There will undoubtedly be at least a dozen or so new weapons coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 across its seasonal content. Here’s the thing, though: there are so many other awesome weapons from past CoD games we really want to return in MW3.
The 10 Past Call of Duty Weapons We Want Back in Modern Warfare 3
Narrowing this field down to 10 was incredibly difficult because there have been some stellar entries in the franchise’s two decades of history. However, the weapons I’ve chosen below mark some of the best and most powerful choices the series has ever seen but have yet to make their way to MW3. I didn’t limit myself to only Modern Warfare titles, though future games like Black Ops 3, 4, and Advanced Warfare were obviously out of the running.
SPAS-12
Call of Duty veterans and old folks like me remember the sheer terror that was the SPAS-12 from Modern Warfare 2 (2009). The fact it didn’t make a triumphant return with the rest of that game’s maps is a tragedy that needs addressing. But they can’t go halfway. If the SPAS-12 from MW3 (2011) comes back or, heaven forbid, the S-Ravage from Infinite Warfare, we have a problem. No, the SPAS needs to come back as the most powerful pump action shotgun in MW3, and I won’t hear otherwise.
Scorpion
The Scorpion SMG has been a Call of Duty stable for decades, first appearing in Call of Duty 4 and returning in some form for more than half a dozen games to follow. Its main attraction was its ability to two-shot kill even in games without damage-increasing perks, and its low recoil was an added bonus. I don’t know that MW3 needs its guns to kill any faster, and 75 damage per bullet, even at point blank, seems excessive for a tiny SMG. Bring it back as a close-range, accurate powerhouse, though, and there’s something to talk about.
MP5K
MW2 (2022) gave us several variations on the MP5 (called the Lachmann Sub in the new games), but not the compact bullet hose that is the MP5K. Between the two of them, I’d prefer to see a weapon like the one we got in MW2 (2009): a heavy-recoil, high-power, high-fire rate monster. In other words, take the Lachmann Sub and double its output but slash the range in half. Okay, maybe not that drastic, but find ways to bridge the gap like MW2 did between its MP5K and the MP5 from CoD4.
Ballistic Knife
I’m cheating a bit here because the Ballistic Knife is a Treyarch and Black Ops game thing, but I think it’d be really neat to see what the current crop of goated-on-the-sticks gamers can do with it. Neat for them, but for probably no one else. It would also make Gun Game a bit more interesting because MW3‘s version needs work, and by work, I mean more weird, fun weapons, of which the Ballistic Knife is one.
MSMC
The second Black Ops series weapon on my list, the MSMC, might not have been the best gun in Black Ops 2 (that went to the Silenced SCAR with a Stock), but it was by far my favorite weapon in the game. It was also the gun I turned to when I had had enough of the enemy team, and I needed to kill every enemy in the room and could accept no substitute. Please excuse that reference not using an AK-style weapon. Lastly, I think Modern Warfare 3 could use one or two more top-tier SMGs, as even the best options in the game are usually outclassed by every Assault Rifle you can equip.
FN FAL
Another classic that’s been sadly neglected in both MW2 (2022) and MW3. The FAL is a truly iconic weapon, and while there are plenty of solid Marksman Rifles in this year’s Call of Duty, if you make the FAL a full-auto Battle Rifle with even more stopping power, hoo boy. It would need a bit of extra kick to balance it out against the likes of the BAS-B, but if a modern iteration of the FAL could do half of what the MW2 (2009) version could do, it would be amazing.
F2000
Why, you may ask, do I want the worst AR in MW2 (2009) back in MW3? The answer is simple: because in other shooters, it’s been the best AR. It made its initial return in Call of Duty: Vanguard for some insane reason, and was one of the best weapons in that game, also for some insane reason. A Modern Warfare take on the weapon where it’s a best-in-class option in an already stacked weapon category would be nice, if only for something to do. And if it’s bad again, hey, at least you can meme with it.
PP-2000
The PP-2000 was never the best-in-slot option in previous games, but of all the Machine Pistols, it was the most reliable to almost any range and in most situations. I also love how the gun reloads, and if MW3‘s version can keep the low recoil and overall effectiveness, I’d be a happy man.
FMG9
Please don’t put me on the breaking wheel for asking for the FMG9 back. I know it was busted as hell in MW3 (2011), but I would hope it could be brought to heel for today’s MW3. You won’t be able to use it Akimbo, I shouldn’t think, and a single FMG was only good, even back in the day. It’s also a really neat weapon aesthetically on top of its high rate of fire and good damage, so running it as a primary could be fun. Nothing could go wrong.
KSG
Slug shotguns are something of a rarity in Call of Duty, and the KSG has made two appearances in the series: MW3 (2011) and Black Ops 2. In both cases, it was one of the best shotguns available both for its one-shot potential at range and sheer style when used. It’s also one of the higher-skill weapons. If it returns as a slug, you can’t just aim in the enemy’s general direction; you have to hit them squarely. Not that doing so is hard for the best players these days, but I’d still love to see how the current crop of Call of Duty players can do (and what they would complain about).
Those are our picks for the top 10 Call of Duty weapons we want to see return in MW3. The list was tough because MW2 (2022) already introduced so many of the weapons from older games. And if we get even a couple of the weapons on this list, Modern Warfare 3 will be a better game for it. For more on the game, check out our guides on the best WSP Swarm build, best Longbow build, and more in our MW3 guides hub.
