Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

thumb|300px|right|Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (also known as CoD:MW3 or MW3) is the eighth installment in the Call of Duty series, and the third main entry in the Modern Warfare sub-franchise. The game has variously been developed by Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software, and was published by Activision in 2011 for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
The story continues from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, with the former members of Task Force 141 disavowed and hunted and the United States under siege from the Russian military. As the US repels the Russian invasion the former members of Task Force 141, including Captain Price and "Soap" MacTavish, begin the hunt for terrorist mastermind Makarov as he sets into motion his ultimate plan to begin a third world war. The campaign is mainly played out from the perspective of two characters, a Task Force 141 member named Yuri and a Delta Force operator named Derek "Frost" Westbrook.
The game notably features advertising deals with various manufacturers, most obviously Remington, Leupold and EOTech.
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= Overview =
Modern Warfare 3 uses the standard system of granting the player two "slots" for weapons; in the campaign this can be any two weapons, while in multiplayer without the Perk "Overkill" the player is limited to one weapon classed as primary and one classed as secondary. The game is divided into four modes; a singleplayer campaign, a series of challenges for up to two players referred to as "Special Ops" mode, a "Survival" mode pitting up to two players against endless waves of increasingly tough enemies, and competitive multiplayer. In the former two cases, the player will encounter weapons placed at fixed locations in levels and semi-randomly allocated to enemies, while in the latter two an experience-based system is used to unlock access to new weapons; in multiplayer, there is now an additional weapon-based experience system used to unlock upgrades specific to that weapon, including accessories for it.
Some weapons have different stats in multiplayer, such as magazine size, or even completely different abilities. In this context, "multiplayer" refers to competitive multiplayer and Survival mode; Special Ops mode uses the singleplayer weapon stats and abilities.
The game features an accessory system for customising weapons; the main options for optics are a SureShot reflex sight, EOTech EXPS3 Holographic sight, or a Trijicon TA31 ACOG scope. One of the game's "gimmicks" is the ability to use dual-mode optics on certain weapons; SMGs use a Leupold HAMR sight with DeltaPoint red dot sight, assault and battle rifles use an EOTech MPO III close-/long-range sighting system, and the Remington RSASS can use a sniper scope with a diagonally-mounted SureShot reflex sight. Other accessories include rail-mounted foregrips, underbarrel launchers and shotguns for assault and battle rifles, suppressors, thermal scopes and the return from MW2 of the more than slightly implausible weapon-mounted heartbeat sensor.
=Handguns=
==Beretta 92SB==
The Beretta 92SB appears in the singleplayer mode during the mission "Goalpost," where friendlies can draw it from their holsters after running out of ammunition; this is a rare occurrence, however. If picked up, it will still have the same "M9" name as in previous games, and uses the same model as in Modern Warfare 2. It is also held by a Ranger in the Special Ops DLC mission "Special Delivery."
==Colt Anaconda==
The Colt Anaconda is called the ".44 Magnum" in the game; it appears in multiplayer and Survival modes. In singleplayer the Modern Warfare 2 stainless steel Anaconda appears briefly in a flashback, and the new Anaconda model can rarely be found in "Bag and Drag" where bizarrely it is the sidearm of French GIGN troops; they will draw it occasionally instead of reloading their primary weapon if they are under fire, perhaps standing in for the real GIGN's Manurhin MR-73 revolvers. It appears with wood grips with a black synthetic insert, has a gold medallion on the frame below the cylinder release, and the hammer appears to have been cropped. It should be noted that the Anaconda in-game has a blued finish, which was not ever produced in real life; all Anacondas are stainless steel. The firing sound of the Anaconda reuses the firing sound of the Desert Eagle from the previous Modern Warfare games.
==Desert Eagle Mark XIX==
The Desert Eagle Mark XIX appears throughout the campaign in the hands of NPCs, and can be used by the player. Unlike in MW2, where it had a Picatinny-rail barrel, it has the standard Mark XIX barrel with scope mounts. The gun also has tritium night sights and uses a 7-round .50 AE magazine which incorrectly holds 8 rounds in multiplayer and Survival, though in the singleplayer campaign it has the correct capacity. Like in the previous Modern Warfare games, it has a restricted fire cap (maximum rate of semi-automatic fire) of 300 RPM in singleplayer, but has the same firecap as most other semi-auto handguns in multiplayer. Oddly, during "Bag and Drag" after a flashbang is thrown, Volk is shown spraying automatic fire from a Desert Eagle at Westbrook's team, probably due to a placeholder use that was never replaced.
==FN Five-seveN==
The fixed sights USG FN Five-seveN first appears in the single-player mission "Turbulence" and is the starting weapon in "Easy" difficulty Survival maps, and one of the two starting weapons in "Insane" difficulty maps (the other being the M16A4). While it should have a 20-round magazine it is shown holding 15 rounds in the singleplayer campaign and 16 in multiplayer and Survival, most likely for the usual "balance reasons."
==Glock 18==
The Glock 18 is in the game's "machine pistol" class; the model shown has a flared magazine well. In singleplayer it has a 32-round magazine (indicating a 31-round magazine with a factory 2 round extension that isn't fully loaded), while in multiplayer the capacity is reduced to 20 rounds despite still using the same magazine model. Unlike MW2, this is an actual Glock 18 and not a Glock 17 converted to full-auto, as evidenced by the selector switch; this is, however, mounted backwards (or more precisely is rotated 180 degrees from where it should be). Since the selector is pointed upwards, the pistol is also set to semi-auto rather than full auto. This is unless the weapon is considered to literally have the selector mounted 180 degrees off where it should be, in which case the selector is actually pointing down and is correctly set; however, this is a needlessly confusing interpretation.
