Best MW3 ISO 45 loadout and class setup

What is the best ISO 45 loadout and class setup in MW3? The ISO 45 is a variant of the ISO 9mm and ISO Hemlock, and returns to Modern Warfare 3 after serving as a go-to gun in previous Call Of Duty games. While somewhat outclassed by the newer submachine guns in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the ISO 45 is still a decent weapon to keep by your side if you need to mow down enemies in a storm of gunfire.

In our guide below, we'll go over the best attachments, perks and equipment, and the secondary weapon choice we'd recommend to ensure this sidearm provides the back-up you need across MW3's wide array of game modes.

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Why use the ISO 45 in MW3?

With the ISO 45 currently sitting toward the lower end of our best SMG list, this gun is no longer as popular as it once was thanks to nerfs and the introduction of the ISO 9mm. Nevertheless, it's still got a great fire rate, and well worth using especially if you already unlocked it in Modern Warfare 2. With a little elbow grease, we can easily maximise its potential with the following attachments.

Best ISO 45 loadout in MW3

• Muzzle: Bruen Pendulum
• Underbarrel: Edge-47 Grip
• Rear Grip: A30 Stout
• Laser: Stovl Tac Laser
• Magazine: 45 Round Drum

The ISO 45 bounces everywhere while firing, so these five attachments will nicely stabilise your recoil and hip fire accuracy. To keep up the damage onslaught, you'll also get some extra ammo to bolster your shots in those final throes of battle.

Muzzle: Bruen Pendulum

For your muzzle attachment, we recommend the Bruen Pendulum due to its significant buff to both horizontal and vertical recoil control. The Bruen Pendulum will also increase your accuracy and handling, which suffer on the ISO 45 compared to the rest of its SMG competition.

Underbarrel: Edge-47 Grip

Next up, the Edge-47 Grip is a solid pick for recoil stability during sustained fire. You'll also see boosts in aiming idle sway and recoil control. ADS speed will suffer as a result, but we'll work on that with our other attachments.

Rear Grip: A30 Stout

With only three Rear Grip attachments to choose from for the ISO 45, we've opted for the A30 Stout to continue the charge towards creating a steadier, more accurate SMG with increased gun kick and recoil control with a 7% boost across the board. You'll take a small hit to your aiming idle sway, but it's nothing to write home about.

Laser: Stovl Tac Laser

If you want to increase your hip fire spread and accuracy, recoil control, and Tac Stance spread, then the Stovl Tac Laser is the blue beam for the job. Keep in mind that it's a laser that's active from the hip, but if all goes well with this loadout you'll be mowing enemies down before they can spot you.

Magazine: 45 Round Mag

For a gun with such a high fire rate, having more ammo in the tank is never a bad idea. You'll only have 30 shots by default, so these extra rounds may make all the difference in maintaining your killstreak before an enemy tags you in the head.

Best ISO 45 class setup: Secondary weapon

ISO Hemlock or MCW.

The ISO 45 is focused on eliminating opponents at close-range, so you shouldn't expect it to reach or excel at longer ranges. For your secondary weapon, you'll need something with a little more scope. If you're a fan of running the ISO variants, then the ISO Hemlock is one of the best Assault Rifle alternatives that could back up your ISO 45 at mid-range. Even though it's been nerfed since MW2, it's still got some great stats to use as your second primary.

If you're searching for a top-tier Assault Rifle to run alongside your ISO 45, the MCW sits atop our AR rankings for its fantastic all-around stats that will serve you well in damage, range, and accuracy.

Best ISO 45 class setup: Perks and Equipment

Gunner Vest, Quick-Grip Gloves, Bone Conduction Headset, Flash Grenade, Semtex, Smoke Airdrop

With the Gunner Vest, you'll unlock the all-important perk for equipping two primary weapons. As a result, you will sacrifice your Boots slot, but we'll make up for that loss with two major guns by our side, as well as improved reload speed and the ability to deploy with max ammo. Continuing our charge for great mobility, the Quick-Grip Gloves will increase your weapon swap speed, meaning you can move swiftly between the ISO 45 and whichever second primary you picked. Gear-wise, we've gone for the Bone Conduction Headset, which cancels out distracting combat noise and allows you to hear footsteps louder.

We've opted for the deadly combo of the opponent-confusing Flash Grenade followed up with the damage-dealing Semtex for our Tactical and Lethal choices. Last but not least, the Smoke Airdrop is a solid strategic move if you're looking to reposition and perhaps move closer to the opponent right before gunning them down.

Best ISO 45 alternatives in Modern Warfare 3

ISO 9mm or Striker

The ISO 9mm is an ISO SMG variant that brings a little more to the table and may well be your alternative of choice in Modern Warfare 3 for a more aggressive playstyle. If you want to go big, however, the Striker is arguably the best SMG in the entire game. Despite a small nerf since the MW3 beta, it's still an excellent gun for damage output and range, as well as offering solid combat mobility.

That's all things ISO 45 for now. If you're keen to get your claws into some more MW3 content, then check out our Modern Warfare 3 best guns tier list guide for the greatest weapons in each category, or the best loadouts guide to make sure you're fully equipped no matter what game mode you enter into.