Sniper Rifle

"Standard sniper rifle. Ideal for situations that require accuracy at long range. Limitations include slow reload speed and very low rate of fire."

- GTA V description on the Rockstar Games Social Club.

The Sniper Rifle is a weapon that has been featured in every Grand Theft Auto game since Grand Theft Auto III, with the exception of Grand Theft Auto Advance. In Grand Theft Auto V, it is manufactured by Shrewsbury.

Description
The weapon is often referred to as "standard sniper rifle" or "bolt-action sniper rifle" in games that features more than one sniper rifle.

The sniper rifle only appears in certain missions of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, where the player has to assemble the rifle using the touch screen. In the DS version, the whole top screen is then used to display the scoped view. In the iOS version, the top screen display moves into the single screen by showing up beside the rifle assembly. This also applies to the PSP version, although there is no touch screen functionality.

3D Universe
From Grand Theft Auto III to Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, the Sniper Rifle resembles a, evidenced by the single wooden body (However in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the HUD icon appears to be a instead). The gun is only able to use single rounds per reload, opposed to the real-life inspiration, which is capable of use more rounds per magazine.

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the weapon is based on the, reflecting the game's setting of 1984, but it functions incorrectly as a bolt-action rifle, as the real M21 is semi-automatic. Despite having a detachable box magazine, it still acts as a single-round weapon.

Grand Theft Auto IV
The Grand Theft Auto IV rendition still resembles a, but this time with a 5-round magazine. The scope adopts a basic Mil-Dot and is able to be used when aiming, although when taking cover, it is possible to use a generic reticle.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
In Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the in-game sniper rifle resembles the, even though some artworks depicts Huang holding a and an. The icon for the Sniper Rifle resembles the PSG-1 from Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

Grand Theft Auto V
In Grand Theft Auto V, the sniper rifle is based on the. With the introduction of the attachments mechanic, the weapon can be fitted with a Suppressor, allowing the weapon to be used for long-ranged sneak attacks. Rather than employing a unique reticle, the Sniper Rifle uses a different reticle, which is standardized by the scope the weapon is equipping.

3D Universe
Being the most basic rifle, the Sniper Rifle deals excellent damage over targets, as it is usually deadly and can deal a considerable damage over basic vehicles. While powerful, the Sniper Rifle's bolt-action mechanism means it is rather slow, as the weapon reloads every time it shoots, being uneffective on situations where a rapid-fire weapon is needed. Since the player needs to stand while aiming the weapon, it makes somewhat difficult to take out targets at close ranges.

Grand Theft Auto IV
The Sniper Rifle is said to be twice as powerful as the Combat Sniper rifle; it is, however, a bolt action rifle, and thus it cannot fire nearly as fast. It provides a one-headshot kill in single player and multiplayer, unless the target is heavily armored.

Grand Theft Auto V
Compared to previous iterations, the Sniper Rifle is more versatile thanks to its 10-round magazine. Its reload speed is almost the same as in GTA IV, since it is still a bolt-action rifle. The Sniper Rifle's zoom is determined by the current scope and, because it can equip a suppressor, is a perfect choice for stealthy kills at long distances.

The Sniper Rifle is not very lethal compared to previous renditions, but is still a powerful weapon. A body shot usually hurts the target severely, to the point of dying by bleeding. Against another player, they will receive a critical damage if being shot to the body, but they can suppress it with Body Armor, as the rifle is not very good against armored targets. It will also take many rounds to take out a single car, making it unsuitable for such purpose.

