Sniper Rifle Tier List: Top 10 Rifles Ranked

Numerous arms manufacturers have made some of the world’s best weapons in the world over the past decades alone. And this Sniper Rifle Tier List will discuss ten of the most well-known rifles and rank them into five distinct categories. These rifles are used to perform critical tactical tasks, like doing overwatch, scouting, and even providing the element of surprise. But the quality of these rifles matters little in comparison to the skill of the shooter themselves, but it’s always better to have a good gun.

Modern rifles equipped with telescopic sights, sensors, and ballistic calculators that enable users to attack the enemy at a distance of over two kilometers. And our rankings are based on a combined score of factors such as firepower and accuracy alongside some other notable factors. So without any further ado, let’s get started. 

Key Points

• In our article, we have ranked 10 of the world’s most famed sniper rifles
• The ranking is based on various factors, including price, effectiveness, weight, rate of fire, recoil, etc
• Among the highest-ranked rifles, we have guns like the Macmillan Tac 50, Barrett M82, Accuracy International AS50, and Steyr SSG 69.
• In the lowest tiers, you will find rifles like the L42A1, Barrett M95,  PSG-1, and Sako TRG 42.

Summary

The table below shows the top ten sniper rifles ranked into five distinct categories.

Read the article to the end and learn about these weapons in detail.

Introduction

In a while, we will be ranking ten of the world’s most famous sniper rifles into five different categories or tiers, i.e., S, A, B, C, and D. You know how it goes, the best weapons go in the highest tiers, while the worst are in the lower ones.

But before we begin ranking the guns, you need to note that the ranking has been based on our research and expertise and that some readers may not agree with our order. In that case, we appreciate your feedback. You can let us know if a particular weapon should be ranked lower or higher, and we will look into it. That being said, let’s start ranking sniper rifles. 

S Tier

The first category is the S tier which includes the best and top-notch sniper rifles. S-tier snipers have excellent accuracy, effectiveness, and stability. Many militaries use these rifles, and they are regarded as the world’s best. Let’s find out more about these weapons. 

The Macmillan Tac 50

The Macmillan Tac 50 is an American heavy sniper rifle. They are modeled after the M87 and M93 rifles for long-range and long-range targets. Macmillan Brothers company introduced this rifle, and it was initially sold to the US and Canadian police forces as well as to many other special forces. The manually operated semi-automatic rifle uses 12.7 by 99 millimeter Luger ammunition, five rounds bolt action, 11.5 kgs in weight, and 1448 millimeters in length. Tac 50 rifle is equipped with 16X fixed iron sights.

Interestingly, this very weapon set the record for the lethal range. In 2017, a Canadian special forces soldier in Iraq killed a militant of the terrorist organization from a distance of as much as 2475 meters. The popular rifle has proven itself in various combat operations, such as the war In Afghanistan or the drug war in Mexico. It is possible to buy the Macmillan Tac 50 sniper rifle if you have $10,000.

Consider Reading: Warzone 2 Tier List

Barrett M82

Created by the US-based Barrett Firearms Manufacturing company, the Barrett M82 is a fantastic weapon capable of destroying aircraft, individual targets from a long distance, radar systems, crucial assets, and even military vehicles. The sniper is not fully automatic. Instead, it is semi-automatic. Another important feature of the Barrett M82 is that it is anti-material which adds to its value. Moreover, the M82 sniper can hit targets hidden behind solid covers like concrete walls. The sniper’s bullet releases with an incredible velocity that goes straight through hard covers and concrete walls.  However, it is used mainly as an anti-material weapon. The gun is chambered for a decisive 12-7 by 99-millimeter ammunition.

Although the ammo was created for and utilized by the Browning M2 powerful machine gun, the M82’s ammunition is otherwise called the light 50. In addition, the M82 has a particular system for reducing recoil. The muzzle brake reduces the force applied to the inner systems and the gunman by neutralizing 70% of the recoil.  The 10-round removable rifle magazine carries bullets, and it typically has a 10-magnification scope attached. The flip-up iron sight on the gun can be used urgently if the low-light scope is damaged. It is also compatible with night vision scopes. On top of the receiver, newer models incorporate a scope rail in the Picatinny style. The latest Barrett M82 comes with quickly removable holding handles rather than the original Barrett M82’s built-in handle. The unit cost of the rifle is around $1300.

A Tier

Following the S tier, we have the A rank of the Sniper Rifle Tier List, which includes the second-best sniper rifles in the world. These rifles have impressive performance levels and are widely used by armed forces worldwide. Following are the A-tier snipers on our list:

Accuracy International AS50

It is a product of the legendary British company Accuracy International Limited. It was explicitly designed to strike material targets and unarmored or lightly armored enemy combat vehicles. The large caliber 12.7 millimeters semi-automatic sniper rifle is fitted with five rounds, 50 BMG type magazine, and is heavy enough 15 kgs AS50 to reach a length of 1360 millimeters.

