Left 4 Dead Game Guide Weapons: Hunting Rifle
L4D Tips, Hints, Strategies, Info, and Stats on the Ruger HR Rifle
Mar 29, 2009
The Hunting Rifle is a situational weapon most effectively used as support, and as such, can be quite beneficial to a survivor team.
Basic Info for L4D Hunting Rifle
The following info was received from the Left 4 Dead Wikia and the Left 4 Dead Forums:
- 15 bullets per clip, 180 carrying capacity
- 90 damage per bullet, same for all distances
- Only weapon with a scope
- Most accurate weapon when standing still, least accurate when moving
- Firing rate, 4 seconds per clip
- Reload time, 3 seconds
- Infinite infected penetration, 1.7 foot wall penetration
- 400% damage for headshots to special infected
- One bullet instantly kills regular infected, one headshot instantly kills any special infected other than the Tank
- Headshot will stun a crying witch, making it the only viable weapon for witch-hunting from a distance
Glancing at this information should reveal that the Hunting Rifle is a weapon of incredible strengths, and crushing weaknesses. The contrast makes the HR an effective support weapon, but any HR user might require a bit of babysitting by the rest of the team. Unless the players are highly skilled or deliberately giving the infected team an advantage, teams should never have more than one hunting rifle user at a time.
General Strategies for L4D Hunting Rifle
The Hunting Rifle's most obvious advantage is range--use it. The scope is a unique tool, allowing for pin-point accuracy from any distance, and allowing for extended sight--use it to spot and kill special infected.
Even though the Hunting Rifle's fire rate is quite fast, the weapon is best used when fired slowly. Firing slowly forces you to aim, and firing fast is generally just a wast of ammo. Hordes can be killed with only a few bullets, since the infinite penetration and instant kill effect will eliminate a full straight line of common infected per shot.
Preventing dire scenarios for the team is the HR's best quality, but when such a scenario happens, the hunting rifle is typically the least effective for restoring the peace. The low accuracy when moving or getting attacked can make it difficult to save a survivor from even a few feet away. However, if a straggler gets pounced, the HR can save the survivor without back peddling too much.
Specific Versus Strategies for L4D Hunting Rifle
Special infected sometimes feel safe from a distance. Make them learn better when using the Hunting Rifle. Smokers and hunters in particular love tall buildings and hills, so look up once in a while and blast away from a safe distance.
Boomers need a place to hide before hurling, and they often choose small rooms. If you think a boomer is hiding somewhere, blast through a few walls for an easy kill.
Strategic infected teams will ambush at certain locations for maximum damage potential. Such situations include (but are not limited to): witches, cliff edges, alarmed cars, choke points, etc. The Hunting Rifle is particularly useful against a smoker waiting to drag a survivor into a witch or alarmed car. In such a case, line up a headshot and blast away.
The Hunting Rifle requires prediction for maximum effectiveness. Learn to anticipate attacks to get the most out of this weapon.
Xbox 360 Left 4 Dead Weapons Guide: Hunting Rifle - Conclusion
Using the Hunting Rifle effectively requires more practice than a shotgun or machine gun. Don't give up after a few bad experiences. The Hunting Rifle's true potential will only be realized from extended play.
On the other hand, the HR also requires quite a bit of skill. So if continued practice doesn't yield better results, perhaps it's best to stick with the Auto Shotgun or Assault Rifle.
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