If you’re looking for that one shot, one kill, iconic quick scope in Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, then you’ll need to use the best sniper rifle for your playstyle. There’s no better class for sheer firepower, damage, and range.
Snipers are devastating in the right hands, however their steep learning curve and vulnerability balance what would otherwise be an overpowered gun. They’re notoriously slow to reload Sniper, making every shot more meaningful than your average weapon.
Learn how to use all three of Cold War’s sniper rifles before settling on a favorite.
Pelington 703
The Pelington 703 is the first one you get, although that doesn’t mean it is the worst. This bolt-action rifle one hit kills to the head and chest. It has good aim down sights (ADS) time and limited sway.
Quick scopers might prefer the Pelington due to its extra speed and mobility. Equip attachments to increase your ADS time to dominate the map. Ignore something like sway and recoil since you’ll be popping in and out of the scope.
LW3 - Tundra
The LW3 - Tundra is a more traditional sniper (unlocks at level 25). It has slightly more power than the Pelington, killing to the shoulders as well as the aforementioned areas.
Pick off enemies safely from afar or behind cover. This sniper is also great for killing enemies distracted by objectives or other players. You’ll need to rely more on reaction speed once they discover your location.
M82 Sniper Rifle
The M82 is a semi-auto sniper rifle that kills to the head or chest, like the Pelington. What you make up for in speed you sacrifice in recoil, but it’s good for attacking groups of enemies at once. Just make sure they’re not all aiming at you.
With more range comes more idle sway that can make it hard to pick off targets if your first shot doesn’t get the kill. Fortunately with the right attachments, this is another favorite for quick scopers.
Here’s how to get better and learn which attachments to run regardless of your preference.
Tips & Tactics
- Learn to lead. You’re going to have to shoot a little ahead of someone if they’re running. This is called leading and it takes practice to get the hang of the timing.
- One and done. Because of the nature of the gun, if you take a shot and miss you’re probably not going to get another chance. Mix up your cover or you’ll probably get taken out.
- Remember to rechamber. Both the Pelington and the Tundra need to be rechambered when they reload, meaning if you fire and sprint away that action will still need to take place. Either rechamber before you sprint or stop in a safe place to do it.
- Tiger Team Barrel. The Tiger Team Barrel works best with the Tundra, giving players a larger hitbox for one-shot kills, including everything above the belt, even the hands.
- Learn your spots. While this may seem intuitive for some players, if you’re not quickscoping make sure to scout levels for the best places to snipe. Look for areas that commonly have action, and then look for long lines of sight to fire from a safer distance.
- Cover yourself. Pure sniping is meant to be done from a place of cover. While a shot will give away your position, being able to crouch behind something will likely keep you alive longer.
- Don’t stand still. As a sniper, you need to keep moving. Try to only expose your head when going for a shot and switch between standing and crouching when popping out of cover or around corners.
- Be Patient. Whether you’re more aggressive or campy, waiting is part of the weapon. Sometimes you’ll get killed or need to cover an area where you know an enemy will appear. Patience can be the difference between winning and losing.
- Excelling with sniper rifles takes time. You’ll struggle far more initially than you would with any other weapon class. Brush off KD and learn the basics before worrying about something like scorestreaks.