MW3 guru explains why most popular SMG lives up to the hype
Activision TrueGameData made a case for the Rival-9 being the best SMG in MW3 and backed up the claim with detailed statistics.
The dust has finally settled, and it’s just about time to establish a clear meta in Modern Warfare 3. One week of action has given community members plenty of time to try out every weapon and sparse out winners and losers.
All signs point toward the game being dominated by ARs. The Holger 556, MCW, and DG-58 dominate popularity rankings, and it’s easy to see why after going up against one of those three ARs during a match. But that doesn’t mean there still isn’t room for SMGs to shine.
The Rival-9 has been pegged as the best SMG in MW3 by most community members, and TrueGameDate explained why the hype is real.
What is the best SMG in MW3?
When building an SMG loadout, TrueGameData suggests players target low ADS times, sprint to fire time, good movement speed, and other minor benefits. After testing every SMG, the MW3 expert concluded that the Rival-9 is the best option in the game.
As for why, the Rival-9 boasts a huge chest hitbox, one of the fastest time-to-kill speeds, good damage range, and it takes three shots to the legs or stomach to decrease the gun’s TTK. This means that even if you miss a few shots, it will take a lot for the weapon to not kill in around 264ms.
TrueGameData argued: “The Rival-9 stands out to me as the best SMG because it is forgiving, has a fast TTK, and a pretty good damage range.”
It’s important to note that the WSP Swarm has a better TTK than the Rival-9, but one shot to the legs or stomach decreases the SMG’s TTK time, making it very unforgiving.
Best Rival-9 MW3 loadout
TrueGameData built this loadout to at least take on gun fights around 20 meters away. But players will find the most success using the Rival 9 in any engagement within 10 meters.
The YouTuber implores all players to use a Shadowstrike Suppressor on their loadouts, as the muzzle removes you from the mini-map and doesn’t have any downsides.
- Muzzle: Shadowstrike Suppressor
- Stock: Bruen Flash V4 Stock
- Underbarrel: XRK Edge BW-4 Handstop
- Ammunition: 9mm Low Grain
- Rear Grip: Bruen Flash Grip
The YouTuber implores all players to use a Shadowstrike Suppressor on their loadouts, as the muzzle removes you from the mini-map and has no downsides.
Using high-grain ammunition extends the SMG’s damage range out to around 11.5 meters.
And TrueGameData recommends that players use the XRK Edge BW-4 Handstop on most MW3 loadouts as it offers “crazy movement speed benefits and is an excellent attachment for SMGs and ARs.”
That’s everything you need to know about the Rival-9. For more, check out the rest of our MW3 coverage.