There’s a plentiful array of weapons to dispose of enemy combatants in Black Ops Cold War. For the more clinical, methodical exterminator of men, the sniper rifle becomes especially alluring. None of that chaotic, up-close, and personal business and all of the messiness that comes with it. Down below we’ll run you through your options when it comes to handling disputes at the range, and what your best option is right now in Black Ops Cold War.
Black Ops Cold War Sniper Rifles
Pelington 703
A particular fan-favorite, the Pelington 703 is a hard-hitting bolt action sniper rifle that can instakill with shots to the head and chest. A large feather in the Pelington 703’s cap is the fact that you unlock as early as level 4, and it sports the higher of the base stats between itself and its cousin, the LW3 Tundra.
Related: Best Gun in Cold War Zombies
Pelington 703 Firepower
| Damage | 110 |
| Effective Damage Range | 127 meters |
| Fire Rate | 54 RPM |
| Bullet Velocity | 500 m/s |
| Vehicle Damage | 138 |
| Melee Quickness | 1000 ms |
Pelington 703 Speed
| Movement Speed | 10.26 mph |
| Sprinting Movement Speed | 10.26 mph |
| Shooting Movement Speed | 5.13 mph |
| Sprint to Fire Time | 450 ms |
| Aim Walking Movement Speed | 3.28 mph |
| Aim Down Sight Time | 550 ms |
Pelington 703 Accuracy
| Vertical Recoil Control | 550 j |
| Horizontal Recoil Control | 250 j |
| Centering Speed | 2.5 ft-lb |
| Idle Sway Control | 4 Fc |
| Flinch Resistance | 10 N |
| Hip Fire Accuracy | 18 mils |
Pelington 703 Ammo
| Magazine Capacity | 5 |
| Reload Speed | 5.1s |
| Max Starting Ammo | 20 |
| Ammo Capacity | 30 |
| Reveal Distance | 0m |
| Muzzle Flash Concealment | 1s |
LW3 – Tundra
The LW3 Tundra is unlocked at level 25 — much later than the Pelington 703 — but packs significantly more of a punch compared. The LW3 Tundra might sport slightly less impressive specs on paper, but, unlike the Pelington 703, can 1 shot players in the shoulders too. It’s most significant drawback is the slower speed.
LW3 Firepower
| Damage | 110 |
| Effective Damage Range | 127 m |
| Fire Rate | 47 RPM |
| Bullet Velocity | 550 m/s |
| Vehicle Damage | 138 |
| Melee Quickness | 1000 ms |
LW3 Speed
| Movement Speed | 10.26 mph |
| Sprinting Movement Speed | 10.26 mph |
| Shooting Movement Speed | 5.13 mph |
| Sprint to Fire Time | 450 ms |
| Aim Walking Movement Speed | 3.28 mph |
| Aim Down Sight Time | 650 ms |
LW3 Accuracy
| Vertical Recoil Control | 550 j |
| Horizontal Recoil Control | 350 j |
| Centering Speed | 20 ft-lb |
| Idle Sway Control | 4 Fc |
| Flinch Resistance | 10 N |
| Hip Fire Accuracy | 18 mils |
LW3 Ammo
| Magazine Capacity | 5 |
| Reload Speed | 3 s |
| Max Starting Ammo | 20 |
| Ammo Capacity | 30 |
| Reveal Distance | 0 m |
| Muzzle Flash Concealment | 1 s |
Related: How To Level Up Guns Faster in Cold War
M82
The M82 is the third and final sniper rifle, characterized by a significantly higher RPM but weighed down by equally outsized recoil. The M82 is, without a doubt, the least popular of the Black Ops Cold War sniper rifles and probably not because of its higher-level requirement. Despite boasting similar power, the weapon falls behind with a noticeably lower ADS speed.
M82 Firepower
| Damage | 110 |
| Effective Damage Range | 127 m |
| Fire Rate | 180 RPM |
| Bullet Velocity | 525 m/s |
| Vehicle Damage | 138 |
| Melee Quickness | 1000 ms |
M82 Speed
| Movement Speed | 10.26 mph |
| Sprinting Movement Speed | 10.26 mph |
| Shooting Movement Speed | 5.13 mph |
| Sprint to Fire Time | 450 ms |
| Aim Walking Movement Speed | 3.28 mph |
| Aim Down Sight Time | 700 ms |
M82 Accuracy
| Vertical Recoil Control | 1040 j |
| Horizontal Recoil Control | 300 j |
| Centering Speed | 11.5f-lb |
| Idle Sway Control | 4 Fc |
| Flinch Resistance | 10 N |
| Hip Fire Accuracy | 18 Mils |
M82 Ammo
| Magazine Capacity | 5 |
| Reload Speed | 3 S |
| Max Starting Ammo | 20 |
| Ammo Capacity | 30 |
| Reveal Distance | 0 m |
| Muzzle Flash Concealment | 1 s |
Related: Best Loadout for Cold War
Black Ops Cold War Best Sniper Rifle
LW3 Tundra
While the Pelington 703 is the current fan-favorite, widely lauded for its comparatively faster ADS and handling, the fact that the LW3 Tundra sports 1-shot kills to the head, chest, and shoulder edges it out over its otherwise nigh-identical counterpart.
With the right LW3 Tundra Loadout, players can more than make up for the difference in speed and capitalize on the extra instakill weak point in enemy shoulders. This makes it the clear winner between the bolt actions.
Furthermore, both the Pelington 703 and LW3 Tundra sniper rifle win out over the semi-automatic M82 for their higher accuracy and lower recoil — an on-paper RPM amounts to little more than flavorless icing on the 1-shot instakill cake.
Related: Best Guns in Cold War Zombies
LW3 Tundra Loadout
This five-attachment LW3 loadout brings in a little bit of speed and all-around balancing to help lessen the gap between the Pelington 703 while also reinforcing its strengths.
| Muzzle | Stabilizer .308 |
| Barrel | 25.8 Rapid Fire |
| Underbarrel | Front Grip |
| Stock | Raider Pad |
| Handle | Serpent Wrap |
What’s your favorite Black Ops Cold War sniper rifle? Let us know, alongside your favorite attachments. For more tips, tricks, guides, and walkthroughs be sure to check out our Black Ops Cold War Archives!
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