All weapon nerfs and buffs in Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 (2024)

The latest Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 update has brought a new wave of changes. As is tradition, the nerfs and buffs MW3 Season 2 brings will likely disrupt the meta and push players to try out new attachments and strategies.

Therefore, one must be aware of the nerfs and buffs Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 brought, and plan their future loadouts accordingly. So, without any further delay, here’s a detailed breakdown of all weapon nerfs and buffs MW3 Season 2 added.

All nerfs and buffs MW3 Season 2 brings to weapons

The latest set of nerfs and buffs has affected almost all weapon categories available in Modern Warfare 3. First of all, the Assault Rifles have been slightly nerfed, meaning they have become less powerful and effective in the latest update.

The two fan favorites, JAK Raven Kit and the Holger 556 rifles, have also been affected by this change. The MCW, however, has been buffed as the developers have increased its damage range and multipliers, making it more lethal and versatile.

When it comes to the battle rifles, the BAS-B and the Sidewinder have both been nerfed in terms of their aim-down-sight time, sprint-to-fire time, and hipfire spread, making them slower and less accurate. However, the Sidewinder has also been buffed in terms of its bullet velocity and recoil.

Finally, the Submachine Guns, well-known for their close-range performance, have been mostly buffed.

Popular SMGs like Striker, the WSP-9, and the Broodmother .45 Kit have received significant upgrades in terms of their aim-down-sight time, damage range, and movement speed, making them more lethal and agile.

Here’s the complete list of all the Modern Warfare 3 weapon balance changes in the Season 2 update:

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

TAQ Eradicator

• Increased sprint to fire time from 210ms to 252ms (+20%).
• Increased aim down sight time from 330ms to 340ms (+3%).

RAAL MG (MWII)

• Decreased sprint to fire time from 216ms to 199ms (-8%).
• Decreased aim down sight time from 390ms to 330ms (-15%).

556 Icarus (MWII)

• Decreased sprint to fire time from 250ms to 235ms (-6%).

RPK (MWII)

• Decreased aim down sight time from 410ms to 380ms (-7%).

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%).
• Damage multiplier increase allows for one-shot kills to the upper-arm.

Lockwood Mk2 (MWII)

• Increased maximum damage from 110 to 125 (+14%).
• Decreased maximum damage range from 8.9m to 6.4m (-29%).
• Damage increase allows for one-shot kills to the upper-torso within the maximum damage range.

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%).
• Damage increase allows for one-shot kills to the upper-torso within the maximum damage range.

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%).
• Damage range increase allows for one-shot kills to the head at a further distance.

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%.

Attachments

JAK BFB Muzzle

• Decreased gun kick control benefit from 60% to 55% (-5%).
• Decreased vertical recoil control benefit from 40% to 35% (-5%).
• Increased aim down sight time penalty from 12% to 15% (+3%).
• Increased sprint to fire time penalty from 11% to 14% (+3%).
• Increased aim walking speed penalty from 14% to 17% (+3%).
• Added 18% bullet velocity penalty.

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READ MORE: Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 roadmap: Release date, maps, modes, weapons, ranked play, and more