Best MW3 Assault Rifle loadouts in Season 6

Assault rifles are always a strong option in Modern Warfare 3, as they provide the perfect balance of damage, ease of use, and effective range.

This is a big reason why assault rifles have always been the most used gun class in Call of Duty. These versatile weapons are competitive on every map in the franchise in a way that no other class can match.

This year’s game is no exception to this rule, with ARs making up a large bulk of the most used guns in MW3. Regardless of whether you’re playing casual or Ranked Play, an assault rifle is never a bad option.

That is if you stick to using top-tier assault rifles that dictate the meta. After all, they aren’t all built equally, and some aren’t even viable. Keeping on top of this can be tricky, especially with the constant buffs and nerfs that see the meta change every season.

Best Assault Rifle loadouts

These are the five best assault rifle loadouts to use in Season 6 to make sure your classes are as competitive as possible:

1. SVA 545

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Best SVA 545 MW3 Loadout

• Muzzle: Quartermaster Suppressor
• Barrel: STV Precision Barrel
• Optic: JAK Glassless Optic
• Stock: Mane V6 Stock
• Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop

The SVA 545 is the most complete primary weapon in MW3. It has a fast TTK, low recoil, and incredible range, while also offering solid enough mobility and handling to get the job done. This meta AR is the only weapon in its class with no big cons, making it comfortably the best assault rifle in the game, a title it has retained for several seasons.

This particular loadout makes the meta AR as accurate as possible while maintaining its solid handling and mobility stats. The Mane V6 Stock is key for this, as this attachment greatly reduces recoil gun kick. With this build, the SVA 545 has recoil comparable to the STG44 and MCW, two of the most accurate weapons in the game, while also out-damaging both of them.

2. STG44

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Best STG44 MW3 Loadout

• Muzzle: Quartermaster Suppressor
• Barrel: Factory Short Barrel
• Optic: JAK Glassless Optic
• Stock: DR79 Combo Stock
• Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop

The STG44 was added last season, and it immediately proved itself to be a top-tier gun. It effectively serves as a superior version of the MCW, offering comparable accuracy and range but a faster TTK. For those who like to hang back, control lanes, and play slow, this is one of the best guns for the job However, nerfs in Season 6 have seen the SVA 545 take its place as the game’s best assault rifle.

Since accuracy is by far the STG’s biggest strength, this loadout makes the most of that by maximizing recoil control. The likes of the Quartermaster Suppresor and DR79 Combo Stock combine to reduce gun kick by over 30%, which is incredible given that the gun is already accurate to begin with. With this build, it becomes very easy to control, with even beginners able to laser enemy players from across the map.

3. BP50

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Best BP50 MW3 Loadout

• Muzzle: Quartermaster Suppressor
• Barrel: Lore-9 Heavy Barrel
• Optic: JAK Glassless Optic
• Stock: MOAT-40 Stock
• Underbarrel: Paracord Grip

While the JAK Revenger Kit hits harder, the Aftermarket Part’s hefty nerf a few seasons back means you are better off running the base gun these days. Thankfully, the regular BP50 is still excellent, offering improved mobility and handling when compared to every other assault rifle. Additionally, it has a TTK of just 280 ms, making this assault rifle one of the best options to use in Season 6.

Rather than focusing on one area, the BP50 excels when you use a build that makes it as versatile as possible. As such, all of our recommended attachments serve different purposes. The Lore-9 Heavy Barrel boosts range, the MOAT-40 Stock reduces recoil, and the Quartermaster Suppressor stops you from appearing on the enemy radar.

4. Holger 556 – JAK Backsaw

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Best Holger 556 MW3 Loadout

• Conversion Kit: JAK Backsaw Kit
• Laser: DXS Flash 90
• Optic: JAK Glassless Optic
• Stock: RB Addle Assault Stock
• Rear Grip: Morn-20 Grip

The JAK Backsaw Kit turns the Holger 556 into a truly meta-defining gun. With this conversion kit equipped, it has an unbelievable TTK of 255 ms, which is by far the fastest of any gun on this list. It also comes with a 100 Round Drum, yet also surprisingly fast handling and mobility. You’ll have to get used to its bizarre double-barreled configuration, but otherwise, this is an incredible weapon.

Unfortunately, this Aftermarket Part limits what attachments can be used, with multiple slots being blocked off entirely. Despite this, you still have some good options, including the RB Addle Assault Stock, which improves recoil control by 14%. Similarly, the Morn-20 Grip also lowers recoil and provides extra flinch resistance, which is useful given this gun’s slow rate of fire.

5. MCW

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Best MCW MW3 Loadout

• Muzzle: Quartermaster Suppressor
• Barrel: 16.5″ MCW Cyclone Long Barrel
• Optic: JAK Glassless Optic
• Stock: RB Regal Heavy Stock
• Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop

While the MCW is undoubedly the king of Ranked Play, it isn’t quite as powerful in regular multiplayer, where weapon restrictions don’t apply. Even so, this version of the iconic ACR is still a great weapon that offers unparalleled consistency thanks to its impressively low recoil. Even now, there’s an argument that it is the best weapon for the average player, but its lower damage does mean other ARs often outgun it.

Since the MCW won’t have a fast TTK regardless of what attachments you use, it’s better to focus on utilizing its accuracy and range. The likes of the 16.5″ MCW Cyclone Long Barrel and RB Regal Heavy Stock are perfect for this, with these improving damage range and recoil control to make this meta assault rifle as accurate as possible.

All MW3 Assault Rifles ranked

There are currently 10 assault rifles in Modern Warfare 3, with the STG44 being the latest addition. Here’s all of these ranked from best to worst, assuming you are using the strongest loadout possible for each weapon:

Meta analysis

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The Season 6 update didn’t make too many changes to the assault rifle class, with the STG44 being the lone MW3 gun to receive a nerf. These changes reduced both its damage and effective range, seeing it fall behind the SVA 545 for the top spot on our list.

Otherwise, MW3’s assault rifles remained completely unchanged, with none of them even receiving a new conversion kit to shake up the meta. As such, the AR loadouts that were performing well last season will serve you equally well this season.

However, if you are looking for some variety, several MW2 assault rifles received surprise buffs, and a few of them are now viable and even competitive in some cases. This gives you the opportunity to dominate lobbies using guns that most other players won’t even realize are worth using now.

The M13C, TR-76 Geist, and Chimera were the three guns that benefitted the most from these balance changes. All of these are now solid options that can hold their own in just about any lobby, even if they aren’t necessarily meta, and the likes of the SVA 545, STG44, and BP50 are still better overall.

Be sure to watch this space to stay updated on the best assault rifles, as MW3’s meta is sure to shift again. In the meantime, check out MW3’s full map pool, complete weapons list, as well as the best PC settings and controller settings to make your gameplay as smooth as possible.