Best MW3 quickscope loadouts & meta guns, attachments, perks (Season 3 Reloaded)

Best MW3 quickscope loadouts & meta guns, attachments, perks (Season 3 Reloaded)
Images via Activision

Written by 

Harry Boulton

Last updated 

2nd May 2024 11:51

Contents

While quickscoping in MW3 might not be quite as strong as it was 14 years ago on Rust, I've broken down all of the meta guns, attachments, and perks that you'll want to use for your loadouts during Season 3 Reloaded to flex your skills in-game.

Snipers in Call of Duty are powerful tools capable of dealing one-hit kills, but they are limited by their rather cumbersome nature. Using the right setup can really speed things up dramatically, though - and that's where the strength of quickscoping really shines.

What are the best quickscoping loadouts in MW3?

1. Longbow

For me, the best quickscoping loadout in MW3 involves the Longbow, and this has only got stronger after the release of Season 3 Reloaded.

  • Barrel: PRO-99 Long
  • Laser: CORIO LAZ-44 V3
  • Conversion Kit: JAK Tyrant 762 Kit
  • Stock: No Stock
  • Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop

While I've traditionally favoured the SP-R 208 as the ideal quickscoping weapon, nerfs to that and buffs to the Longbow have seen the tables turn.

Image of the best Longbow quickscoping loadout in MW3
Click to enlarge

The Longbow lets you take down plenty of targets with speed and accuracy. The attachments that I've selected here are essential as the gun can be quite slow and heavy otherwise, but it's transformed into a quickscoping monster in the right hands.

Speedy ADS times and a rapid sprint-to-fire response make this weapon ideal for run-and-gun scenarios, and its unique strength lies in the 30-round default magazine. This lets you keep going without pause, and potentially miss a shot or two without too much recourse.

Furthermore, back in Season 2, the weapon received an aim-down sight time buff, decreasing it by 5% from 550ms to 520ms, making those clean quickscopes even more effective.

2. MORS

MORS Sniper MW3
Click to enlarge

  • Barrel: Downfall Light Barrel
  • Optic: SZ Bullseye
  • Underbarrel: SL Skeletal Vertical Grip
  • Rear Grip: OP-980 Grip
  • Stock: Icarus Light Stock

A fresh arrival on the arsenal, the MORS is a classic weapon from Advanced Warfare that's made a triumphant return when it first arrived in Season 3. While it hasn't dethroned the Longbow just yet in the quickscope category, it's very close between the two.

The setup above grants you a lightning-fast ADS speed and one-shot kill anywhere on the torso or head. This makes wiping out multiple enemies in a row a breeze, as long as you're an experienced sharpshooter.

I've been loving the MORS as you rarely experience those pesky hitmarkers and the speedy ADS means you're always guaranteed to get the first shot on an opponent from afar.

It has, unfortunately, been on the receiving end of some nerfs in Season 3 Reloaded though. There's a 4% increase to the ADS time, taking its base value from 560ms to 580ms, a 5% decrease to the lower leg and foot damage modifiers, and an increase to the bullet velocity penalty with the HVP Anti-Material Slugs.

These might not seem dramatic, but it does mean that the gun no longer one-shot kills to the lower leg or foot when using this ammo, and with a slightly slower ADS speed you might feel that as you'll understandably have less precision.

3. SP-R 208

Image of the best SP-R 208 loadout for quickscoping in MW3
Click to enlarge

  • Barrel: 12.5" Carbon Barrel
  • Laser: FSS OLE-V Laser
  • Optic: Lachmann Impact 9
  • Comb: Aim-Assist 406
  • Bolt: FSS ST87 Bolt

Following on from the MORS is a quickscoping classic in the form of the SP-R 208, and these attachments will give you a supremely fast ADS speed while maintaining the all-important one-hit kill status.

I also love going for a no-optic or 1x build with the same parts, as it almost acts like a mid-range shotgun - but the Lachmann Impact 9 gives you even greater accuracy without too much of a speed sacrifice.

As a marksman rifle, there are some instances where you might not quite get a one-hit kill at long ranges and on certain body parts, but the speed more than makes up for this and you'll be able to dominate the battlefield at your own pace.

Unfortunately, it was hit with a bit of a nerf back in Season 2, with its maximum damage range reduced from 14.2m to 10.4m. This was quite significant when it comes to quickscoping as you want flexibility across a wider distance, and while the increased max damage from 110 to 120 is helpful, it hurt the weapon enough to drop down the rankings slightly.