==Heckler & Koch USP45==
The H&K USP45 returns from Modern Warfare 2 (using exactly the same model). In the game, there is an unusable under-barrel Viridian X5L Gen 1 combo module mounted on the pistol, and it is incorrectly shown with an extended barrel. It is one of the starting weapons in the singleplayer missions "Hunter Killer," "Bag And Drag" and "Iron Lady," and is seen in Price's hands in "Stronghold." It is replaced with the new USP Tactical in other modes.
thumb|none|400px|Heckler & Koch USP45 - .45 ACP
==Heckler & Koch USP Tactical==
For some reason, the USP Tactical appears along with the USP45, also chambered in .45 ACP; it is shown with the fixed iron sights of a standard USP, but it features both an extended barrel (longer than the incorrect one of the standard USP) and slide markings stating it is a USP Tactical. It also has an unusable Streamlight TLR 2 HL flashlight/laser combo. It is the starting weapon in "Regular" difficulty Survival maps and appears in the mission "Mind The Gap" in the hands of SAS soldier Burns. Most of the time it is incorrectly referred to as "USP .45" by the game; the only exception is the suppressed version seen in Special Ops and the campaign mission "Mind The Gap," where it is called "USP .45 Tactical Suppressed," though this correct name is an artifact created by having a tactical knife "accessory."
==MP-412 REX==
The MP-412 REX (called "MP412" in-game) is used by Spetsnaz troops and Makarov's terrorists, and is the starting weapon in "Hard" difficulty Survival maps; it has the longest reload of all the handguns in the game. As in the Battlefield: Bad Company series and Battlefield Play4Free, the weapon is depicted without the automatic extractor which is supposed to operate when the frame is broken open; instead the spent casings are ejected manually by tilting the frame. This is probably a result of using airsoft guns or movies as a reference for the behaviour of live ammunition: a revolver's cartridges expand in the chambers on firing due to the stresses of expelling the bullet (which is why the chambers exist), while the BB-holding "cartridges" of an airsoft revolver do not do so at all, and a blank-firing weapon's only barely as the peak internal pressure is much lower, allowing the casings to be dumped easily without using an extractor. The cylinder is also spun for whatever reason once the rounds are inserted, despite this serving no visible purpose other than to artificially prolong the reload.
==Walther P99==
The Walther P99 pistol is the sidearm of the Spetsnaz in some missions including "Iron Lady," and is used by a wounded Yuri in a flashback. The P99 holds 12 rounds, which in reality would mean it is chambered in .40 S&W.
thumb|none|400px|Walther P99 with silver slide - 9x19mm Parabellum
=Submachine Guns=
The game itself includes an intermediate class of weapons ("machine pistols") between pistols and SMGs; the weapons in this class are the MP9, Glock 18, Magpul FMG-9 and Skorpion.
==Brügger & Thomet MP9==
The Brügger & Thomet MP9 is this time correctly called an MP9, and is one of the weapons classified as a "machine pistol" by the game. The MP9 has a 32-round magazine as opposed to the extremely small 15-round magazine it had in Modern Warfare 2.
== CZ vz. 61 E Skorpion ==
The CZ vz. 61 E Skorpion is available in Survival mode and multiplayer; it does not appear in the singleplayer campaign or Special Ops. It is one of the weapons classified as a "machine pistol" by the game. The Skorpion is weaker than previous incarnations in the series, no longer able to reliably kill in two hits.
== FN P90TR ==
The FN P90TR (Triple Rail) is one of the most common weapons in singleplayer, used both by Russian forces and Makarov's terrorists. As is fairly normal for video games, the translucent polycarbonate magazine does not visibly empty as the weapon is fired, always appearing completely full.
thumb|none|400px|FN P90TR - 5.7x28mm
== Heckler & Koch MP5A2 ==
The H&K MP5A2 is a new weapon for the series, first seen in the Survival mode trailer where it was still identified as an MP5K; the hand positions used implied it was an MP5K with no front grip. In the final game it is called the "MP5", and is used by Delta Force operators, disavowed members of Task Force 141, and SAS soldiers. Price and Yuri use it with AN/PEQ-2A laser sights in "Stronghold". In Survival mode, it is the weapon carried by second-tier enemies and the "Riot Shield Squad" NPC allies. The MP5A2 rail system seems to be modeled after the real life Knights Armament rail system for the MP5. The fire selector for the MP5A2 is set to where "burst" would be if it had a four-setting trigger group; it doesn't, meaning the fire mode is set to "blank space between semi and auto."
== Heckler & Koch MP7A1 ==
The MP7A1 appears in Special Ops mode, Survival and multiplayer; it is shown with the 40-round extended magazine.
thumb|none|400px|Heckler & Koch MP7A1 with factory magazine and iron sights - 4.6x30mm
== Heckler & Koch UMP45 ==
The Heckler & Koch UMP45 is available in all game modes. In singleplayer it can be found in the level "Stronghold," where for some reason the model from Modern Warfare 2 is used instead of the new one. Compared to its stats in Modern Warfare 2, the UMP does less damage at range, but has a higher rate of fire and the penetration of a machine gun or sniper rifles.
== Magpul FMG-9 ==
The Magpul FMG-9 is available in multiplayer and Survival; in singleplayer, it is only seen in the mission "Turbulence" in the hands of terrorists trying to hijack the Russian president's aircraft. While it makes sense that they would use the easily concealed FMG-9 along with other compact weapons like the "AK-74u" (or rather it would if the FMG-9 had ever entered production), some are rather less believably wielding AA-12 shotguns. In multiplayer it has a 36 round magazine, while in other modes it has a 33-round magazine. The former is incorrect, since the weapon uses the 31 / 33 round extended magazine designed for the Glock 18 series.
