Highlights
- Assault Rifle: A versatile choice for general purposes, offering decent damage and high fire rate. Look for it on Raiders or buy from Flak N' Shrapnel.
- Perforator: A unique variant found in The Pitt DLC, offering increased damage and crit damage but lower fire rate and durability.
- Railway Rifle: Unusual choice dealing good damage and able to pin limbs to objects. Craft it by acquiring schematic from 'Stealing Independence' quest.
Fallout 3 has a wide array of rifles to choose from as players seek to traverse and service the Capital Wastelands. This includes the various energy/plasma rifles that can be found in the open world. Today though, this list is going to stick with the rifles that fire rounds rather than lasers.
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The rifles on offer in Fallout 3 are varied, from sniper rifles to fully automatic assault rifles, with each one having as many as 3 variants. It can be hard to know where to start even if players know the sort of weapon that would suit their playstyle and build. This list will hopefully simplify this process by drawing from the entire pool of rifles available and detailing where to find the weapon.
6 Assault Rifle
For General Purposes
- Damage: 8
- Rate of Fire: 8
- Magazine Capacity: 24
The Assault Rifle is a weapon that players will soon get used to coming across. The weapon of choice for the many human enemies that players will come up against. It is a decent multi-purpose weapon that deals low damage with a good fire rate which means some worthwhile damage can be dealt at lower levels. If a fully repaired one can be found, it can fire over 1200 shots before reloading.
As stated before, players will almost certainly naturally come across these weapons on Raiders or just around the game world. If it is a struggle, 2 assault rifles can be bought from Flak N' Shrapnelin Rivet City.
5 Perforator
Found In The Pitt (DLC)
- Damage: 10
- Rate of Fire: 6
- Magazine Capacity: 24
A unique variant of the assault rifle, the Perforator is a weapon that only be found in the add-on The Pitt. The weapon is owned by a man called Everett, he will hand over the rifle if players give him 90 steel ingots. He can be found in the Mill and will grant the player a new item for every 10 ingots given to him.
A better version of the assault rifle, this weapon does a higher standard damage (8 to 10) and a far higher crit damage (8 to 14). The suppressor is a nice addition if players wish to have stealth as an option but some new problems also arise. The fire rate is now poorer than it was and it is less durable.
4 Railway Rifle
Pin Those Limbs
- Damage: 30
- Rate of Fire: 2
- Magazine Capacity: 8
Certainly the most unusual weapon on this list, best used at shorter to medium ranges, the Railway Rifle deals fairly good damage but the main selling point here is the limb damage it can deal. It has a 3x limb damage multiplier and a chance on a critical hit to pin limbs to objects such as walls. Despite the poor rate of fire, it is very good to use in the right circumstances and is especially effective through V.A.T.S.
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Players will need to craft this weapon if they want it. Firstly acquire the schematic as a quest reward from 'Stealing Independence', this quest can be started by talking to Abraham Washington in Rivet City. All of the items listed on the schematic can be found in the open world but also at Fort Independence or the Robco Facility.
3 Sniper Rifle
Best Of The Three
- Damage: 40
- Rate of Fire: 1.1
- Magazine Capacity: 5
The Sniper rifle is one of three long-ranged rifles in Fallout 3. Offering a critical hit chance of x5 and damage of 40, it is effective at longer ranges. Its two unique variants, the Victory and Reservist rifles offer a knockdown chance with critical hits but with a reduced chance to x3 and a faster rate of fire but with only 3 bullets in the chamber respectively. It is best to keep it simple with the sniper rifle as these supposed benefits aren't all that useful.
Players can find a sniper rifle most often being used by raiders or it will be supplied for free if players go to the Underworld and accept the quest entitled You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head from Mister Crowley.
2 Lincoln's Repeater
For Those With A Steady Hand
- Damage: 50
- Rate of Fire: 0.8
- Magazine Capacity: 15
A unique variant of the lever action rifle, this weapon is an incredibly accurate rifle that deals very high damage. The crit chance of x2 is useful and the crit damage of 50 is very good. These stats make the weapon perfect for medium ranges and can deal massive damage over its large magazine capacity. This is despite the poor rate of fire.
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This weapon is located inside the Museum of History located onThe Mall. Enter the museum's offices and keep going until a prison door is located. Beyond this door, go up the staircase and through a hole in the wall. The weapon will be on display.
1 Xuanlong Assault Rifle
Stability Of An Assault Rifle With The Fire Power Of An SMG
- Damage: 12
- Rate of Fire: 8
- Magazine Capacity: 36
This rifle is the best in class due to its very high damage output and the ease at which the player can deal it. With a very low spread and a good critical hit damage of 12, all shots being hit can lead to around 140 damage per second. The high capacity and low reload time (2.2 seconds) enable the player to deal this damage over longer periods of time.
Considering its appeal, the weapon is difficult to get. Players first need to complete the quest Jiggs' Loot which can be started by entering the Museum of Technology and involves solving puzzles. Once this is done, players will find the weapon on the body of Prime in the Jury Street Metro.
