The hunting rifle is a left-handed bolt-action rifle commonly carried by super mutants and raiders. It can be found early in the game although these early rifles will be unmodded. Its effectiveness in the early game sections can be limited by the amount of .308 ammunition the Sole Survivor can find. The hunting rifle is a viable weapon during the early to mid-stages of the game, and can remain somewhat viable in later stages of the game as well via the use of modifications, especially when modified to fire .50 caliber ammunition, and finding a legendary variant.
From a general point of view, the hunting rifle is the game's mid-tier long-range precision weapon, reflected in its crafting perk requirements, with the hunting rifle's top-tier modifications requiring three points in Gun Nut.
The appearance of a basic, unmodified hunting rifle boasts a short barrel and a wooden stock that has apparently been sawed into a pistol grip and wrapped with a layer of duct tape at some point in the past. However, outfitting the gun with increasingly more advanced barrels and ergonomic stocks made from what seems to be polymers quickly turns it into a high-grade sniper rifle.
A hunting rifle may be found at Walden Pond, in the sewer on top of a duffle bag. This is the closest guaranteed hunting rifle spawn to Sanctuary Hills.
A hunting rifle variant is on top of a kiosk at College Square.
A hardened hunting rifle with a full stock, long barrel and medium scope can be found on the roof of a red rocket station just northeast of College Square. Stairs are located at the rear of the building.
At the steeple of the Old North Church, a rifle identical to the one at the College Square red rocket will be found provided that the neighborhood between Cabot House and the church was not visited first.
One may be found in Kendall Hospital, after taking the elevator up to the sixth floor it will be on a shelf in the room to the left of the machinegun turret.
One may be found near Skylanes Flight 1981. On the rocky hills south of the flooded entrance, there is a Vault-Tec van and a skeleton holding a hunting rifle.
One can be found at the Mass Pike Tunnel, entrance from the Boston Police rationing site as passed the generator room and the corridor with a single mole rat, turn left at the locked door with a terminal into a small room with a military skeleton.
There is no bipod modification, although one of the loading screens shows said bipod. A bipod modification was cut from the final release but is still available from console commands.
A hunting rifle with a short barrel and scope changes the name to "scoped hunting rifle." When a long barrel is attached, it changes the name to "sniper rifle."
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Modifications: short light barrel, short stock, standard magazine, standard sights
Modifications: long barrel, short stock, standard magazine, standard sights
Modifications: short barrel, full stock, standard magazine, standard sights
Modifications: short light barrel, full stock, medium magazine, standard sights, bayonet
Modifications: short barrel, full stock, large magazine, reflex sight, suppressor
Full basic hunting rifle (long barrel, full stock)
Modifications: long ported barrel, full stock, medium magazine, reflex sight, bayonet
Modifications: long light barrel, full stock, medium magazine, scope, compensator
Modifications: long ported barrel, marksman's stock, large magazine, reflex sight
Modifications: long light barrel, marksman's stock, medium magazine, scope, compensator
Modifications: long ported barrel, marksman's stock, large magazine, scope, suppressor