== Minebea M-9 ==
The Minebea M-9 is called the "PM-9" in game. It has an insanely fast rate of fire, the fastest out of any automatic weapon, and good stopping power, making it a deadly and effective weapon in close-quarter battles. In singleplayer it only appears in the level "Stronghold," while in Survival it is the weapon carried by "Claymore Specialist" enemies.
== PP-90M1 ==
The PP-90M1 is one of the more common weapons in singleplayer, used by Russian forces and Makarov's terrorists. It uses the third-person firing sound (ie, the sound of anyone but the player using the weapon) of the PP-2000 from Modern Warfare 2. In Survival mode it is carried by "Chemical Trooper" enemies.
= Shotguns =
== AA-12 ==
A customized AA-12 shotgun with rail mounts, a zip-up bag attached to the stock, a somewhat pointless spare shell holder, and a Remington 870 MCS forend stuck to its own foregrip can be used in several singleplayer missions. Like in Modern Warfare 2, it has an exaggerated rate of fire in singleplayer, but a more controllable one (400 RPM) in multiplayer.
==Franchi SPAS-12==
The Franchi SPAS-12, as in the previous games, is pump-action only with no semi-automatic fire options, and is as ever shown as a standard-issue weapon for numerous forces despite no longer even being in production. The in-world model of the SPAS-12 is missing the butt of the folding stock, though the player model has it.
== Kel-Tec KSG ==
The Kel-Tec KSG is a bullpup shotgun with two magazine tubes. Appears as the "KSG 12" in-game, and is incorrectly described as a "double-barrel" shotgun in Survival mode. The magazine selector is never operated in game; in reality this would mean the player character only had one of the two tube magazines at their disposal. In addition, the weapon's capacity is reduced from 14 (+1 chambered) to 12, which would only be correct if it were using 3" rather than 2 3/4" shells, something the weapon's damage certainly does not imply. The upgrade "extended mags" increases this to an even more incorrect 18. It appears the high capacity has been balanced with a low rate of fire and low damage; in the initial release this was absurdly so, to the point that despite being a 12-gauge like the other shotguns, it required multiple shots to kill another player even at point-blank range.
== Knight's Armament Masterkey ==
The Knight's Armament Masterkey can be mounted on assault and battle rifles. In the singleplayer campaign, it is only found under an AK during the mission "Stronghold." It can be equipped in Survival and multiplayer as an Attachment; in multiplayer it has to be unlocked by levelling up the specific weapon the player wants to use it with, while in Survival it is unlocked for every weapon as soon as the level requirement is reached. In singleplayer it somehow magically contains 7 rounds (the same as a full-sized Remington 870), while in multiplayer it contains an at least technically achievable 4. The player character conspires to ruin this by pumping the forend whenever the accessory is selected, which would eject any chambered round and mean the maximum capacity was 3.
== Penn Arms Striker-12 ==
A Penn Arms Striker-12 can be seen in the game. It has an elongated barrel, as opposed to the MW2 variant's shorter barrel. The player character never turns the winding key on the front of the drum, which would prevent the weapon from indexing more than one load of cartridges.
== USAS-12 ==
The USAS-12 seen in the game holds 6 rounds instead of the standard 10, and has an abnormally slow fire rate, almost like a semi-automatic. It reuses the firing sound of the "M1014" from Modern Warfare 2. In Survival mode it is carried by "Suicide Bomber" enemies.
== Winchester 1887 ==
The sawed-off Winchester Model 1887 is present in all game modes, and is used by the African militia in the singleplayer mission "Back On The Grid." It has been heavily modified from its previous appearances in the series and now features ghost ring sights and synthetic furniture. In Survival mode it is the weapon carried by first-tier enemies.
= Assault Rifles & Battle Rifles =
== AK Hybrid ==
A custom AK hybrid appears as the "AK-47", and is the main armament of Russian soldiers; as in the previous games, this is incorrect, since the weapon has long been replaced by later AK variants. The gun's overall appearance is similar to the one from Modern Warfare 2, including the ribbed AKM/AK-74 style receiver cover. However, there are some differences: it now has an original AK-47 style gas block (albeit having the bayonet lug at the front, like later AK variants), along with an AKM-like front sight block, barrel trunnion, and rivet positions at the rear of the receiver. In addition, it sports a black finish, a 4th gen collapsible stock, and a "Swiss Grater" upper handguard mated to a different lower RIS handguard with rail covers, as well as a new AK-74-like muzzle brake in place of the old spiral one and a ProMag waffle magazine. It has either BP-02 or MTK-83 rail mount for sight attachments. In Survival mode, it is carried by third-tier enemies. It is anachronistically featured in the 1996 Zakhaev's arms deal flashback. Curiously, there are Call of Duty 4 recycled steel 7.62x39mm magazines scattered on tables throughout the campaign instead of the new waffle ones.
== "AK-74u" ==
A version of the fake AKS-74U from the previous Modern Warfare titles once again appears; it only appears in singleplayer and Special Ops modes, however, not in multiplayer or Survival. It is modelled on the JG "AK Beta-F" airsoft rifle, which is essentially an AKS-47 with a very, very short front end, an AKS-74U gas block/front sight, flash hider, and rear sight, and black polymer furniture with an RIS rail on the handguard. The version in game appears to have Bakelite magazines, which led to some to believe it was actually a 74, however the curve of the magazine gives away that it is based on a 47; in fact, it uses the exact same waffle-pattern magazines as the AK-47 does in-game. The mix and mash of different Kalashnikovs is still referred to as an "AK-74u", which doesn't exist, and is incorrectly dubbed a submachine gun.
== Colt CM901 ==
The Colt CM901 appears in multiplayer and Survival mode, and is shown equipped with a short barrel and a 20-round PMag. The reload animation has the player character hit the mag release and then sharply twist the rifle to the left to get rid of the old magazine, seemingly just to extend the animation a little for balance reasons.
