Want to know the best Modern Warfare 3 Sidewinder loadout? You're in luck, as we've got all the latest on the strongest build for what's being described as the worst gun in all of multiplayer.
The Sidewinder is a hard-hitting, fully-automatic battle rifle, firing large 7.62 calibre rounds at high velocity. With high power comes a major tradeoff, with the gun having much higher recoil than assault rifles when used in full auto. However, each round packs a punch, so you'll need to hit fewer shots to take down your opponent.
Before we take a look at the best Sidewinder loadouts, you should consider our guides on whether Modern Warfare 3 will have slide-cancelling, or how to inspect your weapon, You can find these and much more in our dedicated Modern Warfare 3 walkthrough hub.
click to enlargeWhat is the best Modern Warfare 3 Sidewinder loadout?
- Perks: Overkill / Scavenger / Stalker / Tac Mask
- Grenades: Semtex / Scatter Mine
This build manages to bring the recoil of the Sidewinder down to more manageable levels in addition to increasing the damage range to enhance long-distance performance.
Due to the heavy nature of the battle rifle, the perk combination focuses on enhancing mobility when moving around the battlefield.
Best Modern Warfare 3 Sidewinder attachments
After testing numerous attachment combinations to make the Sidewinder somewhat useable, we've found this set of five attachments that drastically improves its performance:
- Barrel: Rattleback Deadeye 16" Barrel
- Optic: Slimline Pro
- Stock: SL Warforged Precision Stock
- Underbarrel: FTAC MSP-98 Handstop
- Rear Grip: RB Borealis Grip
The Rattleback Deadeye 16" Barrel is the only attachment improving bullet velocity guaranteeing minimal damage drop-off at longer distances. The main focus is addressing the terrible recoil of the Sidewinder which is where the SL Warforged Precision Stock and RB Borealis Grip come into play.
To tame the vertical recoil even further, the FTAC MSP-98 Handstop tries its best to bring the fire rate in line with the target in front of you.
Best Modern Warfare 3 Sidewinder perks and equipment
Below, we’ve got the best perks and equipment to help you get the most out of the Sidewinder in Modern Warfare 3.
Perks
- Vest: Overkill
- Gloves: Scavenger
- Boots: Stalker
- Gear: Tac Mask
If you're trying to improve the mobility and recoil control of your Sidewinder, you should equip the Overkill vest. This will allow you to reload while sprinting, as well as increase your weapon swap speed. For the gloves, we recommend the Scavenger perk; you don't get many magazines with the Sidewinder, and if you're making use of its full-auto functions you'll run out of ammo in no time.
The Sidewinder also has quite a slow ADS speed, which can be a challenge if you're taken by surprise. Thankfully, the Stalker boots will improve your ADS speed, as well as give you a bonus to your strafing speed, making them a handy pick.
Finally, we prefer to pair the Tac Mask with the Sidewinder, as you'll have small magazines with not much ammo. Every bullet counts with the Sidewinder, so you'll want to minimise the impact of your opponents' flash utility.
Equipment
Lethal: Semtex
Tactical: Scatter Mine
For the Sidewinder, we prefer to bring Semtex for our lethal equipment, as the Sidewinder is weakest in close-range engagements. Semtex allows you to reliably take down players at close range, thanks to its sticky properties.
Also, for the tactical equipment, our pick is the Scatter Mine. This will pick you up some free kills across the round if you can place them well, and they're a useful tool to passively hold a flank. As you'll want to be taking ranged fights with the Sidewinder, having some flank cover can go a long way.
Is the Modern Warfare 3 Sidewinder meta?
The Sidewinder is at its best in long-range gunfights, so it'll be somewhat dependent on the design of Modern Warfare 3's maps. However, its high damage makes it a strong candidate for more technically skilled players, but its high recoil renders it almost useless in all situations. We recommend looking elsewhere for a strong battle rifle.
That’s all there is to know about the Sidewinder and its best loadout. For more Modern Warfare 3 content, why not check out the best controller settings for the game or the optimal graphics settings for Modern Warfare 3? We’ve also got the latest on whether Modern Warfare 3 has skill-based match-making.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Guides and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 page.