Learn how to craft and use the Hunting Rifle
Are you looking for a long-range, powerful weapon in 7 Days to Die that can bring down its target? Then the Hunting Rifle might be exactly what you need. This deadly sniper weapon is capable of taking out targets at long range and packs a serious punch.
This guide will walk you through crafting a Hunting Rifle in 7 Days to Die and offer advice on utilizing it best.
How to craft a Hunting Rifle in 7 Days to Die
More complex than the wimpy Pipe Rifle, this weapon will require some actual materials and a bit of skill to craft. You’ll need to reach the second tier in the Rifles crafting skill and have a Workbench before you can successfully assemble this weapon. The amount of crafting materials required will depend on the quality of the weapon being constructed:
| Material | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle Parts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Forged Iron | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
| Duct Tape | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Scrap Polymers | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
| Spring | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Rifles Crafting Skill | 11 | 14 | 18 | 22 | 26 |
- Rifle Parts can be found by scrapping non-pipe rifles, searching weapon chests and gun safes, or may be purchased from traders.
- Forged Iron can be crafted at a Forge or salvaged from machines like refrigerators and rusted cars.
- Duct Tape can be crafted by combining Glue and Cloth Fragments or found in parts containers.
- Scrap Polymers may be obtained by salvaging appliances and plastic objects or scavenged.
- Springs can be found in vehicle parts crates or salvaged from machinery and vehicles.
- The Rifles crafting skill can only be improved by finding and reading issues of the Rifle World skill magazine.
Hunting Rifle Overview
Base Stats
Hunting Rifle Stats by Quality
| Property | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magazine Size | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Effective Range | 63 | 69 | 72 | 77 | 83 | 57 |
| Max Durability | 151 | 194 | 235 | 282 | 340 | 258 |
| Mod Slots | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Ammo
The Hunting Rifle is chambered in powerful 7.62 rounds, of which there are 3 kinds: Standard, HiPower (HP), and Armor Piercing (AP). The damage of each quality of weapon is determined by what ammo the player has loaded into it.
| Ammo Type | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.62 | 58.1 | 61.5 | 64.7 | 65.6 | 69 | 72.1 |
| HiPower 7.62 | 63.1 | 66.8 | 70.3 | 71.3 | 75 | 78.4 |
| AP 7.62 | 68.1 | 72.1 | 75.8 | 77 | 80.9 | 84.6 |
Crafting 7.62 Ammo will require a workbench and the following materials:
- 1 Bullet Tip
- 3 Gunpowder
- 1 Bullet Casing
Crafting HiPower 7.62 Ammo will require a workbench, that the player has read the Sniper Vol. 7 perk book, as well as the following materials:
- 2 Bullet Tips
- 3 Gunpowder
- 1 Bullet Casing
Crafting AP 7.62 Ammo will require a workbench, that the player has read the Sniper Vol. 6 perk book, as well as the following materials:
- 2 Bullet Tips
- 5 Gunpowder
- 1 Bullet Casing
Mods
The Hunting Rifle accepts the following mods. Note that only one mod of any category may be attached at a time except accessory mods.
- Barrel: Barrel Extender, Muzzle Brake, Silencer
- Sights: Reflex, Scope x2, Scope x4
- Accessory: Cripple ‘Em, Fore Grip, Bipod
- Tech: The Hunter, Rad Remover
- Rail: Laser Sight, Weapon Flashlight
- Stock: Retracting Stock
Tips and tricks for using the Hunting Rifle
As a member of the Rifle weapon class, the Hunting Rifle scales in power with the player’s Perception attribute and the Deadeye perk.
This weapon’s greatest benefits are its high damage rating and impressive range. This weapon’s effective range can be increased even further by attaching a barrel extender, which scales off of the rifle’s base range.
Though capable of knocking down basic enemies with a single shot, it’s best to aim for the head to ensure they don’t get back up. This is especially important when facing tougher enemies with more health. Armored enemies can be dealt with by chambering AP ammo and investing in the Penetrator perk.
The Hunting Rifle is deadly at range but is very slow to aim and can only ever carry a single round. Additionally, this weapon becomes terribly inaccurate when the player is moving or firing from the hip. Because of this, the Hunting Rifle is nearly useless in close-quarters and indoor combat, and we strongly recommend players carry a secondary weapon with more ammunition and mobility, such as a Pistol, for emergencies and crowds.
It is possible to use this weapon effectively without mods, but it’s much easier to do so when your rifle is fitted with a proper scope and at least one stability mod, such as a bipod or foregrip.
Because of this weapon’s single-round magazine, we recommend players invest in perks such as Run and Gun and equip a Bandolier Mod to their armor to shorten the duration between shots and increase their mobility while reloading.
The Hunting Rifle’s range, accuracy, and damage make it a surprisingly effective stealth weapon. Sneaking while aiming can also increase the player’s accuracy and cause shots to deal significantly more damage to unaware enemies. These benefits can be further improved by attaching a silencer to eliminate firing noise.
Final thoughts on the Hunting Rifle
Though it will take some skill and conditioning to use effectively, this powerful rifle can be invaluable for taking down dangerous targets without risking your neck. The Fun Pimps carved the words “One Shot, One Kill” on the side of this gun, and that’s exactly what it’s capable of. In the right hands, that is.
Looking for some more pointers to help you survive 7 Days to Die? Check out our 10 Tips for Getting Started or our in-depth Beginner’s Guide.