== Colt M16A4 ==
The M16A4 is used by US forces in the campaign and is the starting weapon, along with a FN Five-seveN, in "Insane" difficulty Survival maps; here it is equipped by default with a red dot sight. The M16A4 has similar stats to the Type 95, with the M16A4 performing better at long range at the cost of losing out to the Type 95 in close-range punch. In Survival mode it is also weapon used by "Delta Squad" NPC allies. The flash hider fitted appears to be based on the ones used by ISS "Non Gun" replicas, while the front sight is modelled as part of the handguard; this means the gas block is inside the handguard, so it is impossible to say if it is removed or not when mounting optics.
== Colt M4A1 Carbine ==
The M4A1 is the most common starting weapon for Westbrook during the campaign and is seen in the hands of US soldiers. The version shown features a pencil profile barrel, a Magpul MOE Carbine Stock, a customised charging handle, an M16A1-style pistol grip, a 25-round STANAG magazine (with a 30-round capacity) fitted with a Magpul loop, a KAC railed handguard with KAC rail covers, and flip-up iron sights. Like the M16A4, the flash hider fitted appears to be based on the ones used by ISS "Non Gun" replicas. On the cover, it is also shown with a Magpul AFG (angled foregrip), though in game it uses a standard one. Some NPCs seen in the "Reveal" trailer were instead carrying the M4A1 model used in Modern Warfare 2, though this is likely to simply have been a recycled model used during development. As in many games, the fire selector is shown on semi-auto even though the weapon fires in full-auto.
== FAD Assault Rifle ==
A FAD Assault Rifle, a Peruvian proposal for a new bullpup rifle, can be used in the game, and is seen in the hands of African militiamen in Sierra Leone. The magazine well has "Cal 5.56 NATO 6.8 SPC" printed on it; it would be impossible for the rifle to be chambered for both. In Survival mode it is carried by the heavily armoured fifth-tier enemies. In multiplayer the weapon's magazine size is for some reason increased from the correct 30 to 40 rounds.
The empty reload animation of the FAD does not feature a chambering animation; instead, the user simply gives the magazine an extra slap after inserting it into the magwell. The FAD has a charging handle, a hook-shaped extension on the right side of the gun, next to the ejection port; this charging handle is used in the FAD's next appearance in the Call of Duty series in Ghosts.
== FN SCAR-L ==
The FN SCAR-L appears in all game modes and is the starting weapon in the mission "Iron Lady." Predictably, it is shown with the fire selector on semi-auto. The SCAR is a middle of the road weapon, though it is particularly prone to "reload cancelling" since the game counts the gun as reloaded before the reload animation has even finished showing the new magazine being inserted. The magazines have Magpul Ranger Plates, but it is impossible to see them in first-person, as the reload animation is reused from MW2's SCAR-H.
The gun model only has "S" and "1" markings on the fire selector, showing it was based on a civilian SCAR 16S rather than a military fully-automatic variant.
== Heckler & Koch G36C ==
A H&K G36C is available and is a starting weapon in the mission "Persona Non Grata;" it is also used by French GIGN special forces during the missions "Bag And Drag" and "Iron Lady." It is seen using opaque magazines as opposed to the standard translucent magazines it used in Call of Duty 4.
== Heckler & Koch G36KV ("MG36") ==
The Heckler & Koch G36KV is used as an LMG in the game and is incorrectly dubbed the "MG36". As in Far Cry, it features a 4-vent K-variant handguard with what appears to be a 15.4 inch barrel; in Modern Warfare 3 the weapon is configured to very vaguely resemble a G36 light support weapon (the configuration typically incorrectly called the MG36), using a single-drum magazine rather than a C-Mag and with a rather flimsy-looking aftermarket bipod rather than the HK-issue bipod handguard (which would be the wrong length anyway). The weapon features iron sights from an MP7 instead of the front post/rear aperture sights the G36 uses. In multiplayer and Survival it holds 100 rounds in the single-drum magazine, while in the singleplayer campaign this is reduced to just 42.
== Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR ==
The Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR appears in the multiplayer and Survival modes as the "MK14" and in all singleplayer missions except "Goalpost" as the "M14 EBR Scoped;" it can be seen in singleplayer in the hands of NPCs, including Delta Force operator Grinch. It is limited to semi-automatic fire, and is classified as an assault rifle despite being a battle rifle. In addition, despite being a marksman's rifle it cannot be fitted with a sniper scope in multiplayer or Survival.
== Mk 14 Mod 1 EBR ==
The Mk 14 Mod 1 EBR is seen in the hands of NPCs, save in the mission "Goalpost" where the "M14 EBR Scoped," usually a Mk 14 Mod 0, is instead shown as a Mk 14 Mod 1. The in-world model is lifted directly from Modern Warfare 2, and appears, like several other weapons in the campaign, to be a development placeholder which has not been fully replaced with the new model.
== QBZ-97 ==
A QBZ-97A with an early QBZ-97-style trigger guard appears only in Survival and multiplayer, incorrectly referred to as a Type 95; for some reason, it is only able to fire 3-round bursts. It can be distinguished as a QBZ-97 by the deeper magazine well and STANAG magazine. The 3-round burst is extremely fast and makes the weapon exceptionally powerful at short range, though the weapon's damage rapidly degrades at long range.
== Remington ACR ==
The 6.8mm SPC variant of the Remington ACR is used in Modern Warfare 3, rather than the 5.56mm variant seen the previous game; the weapon is referred to as "ACR 6.8." This is reflected in multiplayer with higher damage figures than its lower-calibre MW2 counterpart. In Survival mode it is carried by fourth-tier enemies. The player model appears to have a shorter barrel than the in-world model; the former seems to be 14.5 inch, while the latter is closer to 16.5 inch. While in the previous game it had incorrect HK-style fire selector markings on the wrong part of the fire selector, it now has the correct markings for an ACR.
