La Longue Carabine

La Longue Carabine is a unique weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.

Background
La Longue Carabine is the customized personal weapon of Corporal Sterling of the New California Republic's (NCR) elite 1st Recon sniper division.

Characteristics
A unique variant of the cowboy repeater, it has a scope which was mounted on the rifle by Corporal Sterling, produces slightly more damage, reloads faster as it does not load through the loading gate (it lacks one), but through the front of the magazine tube (similar to Lincoln's repeater). Also, the La Longue Carabine is more accurate than a regular cowboy repeater, or any other scoped rifle. This spread has been reduced greatly as a result of the latest patch, as it is now slightly more than that of the Marksman carbine.

Like most unique weapons, weapon modifications cannot be used on La Longue Carabine. However, by default, it comes with aforementioned scope modification and the extended feeder magazine already attached, although judging by the appearance of the rifle the magazine tube on La Longue Carabine is smaller than a cowboy repeater with an extended magazine.

La Longue Carabine can be repaired by cowboy repeaters or any bolt/lever action rifle with the Jury Rigging perk.

Variant

 * Cowboy repeater

Locations
It is carried by an old Ranger by the name of Corporal Sterling, in Camp McCarran, New Vegas. The weapon can be pickpocketed off by first by stealing all of the .357 magnum rounds he carries, waiting 24 hours, then finally stealing the weapon itself. If he doesn't have it in his inventory then you shoot him, wait until he equips a sniper rifle and then holster your weapon. The gun will then be in his inventory and can be pickpocketed. NOTE: If the quest "Three-Card Bounty" has already been completed and/or you used the option to have Corporal Sterling and his squad follow you to kill Driver Nephi, Sterling will be located in the Head Office of Camp Forlorn Hope. He will be surrounded by many men and even with a stealth boy on it is nearly impossible to obtain the gun by the pickpocket way even if you take the ammo then wait twenty-four hours. To get the gun, stand behind Sterling until you are crouched and completely hidden (stealth boy is useful), then take out a strong melee-weapon, this needs to be done in one shot or else he will turn around to attack the player (a high sneak skill is recommended). Perform a sneak attack on Sterling and the gun and ammo will be located on his dead body. The other officers in the Head Office will not notice the dead body if you are hidden when you kill Sterling.

Alternatively, you can kill him and loot it off of his body, but this will forfeit the quest "I Don't Hurt Anymore" if it is in progress. Also you may pick a fight with him then shoot the gun out of his hands then holster your weapon and retrieve the gun off the floor.

Behind the scenes

 * "La Longue Carabine" is a French phrase meaning "The Long Carbine"; it is a reference to the James Fenimore Cooper novel "The Last of the Mohicans", in which the main character, Hawkeye, is nicknamed La Longue Carabine by the Delaware tribe for his famed marksmanship.

Bugs

 * Though perhaps not limited to the La Longue Carabine, there seems to be a bug associated with this weapon that will sometime cause the player to be unable to switch ammo types, even when a particular ammo type has been exhausted. This is resolvable by dropping, or storing the weapon on a companion, and then reequipping it. Though it may still not be possible to switch ammo types while equipped.
 * There is a bug when using the scope while you shoot, the blast from the shot shows up in the middle of the scope potentially blocking targets from view, especially difficult with multiple enemies.