Best M5A3 loadout for Battlefield 2042

Battlefield 2042 is here for many and for all come tomorrow when the much-anticipated game gets its full release.

With that, we move on to the next stage, as now thousands (if not millions) of players will be stress testing every weapon, vehicle and pointy stick to work out what is the best way to kill your opponent.

Naturally, we are in a similar spot and so we have decided to not only rank each and every weapon but work out the best builds for each with Battlefield 2042 boasting an impressive range of attachments for each of its weapons.

Our first stop is the M5A3, which is described in-game as, since 2034, the U.S military's standard-issue assault rifle.

"Standard-issue" would make you think relatively benign but the M5A3 is anything but, and what's more is arguably the strongest assault rifle in the game.

• Read more: How to customize weapons in Battlefield 2042

The gun can be chambered for various rounds and toggled to full auto or single fire modes. Even at baseline, the M5A3 boasts a high rate of fire at 740 RPM, with respectable firepower, accuracy, range and handling.

With that said, here's the most overpowered M5A3 class setup for Battlefield 2042.

Best M5A3 loadout for Battlefield 2042

The following loadout was inspired by the YouTuber "Neon PWA," who ended up crashing their game with this overpowered M5A3 loadout. The loadout primarily focuses on stabilizing the M5A3 since its only major drawback is its high recoil.

• Sight: K8 Holo
• Ammunition: Close Combat
• Underbarrel: Rattlesnake Light Grip
• Barrel: Shortened Barrel

We've gone with the K8 Holo optic, a sight that favours CQB combat. While this doesn't offer much zoom, we feel that the 1.25x zoom it does provide will be sufficient to take down enemies during those mid-range engagements. 

For the following attachment, we've gone with  Close Combat Ammo for some much-needed recoil control, reload speed, and fire rate. However, this attachment does come at a minor expense to the effective damage range, which we can overlook.

Next, we've gone with the Rattlesnake Light Grip Underbarrel attachment for even more recoil management. Once equipped, this attachment will buff accuracy while moving.

And then finally, the Shortened Barrel will buff the rate of fire, increasing overall aiming speed.

M5A3 stats in Battlefield 2042

Here are the weapon stats for the M5A3 after equipping this loadout.

• Firepower: 50
• Accuracy: 50
• Range: 47
• Handling: 50
• Rate of Fire: 750
• Magazine Size: 40
• Fire Modes: Full Auto | Single Fire
• Zoom Level: 1.25x

And that's it! You can pair the M5A3 with the MP28 as a secondary weapon. If you want to see this gun in action, then check out the video embedded below.

• Read more: Battlefield 2042 Portal flooded by XP farm modes

Don't forget to check out our dedicated Battlefield section for all the news, updates, guides and more.

Featured image courtesy of DICE / Electronic Arts.