= Sniper Rifles =
== Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Magnum ==
An Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Magnum can be unlocked for use in multiplayer and Survival. It is incorrectly called the "L118A" in-game; L118A1 and L118A2 are the British designations for the 7.62x51mm NATO Arctic Warfare (not Magnum), which has a non-fluted barrel. The correct designation for the AWM used in-game would be L115A2, as it has a folding stock.
The two emblems awarded for getting 1000 kills and 500 headshots label the weapon as "L118A3", a nonexistent designation.
== Accuracy International AS50 ==
The Accuracy International AS50 appears in Special Ops mode, Survival and multiplayer. Like the Barrett M107, it is incorrectly modelled with an ejection port on each side; while the port to the left opens and closes when the action cycles, the rifle actually ejects spent casings to the right.
== Barrett M107 ==
The Barrett M107 appears in Special Ops mode, Survival and multiplayer. It is incorrectly modeled with ejection ports on both sides of the receiver. It can also be seen in the introduction to the mission "Blood Brothers," despite that it is not the sniper rifle actually used during the mission. In multiplayer it uses the generic scope used by every other sniper rifle except the SVD, while in singleplayer modes it uses the scope_overlay_m40a3 reticle it used in the two previous Modern Warfare games.
== Remington MSR ==
The Remington MSR is a powerful bolt-action rifle available in singleplayer, Survival and multiplayer; in singleplayer it is available in the mission "Iron Lady."
== Remington RSASS ==
The Remington RSASS is available in all game modes and is the starting weapon in the missions "Eye Of The Storm" and "Blood Brothers;" here it is also used by "Soap" MacTavish.
== SVD Dragunov ==
The SVD Dragunov, simply called the "Dragunov," is available in all game modes, and in singleplayer is used by the African militia in "Return to Sender." Unlike in previous Modern Warfare games, it actually has an approximation of the proper PSO-1 scope reticle.
thumb|none|400px|Tiger Carbine with synthetic furniture used on later production military SVDs - 7.62x54mm R
= Machine Guns =
As a note, all machine guns in Modern Warfare 3, as in previous installments, are classed as "light machine guns" in multiplayer menus. This is incorrect, as the M60E3 is a general-purpose machine gun (the M240B, being essentially cut from the game, is not misclassified). While the PKP fires a full-size round (which would normally classify it as a general-purpose machine gun) it features a non-changeable barrel and is issued without a tripod mount, leading to it being classified as an LMG. Note also that the "MG36" is listed under assault rifles rather than here.
== L86A1 Light Support Weapon ==
The L86A1 LSW, called the "L86 LSW," is available in Special Ops, Survival and multiplayer, and is seen in the mission "Bag And Drag" in singleplayer; in addition, a different L86A1 model lifted directly from Modern Warfare 2 can be found in the mission "Stronghold," fitted with a SUSAT optic which cannot be used anywhere else. Like in the previous game, the charging handle is always pulled after reloading, regardless of whether the magazine was empty or not.
==M240B==
The M240B machine gun was seen in pre-release screenshots, but ultimately does not appear in multiplayer at all, while in the singleplayer campaign it is only seen in the hands of NPCs. Unobtainable M240s are also used by some Juggernauts in the Special Ops DLC mission "Special Delivery". It is the same model used in Modern Warfare 2, and as in that game uses an M249-style bottom-mounted 100-round belt box grooves of a PKM belt box. As well as the obvious issue of this belt box being for the a weapon of a different caliber, a box like this could not be used on an M240B since it would block the casing ejection port, and also because the M240 lacks any kind of attachment point to mount an ammo box on its underside.
However, in the Wii version, the M240B appears as a usable weapon in the campaign mission "Goalpost", it is still removed from multiplayer however. 
== M249 Para SAW ==
Despite being called "MK46" in-game, this weapon is actually an M249 Para SAW with the RIS handguard of a Mk 46 Mod 0; this is a configuration commonly seen on Airsoft "Mk 46" guns which retain their STANAG magazine wells even though the real gun has no STANAG well. The singleplayer and multiplayer versions of this weapon have different rates of fire, with the SP version slower and the MP faster. It is the weapon mounted on the "Assault Drone" which can be summoned in multiplayer as a pointstreak reward.
thumb|none|400px|FN M249 Para - 5.56x45mm
thumb|none|400px|Mk 46 Mod 0 light machine gun - 5.56x45mm
== M60E3 ==
The M60E3 is available in all game modes, incorrectly referred to as the short-barrelled M60E4, and can be found in singleplayer during the mission "Back on the Grid." It has the slowest reload out of all the machine guns; it also transitions to its iron sight view very slowly.
== PKP Pecheneg ==
The PKP Pecheneg is the most common machine gun in singleplayer, being the one used by Russian soldiers. The weapon is reversed, with the belt feeding from left-to-right rather than right-to-left (as well as having the charging handle located on the left side rather than the right); presumably, this is to make the belt more visible. In Spec Ops and Survival mode it is the weapon carried by the "Juggernaut" EOD suit enemies.
The PKP's reload animation disregards the release button on the rear of the feed tray cover; the user simply lifts up the feed tray cover by the rear sight without ever touching the release button.
= Launchers =
== FGM-148 Javelin ==
The FGM-148 Javelin can be used in singleplayer and multiplayer; it is not present in Survival or Special Ops. In singleplayer it is encountered at the end of the mission "Iron Lady," where it has temporarily infinite ammunition and no reloading animation. Tanks are engaged in top-attack mode while helicopters use the direct fire flight profile (which still begins with a steep climb). In multiplayer it can lock on to either aircraft or player rewards such as UGVs, but not soldiers.
