partially thanks to YouTuber, WhosImmortal.

Muzzle: L4R Flash Hider
Barrel: Second Line Mammoth Heavy or 16.5” MCW Cyclone Long Barrel
Stock: Tempus A90 Strike Stock
Optic: MK.23 Reflector or Slate Reflector
Magazine: 40 Round Mag
Underbarrel: Chewk Angled Grip

The MCW is a weapon with minimal recoil, and adding the L4R Flash Hider as a muzzle will only reduce this further; it improves vertical recoil, horizontal recoil, and gun kick control while providing muzzle flash concealment. It will reduce our ADS speed, but that’s not going to matter too much. Adding the Chewk Angled Grip will only improve horizontal recoil and gun kick control further, at a slight detriment to vertical recoil.

A loadout for the MCW in MW3 — Image credit: Activision/VG247

For the barrel, we want to opt for the Second Line Mammoth Heavy barrel which will increase our damage range, bullet velocity, aim walking speed, and steadiness without too much of a detriment to our bullet spread and sprint to fire speed. This gives us more versatility - and power - to play with during mid-long range fights. That said, if you don’t care for your spread whatsoever and want as much damage and velocity as possible, the 16.5” MCW Cyclone Long Barrel is also worth considering.

As per usual, your optic is entirely down to you and what you’re most comfortable with, but for your stock, it’s worth considering the Tempus A90 Strike Stock. This stock will focus on our mobility over our precision, giving you some additional aim walking speed, movement speed, sprint speed, and aiming stability. This means you can then be more aggressive with the weapon at short range, and overall lands you with a more versatile weapon that can take fights across the maps you’ll be playing.

MW3 best MCW perks and equipment

Now that our MCW loadout is established and we’ve got a powerful SMG in our hands, it’s time to run through what equipment compliments the weapon.

Secondary Weapon: Renetti - our Renetti loadout has the pistol feeling more like an LMG, making it better for any surprise short-range encounters.
Vest: Infantry Vest - provides three gear slots and three equipment slots.
Gloves: Quick-Grip Gloves - increases your weapon swap speed.
Boots: Climbing Boots or Stalker Boots - pick depending on whether you’d rather climb/mantle or strafe faster.
Gear: Bone Conduction Headset - reduces combat noise, so you can hear enemy footsteps and gunfire more clearly. This can easily be swapped out for any other gear that you think will keep you alive for longer.
Tacticals: Flash Grenade - a versatile grenade that blinds and deafens targets so you can go in for the kill or delay.
Lethals: Breacher Drone - a drone that will explode when in contact with or in close proximity to a target.
Field Upgrades: Munitions Box or Trophy System - you can never go wrong with more ammo, but the Trophy System can destroy nearby equipment and projectiles.