What is the best MW3 MTZ-556 loadout? Despite it being unlocked early on at level 12, the MTZ-556 is a great assault rifle that many players, including ourselves, have used even into the later levels. The strong, aggressive playstyle of the MTZ-556 lets it dominate on the close to mid-range maps of MW3, though it does take some work to really make it shine. That’s why we’ve put together the best MW3 MTZ-556 loadout and build, making this feisty weapon into one of the best assault rifles in the game.
Despite the MW3 MTZ-556 being often outclassed by the MCW, one of the MW3 best guns overall due to its faster TTK and better handling, it’s still a surprisingly popular choice in the MW3 meta. That’s why we’ve turned the MTZ-556 into one of the best MW3 loadouts in town. In fact, it’s how we quickly Gilded the gun during our MW3 review process.
MW3 MTZ-556 loadout
The best MW3 MTZ-556 loadout is:
- Muzzle – Shadowstriker Suppressor
- Barrel – MTZ Drifter Heavy Long Barrel
- Underbarrel – Bruen Heavy Support Grip
- Rear Grip – Bruen TR-24 Assault Grip
- Magazine – 50 Round Drum
If you’re looking for a dependable assault rifle for close to mid-range (let’s face it, who isn’t?) then this MW3 MTZ-556 build is the one for you. It focuses on adding more range and versatility, without sacrificing the innate close-range scrappiness of the weapon. In other words, with the second fastest time-to-kill (TTK) within 26.7m, it’s a force to be reckoned with and it’s the build we used to grind the MW3 camos for the weapon.
Kicking things off with the invaluable Shadowstrike Suppressor, we’re able to better flank our foes. With the classic red dots featuring on the minimap once more when firing in MW3, a suppressor is much more important than it was in MW2 (2022), and the Shadowstrike is the perfect one. Why? Because it simply makes you undetectable, without any downsides. Since the MTZ-556 excels within 27m, a suppressor makes it much easier to reposition to get within the more limited range of this assault rifle. It’s a core part of the playstyle and there are few other alternative attachments that would better take its place, as the rest of the loadout has the recoil under control.
Next up, we have the MTZ Drifter Heavy Long Barrel to improve the control and range of this rather unruly weapon. Increasing bullet velocity, range, aiming idle sway, recoil control, and gun kick control at the cost of sprint to fire speed, movement speed, and sprint speed, you really can’t go wrong. The long list of positives is vital to enhancing the overall performance of this MTZ-556 build, and the hits to mobility are fairly minor compared to the benefits. You’ll still be agile enough to reposition swiftly, but the gun is now much easier to use in general.
From here, we opted for the Bruen Heavy Support Grip to further rein in the recoil control to help it at further ranges. More specifically, it boosts gun kick control, firing stability, horizontal recoil control, and aiming idle sway. Though mobility takes a further hit, the added control really helps the MTZ-556 out as it already shines in close-range fights and just needs that extra push for more mid to long-range engagements. From experimenting with the MTZ-556 in matches and the firing range, we identified the horizontal recoil as a particular weakness, so, problem solved!
The next attachment in our MW3 MTZ-556 loadout is the Bruen TR-24 Assault Grip. As the name suggests, this rear grip is ideal for a fairly aggressive assault rifle playstyle, improving firing aim stability, gun kick control, and recoil control at the cost of aiming idle sway. These are massive benefits all while having a negligible negative impact since we’re not using a magnified scope or trying for kills at the far reaches of the map. As a result, it’s a hearty stat bump that’s too good to pass up. There are alternatives if you’d rather though, such as the MTZ Aggressor Grip for an even more aggressive and fast-paced playstyle which suits the MTZ-556 loadout well.
Finally, we have the 50 Round Drum magazine attachment. With our previous attachments in this MW3 MTZ-556 build focusing on improving control, range, and general reliability, our last option turns the firepower up a notch. Although handling and mobility take a hit, having 50 bullets ready to unleash down range is incredibly handy. Since the MTZ-556 is aggressive by nature, this drum lets you stay on the move and take down multiple foes without having to worry about reloading. When paired with the rest of the loadout, particularly the Assault Gloves, you’ll see what we mean.
On some MW3 maps, however, particularly ones with longer sightlines to contend with, we do swap the 50 Round Drum mag for the Slate Reflector optic. The MTZ’s iron sights aren’t bad, but they’re not exactly the easiest to use at longer ranges. So, when on larger maps or ones with more dense foliage for our enemies to hide in, having such a clear optic makes it much easier to land hits, particularly at mid to long-range.
Now you’ve got the best MW3 MTZ-556 build at the ready, now all you need is the full class setup to take advantage of this scrappy assault rifle. After all, there are a lot more moving parts involved in a loadout than your primary weapon, as much as that is important.
MW3 MTZ-556 class setup
The best MW3 MTZ-556 class setup is:
- Vest – Overkill Vest
- Secondary – Rival-9/Longbow
- Tactical – Stun/Flash Grenade
- Lethal – Breacher Drone
- Field Upgrade – N/A
- Gloves – Assault Gloves
- Boots – Covert Sneakers
- Gear – EOD Padding
Starting off with the biggest choice of all, we’ve gone for the Overkill Vest. Though the Gunner and Infantry Vest are also strong alternatives, letting you reload faster and carry two primaries, and reposition faster respectively, Overkill synergizes with the playstyle the most. Since we’ve tailored the MTZ-556 build to focus on mid-range without sacrificing close-range power, the ability to reload on the move (especially with our heavy 50 Round Drum) and carry two primary weapons is unmatched. Unlike the Gunner Vest, we also retain access to the Boots slot, which is crucial, though we do lose access to Field Upgrades. Nevertheless, it’s a worthwhile trade. If you’re using a different Vest, one which can use Field Upgrades, then we recommend you bring the Comm Scrambler.