== FIM-92 Stinger ==
The FIM-92 Stinger appears in multiplayer and Special Ops mode: it is the same model from the previous game, and so still has an incorrect backward-sloping pistol grip. As is normal for a videogame, it is shown seeking targets at preposterously short ranges, and does not require a BCU to be inserted in order to make it function. As usual for the series, it requires a lock-on using the weapon's iron sights to fire. The iron sights somehow general a digital targeting interface, with targets showing a red box around them until the sight is held over them for long enough to make the box turn green. In multiplayer it can be used to shoot down aircraft summoned as point streak rewards by other players. A fictional variant of the Stinger featuring a 10 round magazine and laser guidance called the "Starstreak" (unrelated to the real Starstreak HVM) appears in the Special Ops mission "Vertigo".
== GP-30 Grenade Launcher ==
The "AK-47" uses the GP-30 grenade launcher as its underbarrel launcher; the game labels it as a GP-25, but the quadrant sight is mounted on the right of the AK when it is fitted, while on a GP-25 it would be mounted on the left. As in previous games, the GP-30 reload includes an incorrect flick of the launcher to eject a spent casing, despite GP-30 rounds being launched as a single unit: the ejected round is an unfired Western 40mm grenade round. Being an accessory, in multiplayer it is unlocked by gaining experience with the AK-47, while in Survival it is unlocked at the same level as the other two underbarrel launchers.
== Heckler & Koch M320 ==
A Heckler & Koch M320 grenade launcher can be used, called the "M320 GLM;" the weapon can be seen in standalone configuration or mounted; the mounted version is the underbarrel launcher for all assault rifles besides the M4A1, M16A4, and AK-47. The mounted M320 has no front grip and even lacks the fitment point, though it still has the downward-pointing guard in front to show it is not an XM320. Curiously, the two versions draw ammunition from separate pools; it is possible to be holding an empty standalone M320 with ammunition still available for an underbarrel one on the player's second weapon, and vice versa. The standalone version is unlocked at level 64 in multiplayer while the underbarrel version requires gaining experience with the individual weapon the player intends to mount it; in Survival, the standalone is not available at all, and the M320 is unlocked with the other two underbarrel launchers.
Like the M203, there is no in-game model for a spent casing, and so on reloading either variant an unfired round is dumped out of the launcher.
== Heckler & Koch XM-25 ==
The player character starts the first mission with a Heckler & Koch XM25; it is also present in several Special Ops missions and in multiplayer, though it cannot be used in Survival mode. In singleplayer it is shown very inaccurately, simply firing proximity / impact detonated rounds with none of the real weapon's HEAB functionality, and rather than being semi-automatic it is bolt-action with the player character operating the charging handle after every shot. In multiplayer, on the other hand, it is semi-automatic and requires the user to lase a target before firing, at which point the round will detonate exactly one metre further than the lased distance.
== M203 Grenade Launcher (Airsoft) ==
The series' usual Airsoft M203 grenade launcher was first seen in the "Reveal" trailer, attached to an early development M4A1, which was actually the model from Modern Warfare 2. In the game itself it is the underbarrel launcher for the M4A1 and M16A4; most other rifles instead use the M320. In multiplayer it is unlocked by gaining experience with the weapon it is to be mounted on, while in Survival it is unlocked with both other underbarrel launchers.
As with the other games in the series, there is no model for a spent casing, and so on reloading the player character will dump out an unfired grenade round.
== Mk 153 SMAW ==
The Mk 153 SMAW is available in all gameplay modes except Survival. The weapon features iron sights only, can only be fired while aiming down the iron sights, and has no reloading animation, the player character simply drawing a new one after each shot. This is weird, considering that the real SMAW is a reusable launcher, not a disposable one. In multiplayer it features an even more bizarre ability to lock on to targets by generating a targeting box using its iron sights.
== RPG-7V ==
The RPG-7V is the most common launcher in singleplayer, appearing in the hands of Russian soldiers, Makarov's terrorists and the various militias. In Survival it is bought from the Equipment Armoury; restocking ammo from the Weapon Armoury does not give rockets for it, and ammo must be bought two rounds at a time as Equipment.
thumb|none|400px|RPG-7 - 40mm
= Explosives =
==AN/M14 Incendiary Grenade==
Westbrook destroys a Russian jamming tower using a bundle of four AN/M14 incendiary grenades attached together with duct tape and rigged with a detonator. A similar rig is attached, for absolutely no discernible reason, to the bow hatch of the Oscar II-class submarine in the Special Ops mission "Over Reactor."
==M18 Smoke Grenade==
The M18 smoke grenade is a common sight on friendly NPCs' uniforms.
== M83 Smoke Grenade ==
The standard smoke grenade of Modern Warfare 3 is the M83 smoke grenade, and as in previous games features incorrect M18 smoke grenade markings; their models appear to be entirely recycled from Modern Warfare 2. In singleplayer, they are only used by the player to mark locations for airstrikes. In Survival and multiplayer they are used to mark points for Care Packages to be dropped as well as being used to target areas for attacks by various weaponry. Normal smoke grenades used for smokescreens can also be unlocked in multiplayer.
thumb|none|150px|M83 smoke grenade
=== "9-Bang" ===
In the mission "Black Tuesday," Westbrook is ordered to use a "9-Bang" stun grenade when clearing an alleyway. These multi-shot flashbang grenades actually exist, and are typically used prior to storming a heavily defended room. The in-game "9-Bang" grenade does not correspond to any real "9-Bang" model, and is instead a retextured M83 smoke grenade with label from airsoft "M12 Flash Bang" also known as "M12 Distraction Canister Grenade". Confusingly, the 9-Bang model is used as the icon of the "Flash Grenade" in multiplayer, even though the in-game model of the "Flash Grenade" is still an M84 grenade.
