How to Quickscope in Modern Warfare 3

Quickscoping represents the peak of sniper skill in the Call of Duty franchise. Even though ARs and SMGs are the go-to weapons when it comes to versatility, you can use snipers at close range as well if you know how. We will break down how to quickscope in Modern Warfare 3 so you can take that favorite sniper of yours indoors as well.

MW3 Quickscoping, Explained

Let’s first review what this mechanic is. Quickscoping in MW3 is essentially aiming and shooting in one quick motion. It allows you to fire shots with perfect accuracy in very little time, even at close range. It has been an extremely popular mechanic in Call of Duty ever since players started abusing it with Intervention in MW2 back in 2009.

The whole technique can be reduced to: you aim your sniper and fire as soon as the ADS animation completes. It doesn’t sound that hard, does it? The trick is to gain consistency with your quickscope timing and, of course, make your scoping as fast as possible.

An alternative version of quickscoping is to start the ADS motion while you are aiming close to the enemy, and then as the scope is zooming in or a bit after it has fully zoomed, you flick your crosshair to the enemy and then shoot. It might sound too simple or too slow, but it’s the preferred way for most players.

You can also try thinking about quickscoping this way: full scope and then fire quickly. Try scoping in fully every time, and then limit test how quickly you can fire off as soon as you are zoomed in. Don’t try to Full Scope and Fire at the same time, as that kind of practice will prove to be counterproductive.

How to Practice Quickscoping

The quintessential part of quickscoping is to wait until the ADS animation completes. Firing before that will cause the shot to be inaccurate, making the shot useful only at extremely short range. You can use it that way as well, but it can turn into a really bad habit.

There are two key ways you can practice quickscoping. The first and most obvious is to pick your favorite sniper, go into firing range, and start shooting. Every time you press your ADS bind, keep your focus on the target you want to hit. A good method is to start every shot by aiming a bit off target before scoping, and as you scope, flick on target and shoot. You can wait until it’s fully scoped before starting the flick as well to get a better feel of the crosshair.

The other way is to go into Free For All with your favorite sniper loadout. It’s harder to practice the timing this way, but flicking and doing it in a real match might help you learn faster. It’s important to track the player’s movement as you scope in. It might even be better not to use a sniper at all. Just track people with an AR — and also change your sensitivity if needed — to truly match your hands and your gun’s movement in the game.

How to Increase ADS Speed

A good loadout is required to make your quickscopes the best they can be. In MW2, FJX Imperium and MCPR-300 are the go-to snipers for this. They should remain top tier in MW3 as well since all the guns from MW2 will carry over to MW3. The new Longbow sniper is also a good choice.

The most important thing is to get all the attachments and perks that reduce ADS on your gun. Weapon sway, bullet speed, and similar modifiers that won’t improve close to medium range combat shouldn’t be the focus.

Not required but nice to have are Tactical Pads, Marksman Gloves, or Tactical Boots; in general, equipment that enhances aiming down sight in some way. Experiment and find what equipment works best for you.

Other Ways to Make Quickscoping Easier

Don’t forget to save an attachment slot for a laser. It changes the way you position your crosshair and makes tracking people during the scoping motion much easier.

You should also practice quickscoping with friends. Gather your pals, create a custom All for All match, and quickscope away. That way, all of you can practice together, and it makes for a much better environment than the firing range.

Finally, don’t use Toggle ADS. Even though it might seem easier to quickscope this way at first, it’s bad in the long run since it’s slower and will mess with your gameplay with all the other rifles.

That’s everything you need to know about how to quickscope in Modern Warfare 3. Learning how to quickscope takes time, but you’ve already taken the first step. For more tips and tricks on the game, make sure to check our other guides linked down below.