Grand Theft Auto III

 * Belleville Park, Staunton Island - On top of the building south of the Belleville Park Fire Station behind the MSX FM sign (and next to the body armor icon) (use the angled edge of the Shoreside Lift Bridge Loop to jump to it).
 * Newport, Staunton Island - Available to buy from Ammu-Nation after completion of Last Requests ($10,000).
 * Cochrane Dam, Shoreside Vale - In the trees along the path to the base of the Cochrane Dam from the main entrance (near Cedar Grove).
 * Spawns at every safehouse once the player collects 80 Hidden Packages.
 * Automatically given to the player in Bomb Da Base, Act II.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

 * North Point Mall - Available to buy from Ammu-Nation after completion of Phnom Penh '86 ($1,500).
 * Starfish Island - In the hedge maze at the west part of the Mansion.
 * Viceport - On the ledge on the south side of the base of the south bridge housing at the west end of the South Bridge that connects Ocean Beach and Little Havana.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

 * Jefferson, Los Santos - On the roof of the County General Hospital. It is only accessible by jetpack, helicopter, Hydra, etc. Bailing out of a plane and parachuting down with low flying skill will most likely result in death.
 * Vinewood, Los Santos - On the highest floor of a scaffolding at the back side of InterGlobal Studios, immediately next to a car park located within the studios premises; there are signs "INTERGLOBAL TELEVISION" and "STAGE 25" on the building.
 * Mulholland, Los Santos - On a balcony of a house, near a body armor pickup.
 * Unincorporated, San Fierro - At the end of a winding dirt road inside a small shack next to a cropduster; south east of Easter Tunnel, west of The Farm, and east of Foster Valley. It doesn't spawn when wandering around the map during Reuniting The Families, probably due to a bug.
 * Downtown, San Fierro - Atop a building beside Otto's Autos. Requires a Jetpack or a Helicopter. Alternatively, it can be acquired by performing the Unique Stunt Jump #40 as the jump ends exactly on top of this building.
 * Doherty, San Fierro - In the exterior of the Doherty Garage after photographing all 50 Snapshots.
 * Julius Thruway North, Las Venturas - On the roof of a little chapel near the Las Venturas Police Headquarters.
 * The Clown's Pocket, Las Venturas - Somewhere on the Clown's Pocket Casino roof.
 * The Four Dragons Casino, Las Venturas - On the lower roof of the casino.
 * Can be bought from Ammu-Nation for $5000 ($6000 in Las Venturas) after the completion of Pier 69.
 * Given to the player (in one of large concrete pipes located in the construction site beside the Doherty Garage) during the mission "Snail Trail". One time only.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

 * Hepburn Heights, Portland Island - On top of the construction site roof (to get it use the ruins of the doll house as a ramp).
 * Torrington, Staunton Island - On top of the large star monument.
 * Francis International Airport, Shoreside Vale - Underneath a small wooden ramp/bridge leading to Wichita Gardens.
 * Cochrane Dam, Shoreside Vale - In the large tunnel entrance (tunnel leading to Cedar Grove).
 * Newport, Stauton Island - Can be bought in the Ammu-Nation for $6000 after the mission Driving Mr. Leone.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

 * Starfish Island - Behind a mansion in the southern part of the island after completion of From Zero To Hero.
 * Outside every safehouse after bursting 80 red balloons.
 * Ocean Beach - Can be bought in the Ammu-Nation for $6000 ($4500 if the player completes Phil's Shooting Range) after the mission From Zero To Hero.

Grand Theft Auto IV

 * The Sniper Rifle can be purchased only from the Underground Gun Shops for $6,000 and each additional magazine will cost $800.

Broker Dukes Algonquin
 * East Hook - Can be found on a gantry crane at the docks where the Platypus is berthed, which is located on Mohanet Ave. Specifically, the gantry crane closest to the bow on the starboard side of the ship. Only found after Luck of the Irish.
 * Steinway - Can be found atop a ferry terminal-type structure in Gantry Park, located off Dukes Drive. From the leftmost portion of the docks, the rifle is located atop the second structure. Again, only found after Luck of the Irish.
 * Northwood - Can be found atop a crude oil refining tower at the intersection of Exeter Ave and Grummer Rd, near the water's edge. This is the only sniper able to get at the beginning of the game, but it's easy to get Busted or Wasted with a 6-star wanted level.

