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All Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone Season 2 Reloaded buffs and nerfs

Modern Warfare 3 player holding glowing gun with Ghost in background
Credit: Activision
By Jon NicholsonFPS Editor

Modern Warfare 3 player holding glowing gun with Ghost in background
Credit: Activision

There are plenty of Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone Season 2 Reloaded buffs and nerfs that are bound to influence the ever-expanding arsenal of weaponry in multiplayer and the battle royale.

As part of the Season 2 Reloaded update for Call of Duty, Raven Software and Sledgehammer Games have released separate doses of weapon balancing in a bid to spice up the meta following the arrival of the SOA Subverter battle rifle.

Before we take a closer look at the buffs and nerfs, check out our other guides showcasing the latest intel on the Warhammer 40K event and how to get Dune skins.

Warzone Season 2 Reloaded buffs and nerfs

» Assault Rifles «

MCW (MWIII)

  • Near-Mid Damage increased to 26, up from 24.
  • Mid Damage increased to 23, up from 19.
  • Holger 556 (MWIII)
    • Max Damage increased to 38, up from 35.
    • Max Damage Range increased to 36.83 meters, up from 33.02.
    • Near-Mid Damage set to 34. New Variable
    • Near-Mid Damage Range set to 45.72 meters. New Variable
  • BP50 (MWIII)
    • Max Damage decreased to 28, down from 30.
    • Near-Mid Damage decreased to 26, down from 28.
    • Increased minimum hipfire spread to 2.4deg/s, up from 2.2deg/s.
    • Increased maximum hipfire spread to 6.7deg/s, up from 6.3deg/s.
    • Increased tactical stance spread to 2.9deg/s, up from 2.8deg/s.
    • Increased aim down sight time to 230ms, up from 220ms.
    • Decreased aim down sight movement speed to 3m/s, down from 3.4m/s.
    • Increased horizontal recoil to 15.6deg/s, up from 10.6deg/s.
    • Decreased vertical recoil to 42deg/s, down from 44.4deg/s.
    • Forbearer Heavy Stock
      • Increased recoil gun kick benefit to 16%, up from 11%.
    • Moat-40 Stock
      • Decreased aim down sight time benefit to 2%, down from 7%.
  • SVA 545 (MWIII)
    • Decreased sprint to fire time to 189ms, down from 210ms.
    • Decreased aim down sight time to 230ms, down from 250ms.
  • Ram-7 (MWIII)
    • Max Damage Range decreased to 26.67 meters, down from 33.02.

To the surprise of many, the MTZ 556 has gone untouched in Season 2 Reloaded. The assault rifle remains one of the top picks and is likely to hold its position until another dose of weapon balancing is applied.

Warzone player catt
expand image
Credit: Activision

» Battle Rifles «

  • MTZ 762 (MWIII)
    • Max Damage decreased to 40, down from 42.
    • Min Damage decreased to 32, down from 34.
    • Neck Damage Modifier decreased to 1.1x, down from 1.3x.
    • Lower Torso Damage Modifier decreased to 1x, down from 1.1x.
    • Head Damage Modifier decreased to 1.2x, down from 1.3x.
    • Near-Mid Damage Range decreased to 40.64 meters, down from 44.7.
    • JAK Heretic Carbine Kit
      • Decreased horizontal recoil to 9.4deg/s, down from 11.9deg/s.
      • Increased vertical recoil to 47.9deg/s, up from 47.1deg/s.
  • Bas-B (MWIII)
    • JAK Outlaw-277 Kit
      • Increased gun pushback ADS scale to 3.2, up from 2.
      • Increased camera pushback scale to 5, up from 1.4
  • Sidewinder (MWIII)
    • Decreased recoil intensity during sustained fire slightly.
    • A90 Venom Stock
      • Decreased recoil gun kick penalty to 5%, down from 16% .
    • RB Rapidstrike Grip
      • Increased aim down sight time benefit to 11%, up from 9%.
      • Decreased recoil control penalty to 4%, up from 10%.

» SMGs «

  • AMR9 (MWIII)
    • JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
    • Bullets are now fired in a vertical column rather than a randomized spread.
  • RAM-9 (MWIII)
    • Speedway v5 Short Barrel
      • Decreased aim down sight speed penalty to 10%, down from 15%.
      • Increased recoil gun kick benefit to 9%, up from 4%.
      • Increased recoil control benefit to 12%, up from 8%.
    • FSS Imperator Light Barrel
      • Increased bullet velocity benefit to 20%, up from 15%.
      • Increased damage range benefit to 20%, up from 12%.
    • Boreal-6C Suppressed Barrel
      • Decreased damage range penalty to 12%, down from 20%.
      • Decreased bullet velocity penalty to 12%, down from 20%.
  • WSP-9 (MWIII)
    • Decreased minimum standing hipfire spread to 1.8deg/s, down from 2deg/s.
    • Decreased maximum standing hipfire spread to 5.6deg/s, down from 6.2deg/s.
    • Decreased tactical stance spread to 3.1deg/s, down from 3.4deg/s.
  • Rival 9 (MWIII)
    • JAK Headhunter Carbine Kit
      • Near-Mid Damage Range increased to 45.72 meters, up from 33.02.
  • PDSW 528 (MWII)
    • Improved alignment of the default iron sight optic.

