Best Sniper Rifles in Warzone: Every Season 4 Sniper ranked

Liam Mackay
Best Warzone Pacific Sniper Rifle loadouts

Sniping is one of the most effective ways to win games of Call of Duty: Warzone, but Sniper Rifles received buffs and nerfs in Season 4. With these meta changes in mind, we’ve put together the best Warzone Pacific Sniper Rifles you need to dominate long-range engagements in Season 4.

With Warzone being out for over two years now, Call of Duty players are well-accustomed to battle royale games. Understanding that running at teams for close-range fights isn’t necessarily the best strategy to win, almost every squad has a sniper on their team. 

Sniper Rifles underwent massive changes in Warzone Pacific Season 3’s update, with the lightweight Snipers losing their ability to one-shot headshot at any distance. In addition, Season 4 buffs and nerfs have impacted Warzone’s meta, so we’ve ranked every Warzone Sniper Rifle and single-fire Marksman Rifle from best to worst, and counted down the top five. 

Best Sniper Rifles in Warzone Ranked list

warzone pacific vanguard sniper operator

Across Warzone’s bolt-action Marksman Rifles and Sniper Rifles, the traditional heavy snipers have continued to dominate the meta in Season 4.

Here’s every Sniper Rifle and single-fire Marksman Rifle in Warzone, ranked from best to worst:

  1. ZRG 20mm
  2. HDR
  3. 3-Line Rifle
  4. AX-50
  5. Pelington 703
  6. MW Kar98k
  7. Swiss K31
  8. Gorenko Anti-Tank Rifle
  9. SPR-208
  10. LW3 – Tundra
  11. Vanguard Kar98k
  12. Type 99
  13. M82
  14. Rytec AMR
  15. Mk2 Carbine
  16. Dragunov

Best Sniper Rifles in Warzone Pacific Season 4

5. Pelington 703

Pelington 703 sniper rifle in warzone

You may be surprised to see the Pelington in the top five Warzone Sniper Rifles, but it has the longest one-shot headshot range of the lightweight snipers.

This lightweight Black Ops Cold War Sniper will feel extremely similar to the previously meta Modern Warfare Kar98k and Swiss K31. Although not as speedy as the Kar98k, it has a much higher bullet velocity and can one-shot headshot enemies up to around 70 meters, which is about 20 meters further than the Kar.

If you’re looking for a versatile Sniper Rifle to quickscope enemies in Rebirth Island, then the Pelington might just be the weapon for you, so make sure you’re running the best Pelington loadout possible.

4. AX-50

ax-50 sniper rifle in warzone

The AX-50 has always suffered from its lower bullet velocity and bullet drop, but if you prioritize ADS speed when building it, then it becomes a fantastic option for Rebirth Island or Fortune’s Keep.

While it can still deliver that all-important one-shot headshot at any range, its bullet velocity prevents it from being the best Sniper Rifle in Warzone Pacific Season 4. Hitting those far-off targets will be quite difficult with the AX-50 but its one-shot headshot keeps it in the top five, especially when you build it for quickscoping in Rebirth Island.

If you’re looking to try out this Modern Warfare Sniper Rifle again, make sure you’re running the best AX-50 loadout.

3. 3-Line Rifle

3-Line Rifle in Warzone

While Vanguard’s Sniper Rifles don’t receive as much love as the best Modern Warfare and Cold War snipers, the 3-Line Rifle is one of the best Sniper Rifles in Warzone Pacific Season 4.

The 3-Line suffers from a high amount of flinch and bounces around when you move, but you can limit this weakness with the proper attachments. Furthermore, the weapon’s ADS speed was buffed in the Season 4 update.

Don’t be surprised to see this weapon rise up the ranks to the top spot throughout Season 4. Simply aim for the head and you’ll be able to take down enemies in one shot from any distance.

Be sure to check out the best 3-Line Rifle loadout you can use in Warzone Pacific Season 4.

2. HDR

HDR Sniper Rifle in Warzone

The HDR was king back when Warzone first launched in March 2020 and it was propelled to the top of the pack again following the major changes made in Warzone Pacific Season 3. This has remained the case in Season 4, and the HDR claims the title of Warzone’s most popular Sniper.

As the HDR is a Modern Warfare Sniper Rifle, it’s one of the heavier weapons on this list. However, it still has a respectable ADS speed, strong rotational aim assist on controller, and of course, it’s capable of one-shot headshotting players from any distance. You won’t be quickscoping players up-close, but its high bullet velocity and high-zoom optics mean you’ll be unstoppable at range.

Make sure to check out the best Warzone HDR loadout so you can dominate Caldera and Fortune’s Keep at range.

1. ZRG 20mm – Best Sniper Rifle in Warzone right now

ZRG 20mm sniper rifle in Warzone

If you’re looking for a new Sniper Rifle to use across Caldera, Rebirth Island, and Fortune’s Keep in Warzone Season 4, look no further than the ZRG 20mm.

Comparing the ZRG and HDR, the ZRG has a faster ADS speed and higher bullet velocity — two extremely important factors when weighing up the best Sniper Rifle. Plus, it still one-shots to the head.

Some may prefer the feel of the HDR, but if you can get used to the ZRG, you’ll find it’s the best Sniper Rifle in Warzone right now. So, be sure to check out the best ZRG 20mm loadout in Warzone Pacific Season 4.


It’s not only the Sniper Rifles that receive weapon balancing updates in Warzone Season 4, as you can also check out which weapon experts are calling the best SMG loadout in Season 4.

Image Credit: Activision

About The Author

Liam is CharlieIntel's Editor. After graduating in Journalism from Edinburgh Napier University, Liam made use of his passion for FPS games, including Call of Duty, by writing for sites such as The Nerd Stash, Red Bull Gaming, and GAMINGbible before joining CharlieIntel in November 2020. You can contact Liam at [email protected].