However, it is of a collapsible design, which allows for mobility and compactness. The weapon is complemented with various scopes that allow hitting targets at distances up to 2000 meters. Another advantage is its high rate of fire, namely five shots in 1.6 seconds due to the so-called floating barrel. The price per unit is about $10,000.

Steyr SSG 69

The Steyr SSG 69 is the next incredible sniper on our list, an Austrian origin. If you look at it from the outside, it appears like a rifle used for hunting.   Nevertheless, the rifle is designed for army troops and other special services agencies.  It is a bolt-action sniper configured for the standard NATO 762 cartridge. The rifle was unique compared to most modern sniper rifles when it was first introduced in the 1960s. The design of the SSG 69 would be unique, having cutting-edge features for the 1960s. Its ultralight, cold-hammer-forged chambers and large removable magazine were made of synthetic components for durability. The SSG 69 is relatively compact, comes with a 650 Millimetre barrel, and is very light. Newer versions that operate in the same manner and have similar effectiveness weigh two times more than this. 

 SSG 69 (Austrian origin) has identified itself as a dependable and robust build. The gun has a unique five-round removable revolving magazine. You can press the knobs on each side of the gun to release the magazine. It is translucent, making it simple to determine the loaded number of rounds. Because the Steyr SSG 69 typically achieves sub-0.5 MOA precision at multiple global contests, the SS69 rifle is well-liked for its effectiveness. Only a small number of customized firearms had sub-moa accuracy in the 1960s. The SSG 69 is usually used with a scope, and initially, Austrian Army rifles were paired with Chaos Zf696 magnification scopes. With the particular scope, the rifle was practical to a range of about 600 meters, and later they switched to 10 magnification scopes. That would protract the effective range of the gun to 800 meters. The unit cost of the SSG96 rifle

comes in at $14000.

B Tier

The next category is the B tier, which includes snipers that are good but not as great as those mentioned in the S and A tiers. Let’s dig deeper and find out more about these rifles. 

Chey Tac M200 “Intervention”

The Chey Tac M200 sniper rifle is a large caliber rifle designed to engage so-called soft targets, i.e., soldiers. The gun boasts high accuracy at a distance of 2000 meters. For example, the dispersion does not exceed one arc minute. It is due to the use of special wildcat-type cartridges 408 Chey Tac caliber 10 mm as the magazine of the model holds seven rounds. The gun’s weight is 14 kg, length with unfolded butt stock is 1346 millimeters. The sniper is part of the long-range rifle system developed by US Chey tac LLC based on the Windrunner M96 rifle.

Intervention M200 is equipped with an OPS ink sound suppressor, nightforce scope, and optional night vision and infrared laser. The collapsible design of the rifle allows for easy transportation and is another obvious advantage. Such a variant costs between $12,000 and $14,000.

Similar Article: Gun Tier List

AWM

The AWM is another great sniper on our list manufactured by Accuracy International, a British company. The gun has a  bolt mechanism and resembles the classic artic combat sniper. However, it has a larger barrel to fit the magnum-type cartridge, which is bigger and more destructive. The weapon has a stainless steel 660-millimeter barrel and is fed from a detachable five-round magazine. It uses the 300 Winchester magnum ammunition, which was created as ammo for hunting, has a straighter course, a terminal speed that has been greatly improved, as well as explosive range and drag. More so than the standard Nato 308 Winchester 762 cartridge.

Consequently, it has a considerably greater range and accuracy. The AWM rifle is chambered for this ammunition and has an effective range of 1100 meters. The 338 Lapua magnum variant is a far more potent variation. The particular ammunition would be made explicitly for armed services shooters for protracted shooting. It has a similar maximum range to the 50 BMG bullet. Although the 338 Lapua magnum outperforms the 300 Winchester magnum and has a maximum range of over 1700 meters, it has considerably less velocity and impact. It has been claimed that the 338 magnum bullet can occasionally break through bulletproof windshields. To add, back in 2009, a Britain shooter Craig Harrison knocked out a couple of terrorists in Afghanistan at a distance of 2475 meters, and it was one of the best kills on record. The rifle features an estimated price between $4500 and $7000.

C Tier

The second last category in our Sniper Rifle Tier List is the C rank, which includes snipers that are average and not too impressive. Some armies worldwide have stopped using these sniper rifles, while others still use them. Let’s find out more about them.

L42A1

The L42A1 is a British-made sniper rifle chambered with the new 7.62-millimeter cartridge 308 Winchester, now adopted by Nato as the Nato Standard rifle. The sniper rifle was developed by the British royal small arms factory RSAF back in 1970 and is based on the Lee Enfield number four. With a shortened forend, floating barrel, and new scope mount, this sliding bolt weapon is fitted with telescopic sights and interchangeable diopter-type sights, which allow it to engage at a target at 730 meters.

