Sniper Rifle (Fallout 3)

The sniper rifle is a weapon in Fallout 3.

Characteristics
The sniper rifle is the top-tier long-range weapon. It deals high damage and is equipped with a scope. It is a fragile gun with a scarce ammo type.

The sniper rifle has a very noticeable sway to it when manually aimed. The sway can be reduced with either a higher skill level in Small Guns or by entering sneak mode. At 100 points in Small Guns, the scope has no sway at all. A crippled arm will result in severe sway while using the scope, regardless of the Small Guns skill level.

Sniper rifles can cause the same result as the Bloody Mess perk even if the player character has not chosen that perk. They are utilized best from high vantage point locations.

The manual aim is usually more accurate (especially at greater distances), but V.A.T.S. should not be overlooked. A headshot in V.A.T.S. that would normally take about a quarter of a high-level enemy's health may, if unnoticed, instantly kill them. For low-level enemies, they will usually be very easily killed in just one headshot, provided the gun is in good condition and the player character has a maxed-out Small Guns skill.

Durability
The sniper rifle can fire a total of about 83 rounds, the equivalent of 17 reloads, from full condition before breaking. Heavy use of this weapon will require merchant repairs due to the relative scarcity of these rifles.

Related perks

 * Sniper
 * Commando
 * Better Criticals
 * Bloody Mess
 * Ghoul Ecology

Variants

 * Victory rifle - While identical in strength to the sniper rifle, the Victory rifle has an additional 200 item HP, and knocks down targets with critical hits. However, it pays for this ability with a reduced critical chance of 3.
 * Reservist's rifle - Also identical to the sniper rifle in strength, the Reservist's rifle uses less AP to fire, but only holds 3 rounds in a magazine. It also fires slightly faster and has slightly less recoil when using the scope.
 * Sim version - Unobtainable through normal gameplay.

Locations

 * Deathclaw sanctuary - Two can be found on the bodies of raiders.
 * In the Bethesda ruins, there is a raider with a sniper rifle west of the Offices West building very close to the spawn point. Every 72 in-game hours the raiders respawn. There is also a raider on the catwalk between the Offices East and Offices West buildings who carries a sniper rifle and has some ammunition nearby. He doesn't respawn.
 * On the bridge/overpass exactly north of Vault 101, south of Big Town, on the fourth or fifth raider from the beginning of the bridge. This raider also respawns every 72 hours.
 * The hollowed-out rock south of Megaton.
 * Behind Arlington Library, in Talon Company recon camp; respawns with merc.
 * If one accepts the quest You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head from Mister Crowley in the Underworld, he will supply one.
 * Arkansas defends the town of Minefield with one.
 * Allistair Tenpenny of Tenpenny Tower uses one.
 * Knight Captain Dusk of the Brotherhood of Steel has one.
 * The second floor of a ruined house near Hubris Comics along with some ammunition and a skill book. When facing the park in front of Hubris, it is the last building to the right.
 * In the elevated shack to the south of Warrington trainyard, along with some .308 ammunition.
 * In Mama Dolce's, one can be found on a Chinese remnant soldier on the balconies overlooking the shipping yard. Another one is carried by a Chinese remnant sergeant.
 * Wheaton armory has two sniper rifles in the missile silo behind a Very Hard locked door.
 * The random encounter character, Sam Warrick, carries one.
 * A Talon Company merc in the Capitol Building, in the upper floors of the Hall of Columns, uses one.
 * In the entrance of Fort Bannister, south of the Jalbert Brothers Waste Disposal. It is lying on a table at the southeast high bunker. Be aware that there are several heavily-armed Talon Company mercs in the area.
 * During the Anchorage Reclamation simulation, one can be found overlooking a ridge. It can also be used as part of a gear package.
 * Inside the Old Olney Underground, behind a large pipe in the basement with the deathclaws, with ammunition.
 * On the elevated platform just south of the Wastelander campsite.
 * Is occasionally sold by Haley.
 * Can be found in Calvert Mansion. Up the stairs of the main room.
 * After exiting the underground lab, there is a smuggler carrying a sniper rifle and frag grenades on a small island south of where the Lone Wanderer climbs the ladder out of the lab. This smuggler respawns every 73 in-game hours.

Bugs

 * Outside V.A.T.S., with 100 Small Guns, the weapon can shoot as far as the game will draw non-player characters (playing at high resolutions will greatly improve non-player character visibility). However, the point of impact is higher than where the center of the scope is aimed. After the fire button is pressed, the scope aim will very rapidly jump up and shift slightly to the right almost at the same time the shot is actually fired. See the images below to determine how to compensate for this.
 * Sometimes after fast traveling, only the lower sections of the rifle and the first lens of the scope will be visible. The top half and the rest of the scope will be invisible.
 * To fix this, un-equip then re-equip the weapon.