Learn how to craft and use the Lever Action Rifle
If you’re a sniper who’s sick of reloading after every shot and being functionally outmatched when faced with more than one enemy in 7 Days to Die, then you’ll be ecstatic to hear about the Lever Action Rifle. Named after its iconic reloading mechanism, this deadly sharpshooter is more powerful than lower-tier rifles and is also fitted with a magazine tube, allowing it to hold several shots at once!
This guide will walk you through crafting a Lever Action Rifle in 7 Days to Die and offer advice on utilizing it best.
How to craft a Lever Action Rifle in 7 Days to Die
As deadly as this weapon is in combat, the amount of materials and skills you’ll need to craft it is still surprising. You’ll need to reach the third 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 firearm being constructed:
| Material | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle Parts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Forged Steel | 15 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 75 |
| Duct Tape | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
| Scrap Polymers | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 |
| Spring | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
| Rifles Crafting Skill | 27 | 35 | 43 | 51 | 59 |
- Rifle Parts can be found by scrapping non-Pipe Rifles, searching weapon chests and gun safes, or may be purchased from traders.
- Forged Steel can be crafted at a Forge or salvaged from advanced machines like vending machines and street lamps.
- 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.
Lever Action Rifle Overview
Base Stats
Lever Action Rifle Stats by Quality
| Property | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magazine Size | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Rounds / Minute | 82 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 82 |
| Effective Range | 54 | 61
| 61 | 66 | 49 | 50 |
| Max Durability | 176 | 240 | 284 | 347 | 431 | 328 |
| Mod Slots | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Ammo
The Lever Action 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 | 76.1 | 80.8 | 84.7 | 86 | 90.7 | 94.6 |
| HiPower 7.62 | 81.1 | 86.1 | 90.3 | 91.7 | 96.6 | 100.9 |
| AP 7.62 | 86.1 | 91.4 | 95.9 | 97.3 | 102.6 | 107.1 |
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 Lever Action 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 Lever Action Rifle
As a member of the Rifle weapon class, the Lever Action Rifle scales in power with the player’s Perception attribute and the Deadeye perk.
Though not as impressive in terms of range as the Hunting Rifle, the 5-round magazine tube and higher damage rating the Lever Rifle sports make it the superior choice for combat.
It won’t ever be as mobile as other weapon classes, but its stopping power and range still give it the edge in long-range combat and make it a viable choice for mid-to-close range engagements.
Though certainly capable of knocking down basic enemies with a single shot, it’s best to aim for the head to ensure that 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 Lever Action doesn’t suffer from as much of an accuracy penalty as the Sniper Rifle but isn’t as damaging or as quick. That being said, its aiming time and movement accuracy penalties are still pretty severe. This can be minimized by attaching a laser sight, foregrip, or bipod modification.
The Lever Action Rifle is a hand-loaded weapon, much like the Pump Shotgun. This means the weapon needs to be cocked between shots, and each round needs to be loaded in by hand. However, the reload time for the rifle is static, meaning it will take just as long to reload an empty magazine as it will to top off a single round. It doesn’t take especially long, but if you want to speed up your reloads, you can strap a Bandolier Mod onto your armor or invest in the Deadeye perk.
With the proper perks and some armor-piercing ammunition, the Lever Action Rifle is capable of punching straight through enemies and cover blocks. This makes the weapon more capable of taking down multiple enemies simultaneously, provided those enemies are lined up.
Final thoughts on the Lever Action Rifle
Quick, accurate, and dangerous. This cowboy rifle is a massive upgrade from single-shot sniper rifles and an incredible boon to sniper characters. Since this game is set in an old-west settled portion of Arizona, it’s only natural that The Fun Pimps would include such an iconic weapon from the American West.
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.