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Can be purchased from Ammu-Nation for $5,000.
 * On top of the more northern of the two red/white smokestacks inside Palmer-Taylor Power Station.
 * Los Santos International Airport - on the top of the airport radar.
 * Paleto Bay, Blaine County - on the top of the yellow water tower.
 * Galileo Observatory, Vinewood Hills - on the observatory viewpoint, next to a telescope facing south.
 * After Minor Turbulence, in the wreck of the Cargo Plane in the Alamo Sea almost directly north of Stab City.
 * Used by SASPA guards at any watch towers of Bolingbroke Penitentiary.
 * Awarded to the player by entering a Police Maverick, with 10 rounds.

Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Can be purchased from Ammu-Nation at Rank 21, for $20,000.
 * A sniper rifle can be found and kept for free by attacking the gang hideout south of the Cypress Flats Ammu-Nation. The gang attack only appears from 12:00 to 20:00. The sniper rifle is not in the crates, but can be picked up from one of the enemies.
 * Awarded to the player by entering a Police Maverick, Annihilator, Valkyrie and Valkyrie MOD.0, with 10 rounds.

General

 * From Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas up to the latest games, shooting the birds flying in the air causes them to disappear, with the exception of Grand Theft Auto V, where shooting a bird will kill it.
 * In some games, discharging the sniper rifle in public will not cause pedestrians to panic neither attract police attention.

3D Universe

 * In all 3D Universe games (excluding Grand Theft Auto Advance), shooting at the moon with the rifle will make it bigger and smaller.
 * The sniper rifle's cocking animation can either be seen in multiplayer (Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories) or when set on fire (Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas only).
 * In GTA III, pedestrians that acquire this weapon through cheat codes suffer from a glitch that causes them to loop through the aiming animation of the weapon whenever they try to fire it. Furthermore, if the player looks around in first-person or aims the M-16, Rocket Launcher or Sniper Rifle, the sound of a gunshot from a sniper rifle will be heard and the player will receive a significant amount of damage. This applies even if the pedestrian sniper wasn't aiming for the player.
 * In GTA Vice City, there is no specific animation for shooting the rifle, so everyone who uses it (including Tommy) uses the default punching animation.
 * Some games in the 3D Universe allows the player to lock on to any opponent and fire without utilizing the scope if they are set on fire.
 * In GTA San Andreas, crouching while using the scope in with the sniper rifle allows movement while the scope is zoomed in but standing up will stop movement.
 * In GTA San Andreas, using the rifle's scope while crouching will automatically cause CJ to stand up, although he can crouch again while aiming down the scope.
 * The sniper rifle from GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas and GTA Liberty City Stories uses the same GTA III AK-47 textures (Seen inside the .TXD file)
 * The GTA III rendition has more realistic sound than other games' renditions in the 3D Universe.
 * However the sound is actually a louder, higher pitched version of the shotgun sound.
 * In GTA Vice City, the rifle is silenced, as it has no echo noise after firing.
 * GTA Vice City is the only game (excluding GTA Advance) where when the player has 100% completion (thus unlocking infinite ammo for any weapon) and fires the Sniper Rifle, no reloading sound will be heard.

HD Universe

 * A possible overlook, when the Poor Weapons cheat in GTA IV is used, instead of receiving this rifle, the player instead get the Combat Sniper. This makes the Sniper Rifle the only weapon that cannot be acquired by cheats.
 * In GTA IV and its episodes, the sniper rifle's bolt is on the right, but the player character will pull an invisible bolt on the left.
 * The GTA V Sniper Rifle holds 10 rounds in its magazine, however the magazine juts out significantly further from the weapon than its real-life inspiration, and should be able to hold closer to 20 rounds.
 * The sound of the Sniper Rifle firing in GTA Chinatown Wars is recycled from that of the shotgun sound from the 3D Universe games (except GTA San Andreas).

Grand Theft Auto IV

 * In Grand Theft Auto IV, if the player keeps crouching and shooting at the same time, the weapon will fire in automatic mode.

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