Sniper Rifle

The Sniper Rifle is a semi-automatic weapon, capable of 10x magnification, and great stopping power. It is featured in Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction and Mercenaries 2: World in Flames.

Tactics
The Sniper Rifle is a ranged weapon not suitable for close quarters or firing on the move. The scope can go as far as 10x zoom for pinpoint precision, and the ammunition is capable of going through light armor (e.g. an MD-500 cockpit). Though weaker than the Anti-Armor Rifle, the Sniper Rifle has a faster rate of fire, and is slightly quieter, allowing you to kill faction soldiers without the faction deduction more easily.

Throughout Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction, the Sniper Rifle is presented to the player through multiple contracts, enemy soldiers, and supply drops. To earn the Sniper Supply Drop, you have to complete the bonus objective in the Russian contract 'Omertà' and not get caught killing the targets. This drop has the weapon and ammo. Alternatively you could also collect 5 Blueprints to get the Sniper Rifle Drop, however, this one only has the weapon alone.

In Mercenaries 2, due to a glitch, the Sniper Rifle is held like a pistol. This will happen with all characters and all costumes.

If the player starts a game save with the Sniper Rifle and another rifle equipped, it will be held correctly, but pistols and SMG's will be held like a rifle.

Found in

 * Sniper Rifle Drop
 * Sniper Supply Drop

Real Life
Based on the Dragunov SVD, this 'Designated Marksman's' rifle, chambered in 7.62x54mm R, matched for accuracy and firing from a ten-round magazine is widely used by former members of the Warsaw Pact and other Soviet Client states across the globe.