» Shotguns «

  • Lockwood 680 (MWIII)
    • Barrel Attachments
      • Damage pellet count now remains at 6, regardless of ammo capacity.

» LMGs «

  • Bruen MK9 (MWIII)
    • Lower Torso Damage Modifier increased to 1.1x, up from 1.05x.
    • Decreased aim down sight time to 410ms, down from 450ms.
    • Increased movement speed to 4.4m/s, up from 3.9m/s .
    • Increased crouch movement speed to 2.1m/s, up from 1.6m/s.
    • Increased tactical sprint speed to 6.4m/s, up from 6.3m/s.
    • Increased aim down sight movement speed to 2.4m/s, up from 1.9m/s.
  • Pulemyot 762 (MWIII)
    • Increased strength of aim down sight idle sway.
    • Jak Annihilator Bullpup Kit
      • Decreased bullet velocity to 660m/s, down from 760m/s.

» Sniper Rifles «

  • XRK Stalker (MWIII)
    • Decreased aim down sight time to 580ms, down from 610ms.
  • KATT AMR (MWIII)
    • Decreased aim down sight time to 720ms, down from 760ms.
  • SPX -80 (MWII)
    • Increased aim down sight time to 570ms, up from 545ms.

» Handguns «

  • Renetti (MWIII)
    • JAK Ferocity Carbine Kit
      • Max Damage increased to 36, up from 33.
      • Min Damage increased to 28, up from 25.
  • COR-45 (MWIII)
    • XRK IP-V2 Conversion Kit
      • Increased bullet velocity to 600m/s, up from 525m/s.
  • TYR (MWIII)
    • Near-Mid Damage Range increased to 15.24 meters, up from 11.43.
  • 9mm Daemon (MWII)
    • Daemon Hand Rear Grip
      • Added missing Pistol Fastdraw benefit.

» Wonder Weapons «

  • Wunderwaffe DG-2
    • Splash damage increased to 100, up from 75.
    • Increased Projectile Explosion Radius to 64, up from 50.
    • Increased Projectile Speed to 101.6m/s, up from 50.8m/s.
    • Players directly impacted by the Wunderwaffe DG-2 are no longer forced to fire.
    • Allowed Tick Damage effect to stack
    • Adjusted ADS & Hipfire Sway.
    • Fixed an issue with ADS FOV when exiting ADS.

» Attachments «

  • Underbarrel Launchers
    • Addressed an exploit that allowed players to fire unlimited projectiles.
  • JAK Limb Ripper
    • Increased movement speed while revving by 25%.
    • Increased damage range to 1.4 meters, up from 1.1.

Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 Reloaded buffs and nerfs

Here are all of the changes made to the Modern Warfare 3 weapon arsenal. It's worth noting that it is different to what changed in Warzone.

» Assault Rifles «

  • BP50
    • Increased minimum hipfire spread from 2.2deg/s to 2.4deg/s (+9%).
    • Increased maximum hipfire spread from 6.3deg/s to 6.7deg/s (+6%).
    • Increased tactical stance spread from 2.8deg/s to 2.9deg/s (+4%).
    • Increased aim down sight time from 220ms to 230ms (+5%).
    • Decreased aim down sight movement speed from 3.4m/s to 3m/s (-12%).
    • Increased horizontal recoil from 10.6deg/s to 15.6deg/s (+48%).
    • Decreased vertical recoil from 44.4deg/s to 42deg/s (-5%).
    • Forbearer Heavy Stock
      • Increased recoil gun kick benefit from 11% to 16%.
    • Moat-40 Stock
      • Decreased aim down sight time benefit from 7% to 2%.SVA 545
    • Decreased sprint to fire time from 210ms to 189ms (-10%).
    • Decreased aim down sight time from 250ms to 230ms (-8%).

