Sniper Rifles are scarce as a class in Starfield, and on top of the options being incredibly limited, getting one of these high-powered weapons can be difficult. While you may need to wait some time for a true sniper, we’ll go over where you can find them and how long you may need to wait.
Where to Get a Sniper Rifle in Starfield
It can be difficult and confusing to find your first sniper rifle in Starfield. Don’t fret—we’ve got a list of a few vendors that sell long-range combat rifles down below:
- Centaurion Arsenal (Residential District, New Atlantis).
- Rowland Arms (Akila).
- UC Surplus (The Well, New Atlantis).
- The Trade Authority (multiple cities).
You can purchase a sniper rifle from Rowland Arms in Akila City after reaching level 30 or higher in Starfield. Nearly any vendor will have a chance to carry weapons like the Hard Target or the Magsniper once you reach level 30, but the weapon vendors are your best bet. However, buying a sniper isn’t your only option.
We were able to find our first true sniper rifle by clearing an abandoned mine in the Olympus System and taking down the final captain. We found an epic-rarity Magsniper with some fantastic perks, including double damage on enemies with full health. This was pure luck though, and not everyone will get the same type of loot.
The earliest sniper rifle in Starfield is the Old Earth Hunting Rifle, and you can find this at any weapon vendor from level 10 or above. You won’t get the hard-hitting weapon you’re imagining, though. The Old Earth Hunting Rifle barely hits harder than a Beowulf, and the rest of the stats are fairly poor. You want the Hard Target or the Magsniper for a real hit.
As you increase your level in Starfield, the chance for finding better weapons will also go up. So when you complete bounty missions at level 50, the odds of a high-powered sniper rifle dropping won’t be that low. But that still means you have plenty of XP to grind out in the meantime.
Starfield Sniper Rifle Stats
Starfield Head Ranger Gun
The Head Ranger sniper rifle is an excellent early game choice that isn’t too hard to find. You can acquire it from Laredo Firearms (Akila City). This weapon has decent damage, range, and accuracy.
- Ammo: .50 Caliber Caseless.
- Mass: 5.50.
- Mod slots: 6.
- Value: 8131.
- Damage: Phys 37.
- Mag: 6.
- Fire rate: 14.
- Range: 48.
- Accuracy: 79.6%
Beowulf
Named after the iconic Old English epic hero himself, this sniper rifle is just as dangerous. You’ll have to make do with its rather low range and accuracy, but it’s a semiautomatic that can clear a room in seconds. This will randomly appear in UC weapon shops after you hit level 15.
- Damage: Phys 36
- Ammo: 7.77mm Caseless
- Clip Size: 30
- Fire Rate: 50
- Range: 40
- Accuracy: 69.1%
- Mass: 2.80
- Value: 4820
- Mods: 8
Hard Target
The Hard Target is a Ballistic bolt-action rifle that boasts high damage, good accuracy, and great range. You can buy this one from the Centaurian Arsenal (New Atlantis) around level 30 and higher.
- Damage: Phys 116
- Ammo: .50 Caliber Caseless
- Clip Size: 5
- Fire Rate: 25
- Range: 100
- Accuracy: 74.2%
- Mass: 9.15
- Value: 20510
- Mods: 7
Magsniper
The Magsniper deals the highest single-shot damage in all of Starfield, making it a top pick for long-range combat players. This gun is commonly dropped by enemies level 45 and higher. It can also be purchased from the Kore Kinetics headquarters (Neon).
- Damage: Phys 223
- Ammo: 6.5mm MI Array
- Clip Size: 12
- Fire Rate: 17
- Range: 100
- Accuracy: 86.1%
- Mass: 9.55
- Value: 27790
- Mods: 6
To make the most of your sniper rifles, make sure to check out my guide on how to research weapon mods in Starfield.
