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Best Battle Rifles in Modern Warfare 3

Strike hard at medium and long range with the best MW3 Battle Rifles.

a soldier with a skull mask dressed in black at the bottom of stairs outside, wearing a semtex vest and holding a battle rifle up that has a green laser optic
Image credit: Activision
Jessica Orr avatar
Guide by Jessica Orr Senior Guides Writer
Published on

If you're after a powerful weapon that allows you to hold ground at medium and long-ranges it's good to know the best Battle Rifles in Modern Warfare 3 suited to your personal playstyle.

We've went over the three best Battle Rifles you can use in Modern Warfare 3 below, including how to unlock them and what their ideal attachments are.

For more help, check out our pages on the best assault rifles, best sniper rifles, and best SMGs.

Best Battle Rifles in Modern Warfare 3

Looking at their base stats, potential with attachments, and community observations and place in the current meta of best weapons, there are three Battle Rifles we recommend using in Modern Warfare 3: the BAS-B, Sidewinder, and MTZ-762, with the BAS-B being the best of the three (and one of the best primary weapons to use in general).

All of these Battle Rifles are new to MW3, and while you can use your MW2 guns in the sequel, we recommend you stick to MW3's superior Battle Rifles.

Keep in mind that although we've based this page off raw stats and community observations, our best Battle Rifle picks are subjective. There might be other models you will prefer in practice, and every gun has its strengths and drawbacks.

a soldier in black clothing holding a weapon and walking towards two soldiers in beige gear who are crouched behind a makeshift wall hiding from two enemy soldiers in the distance
Image credit: Activision

With that in mind, here's more detailed information on the three best Battle Rifles in Modern Warfare 3:

BAS-B

How to unlock: Reach player Level 17.

Base Damage: 54 Headshot, 46 Upper Torso, 46 Lower Torso.

Base Range: 35.6m for effective damage range and 53.3m for maximum damage range, with 790 bullet velocity.

Base Rate of Fire: 666.7 rpm.

Base ADS Speed: 260 ms.

Attachments improve the strong aspects of the BAS-B in Modern Warfare 3

The BAS-B is an excellent choice for medium-range encounters, and with the right attachments can hold its own at longer distances too. With solid damage and recoil, the BAS-B is a great pick if you want something that sits between an assault rifle and a marksman rifle.

These are our recommended attachments for the BAS-B in Modern Warfare 3:

  • Optics: KR V4 1X Riser
  • Barrel: Wyvern’s Respite Long Barrel
  • Muzzle: VT-7 Spiritfire Suppressor
  • Underbarrel: FTAC Tiger Grip
  • Magazin: 30 Round Mag

For more details on how to play the BAS-B, check out our dedicated BAS-B loadout page.

Sidewinder

How to unlock: Reach player Level 25 and Activate at the Armory, then complete three daily or bonus challenges.

Base Damage: 84 Headshot, 60 Upper Torso, 60 Lower Torso.

Base Range: 19.1m for effective damage range and 36.8 for maximum damage range, with 540 bullet velocity.

Base Rate of Fire: 3.75 rpm.

Base ADS Speed: 280 ms.

Image credit: Activision

The Sidewinder is a powerful Battle Rifle with a great TTK (time to kill), but you pay for that with diminished range and harsher recoil. If you don't mind that, it's a great Battle Rifle pick for close and medium-range encounters.

Here are our recommended attachments for the Sidewinder in Modern Warfare 3:

  • Ammunition: Slimline Pro
  • Magazine: 30 Round Drum
  • Muzzle: Lockshot KT85
  • Optic: Slimline Pro
  • Underbarrel: FTAC SP-10 Angled Grip

For more details on how to play the Sidewinder, check out our dedicated Sidewinder loadout page.

MTZ-762

How to unlock: Reach player Level 25 and Activate at the Armory, then complete three daily or bonus challenges.

Base Damage: 58 Headshot, 49 Upper Torso, 49 Lower Torso.

Base Range: 19.1m for effective damage range and 44.7 maximum damage range, with 790 bullet velocity.

Base Rate of Fire: 540.5 rpm.

Base ADS Speed: 280 ms.

menu view of the mtz-762 battle rifle and its stats
Image credit: Eurogamer/Activision

Although it's a little on the slow side, the MTZ-762 has amazing damage to make up for this. You can defeat opponents in two or three shots easily with the right attachments. It's not very forgiving if you miss, but with the right attachments you can improve its recoil for greater accuracy.

Try these attachments to get the most out of the MTZ-762 in Modern Warfare 3:

  • Barrel: MTZ-Precision Blackthorn
  • Muzzle: VT-7 Spitfire Suppressor L
  • Optic: Slate Reflector
  • Grip: MTZ Factory
  • Stock: EXF Close Quarters Assault

We'll keep an eye on patches and balance updates to see if any of these picks fall out of favour, but these setups should hopefully help you get the drop on opponents in Modern Warfare 3.

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