== M18A1 Claymore ==
The M18A1 Claymore is available in the game, and can be used in the Special Ops mission "Server Crash" and in Survival mode. Enemy "Claymore Experts" in Survival mode also place Claymore mines. While in real life Claymores are usually command-detonated, these, as with most videogame Claymores, are proximity detonated, emitting two red laser-lines which describe the radius of the blast and show the approximate detonation distance.
== M26 hand grenade ==
Though never used in the game itself, an image of an M26 hand grenade appears in the list of gear Price requests during the briefing for the mission "Stronghold." During the mission itself, he still uses the M67.
== M67 Hand Grenade ==
The M67 hand grenade is the main grenade used by all factions. Unusually for a game, the pin is actually detached during the throw animation, and thrown grenades lack pins and safety levers.
==M84 Stun Grenade==
Generally the player character's alternate grenade during the campaign will be the M84 stun grenade; as usual for the series, they "blind" and "deafen" anything caught in their blast radius; NPC enemies will stagger around blindly for a short time, while players will have their screen turned completely white and then blurry as the effect wears off, and their audio replaced with a "deafened" high ringing tone for a short time.
In multiplayer, two versions of the M84 appear, the "Flash Grenade," which functions similarly to singleplayer, and the "Concussion Grenade;" the latter slows enemies down as well as disorienting them, and explodes on a timer if it does not hit something first. Confusingly, the icon for the "Flash Grenade" is the "9-Bang" found in the singleplayer mission "Black Tuesday," even though the two look nothing alike and the multiplayer flash grenade is not a multi-shot flash grenade.
==MK 3 CLAM==
An MK 3 CLAM limpet mine is used to breach the Russian Oscar submarine in "Hunter Killer".
= Mounted Weapons =
== Bofors 40mm ==
In the introduction to the mission "Iron Lady" a wireframe AC-130U "Spooky II" gunship can be seen, visibly armed with a Bofors 40mm L/60 gun and an M102 howitzer.
== Browning M2HB Heavy Machine Gun ==
A Browning M2HB heavy machine gun can be seen mounted on an M1126 Stryker APC during the first mission. M2s are later seen mounted on technical trucks in Sierra Leone, and on German Leopard 2 A7+ tanks in Berlin. 
== DShK Heavy Machine Gun ==
Mounted DShK heavy machine guns are also seen on a variety of vehicles, and can sometimes be used when found mounted on monopods. They are sometimes incorrectly seen mounted on T-90 main battle tanks, despite the real-life T-90 being equipped with either the NSV or Kord heavy machine gun. Other T-90s completely lack a commander's heavy machine gun.
== General Dynamics GAU-12/U ==
The AC-130U "Spooky II" gunship in "Iron Lady" is armed with a General Dynamics GAU-12/U 25mm cannon as its lightest armament. Unlike previous games, the AC-130U has equal levels of zoom on all weapons and can for the first time use a standard day camera rather than being restricted to thermal only. 
== General Dynamics GAU-17/A ==
The General Dynamics GAU-17/A can be used in singleplayer and is part of the fictional "M5 Sentry Gun" rig used in multiplayer, Survival and some Special Ops missions. It is seen fitted with a number of Dillon Aero minigun parts including the spade grips, drive motor and gun control unit. When seen on the UH-60 Black Hawk it is incorrectly mounted on the right doorway instead of the right window; this mistake also appears in Modern Warfare 2. The sentry gun version can be accessed in multiplayer with a pointstreak and is bought from the Equipment Armoury in Survival.
== General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger ==
A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft seen in the game are armed with a General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger as their gun armament. During the battle for Berlin in the mission "Scorched Earth," Westbrook can use a Special Operating Forces Laser Marker (SOFLAM) designator to call in gun runs on Russian tanks.
thumb|none|400px|General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger - 30x173mm
== General Electric M134 Minigun ==
Enemy MH-6 "Little Bird" helicopters in Survival mode are incorrectly shown armed with GE M134 Miniguns under their chins; the real "Little Bird" mounts miniguns under the wings, while the chin mounting is a sensor. Presumably this is done to make the helicopters more dangerous to the player than they would be if they were only armed with fixed miniguns. Correctly-configured "Little Birds" can be seen in the singleplayer campaign. A minigun can also be seen on magazine covers in the Paris maps.
thumb|none|400px|General Electric M134 - 7.62x51mm NATO
== Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 ==
At various points in the campaign MiG-29 fighters can be seen, presumably armed with Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 guns.
== Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2 ==
As with the prior Modern Warfare entries, Hind helicopters in the game seem to be a fictional hybrid of the export Hind-E (Mi-35M) and the Mi-24P, armed with both a chin-mounted Yakushev-Borzov Yak-B cannon and a twin Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2K mounted on the right-hand side of the fuselage.
== Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30 ==
Russian surface ships can be seen armed with Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30 rotary guns in AK-630 installations.
thumb|none|400px|GSh-6-30 (AO-18) rotary gun in an AK-630 naval installation - 30x165mm
== Kalashnikov PKT ==
The PKT machine gun is mounted coaxially on Russian T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks, along with some (but not all) BTR-80A IFVs.
== M102 105mm Howitzer ==
The most powerful armament of the AC-130U "Spooky II" gunship is the M102 Howitzer mounted on the rear-left of the fuselage.
thumb|none|400px|Modified M102 howitzer as mounted on AC-130-series gunships - 105x372mm R
==M197 Vulcan==
The M197 Vulcan cannon can be seen mounted on AH-1W Supercobra attack helicopters.
