Sniper Rifles are the go-to choice for would-be assassins. If you’re the type of operative who loves to stay out of harms way and feels giddy upon dropping a target from 400 yards, these are your weapons. When the heat is on and enemies close in you’re going to want to have a back-up weapon, but if you are able to keep your distance and stay hidden, sniper rifles will serve you well.
There are two types of sniper rifles: semi-automatic and bolt-action. Semi-automatic rifles fire almost as fast as you can pull the trigger, while bolt-action rifles require a reload after every shot. It seems like an easy choice, but really, bolt-action rifles tend to have higher Damage stats, while semi-auto rifles are generally more versatile. If you want enough power to not only down enemies in one shot, but also deal significant damage to vehicles, then a bolt-action is your weapon of choice. If you want to be able to take down a group of enemies quickly and at a distance, then semi-auto should be your focus.
Regardless of the type of sniper rifle you pick, you’ll need to know what to expect from sniper rifles as a whole. The Range stat is a huge factor here. Range doesn’t affect other weapons nearly as much as it does with sniper rifles, because this stat determines just how far your bullet can travel before it drops. The higher the stat, the farther the bullet can go before arching downwards.
Another consideration is scope sway. If you’re planning on using sniper rifles a lot, then you’re going to want to invest in the Stable Aim skill. This will help get your sights on a target without them swaying back and forth. You can still get by without the skill, but having Stable Aim will make it easier and faster to line up shots, so you can down an enemy and move onto the next one without delay.
Your bread and butter sniper rifle. The M40A5 is sturdy, deals solid Damage and can be silenced for taking out enemies at a distance undetected. It’s not the flashiest of sniper rifles, but it’s certainly among the most reliable.
The M1891 is almost the edgy younger brother of the M40A5. It can deal more Damage and has higher bullet Penetration, but it’s lack of life experience leaves it with lower stats across the board. Still, the drop in stat power is negligible, meaning this sniper rifle is just as viable and reliable as the M40A5 if you’d prefer a little bit more kick in your gun.
Compared to the M40A5, this sniper rifle has lower Damage, Accuracy, Range, and Noise Reduction. It makes up for it with better bullet Penetration, Handling, and a mean Rate of Fire—a bolt action this is not. While you’ll still be firing slower than all other weapon types, the SR25 has a firing speed that puts it above other sniper rifles. Fire once, twice, three times and keep ‘em coming with little delay.
Like the SR25, the Dragunov is a semi-automatic sniper rifle. The SR25 is a much more balanced weapon than the Dragunov, but the Dragunov gets a pretty mean boost in Damage. In the same way the M1891 mirrors the M40A5, the Dragunov packs a punch, but at the cost of stats across the board. If you want a rifle like the SR25, but want something a bit meaner, then this sniper rifle is for you.
The G28 is quality semi-automatic sniper rifle with a Rate of Fire that might convince you you’re using an assault rifle. While you lose some Accuracy, Handling and Range compared to the SR25, you’re still going to see an increase in Damage, the aforementioned Rate of Fire boost, and a huge jump in Noise Reduction, making it a solid choice for a stealth sniper. If things get hairy, you don’t have to quickly switch to a secondary weapon. The fire rate will let crack shots take down encroaching enemies with ease. A very good choice for those who love fighting at a distance, but can’t stand the downtime between shots.
This reliable bolt-action rifle matches or surpasses just about every stat the M40A5 has except for a huge drop in Handling and a tiny loss in Noise Reduction. You’ll find boosts in Accuracy and Penetration and a jaw-dropping jump in Range. Losing Handling isn’t a big deal seeing as you’ll be firing only a single shot at a time. Really, if you love the M40A5, but really need something a bit better, this weapon won’t disappoint.
Legend has it that the HTI was actually a ship’s cannon that was re-purposed into a sniper rifle. That, of course, is completely untrue, but when you use this weapon you’ll be forgiven for coming to the same conclusion. With nearly maxed out Damage and Penetration, and actually maxed out Accuracy and Range, this is a tactician’s best friend. For those of us who make every single bullet count, the HTI is a friend, a lover, a dream come true. This weapon can even take out SAM launchers! Take note: there is significant downtime between shots, so if you want to get the most out of this gun don’t miss. Not even once.
If the HTI’s slow Rate of Fire is a bit too daunting for you, have no fear, the L115A3 has you covered. While it does take a decent hit to its Damage stat, the increase in the Rate of Fire, while small, is very noticeable when compared to the HTI. You’re still getting a weapon with high Damage and Penetration, and maxed out Accuracy and Range, but you’re also getting a slight boost in Handling, Rate of Fire, and Noise Reduction. Really, this is a more well-rounded rifle compared to the HTI, so if you’re willing to lose the Damage output, you’ll still find a weapon that can punch holes in enemy soldiers like a cannon through a ship’s hull.
Another semi-automatic sniper rifle, but one that is much more stable than most others in its class. Despite what it’s Handling suggests, the MK14 has very little muzzle climb. It’s there, but barely noticeable, especially if you’re timing your shots and not just pulling the trigger like it’s a TV remote with bum batteries. Where this weapon struggles is its low Damage. It has one of the worst Damage stats out of all of the sniper rifles on the market. Still, if you want something that can take out enemies long distance, but can’t stomach the slow reloading and firing of your standard bolt-action, you could do far worse than the MK14.
An excellent alternative to the HTI. While you’ll lose a chunk of the Damage the HTI puts out, you’ll get better Handling, Rate of Fire, and Penetration. You’ll also get a boost in Noise Reduction, but it’s negligible and putting a suppressor on your muzzle will only do so much for you. Regardless, you’ll get an excellent bolt-action sniper rifle out of the MSR. Just strap a Long Barrel to the end of the gun and you’ll be putting out nearly as much power as the HTI.
A middle-of-the-road bolt-action rifle that has solid Damage, but high Accuracy, Range, and Penetration. It’s as slow to fire as the HTI, but with a lot less Damage output. Strap a Long Barrel on it to try an make up for that loss. There are better choices for bolt-action rifles out there, but if this is what you have in your arsenal, with some modifications it will serve you well.
While you’re not going to have a ton of power behind this gun, you are getting a weapon that is very reliable and accurate. The Rate of Fire is solid, the Range is great, there is minimal muzzle climb between shots. Really, if you have access to this weapon, you can’t go wrong using it, just so long as you keep in mind that there is no suppressor option on it.
An alternative to the HTI with a custom paint job, The Warhawk is a bolt-action rifle that packs a punch. While you won’t be putting out as much damage as the HTI, you’ll get a slightly faster Rate of Fire and a scope that switches between 4.5x zoom and 5.5x zoom. If the HTI is just a bit too slow for you, The Warhawk has you covered.
