Battle Rifles are a strange class of weapon – they are generally Assault Rifles in all but name. The Sidewinder doesn’t break the mold in MW3 and Warzone, fitting nicely in equipping a large magazine and overwhelming opponents with high-damage bullets. So check out the best Sidewinder loadout for Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone below.
Best Sidewinder Loadout in Warzone
Best Sidewinder Attachments
The Sidewinder is a heavy-hitting Battle Rifle where you feel every single shot you take. It can be incredibly fun to feel the weapon in your hands and the Sidewinder is the best at giving you that feeling.
On the flip side, the Sidewinder sports an incredibly difficult recoil pattern and a heavy gun kick that makes accurate shots difficult. For that weakness it has a high damage per shot, resulting in downing enemy operators in four shots. Unlike the BAS-B, which favors an Assault Rifle playstyle, the Sidewinder leans towards the MTZ Interceptor so we must treat it as such. The majority of our loadout deals with the heavy kick by sacrificing every other stat to bring the Sidewinder under control.
The best attachments are as follows:
- Muzzle: JAK BFB
- Underbarrel: Bruen Heavy Support Grip
- Optic: Corio Eagleseye 2.5X
- Magazine: 30 Round Magazine
- Stock: RB Regal Heavy Stock
For the Sidewinder to compete we first have to address its recoil and gun kick problem. For that reason, we have a trio of attachments: the JAK BFB, Bruen Heavy Support Grip, and the RB Regal Heavy Stock. Together they promise to bring the Sidewinder under control by almost nullifying its recoil by sacrificing ADS speeds, movement and mobility, and some damage range.
Our optic of choice is the Corio Eagleseye 2.5x. This perfectly blends mid-to-long-range combat, while still offering a decent chance in close range. No other scope is as clean and well-rounded as the Corio.
Finally, we use the 30-Round Magazine to ensure we have enough ammunition to take down entire squads. It’s a general must-have in Urzikstan.
Best Sidewinder Perks
Our perks are recommended for Warzone in general but you can swap out perks for your preferred loadout. For those wondering what a good perk package looks like, read on.
The best perks are as follows:
- Perk 1: Sleight of Hand
- Perk 2: Double Time
- Perk 3: Tempered
- Perk 4: High Alert
Swapping to your secondary isn’t always faster than reloading when you’ve got Sleight of Hand, plus the added ability to run while changing mags. For these reasons, we use this perk. Double Time is a must-have in Warzone, especially with the long sightlines and the high mobility meta.
Tempered offers us a unique ability to plate up 33% quicker than opponents while needing almost 33% fewer plates than any other squad. You’ll find so much more bag space for other gadgets like smokes or grenades. Finally, High Alert is an underestimated perk that gives you information, saves your life, and can help you clutch a fight.
Best Sidewinder Loadout in Modern Warfare 3
Best Sidewinder Attachments
The Sidewinder was initially the worst Battle Rifle during Modern Warfare 3’s launch due to its unforgiving recoil, harsh gunkick, and less-than-stellar accuracy. But Activision has sought to bless the unruly weapons with certain attachments that can drastically reduce a gun’s recoil. Now that we enter Season 2, there’s plenty up for grabs that can change a weapon’s core identity.
The JAK BFB is one such attachment that we will utilize to help bring the Sidewinder under control. Aftermarket perks are another change that can alter a weapon’s viability. The Sidewinder can take advantage of these changes to bring itself into a respectable position in the meta.
The best attachments are as follows:
- Muzzle: JAK BFB
- Barrel: Rattleback Pro 14.5″ Maw Barrel
- Optic: Slate Reflector
- Stock: MCW Ironbark Tactical Stock
- Conversion Kit: JAK Thunder LMG Kit
The Sidewinder has its incredibly strong recoil so first, we commit the JAK BFB to both control the Sidewinder at base but also mitigate the following attachments.
For our barrel, we use the Rattleback Pro 14.5″ Maw, which increases our ADS speeds by sacrificing some control. This may seem to be counterproductive, but the JAK BFB is so strong that we can afford some decreases.
Our optic of choice is the Slate Reflector, a clean sight that offers no clutter for your best chance at spotting enemy operators.
The MCW Ironbark Tactical Stock is another increase to our ADS times. Since the MW3 meta is all about movement and speed, we must make sacrifices for the Sidewinder to match the best weapons.
Finally, we use the JAK Thunder LMG Conversion Kit, which turns the Sidewinder into an LMG that slowly ramps up its fire rate the longer you hold down the trigger. With the JAK BFB providing recoil reduction, this conversion kit offers the ability to take long gunfights consistently.
Not until I combined all the above attachments did I finally see some success with the Sidewinder, so for those trying to level up the weapon, do so with this in mind.
Best Sidewinder Perks
In Modern Warfare 3, we are treated to a revamped version of the perk system. Perks now take the form of specific pieces of body armor that you can mix and match like usual. The Sidewinder, as discussed, isn’t a very mobile weapon, but thanks to some perks, we can strengthen some of these weaknesses.
The best perks are as follows:
- Vest: Infantry Vest
- Gloves: Quick Grip Gloves
- Boots: Climbing Boots
- Gear: Tac Mask
Using the Infantry Vest is almost always the correct choice in MW3’s chaotic multiplayer. The best gloves in the game are undoubtedly the Quick Grip Gloves. They give you the ability to swap to your sidearm at a moment’s notice, often resulting in scoring a kill when it would otherwise be your death. The Sidewinder’s lack of mobility and handling in CQC can be helped with this perk. Climbing Boots are perfect for increasing your mobility to allow faster rotations and the use of vertical angles. Finally, the Tac Mask gives you some much-needed safety against Flashbang/Concussion equipment.
And there you have it, the best Sidewinder Loadout for Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone.