== M2 Mortar ==
During the mission "Back on the Grid," a militia group in Sierra Leone use an M2 Mortar to bombard Price, Soap and Yuri, the latter taking control of it later on to destroy a number of technicals.
== M230 Chain Gun ==
The M230 Chain Gun can be seen mounted on AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.
thumb|none|400px|Hughes/Alliant Techsystems M230 Chain Gun - 30mm
== M240C ==
M1A1 Abrams tanks can be seen mounting M240C machine guns coaxially; they can also be seen mounted on wrecked Bradleys in the map "Interchange."
== M240D ==
The M240D is not seen on tanks during the campaign (which instead mount a completely incorrect GAU-17/A minigun), but in the maps "Dome" and "Downturn" derelict M1A1 Abrams can be seen mounting the correct Browning M2 and M240D on the commander's and loader's hatches respectively.
== M242 Bushmaster Chaingun ==
In the map "Interchange" a pair of wrecked M2 Bradley IFVs can be found, armed with M242 Bushmaster chainguns. Magazine covers seen in the game also include one with an image of a Bradley.
== M61 Vulcan==
M61 Vulcan cannons can be seen Phalanx installations during the naval battle in New York harbour. They are also presumably mounted on the F-15C Eagle fighters seen during the campaign.
== MG3 machine gun ==
German Leopard 2 A7+ tanks in Berlin are armed with coaxial MG3A1 machine guns.
== Mk 19 Grenade Launcher ==
The Mk 19 Grenade Launcher appears in Survival mode as the "Sentry Grenade Launcher," a powerful but slow-firing automated gun which the player can pick up and move around.
== Mk 47 Mod 0 Grenade Launcher ==
While extracting "Soap" MacTavish at the end of the mission "Persona Non Grata," Yuri takes command of an unmanned ground vehicle armed with a GAU-17/A minigun and a Mk 47 Mod 0 Grenade Launcher.
== Shipunov 2A42 ==
Mi-28N Havoc attack helicopters use the Shipunov 2A42 cannon in their chin mounting. The Shipunov can also be seen mounted on BTR-80A IFVs.
thumb|none|400px|2А42 on Mi-28N helicopter - 30x165mm
== Yakushev-Borzov Yak-B ==
Enemy Mi-24 "Hind" attack helicopters are armed with a poorly-rendered chin-mounted Yakushev-Borzov Yak-B four-barrel gatling. While the model is so low-detail the four barrels are rendered as a rectangle, four openings can be seen at the muzzle, implying it is supposed to be a Yak-B.
== Fictionalized MIM-104 Patriot ==
The fictional SAM Turret is essentially a miniaturized MIM-104 Patriot system.
= Other =
== M65 Atomic Cannon & W9 Nuclear Artillery Shell ==
A doctored image of the nuclear test Upshot-Knothole Grable can be seen in some maps as a movie poster. Grable was a shell fired from an M65 Atomic Cannon and the W9 nuclear artillery shell was itself a "gun-type" fission assembly based around a modified antiaircraft gun which fired one subcritical mass at the other.
=Unusable Weapons=
This section excludes mounted and emplaced weapons as well as grenades and explosives - you can find them under their respective categories.
==AT4==
A pickup icon for the M136 AT4 was seen in the "Black Tuesday" gameplay trailer, though ultimately the weapon is never available during gameplay. Nevertheless, it can briefly be seen at the start of "Persona Non Grata": as soon as the player takes full control of Yuri, they can advance towards the balcony and witness a Loyalist soldier using an AT4 to destroy a helicopter.
thumb|none|400px|M136 AT4 - 84mm
==Beretta 92FS==
In Survival mode, an icon of a Beretta 92FS is used to mark the position of the Weapon Armoury, where the players can buy and upgrade their weapons. It is also seen in the holster of the Delta Force operator in the cover art. It cannot be used in gameplay.
==Glock 19==
A Glock 19 can be seen as the "Quickdraw" perk symbol.
== "M21" ==
The suppressed, camouflaged M14 made to look like an M21 sniper rifle with its attached sniper scope from the mission "All Ghillied Up" in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare can be seen in the briefing for the mission "Return to Sender." At this distance, it is impossible to tell if it is the same faux-M21 from CoD4, or if it is an actual M21. For simplicity's sake, it is assumed this is a reused asset, hence the weapon being listed under "M21".
==M60E4==
The M60E4 is seen on the briefing screen of the DLC map "Vortex," despite not actually appearing anywhere in the game.
== RPD ==
During the introduction to the mission "Return to Sender," a militiaman armed with the Call of Duty 4 RPD can briefly be seen. The weapon does not appear in the mission itself, or anywhere else in the game.
thumb|none|400px|RPD Light Machine Gun - 7.62x39mm
== Sears Ranger ==
During the mission "Back on the Grid," Soap has a 12 gauge sawed-off shotgun strapped to his back with cloth wrapped around the action. He never uses this weapon during the level; it appears to be the "Ranger" shotgun from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
== Springfield Armory Loaded 1911 ==
The Springfield Armory Loaded 1911 appears during the flashback to the end of Call of Duty 4 in the introduction, and in the hands of Price in the Prague level. It cannot be used by the player in any game mode.
== TDI Vector ==
The TDI Vector was seen slung over a character' shoulder in one of the game's pre-release trailers; it was most likely a placeholder from Modern Warfare 2, since the weapon does not appear in the final game. As it is most likely a reused asset, it is the prototype Vector with the stock from the Gen 1 Vector and loaded with KRISS 25+ round extended Glock magazines.
== Percussion Pistol ==
What looks like Harper's Ferry Flintlocks converted to percussion lock are seen on the "Sarge" calling card.
Category:Video Game
Category:War
Category:First-Person Shooter