Sniper rifle



The DKS-501 Sniper Rifle is an excellent long range projectile weapon. Originally .308, versions chambered in other calibers are also common.

Fallout and Fallout 2
Originally .308, this version is chambered in the more common .223 caliber. This rifle allows the user to do insane damage to the critical body areas, if player has the stats to back it up. The Sniper Rifle does not share the same reduction in accuracy when enemies close in as the Scoped Hunting Rifle.

The Sniper Rifle boasts good damage, max range, and ammo for it is quite common. It has two glaring flaws however - it has a small ammo capacity, and costs an extra AP to fire. This means targeted shots, although accurate, take 7 AP to fire.

Fallout Tactics
Originally .308, this one is chambered in the more common 7.62mm caliber.

Fallout 3
The rifle is an older model of the famed DKS-501. Still chambered for .308 ammunition, it's also extremely fragile and requires regular repair and maintenance to keep it in working condition.

The Sniper Rifle is much more powerful when fired outside V.A.T.S. mode, as V.A.T.S. does not take into account accuracy bonuses of the weapon's scope.

Outside V.A.T.S., its effective range seems to be about 1/4 - 1/3 the distance you can see in the scope. Using a human target as reference, you may need to wait until your target fills at least 3/4 of the diameter of the smaller dashed circle in the scope to hit it. (It is common to get kills on Raiders who only fill half the smaller circle on Levels 10 and up. Just try. Even if you miss, you are so far away they will never see you.)

The sniper rifle has very noticeable sway to it when manually aimed. The sway can be reduced with either a higher skill level in small guns, or when in sneak mode. At 100 points in Small Guns, the scope has no sway at all. Though even at 100 points in Small Guns, having either of your arms crippled will result in severe sway while using the scope.

Both images below, taken from the southwest guard platform at Fort Bannister will be a 1-shot kills. The color of the first shot has been inverted to improve clarity.

Locations

 * The most reliable source is the Bethesda Ruins. Every few days the Raiders there respawn, and there is a Raider on a platform near the fast travel insertion point carrying a sniper rifle.
 * The Hollowed-Out Rock south of Megaton is easy to reach very early in the game.
 * Shooting range of the National Guard Depot in one of the lanes.
 * If you accept the quest You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head from Mister Crowley in the Underworld he will supply you with one.
 * One of the Slavers or Raiders on top of the overpass near Springvale usually carries one.
 * Arkansas, found in the town of Minefield.
 * Allistair Tenpenny of Tenpenny Tower. You can kill him while he's on the balcony of the top floor of his building or once he goes inside (you gain karma for killing him but you are heavily advised to kill him outside, and if you kill the guard and the other people upstairs, no one downstairs will know you murdered them).
 * The southeast guard platform of Fort Bannister.
 * Captain Dusk of the Brotherhood of Steel
 * The second floor of a ruined house near Hubris Comics along with some ammo and a skill book. (When facing the park in front of Hubris, it is the last building to the right.)
 * In Georgetown, on the top story of a building across the road from a Missile Launcher wielding Super Mutant.
 * In the elevated shack to the south of Warrington Trainyard, along with some .308 ammo.
 * In Mama Dolce's you may find one or two on Chinese Remnant soldiers.
 * Wheaton Armory has two sniper rifles in the missile silo behind a Very Hard Door.
 * In Seward Square you will find a Talon sniper on a connecting bridge between an Office block and a Metro Station building. Check local map for Office entrance.
 * L'Enfant Plaza in a makeshift camp under a partially collapsed overpass east of the plaza.
 * There are also many Raider corpses with a few .308 rounds and rifles in various corners of the Deathclaw Sanctuary.
 * In Old Olney Underground in a fenced off area along with an average locked safe, behind some pipes along with some .308 rounds.
 * In The Capitol Building, there is a talon compaly merc on a balcony shooting at you.
 * In take it back, while escorting liberty prime there are several brotherhood of steel initiates and paladins (in power armor) using sniper rifles, theres roughly three of them but you have to wait for them to be killed or kill them yourself
 * Sold by Gustavo or Flak and Shrapnel, occasionally.

Appearances
The Sniper Rifle is a weapon appearing, in various forms, in Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3 and Fallout Tactics.

Notes and references
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