» Battle Rifles «

  • BAS-B
    • Decreased maximum damage from 39 to 38 (-3%).
    • Decreased near-medium damage from 33 to 32 (-3%).
    • Decreased maximum damage range from 35.6m to 30.5m (-14%).
    • Decreased near-medium damage range from 43.2m to 40.6m (-6%).Sidewinder
    • Decreased recoil intensity during sustained fire slightly.
    • A90 Venom Stock
      • Decreased recoil gun kick penalty from 16% to 5%.
    • RB Rapidstrike Grip
      • Increased aim down sight time benefit from 9% to 11%.
      • Decreased recoil control penalty from 10% to 4%.
  • MTZ-762
    • JAK Heretic Carbine Kit
      • Decreased horizontal recoil from 11.9deg/s to 9.4deg/s (-21%).
      • Increased vertical recoil from 47.1deg/s to 47.9deg/s (+2%).
      • Incompatible Underbarrel Attachments can no longer be equipped.

» Submachine Guns «

  • RAM-9
    • Speedway v5 Short Barrel
      • Decreased aim down sight speed penalty from 15% to 10%.
      • Increased recoil gun kick benefit from 4% to 9%.
      • Increased recoil control benefit from 8% to 12%.
    • FSS Imperator Light Barrel
      • Increased damage range benefit from 12% to 20%.
      • Increased bullet velocity benefit from 15% to 20%.
    • Boreal-6C Suppressed Barrel
      • Decreased bullet velocity penalty from 20% to 12%.
      • Decreased damage range penalty from 20% to 12%.
  • AMR9
    • JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
      • Bullets are now fired in a vertical column rather than a randomized spread.
  • WSP-9
    • Decreased minimum standing hipfire spread from 2deg/s to 1.8deg/s (-10%).
    • Decreased maximum standing hipfire spread from 6.2deg/s to 5.6deg/s (-10%).
    • Decreased tactical stance spread from 3.4deg/s to 3.1deg/s (-9%).
  • Rival-9
    • JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion
      • Increased near-medium damage range from 30m to 45.7m (+38%).
  • PDSW 528 (MWII)
    • Improved alignment of the default iron sight optic.
  • Lachmann Sub (MWII)
    • Increased maximum damage range from 8.9m to 15.2m (+71%).
    • Increased near-medium damage range from 16.5m to 20.6m (+25%).
    • Increased medium damage range from 23.1m to 31m (+30%).
    • Increased far-medium damage range from 36.1m to 40.6m (+13%).» Shotguns «
  • Lockwood 680
    • Barrel Attachments
      • Damage pellet count now remains at 6, regardless of ammo capacity.

» Light Machine Guns «

  • Pulemyot 762
    • Increased strength of aim down sight idle sway.
    • JAK Annihilator Bullpup Kit
      • Decreased bullet velocity from 760m/s to 660m/s (-13%).
  • Bruen Mk9
    • Decreased aim down sight time from 450ms to 410ms (-9%).
    • Increased lower-torso damage multiplier from 1.05x to 1.1x (+5%).
    • Increased movement speed from 3.9m/s to 4.4m/s (+13%).
    • Increased crouch movement speed from 1.6m/s to 2.1m/s (+31%).
    • Increased tactical sprint speed from 6.3m/s to 6.4m/s (+2%).
    • Increased aim down sight movement speed from 1.9m/s to 2.4m/s (+26%).

» Sniper Rifles «

  • XRK Stalker
    • Added new Optic Attachment: XRK Stalker Factory Iron Sight
      • Unlocked via Armory Unlocks.
    • Decreased aim down sight time from 610ms to 580ms (-5%).
  • KATT-AMR
    • Decreased aim down sight time from 760ms to 720ms (-5%).
  • SP-X 80 (MWII)
    • Increased aim down sight time from 545ms to 570ms (+5%).

» Handguns «

  • COR-45
    • XRK IP-V2 Conversion Kit
      • Increased bullet velocity from 525m/s to 600m/s (+14%).
  • Renetti
    • JAK Ferocity Carbine Kit
      • Resolved an issue causing specific Attachment combinations to corrupt the Weapon’s appearance.
      • Detailed Stats in the Gunsmith will no longer display an improper Tactical Stance Spread value.
  • 9mm Daemon (MWII)
    • Daemon Hand Rear Grip
      • Added missing Pistol Fastdraw benefit.

» Launchers «

  • Stormender
    • EMP effects will now properly apply to enemies in Free for All Modes.

» Attachments «

  • Hybrid Optics
    • Incompatible Attachments can no longer be equipped on MWII Shotguns.
  • Underbarrel Launchers
    • Addressed an exploit that allowed players to fire unlimited projectiles.
  • JAK Limb Ripper
    • Increased movement speed while revving by 25%.
    • Increased damage range from 1.1m to 1.4m.
    • Increased damage from 36 to 50 (+39%).
    • Players will no longer damage themselves in Free for All Modes.
    • Resolved a compatibility issue with the JAK Raven Kit.