With the Overkill Vest strapped on, we’re able to bring a second primary weapon along with us. However, there’s two strong picks depending on your playstyle. If you prefer getting up close and personal or play a lot of fast-paced objective MW3 modes like Hardpoint, then the Rival-9 or WSP Swarm is your best bet for those panicked moments when you really need a CQC weapon. On the other hand, you could bring the Longbow or AMR sniper for a more long-range approach.
We often find ourselves switching between the two styles depending on the map and mode we’re on, so check out the best MW3 Rival-9 loadout and MW3 Longbow loadout to learn more.
Next up is the throwable equipment, which is largely up to personal preference. With that said, there are a handful of strong options that we love using. For the Tactical slot, we find the Flash or Stun Grenade works wonders for slowing our foes down and giving us the leg-up in a fight, whether we’re on the offensive or defensive side. As for Lethals, we can’t get enough of the Breacher Drone. Though the long cast time can be a pain at times, sending an explosive delivery drone towards a bunkered enemy (or even a spawn area if you’re feeling cheeky) is too much fun. If it doesn’t outright kill them, then they’ll be injured enough for you to quickly finish them off with the MTZ-556 build. If you’re not as big a fan of the Breacher Drone then the tried and true Frag Grenade or Semtex also work as well as ever.
Then we have the Gloves, Boots, and Gear items, which are arguably the most important aspects of the best MW3 MTZ-556 loadout besides the gun and Vest. Starting off with Gloves, we find the Assault Gloves are a perfect fit, improving accuracy and ADS time while jumping. Why is that important? Well, it lets us jump around corners quickly and still land shots, which is great for aggressive assault rifles and nearly all SMGs. The Marksman Gloves and Scavenger Gloves are also good options, reducing flinch while ADS and letting you resupply ammo respectively – the 50 Round Drum isn’t exactly efficient in the grand scheme of things.
There’s just as much variety when it comes to the Boots, though we’ve gone for the Covert Sneakers. As a stand-in for the Dead Silence Perk, Covert Sneakers reduce the sounds of our footsteps so we can flank our opponents without giving ourselves away. Remember, we’ve got the Shadowstrike Suppressor on the MTZ so we won’t be on the map when firing, so why let your clumsy feet give you away? As for alternatives, we often swap to the Stalker Boots and Lightweight Boots depending on the map and mode. The former grants increased strafe and ADS movement speed, which is ideal for a mobile assault rifle like the MTZ, while the latter gives you faster movement speed so that you can reposition quicker.
Last up is the Gear slot, which we’ve filled with the EOD Padding. Grenade and explosion spam will always be the bane of our existence and the EOD Padding is the only solution. Acting like the Flak Jacket Perk from previous Call of Duty games, EOD Padding reduces the damage of non-killstreak explosives and fire. In effect, you won’t get killed by stray grenades, Breacher Drones, and more. However, we also like using the Bone Conduction Headset to better detect enemy footsteps and gunshots. With how prevalent Covert Sneakers are, this Gear item is invaluable.
MW3 MTZ-556 alternatives
If you’re not a fan of the MTZ-556 then you’re in luck as there’s no shortage of alternatives. The most notable alternative is the best MW3 MCW loadout, a similarly aggressive assault rifle favoring rate of fire and stability over range. In fact, the MCW is an upgrade over the MTZ in nearly every way, even boasting a faster TTK within the same 26.7 effective range. As such, we recommend checking out our build guide and switching over when you can.
Another strong weapon that’s been ruling the meta is the Holger 556. This assault rifle places greater emphasis on range and accuracy as its slower rate of fire means you can get outmatched at close-range. However, it’s incredibly reliable and can drop enemies in no time. Take a look at our MW3 Holger 556 loadout to learn more.
There’s also the unique starting assault rifle, the SVA 545. Though it’s not quite as deadly as the MTZ-556 unless you know how to use its special firing pattern, it’s still a popular weapon that can fit the same playstyle as the MTZ. We’ve put together the best MW3 SVA 545 loadout so you know what works and what doesn’t.
Last, but by no means least, is the MW3 BAS-B loadout. Despite being a battle rifle, the BAS-B performs much like a heavy assault rifle due to its high damage and versatile ranged effectiveness. Though you’d expect it to be outmatched at close range, the raw firepower of the BAS-B often means you will beat out SMGs and assault rifles so long as you can land a headshot or two. It’s one of our favorite weapons right now and we recommend trying it out if you’re not getting on with the MTZ-556 build.
How to unlock the MTZ-556 in MW3
To unlock the MTZ-556 in MW3, you must reach level 12. Thankfully, this is a relatively low level so it shouldn’t take long to reach, nor are there any Armory challenges standing in your way. With 26 weapon levels to grind through once you’ve unlocked it, you’ll have your hands full.
Since the MTZ-556 is available so early on, it makes it a great alternative to the, generally more powerful, MCW. If you find yourself enjoying the MTZ-556 though, it doesn’t have to just be a stepping-stone for the higher-level alternative.
That covers the best MW3 MTZ-556 loadout, build, and full class setup. With one of the strongest weapons in MW3 multiplayer, you’re ready to dominate the leaderboard in one of the best FPS games. If you really fancy a challenge, there’s always MW3 ranked play to put your skills to the test. Either way, having the best PS5 controllers and best Xbox controllers will pair nicely with your new loadout, especially as some even come with extra buttons.