All Weapon Balance Changes in MW3 Season 2 Listed

Knives take a step back

Weapon Changes in MW3 Season 2
Image via Activision.

Weapons across all categories received some extensive changes in Season 2 of Modern Warfare 3, which includes some of the most powerful options in the game. This guide will cover every single change that was implemented across all classes.

MW3 Season 2 – All Weapon Nerfs and Buffs

Some of the most notable changes were a nerf to the lunging distance of Modern Warfare 3 melee weapons and an ADS nerf to the MCW. Of course, that’s not all and you can find the full list of changes below.

WEAPONS AND ATTACHMENTS:

  • Decreased melee lunge distance of all MWIII Weapons to align with MWII standards.
  • Increased movement speeds of all MWII Weapons to align with MWIII standards.
  • Added gun kick control and recoil control benefits in Tactical Stance for all Weapons.

ASSAULT RIFLES:

  • Holger 556
    • Increased aim down sight time from 260ms to 270ms (+4%).
  • MCW
    • Increased aim down sight time from 240ms to 265ms (+10%).
    • Increased sprint to fire time from 241ms to 252ms (+5%).
    • JAK Raven Kit
      • Increased maximum damage from 31 to 33 (+6%).
      • Decreased medium damage from 23 to 22 (-4%).
      • Decreased minimum damage from 22 to 20 (-9%).
      • Decreased maximum damage range from 20.3m to 19.8m (-3%).
      • Increased near-medium damage range from 29m to 35.6m (+23%).
      • Increased medium damage range from 40.6m to 45.7m (+13%).
      • Increased headshot damage multiplier from 1.4x to 1.5x (+7%).
      • Increased lower-torso damage multiplier from 1.01x to 1.1x (+9%).
      • Decreased hipfire spread while sliding.
      • Decreased recoil and gun kick significantly.

BATTLE RIFLES:

  • BAS-B
    • Increased sprint to fire time from 231ms to 252ms (+9%).
    • Increased aim down sight time from 260ms to 270ms (+4%).
    • Increased hipfire spread minimum from 2.3deg/s to 2.9deg/s (+26%).
  • Sidewinder
    • Increased bullet velocity from 540m/s to 600m/s (+11%).
    • Decreased recoil and gun kick significantly.
    • JAK Thunder LMG Kit
      • Increased delay before accelerated rate of fire begins to decay from 200ms to 500ms (+150%).
      • Decreased accelerated rate of fire decay rate from 300rpm/s to 240rpm/s (-20%).
      • Increased gun kick control and recoil control by 35%.
  • TAQ-V (MWII)
    • Increased maximum damage range from 35.6m to 43.2m (+21%).
    • Increased near-medium damage range from 48.3m to 55.9m (+16%).

SUBMACHINE GUNS:

  • Striker
    • Increased near-medium damage range from 19.1m to 21.6m (+13%).
    • Increased medium damage range from 25.4m to 27.9m (+10%).
  • AMR9
    • JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
      • Added missing hipfire crosshair.
  • WSP-9
    • Decreased aim down sight time from 240ms to 220ms (-8%).
    • Increased maximum damage range from 16.5m to 18.5m (+12%).
    • Increased near-medium damage range from 22.9m to 25.1m (+10%).
    • Broodmother .45 Kit
      • Decreased aim down sight time from 270ms to 241ms (-11%).
      • Decreased movement speed penalties by 50%.

SHOTGUNS:

  • Lockwood 680
    • Lockwood Defender Heavy Long Barrel
      • Increased sprint to fire time penalty from 8% to 30% (+22%).
  • KV Broadside (MWII)
    • Decreased sprint to fire time from 210ms to 189ms (-10%).
    • Decreased aim down sight time from 330ms to 240ms (-27%).

LIGHT MACHINE GUNS:

  • Increased sprint to fire time from 210ms to 252ms (+20%).
  • Increased aim down sight time from 330ms to 340ms (+3%).
Weapon Changes Season 2 MW3
Image via Activision.

MARKSMAN RIFLES:

  • MCW 6.8
    • Decreased aim down sight time from 271ms to 245ms (-10%).
    • Decreased all damage ranges by 18%.
    • Decreased bullet velocity from 1016m/s to 930m/s (-8%).
    • Decreased hipfire spread minimum from 5deg/s to 4.1deg/s (-18%).
    • Decreased hipfire spread maximum from 12.1deg/s to 10deg/s (-17%).
  • DM56
    • Decreased near-medium damage from 42 to 41 (-2%).
    • Decreased minimum damage from 39 to 38 (-3%).
  • MTZ Interceptor
    • Increased sprint to fire time from 252ms to 262ms (+4%).
    • Increased aim down sight time from 265ms to 280ms (+6%).
    • Decreased neck damage multiplier from 1.62x to 1x (-38%).
  • SP-R 208 (MWII)
    • Decreased maximum damage range from 19.6m to 13m (-34%).
    • Increased upper-arm damage multiplier from 1.15x to 1.5x (+30%).
  • Lockwood Mk2 (MWII)
    • Increased maximum damage from 110 to 125 (+14%).
    • Decreased maximum damage range from 8.9m to 6.4m (-29%).
  • LM-S (MWII)
    • Decreased intensity of aim down sight idle sway.
  • SA-B 50 (MWII)
    • Increased maximum damage from 110 to 120 (+9%).
    • Decreased maximum damage range from 14.2m to 10.4m (-27%).

SNIPER RIFLES:

  • Longbow
    • Decreased aim down sight time from 550ms to 520ms (-5%).
  • Signal 50 (MWII)
    • Decreased maximum damage range from 48.5m to 35.1m (-28%).
  • SP-X 80 (MWII)
    • Increased aim down sight time from 521ms to 545ms (+5%).

HANDGUNS:

  • Renetti
    • JAK Ferocity Carbine Kit
      • Decreased movement speed penalties by 50%.
  • Basilisk (MWII)
    • Increased maximum damage range from 6.9m to 8.4m (+22%).
    • Increased near-medium damage range from 15.2m to 22.9m (+50%).
    • Increased medium damage range from 22.9m to 35.1m (+53%).
    • Increased far-medium damage range from 35.1m to 41.9m (+20%).
    • Increased lower-torso damage multiplier from 1x to 1.2x (+20%).

LAUNCHERS:

  • Stormender
    • Addressed an issue preventing some Killstreaks from being destroyed and/or disabled.

MELEE:

  • Gutter Knife
    • Decreased melee lunge distance by 30%.
  • Karambit
    • Decreased melee lunge distance by 30%.
  • Combat Knife (MWII)
    • Decreased melee lunge distance by 30%.
  • Dual Kodachis (MWII)
    • Decreased melee lunge distance by 30%.
  • Dual Kamas (MWII)
    • Decreased melee lunge distance by 30%.
  • Pickaxe (MWII)
    • Decreased melee lunge distance by 30%.

Due to being new weapons, the BP50 and the RAM-9 won’t be on this list but they’re already proving to be powerful additions to MW3.

Daniel Wenerowicz

Dan has been writing gaming guides, news, and features for three years after graduating with a BA in writing . You can find him covering Call of Duty for eternity, action-adventure games, and nearly any other major release.