The magazine’s capacity is ten rounds and weighs 5.5 kgs, but it is only 1071 millimeters long. L42A1 was not produced for long, and in the mid-1980s, it was replaced by accuracy international pm. However, it was popular with the UK army for several more years and was officially obsolete only in 1992. The rifle was used for several military conflicts, such as the Falklands and gulf wars, and proved a powerful and accurate weapon.

Barrett M95

The Barrett M95 is the next sniper rifle on our list, a more advanced variant than the previous Barrett M90. It is a manual pulse rifle, AMR, created by the Barrett arms manufacturing company. The main modification is the gun’s grip near the trigger, which in the newer variants has been relocated so that magazine accessibility is easy.  The Barrett M95 may generally be thought of as a hand-controlled Barrett M82. The bullpup design and the more straightforward single-shot mechanism reduce the gun’s total size. The M95 has a 736-millimeter barrel configured for robust 12.7 by 99-millimeter ammunition.

The super-efficient muzzle guard on the gun, which features a unique recoil control mechanism, is reported to take a recoil of more than 70%. The barrel brake lessens the pressures imparted to the user and the inner components. An extremely thick recoil protector is also included for improved performance.  The Barrett M95 sniper includes a sight mount atop the barrel and is loaded from a removable magazine. There is a circumvented 10X amplification sight available for the firearm, and existing manufacturing models include a Fully adjustable sight rail. Besides, you will not find any extra iron sights for use in case there is a need for them and the scope is damaged, even though several alternative scopes and low-light devices can be attached easily. Although proficient shooters may strike enemies over 2000 meters, the rifle is usually employed up to a distance of about 900 m.

The portable monopod at the back of the gun can be attached to the removable bipod. The unit cost ranges from $6600 to $9500 depending on its configuration, but it is still around 30% less expensive than the popular Barrett M82. Because the weapon is not semi-automatic and its unit price is pretty high, we have put it in the C tier.

D Tier

The D tier is the last category, where you find the worst sniper rifles with several flaws. Almost all armies who once used these rifles have stopped using them, and the companies that used to manufacture them have stopped their production. These weapons were considered epic back then. However, with time and technological advancements, these became outdated. 

Let’s find out more about these snipers. 

PSG-1

The first D-class weapon on our Sniper Rifle tier list is the PSG-1. It is a high-precision rifle designed by the German company Heckler and Coke in collaboration with various anti-terrorist organizations. The reason for its development was the tragedy that occurred during the 1972 summer Olympics, known as the Munich Assassination. It was developed using an HK G3 rifle for police and special operations. The PSG-1 is a semi-automatic rifle chambered for 7.62 millimeters of 308 Winchester ammunition.

The box magazine holds 20 rounds at 1230 millimeters in length, and the gun’s weight is about 17.5 kg. The rifle is fitted with a 6x hen sold scope, providing practical shooting at short and medium ranges up to 600 meters. You can purchase the rifle for $2000. We have put iy in the D tier for several reasons. First, it is expensive, and you can easily get other snipers at a relatively lower price. Besides, it has high recoil and is pretty heavy, making it a weak choice. Lastly, considering its rate of fire, it is pretty low, and its magazine size is small too.

Sako TRG 42

 The last sniper on our list is the Sako  TRG 42, a sniper used to hit targets from long distances and of Finland origin. It is a more effective manufacturing variant of the earlier TRG 41. The TRG 42 was developed to accommodate more lethal bullets with a max length of 95 m, thanks to upgrades over the TRG 41, such as a revised barrel layout. The Sako TRG 42 took over the manufacturing of the earlier TRG 41 back in the late ’90s. The firearm is primarily employed by fighting units and inter-services agencies and is utilized by over 10 major countries, including the armed forces of Finland. Besides, it has users in the law enforcement sector as well. 

The TRG 42 is a manual gun that can be purchased with ammunition for the 338 Lapua Magnum and the 300 Winchester Magnum. The barrel on both variants measures 690 mm. A less potent TRG 22 sniper, designed for the 308 Winchester ammunition, a standard NATO caliber, is also produced by the Sako firm. It comes in at a unit cost of about $6000. However, its accuracy and price make the Sako TRG 42 a D-tier weapon. The sniper’s accuracy is not too great, and other better options are available. Moreover, price-wise, it is pretty expensive.

Comparison Table

Verdict

In the discussion above, we listed and ranked 1o of the world’s most well-known sniper rifles. Now you know how essential sniper rifles are in militaries and how significant it is to use updated and modern weapons. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this article, as we tried our best to give you a comprehensive reason for why we chose to rank each rifle where we did. But if you disagree with any of our choices, feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. We always take constructive criticisms in good faith and use them to further improve our articles.