4. XRK Stalker

Image of the best quickscope loadout for the XRK Stalker in MW3
Click to enlarge

  • Barrel: Handler LKP Short Barrel
  • Laser: FSS OLE-V Laser
  • Stock: No Stock
  • Bolt: XRK Stalker Light Bolt
  • Rear Grip: FT Match Grip

The XRK Stalker joined the game in Season 1, and it quickly became one of the better quickscoping weapons to choose from. It uses the ever-powerful .50 calibre rounds that deal incredible damage to any enemy unlucky enough to be hit by them, but we've also made it mobile enough to use on the fly - which is perfect for quickscoping.

This exact loadout is ideal as it gives you the speed and mobility needed to aim down sights and take a quick shot without compromising too much on accuracy or damage. It will never be as quick as something like the Longbow, but it remains super strong and a fantastic reminder of how fun high-damage quickscoping was back in the day.

5. KATT-AMR

Image of the best KATT-AMR quickscoping loadout in MW3
Click to enlarge

  • Barrel: Perdition 24" Short Barrel
  • Laser: FSS OLE-V Laser
  • Stock: Tactical Stock Pad
  • Bolt: Ephemeral Quickbolt
  • Rear Grip: Phantom Grip

If you're coming into MW3 fresh and want to jump on the quickscoping train then the KATT-AMR is a fantastic option, giving you speed and power in the .50 cal platform.

A decrease in the ADS time back in Season 2 Reloaded enhanced the strength of this weapon, as it now only takes 720ms instead of 760ms. While this might not seem like a lot, any advantage you can get is fantastic, and that 40ms could be the difference between hitting your shot and seeing your own killcam.

If you're not too confident with quickscoping at the start, you could swap out the Tactical Stock Pad for an expanded magazine, giving you more opportunities to hit your shots before a reload is needed. This will slow down your ADS speed slightly though, so it does come at a cost.

Best MW3 quickscoping secondary, equipment & perks

While not quite as important as the gun and attachments themselves, supporting your loadout with the ideal secondary, equipment, and perks will ensure that you're well-rounded on the battlefield:

  • Secondary: WSP Stinger
  • Tactical: Battle Rage
  • Lethal: Throwing Knife
  • Field Upgrade: Dead Silence
  • Gloves: Marksman Gloves
  • Boots: Tactical Pads
  • Gear: Mag Holster

Image of the WSP Stinger in MW3
Click to enlarge

You can pick the secondary weapon that you're most comfortable using as it'll only be used in last-ditch moments - but the WSP Stinger's high fire rate will help you hit your shots in a panic.

The same is true for the Throwing Knife, as you'll want to use it in a pinch when you've missed a shot and don't have the time or space to line up another. Battle Rage on the other hand is best used when you've just come out of a fight - as it'll replenish your health and tactical sprint so that you are reading to jump straight back in.

Dead Silence will help you get the jump on unsuspecting enemies when active - which is great to give you the time to hit your shots. What also helps you remain accurate is the Marksman Gloves, as one poorly-timed flinch could spell death for you.

Image of the Dead Silence Field Upgrade in MW3
Click to enlarge

Additionally, Tactical Pads will help you stay active on the move, and even take advantage of slide cancelling to evade any incoming gunfire. Finally, Mag Holster is a handy tool to keep you in the action, as sniper reloads can be quite lengthy in the grand scheme of things.

How to quickscope in Modern Warfare 3

 All you need to do to quickscope is press and hold the aim down sights button (L2/RMB) and fire shortly after the reticule within the optic becomes visible. You should head into the Firing Range in order to practice the timing for this, as it's a little finicky to get down if you've never tried it before.

Image of the SP-R 208 being used for quickscoping in the Firing Range
Click to enlarge

Ideally, you're going to want to be aimed at your enemy and tracking them as you're ADSing so that you're ready to shoot as soon as the reticle appears - as waiting to aim once you're zoomed in will make you very slow and an easy target.

Quickscoping used to be a lot easier in older Call of Duty titles - especially back in the days of CoD 4 and the original MW2, but it's still very much a viable tactic to pull out in your games if you're skilled enough.

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That's everything you need to know about quickscoping in Modern Warfare 3, so make sure to jump into games and practice with our ideal loadouts to work towards mastering the skill.

Make sure to check out our MW3 homepage for more tips to help you out in multiplayer, as we've got an excellent selection of guides including all of the best Assault Rifles and SMGs to use.

Harry Boulton
About the author
Harry Boulton
Harry is a Guides Writer at GGRecon, having completed a Masters of Research degree in Film Studies. Previously a freelance writer for PCGamesN, The Loadout, and Red Bull Gaming, he loves playing a wide variety of games from the Souls series to JRPGs, Counter-Strike, and EA FC. When not playing or writing about games and hardware, you're likely to find him watching football or listening to Madonna and Kate Bush.
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