MW3 Season 1 buffs and nerfs make sprint-to-fire speed slower for three SMGs

The inaugural MW3 Season 1 is upon us, and the latest update, as always, brings with it a slew of buffs and nerfs that define the opening multiplayer meta. Though Sledgehammer Games has made no significant, game-breaking balance changes this time around, they did make sure to nerf three popular SMGs in the Striker, WSP Swarm, and Striker 9, after these weapons wreaked plenty of quick-firing havoc during the game’s preseason period.

These fan-favorite staples of the MW3 Season 1 weapons list all had their sprint-to-fire speeds and aim-down sights time decreased, meaning you will now have to pay even closer attention to the attachments you equip with each one. Of course, if you don’t want to go through the trouble of trying out each muzzle, rear grip, and barrel with these guns, we’ve done all the hard work for you with our best WSP Swarm loadout in MW3 and the best Striker loadout in MW3. But we digress.

In addition to tweaking these three SMGs, the MW3 developer has also introduced plenty of changes to many other weapons in the game, including those you can carry forward from MW2. If you’re curious about these updates, we’ve covered them all below.

MW3 Season 1 buffs and nerfs

Take a look at all of the MW3 Season 1 buffs and nerfs here:

WEAPONS & ATTACHMENTS

• Decreased hipfire spread penalty incurred while firing/moving for all Submachine Guns.

Assault Rifles

• MTZ-556
  • Increased maximum hipfire spread while standing by 10%.
  • Increased maximum hipfire spread while crouched by 6%.
  • Increased hipfire spread penalty incurred while firing by 10%.
  • Increased hipfire spread penalty incurred while moving by 4%.
  • MTZ Natter Heavy Short (Barrel)
    • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 5%.
  • Bruen Thunder V9 (Stock)
    • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 6%.

Battle Rifles

• BAS-B
  • Increased damage multipliers in semi-auto fire type to intended values.
    • Lower-Torso: 1x to 1.2x
    • Arm & Hand: 1x to 1.35x
• Sidewinder
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 280ms to 265ms (-5%).
  • Tempus Predator Precision (Barrel)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 5%.
  • Huntsman Series-R Integrated Suppressor (Barrel)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 7%.
  • RB Borealis Grip (Rear Grip)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 5%.

Submachine Guns

• Striker
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 100ms (-9%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 230ms to 215ms (-7%).
  • Striker Stubby (Barrel)
    • Added 9% aim down sights time benefit.
• WSP Swarm
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 88ms (-20%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 190ms to 175ms (-8%).
• Striker 9
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 100ms (-9%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 225ms to 205ms (-9%).
  • Striker Stubby (Barrel)
    • Added 9% aim down sights time benefit.

Shotguns

• Lockwood 680
  • Tac-Stance will no longer reduce damage pellet count.

Marksman Rifles

• MCW 6.8
  • Equipping the Full-Auto Conversion Kit and 60rnd Drum Magazine will no longer result in a broken aim down sights animation.

Melee

• Riot Shield
  • Increased melee damage from 50 to 75 (+50%).
  • Added a 10% movement speed penalty while stowed.

Attachments

• S-37C DL Breacher Device (Muzzle)
  • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 14%.
  • Resolved an issue that prevented one-hit melee kills in round-based Modes.
• Bruen Tactical Vertical Grip (Underbarrel)
  • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 8%.
• Hollowpoint (Ammunition)
  • Decreased inflicted sprint penalty time from 800ms to 200ms (-75%).

Modern Warfare II (Carry-Forward)

• Increased reserve ammunition for all Weapons to MWIII standards.
• Decreased hipfire spread benefit of Underbarrel vertical grips by 5-12%.
• Decreased hipfire spread benefit of applicable Lasers by 2-5%.

Assault Rifles

• M4
  • Increased maximum damage from 28 to 35 (+25%).
  • Decreased head and neck damage multipliers from 1.37x 1.1x (-20%).

Battle Rifles

• TAQ-V
  • Increased lower-torso, leg, and foot damage multipliers from 0.8x to 1.1x (+38%).

Submachine Guns

• Vaznev-9K
  • Increased near-medium damage from 29 to 30 (+3%).
• ISO 45
  • Increased maximum damage from 30 to 33 (+10%).

Shotguns

• KV Broadside
  • Increased far-medium damage range from 9m to 10m (+8%).
  • Decreased aim down sights spread slightly.

Light Machine Guns

• RAAL MG
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 470ms to 390ms (-17%).
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 375ms to 320ms (-15%).
  • Decreased tactical sprint to fire time from 496ms to 416ms (-16%).
• 556 Icarus
  • Increased maximum damage from 28 to 34 (+21%).
  • Decreased head damage multiplier from 1.4x to 1.1x (-21%).

Marksman Rifles

• SP-R 208
  • Increased maximum damage range from 15m to 20m (+28%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 370ms to 340ms (-8%).

Handguns

• Basilisk
  • Increased maximum damage range from 5m to 7m (+35%).
  • Increased near-medium damage range from 6m to 15m (+140%).
  • Increased far-medium damage range from 17m to 23m (+32%).

That covers all of the changes Sledgehammer Games has introduced with their MW3 Season 1 buffs and nerfs. You can also check out these updates through Activision’s lengthy blog post. Alternatively, take a look at our guides on the MW3 Season 1 patch notes, the MW3 Season 1 BlackCell battle pass, and the MW3 missions list before you jump back in.