Top 5 Shotgun Loadouts in Call of Duty: MW3

This list contains the top 5 shotgun loadouts in Call of Duty: MW3

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has introduced various weapons for its players on the fighting grounds. The guns across all categories remain balanced enough to the state where each gun is somewhat viable in a match and not using a specific weapon does not put someone at a disadvantage. The game’s arsenal is also able to maintain a sense of diversity and uniqueness for every match because of this. Players can pick whichever gun they feel and perform well with it. From Snipers to SMGs, or the ever-reliable ARs, every weapon has its place in the game.

Despite the balancing and diversity Shotguns are still one of the more feasible options to go for. Due to the high damage at close ranges and rate of fire, some of the Shotguns available in Modern Warfare 3 outclass the other categories of weapons.

So let's take a look at the best 5 shotguns with their loadouts in CoD: MW3.

Top 5 Shotgun Loadouts

There is a vast number of shotguns in Modern Warfare 3, but only a handful can be effective to a large extent in high-level games. The top-rated players use these Shotguns and have shown the potential they have. Due to factors like limited range and fire rate, it is crucial to be careful and pick the one that can cause heavy damage in almost every situation. Here are 5 of our picks which we believe are the best shotguns in the game currently.

5. Expedite 12

The Expedite 12 is a feasible option for any game mode. It has outstanding damage and a decent range for a shotgun. The default 7-round magazine is also a reasonable count to have. The only issue is its high recoil, but after using the gun for a couple of games it becomes quite easy. With some of the attachments which are mentioned below, players can wreak havoc with this weapon and easily outgun multiple enemies coming at them. The damage and magazine size alone are what make this shotgun rank 5th on our list.

Here are the attachments for the Expedite 12:

• VLK LZR 7MW Laser
• Bryson Choke
• Slimline Pro
• 12 Gauge Slug Ammo
• Bryson Reverb-55 Stock

These attachments fix the high recoil while maintaining the insane damage of the Expedite 12. The Bryson muzzle and stock cause a significant reduction in the gun's recoil. This does reduce the damage output and range but the 12 Gauge Slugs help maintain the damage making this a very practical option to choose.

4. Haymaker

The Haymaker is more situational compared the the Expedite 12, but is very deadly in close combat. Due to its magazine design, the rate of fire is out of this world. With a shotgun like this, raining continuous rounds on enemies giving them no room to react is quite easy. Even newer players can clear out an entire room of enemies with the Haymaker. The only drawback that comes from a design like this is the low damage. A player can tank a few rounds from this weapon before finally dying, so it is important to keep bombarding your targets while using the Haymaker.

Here are the attachments for the Haymaker:

• RMGE-7 Muzzle
• Imperator Long Barrel
• FTAC Grimline Laser
• No Stock
• VX Pineapple Underbarrel

The main focus of this loadout is to improve the gun’s handling and mobility. Since players will be able to withstand a few rounds before actually dying, it is important to dodge their bullets while also accurately dropping continuous rounds on them. The RMGE-7 muzzle and Pineapple under-barrel significantly improve the recoil and accuracy of the weapon while moving. The No Stock mod also improves the mobility of the weapon, allowing the player to be a running speed demon with a canon as a weapon.

3. MX Guardian

This shotgun is the dungeon boss of shotgun magazine sizes. The MX Guardian has a helical magazine that can hold 15 rounds. It is also fully automatic, making it very easy to use. Players don’t have to worry about accuracy or missing shots too much with a shotgun like this. The MX Guardian allows players to continuously fire at enemies. Despite all the pros, with every fully auto shotgun comes pretty low damage, so a player can take a few shots before they finally die.

Here are the attachments for the MX Guardian:

• XTEN Modified Choke Muzzle
• MX-G Mobile Barrel
• Schlager ULO-66 Laser
• MX Pro Magazine
• XRK Rush Rear Grip

The attachments mentioned above improve the gun’s rate of fire and accuracy, especially the MX-G Barrel. The other attachments like the XRK rip and XTEN Muzzle improve various aspects like the range, bullet spread, and mobility. So the gun becomes very fast and suitable for a mobile run-and-gun-like style. This complements the MX Guardian well and allows the user to be a fierce threat in any game.

2. Lockwood 300

This double-shot break-action shotgun is one of the most powerful guns in the whole game. The Lockwood 300 blasts two bullets with very low spread and high accuracy at any hostile. The Lockwood is effective at very high ranges considering that this is a shotgun. It can easily vaporize any enemy with a single shot if hit accurately. This is probably the only shotgun where accuracy and aim are quite vital. The only downside here is the long reload, which allows squads to take out the user while they are vulnerable.

Here are the attachments for the Lockwood 300:

• GW Max-99 Muzzle
• Matuzek 812 Barrel
• VLK LZR 7MW Laser
• Heist Stock
• Maelstrom Dual Trigger

The best part of this gun is the Maelstrom Dual Trigger which allows the player to shoot both of the Lockwood 300’s powerful bullets at once. The rest of the attachments are built around this factor. The Max-99 muzzle and Matuzek barrel increase the gun’s range and bullet velocity. The Heist Stock Mod removes the stock entirely to improve movement. With all these factors the Lockwood 300 can be the perfect one-shot kill shotgun that devastates anyone facing it.

1. Lockwood 680

The Lockwood 680 can be considered the younger and more modern version of the old Lockwood 300. The main highlights of this gun are its versatility and accuracy. This shotgun handles like a dream with great accuracy and fire rate. It is very effective in most scenarios and allows the user to take out anyone with very little effort. The only downside is the strong kickback with the gun's recoil. But with the loadout suggested below, this gun becomes an unstoppable force.

Here are the attachments for the Lockwood 680:

• Matuzek XRAY Skeletonized Guard
• Bryson Hammer forged Long Barrel
• Express Light Bolt
• Sawed Off Stock
• XRK Edge BW-4 Handstop

Each of the attachments mentioned affects some aspect of the gun positively without many drawbacks. The Bryson Barrel, Matuzek guard, and Sawed-Off Stock improve the gun's range, bullet velocity, and movement speed. The Light Bolt improves the reload time for the Lockwood 680, allowing the player to move with agility and eliminate players in quick succession. Overall these attachments enhance the already very strong Lockwood 680, placing it first on our list as the best shotgun in MW3 right now.

Make sure you check out our other articles about Call of Duty to stay updated with the game and its state.