Best Shotguns in Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) Tier List

The new weapons introduced in Modern Warfare 3 have to find their spot in the META, and in some cases define it themselves. Today we’re looking at all the new Shotguns and slotting them into a neat tier list so you can pick up the strongest CQC weapon without issue.

Best Shotgun in Modern Warfare 3 Tier List

The Shotgun class has historically been lackluster and never really pushed the envelope. While MW3 does a few things to help with the usual issues with Shotguns, they still are significantly weaker than SMGs and ARs. Shotguns can dominate the closest fights, but are completely helpless in any range above that.

With this in mind, here is our Shotgun tier list for Modern Warfare 3.

As Season 1 of Modern Warfare 3 approaches, we promise to update the tier list as Sledgehammer Game’s buffs and nerfs.

C-Tier MW3 Shotguns

Our C Tier houses guns that are almost forgotten by the players, and without significant buffs they will forever remain alongside dust and old knickknacks. These weapons are weak, unable to contend with even the most standard guns, and have far too many weaknesses to overcome.

Riveter

The Riveter is a fully automatic shotgun that can unload an entire mag in just a few seconds, but this singular positive is potentially the reason for its many negatives.

Fully automatic shotguns have historically been either broken and S-tier or completely useless. Sadly, the Riveter is among the latter. Its mediocre damage is the expected outcome of its high fire rate, and due to this it takes a hit to its range as well. So not only do you have no chance against an enemy in close-medium range, but you are at a disadvantage immediately since its damage is so low.

AR and SMG players will find themselves outgunning the Riveter at almost every opportunity. There are not many attachments you can slot onto this weapon to fix these issues either, which is why we place it on the bottom of the tier.

B-Tier MW3 Shotguns

B Tier is for weapons that could use some love from Sledgehammer Games, as some choice buffs could see these weapons propelled to new heights. As of right now, these weapons cannot contend with the best of the bunch consistently enough to have them placed any higher.

Haymaker

Is there any surprise that the Haymaker finds itself in the middling tier?

The Haymaker is a good medium for a shotgun but does still land itself in a slightly weaker position compared to the top of this list. A semi-automatic shotgun’s damage profile usually sits directly between full auto and pump-action. The same is true for MW3 and the Haymaker, bringing with it a large amount of damage and range for its position.

Again, its recoil and accuracy can be totted as somewhere in the middle, but finally matches the other shotguns in mobility. The Tac-Stance mechanic also helps this weapon somewhat, so be sure to utilize the feature to pop your opponents.

With some buffs, we can potentially see this weapon dominate all maps, but for now, it’s an alright weapon.

A-Tier MW3 Shotguns

The A Tier is where balanced weapons call home. The weapons here are strong and can contend with the best, but do have weaknesses that must be compensated for via attachments; or, if you’re willing, ignored completely. They need no buffs or nerfs, and can remain in this state indefinitely.

Lockwood 680

The pump-action shotgun with the highest damage profile can put opponents in the dirt with a single buckshot.

Thanks to its pump action, the Lockwood 680 receives very high damage and a decent amount of range for a shotgun. For the first time, you won’t be outmatched the moment an opponent is a few feet away from you. Tack on a few choice attachments and this range advantage can be maximized, but you will have to sacrifice some mobility. That may not be a bad thing as these shotguns all have amazing handling that can be shaved off to bolster the weapon itself.

Shotgun players will want to level up the Lockwood 680 as fast as possible to blow out the competition.

That’s it for our best Shotguns in Modern Warfare 3 tier list. Be sure to check out all the related Call of Duty content below for all the best guides, recent news, and updates.