All Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) weapon camos and how to unlock them

One of the most prevalent parts of the MW3 marketing campaign is how many camos there are to unlock.

There’s a genuinely eye-watering amount of decals you can splash on your guns, and there are so many it’s hard to know where to start. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I’ve got you covered. Here are all the Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) weapon camos and how to unlock them.

Related: Armory Unlocks System in Modern Warfare 3 explained

How to unlock weapon camos in MW3

Every MW3 weapon has four unique camo patterns. The best thing about MW3 camos is you can use them on any weapon you own once they are unlocked.

Once you’ve earned the four patterns, you can work towards Completionist Camo’s. These beautiful decals are the most coveted in the game, reserved for the most dedicated completionists.

Each camo is locked behind a level prerequisite and a challenge. Each weapon’s level requirement is unique, but the challenges are the same for every gun in the class. Here’s what you’ll need to do for each weapon type, although you’ll need to check the level requirement for each gun. To do so, go into the Gunsmith menu, move to the Customize option, then enter the Camo menu.

Assault Rifle

• Earn 50 kills
• Get 50 ADS kills
• Get 15 Headshot kills
• Score 25 kills while in Tactical Stance

Assault Rifles camos should be pretty easy to unlock through regular gameplay, as none of the challenges are too demanding.

Battle Rifle

• Earn 50 kills
• Get 50 kills while in full auto-firing mode
• Get 10 kills while using a magnification scope attachment
• Score 15 headshot kills

Battle Rifle challenges are quite straightforward. Many attachments offer low magnification if you do not like high-powered scopes.

SMG

• Earn 50 kills
• Get 25 Hipfire kills 
• Get 10 kills while crouching or sliding 
• Score 15 kills on opponents affected by your tactical 

I struggle with the final SMG challenge as it seems very inconsistent. I like running the Engineer Vest, Covert Sneakers, and Double Stun grenades to get this done quickly. That said, I’ve had multiple instances of kills like this not counting, so be patient with this unlock.

Shotgun

• Earn 50 kills
• Get 50 Hipfire kills
• Get 10 kills while ADS
• Score 15 double kills

15 Double kills is a rough challenge and one you likely won’t do unless you’re on a small map like Rust. You may have luck on objective modes like Domination, which makes player movements predictable, but you still need to get close. 

LMG

• Earn 50 kills
• Get 10 penetration kills
• Get 10 kills with full attachments
• Score 10 double kills

LMG challenges are straightforward. Remember that the weapon class is adept at punching through walls, so try to land those Wallbang kills.

Marksman Rifle

• Earn 50 kills
• Get 50 headshot kills
• Get 10 kills with no attachments
• Score 2 kills without dying 15 times

The Marksman Rifle challenges are easy, although 50 headshot kills may take a while. If you’re patient, you shouldn’t have too many issues with the weapon class.

Sniper Rifle

• Earn 50 kills
• Get 50 kills shortly after ADS
• Get 3 kills with 1 magazine 10 times
• Score 15 One Shot kills

The only challenge likely to trip you up here is the three kills with a single magazine. For this challenge, I recommend swapping your Magazine Attachment for the largest one you have available and taking your time. Wasteland and Afghan are decent maps for Snipers; just beware of your scope glint.

How to unlock Completionist Camos in MW3

Anyone can get the base camos with patience, but do you have what it takes for the Completionist Camos? These rare decals are the sexiest in the game, and some are even animated. Completionist Camos take a lot of work but are truly sought after. There are four different Completionist Camos, and although the requirements don’t look like much, these can potentially take hundreds of hours to unlock:

Gilded

• Complete all Base Camo challenges

Forged

• Complete Gilded
• Complete Gilded with every gun in the class
• Class-specific challenge

The Class-specific challenges aren’t any harder than the base camo challenges but must be completed for every gun in the class.

Priceless

• Complete the Forged camo challenge
• Complete 36 Forged camo challenges
• Class-specific challenge

If you want the Priceless camo, you must complete the Forged camo challenge for every MW3 weapon. This decal will take well over 100 hours to unlock, so I urge you to take your time and make this a long-term goal.

Interstellar

• Complete 36 priceless camo challenges.

The most coveted camo in the game is Interstellar, which is reserved for players who have done it all and seen everything in MW3. Although you can’t see it in the picture, the Interstellar camo is animated and slowly moves across the weapon while in use. It’s a fitting reward for the most dedicated players.

Are there any unique camos in Modern Warfare Zombies?

If you’re hungry for more camos, you’ll be pleased to know the same system exists for Zombies. Every weapon has four unique camos, which are interchangeable between game modes.

The multiplayer camo grind can be frustrating, but the Zombie camo challenges are much more manageable. Most can be completed in low-level areas where the threat is mild, although they will still take many hours to earn.

The Zombie version of Interstellar is Borealis, an equally gorgeous decal that’s fully animated and reserved for the most dedicated MWZ players.

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