Best MW3 Bryson 800 loadout and class setup

Looking for the best Bryson 800 loadout in Modern Warfare 3? The Bryson 800 is a reliable pump-action shotgun in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 that can be highly customised to fit the right build for you.

The Bryson 800 is one of the many guns carried over from Modern Warfare 2 (which can be unlocked upon achieving level 21). If you're looking to kit out this customisable shotgun, we've rounded up the best mods to apply for optimal close-range combat and possible one-shot kills.

Why use the Bryson 800 in MW3?

The beauty of the Bryson 800 is its no-fuss attitude, something that is especially efficient in shotguns. With its high stopping power and customisation options, the Bryson 800 is a great foundation that, once combined with attachments, can soar to greatness.

Best Bryson 800 loadout in MW3

• Muzzle: SA MX-50
• Laser: VLK LZR 7MW
• Stock: Sawed Off Mod
• Underbarrel: Agent Grip
• Guard: Demo X50 Tactical Pump

Unusually for a Shotgun build, our best Bryson 800 loadout for MW3 doesn't include a barrel attachment to tighten or widen the pellet spread. Instead, it keeps things at the default level but spends a lot of slots on dramatically improving the Bryson 800's responsiveness and handling, with cutthroat ADS and sprint-to-fire speeds that ensure a quick and easy hip-fire kill at close range.

Muzzle: SA MX-50

The SA MX-50 Muzzle has been carefully chosen here less for its suppression and so-called recoil smoothness (which actually does very little) and more for its damage range, which improves the Bryson 800's consistency at the edge of its range and further increases the odds of a one-shot kill.

Laser: VLK LZR 7MW

The VLK LZR 7MW Laser Mod improves aim down sight speed, sprint to fire speed as well as aiming stability whilst being a universal attachment capable of being applied across any weapon. With the visible laser focus, it should help increase accuracy without diminishing the other key features of the weapon.

Stock: Sawed Off Mod

The Sawed Off Mod is a great shotgun option for hip recoil control, movement speed, sprint-to-fire speed and aim down speed. Although it isn’t the best for flinch resistance and aiming recoil, these aren't usually a deal breaker for shotgun builds.

Underbarrel: Agent Grip

Doubling down on features that prioritise damage output rather than accuracy, the Agent Grip has increased hip fire accuracy and aiming idle stability. This is especially useful for up-close and personal encounters where the Bryson 800 shines.

Guard: Demo X50 Tactical Pump

Finally we've gone for the Demo X50 Tactical Pump in the Guard attachment slot, which increases the Bryson 800's rechambering speed. This makes the whole loadout a little more forgiving, as you can fire off follow-up shots faster in case your first shot doesn't kill - which is more likely in the MW3 era of 150-health enemies.

Best Bryson 800 class setup: Secondary weapon

STB 556, FTAC Recon.

The Bryson 800 is powerful at close range, but you'll need to pair it with a mid-range weapon to survive the majority of encounters in MW3. Our go-to weapon here would be a powerful Assault Rifle, such as the M4 or the extremely accurate STB 556. If you want even more stopping power you can opt for a Battle Rifle like the FTAC Recon, but be warned that you'll be using a build with pretty much no full-auto firing capabilities.

Best Bryson 800 class setup: Perks and Equipment

Gunner Vest, Commando Gloves, Tac Mask, Battle Rage, Frag Grenade, Munitions Box.

MW3 operates slightly differently from MW2 in the fact that perks are now called gear and loadouts are dependent on which vest you choose. The Gunner Vest is definitely the first pick for any shotgun build as although it prevents you from equipping boots, it allows you to have a long-range weapon in your secondary slot. Meaning, you can swap between the two depending on your needs. It also allows you to deploy with maximum ammo and gives a faster reload speed, ideal for any shotgun build.

With the Gunner Vest, you can choose from a selection of Gloves and Gear. We recommend the Commando Gloves which allow reloading while sprinting, especially handy for those close-quarter situations where the shotgun reload speed may otherwise falter. For your Gear selection, the Tac Mask is a viable option for reducing the close-range damage you'll receive from tactical equipment like an enemy flash, stun and gas grenades. The Tac Mask will also give you immunity to shock, EMP and Snapshot Grenades.

Choosing Battle Rage is a good step to a tanky build build as it allows slow health regen, and gives you an adrenaline rush and resistance to tactical equipment. Additionally, a Munitions Box is always helpful when you're running low on ammo and Frag Grenades are always a solid lethal choice for close combat.

Best Bryson 800 alternatives in Modern Warfare 3

Lockwood 300, Bryson 890.

Whilst the Bryson 800 has seen much success, there are other shotgun alternatives worth looking at. The Lockwood 300 is widely known as a ferocious damage-dealing shotgun, capable of powerful short bursts. It is, however, lacking in fire range and fire rate and with only a two-round chamber you need to have good accuracy and kit it out with ADS-improving mods to handle it well

The Bryson 890 is another solid option. Unlike the 800, it can reload its entire magazine in one go, rather than needing to reload each pellet. In quick combat rounds, this can be an immeasurable boost.

That rounds off our guide to the best Bryson 800 build for Modern Warfare 3. If you'd like an overall summary of the best weapons in the game, check out our best guns list, or see our rundown of the best loadouts.