Summary
SMGs are often seen as one of the most overpowered sets of weapons due to their damage capabilities, and their rapid fire. Truer words have never been spoken when it comes to the best SMGs inCall of Duty:Modern Warfare 3, allowing players to dominate the battlefield with fast-moving and highly accurate weapons.Modern Warfare 3provides a grand arsenal of weapons, with SMGs just being the tip of the iceberg.
If players want a hard-hitting, controlled, and fast-firing weapon, then SMGs are the safest bet and give players the opportunity they need to get a step closer to victory, with or without a team to assist them inMW3. However, with such a wide variety of SMGs, which of them are the best to bring into the fight?
Updated on Aug 01, 2025, by Jake Fillery:The best SMGs in Modern Warfare 3 will provide players with the tactical edge and speed that they need to beat the competition. Across various game modes and even Warzone, SMGs are almost essential to the fight thanks to their blend of close-range and medium-range potential. As the meta constantly changes in Modern Warfare 3, with new SMGs added to the game each season, it’s time to look at some of the best guns in MW3, and to see just why the SMGs take the cake.
10PDSW 528
Rapid-Fire With a High Ammunition Count
The PDSW 528 is one of the most standard and best SMGs inModern Warfare 3, thanks to its rapid-fire and compact polymer frame. Players can expect great things from the high-velocity ammunition, allowing them to rapidly take out any enemy that might be held up in a close-quarter building. The PDSW 528 may not beperfect when it comes to mid-range, but as a close-range weapon, it can well and truly dominate over the competition.
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80%
37%
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62%
64%
50
100
9Minibak
Destroy Close-Quarter Competition With Great Fire Rate and Recoil Control
Players can adore the uniqueness of the Minibak SMG. The design has been home to some of the best SMGs inCall of Dutyhistory, and what’s most notable is the high-capacity magazine, which allows players to have a default amount of64 rounds in every magazine. The high rate of fire and straight blowback system allow players to navigate through close-quarter spaces, and truly wipe out the competition, although it may not be the most beloved weapon when it comes to long-distance battles, try and get close and personal with the Minibak.
65%
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64
128
8Lachmann Shroud
Built-in Suppressor and Burst-Fire
The Lackmann Shroud SMG is a unique weapon due to the fact that it provides natural stealth to anyone who wields it. This weapon has a built-in suppressor, allowing players to run around sharp corners andtake their enemies out without them, or their allies, even being aware of what hit them in the first place.
The range and damage may lack slightly, but the stealth abilities certainly make up for it, especially with the accuracy that comes with the burst-fire model.
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55%
30
60
7FJX Horus
Excellent Damage, Mobility, and Speed
For players looking for something ultra-compact, the FJX Horus is for them. This weapon is tiny, and as a primary, it’s going to allow players more freedom of movement thanks to its lightweight design. Extra mobility will benefit players who want a weapon built for close-quarter combat and seemingly nothing else, but the Horus does lack in encounters outside of room clearing.
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75%
32
96
6AMR9
Consistently Great Stats Make For a Great Close-Range SMG
This fully automatic submachine gun has great potential for those seeking a close-range weapon with average stats. The AMR9 can shred any and all enemies that are within close contact, and whilst it may not seem it with the stats, the range, and recoil control make it fairlyeffective in the long run.
Using the AMR9 will warrant a slight bout of skill due to the accuracy needed to control this beast, and devastate those in the way, or trying to escape.
90
5Striker
Hard-Hitting and Very Controllable
The Striker is a competent SMG that players can enjoy with both close and mid-range battles. It boasts of a hard-hitting and controllable capability when it comes to shooting targets on the move. Whilst the Striker is not overly fast, its damage capabilities and over-average stats allow it to be one of the best SMGs inSledgehammer Games’MW3.
70
4RAM-9
A More Compact Assault Rifle
The RAM-9 definitely impresses with its design and capabilities, and it’s the perfect blend for players who don’t want to shy too far from their assault rifle origins. The RAM-9 has a great fire rate, and other consistently great stats like mobility, handling, and with the right attachments, range. Players who like the perfect balance of AR and SMG should look at the RAM-9 as their future pick.
3Static-HV
Fierce Fire Rate With an Incredible Ammo Capacity
The Static-HV might seem small, but it definitely packs a punch. Not only are the stats something to write home about, but the significant increase in ammo capacity and magazine size means that players won’t have to rely on reloading in the middle of a gunfight. The high ammo count is definitely the selling point, and the range and accuracy certainly help make the Static-HV stand out as something more than just a room-clearing machine.
150
2Superi 46
Impressive Stopping Power and Heavily Modifiable
The Superi 46 SMG has a great balance between an SMG and an AR, and with its modification potential, players can easily craft something worth using on the battlefield. Whether it’s short-range or medium-range, players can definitely feel the power and the kick of this pistol-caliber SMG, which will flinch and stop enemies in their tracks the moment the first shot is fired.
1Rival-9
Agile and Fast, Allowing For Swift and Effective Movements
Lightweight and agile, the Rival-9 is built for the sole purpose of clearing rooms, and clearing them quickly. The Rival-9 is yet another SMG with a grand fire rate, and handling on par with the best Assault Rifles inModern Warfare 3. Players should try out the Rival-9, especially with its recoil control, allowing players to not only dominate tight spaces and room clears but to hold down the line when it comes to more open spaces. Just try not to out-snipe a sniper with this one in thisshorter campaignCODtitle.
