The best sniper rifle in Black Ops Cold War

As of the launch of Black Ops Cold War, the best sniper rifle to use is the LW3 - Tundra.

The LW3 is the go-to sniper rifle for Black Ops Cold War, as it is the best cover all weapon for that category. In the sniper rifle class, there are three options at launch.

There is one semi-automatic sniper and two bolt-action sniper rifles to choose from. The LW3 - Tundra is the best of the three, and it is a better selection than the Pellington 703 from how the game appears for now. What gives the LW3 - Tundra the edge is the larger hitbox for a 1-shot kill.

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LW3 - Tundra is the best Black Ops Cold War sniper

(Image via Treyarch)

While the Pellington 703 has a 1-shot kill range from the head or the chest, the LW3 - Tundra has more of a chance with hitting 1-shot kills. The range for the LW3 is the head, chest, and shoulders. That gives LW3 users a fairly significant gap to miss the head and still land an instant kill. The third sniper is a semi-automatic, called the M82. It fills the semi-auto slot but has the smallest hitbox for a 1-shot kill.

Many sniper rifle users will be using snipers to quick scope in Black Ops Cold War, and the Pellington 703 may seem like an enticing choice. It is definitely a bit faster than the LW3, and speed is important for quick scopes. But with the nerf to snipers, speed in general took a hit. In that case, if snipers are already slower to begin with, every shot needs to count.

When using the Pellington 703, there will be plenty of hit markers, and players that are jumping or sliding around have a better chance of surviving a shot. Snipers are slower now in Black Ops Cold War, so getting a second shot will be far harder. The LW3 makes up for that and gives a better chance at making each shot count.

Even for players who aren't quick scoping, the LW3 offers the best option for longer range sniping. Anyone who is taking their time will land more significant hits when compared to the other options in the class.

As always, the snipers in Black Ops Cold War should generally be built with some speed anyway. When more attachments are unlocked, the best bet is to compensate for the slowness of the weapon. Speed and the large hitbox for 1-shot kills will make the LW3 scary.