That depends on your play style. If you're a sniper and want to hit targets as far away as can be seen in this game. The Cowboy Repeater won't do that as well as the scoped varmint rifle.

True, I should have written "overall rifle" - since I personally do like the sniper style but don't consider it a real option until reaching the level range where the Sniper Rifle becomes available anyways.

I still use it at level 19 on low level enemies being its ammo is much more common, and cheaper then 308, and 44. Plus can be fitted with a scope, and a silencer so its good for sneak sniping.

The Varmint rifle may have humble origins, but it's big brother..



The best part is that you can use your old varmint files to repair it.

Cowboy Repeater is where its at but i still use varmint to take out the lesser enemies and save ammo

I went and got the All-American when I was level 8 or so. Quite the battle for it and I won't use anything else because of it. Also it's just really good too.

I still use Ol' Painless from FO3. :gun:

Got Boone as a follower and got the Varmint Rifle and all the mods for it and sniped cyotes and geckos when I found a hunting rifle I got rid of the Varmint Rifle. I got all mods for the hunting rifle and sniped fire geckos and radcorpions and never got rid of it, because it was a one shot kill to most enemies and I didn't bother getting a sniper or anti materiel rifle because that would be one shot kill and the hunting rifle is already one shot kill, so there is no need to waste 6000 caps and 200 more caps buying 50 cal bullets.

I decided to use .308 instead of 5.56 on bolt action rifles. "That gun" takes up all my 5.56 rounds

I recently found a Hunting rifle finally. But I'm still using my Varmint Rifle. Big reason is that while I did manage to get a scope for my hunting rifle, it doesn't have a silencer, so the Varmint still wins out for my playstyle. Now, some enemies require a little more oomph, so I'll whip out either the hunting rifle or Cowboy Repeater depending on range. That Gun is the only unique weapon I've found so far though.

I have to admit I actually impressed myself yesterday with the Varmint Rifle. I have ED-E, so I get the compass markers way before I can see a foe. I was on the top of a cliff face around the Goodsprings Source area, and looked in the direction of the marker and peered down my scope (night scope, and it was dark out). I barely could make out a Gecko in the distance, lined up my sights, waited for just the right moment, and squeezed off the shot. I didn't think I'd hit, but as the shot went off it went into slow-mo and followed the bullet for 4 or 5 seconds of flight before impacting the gecko's head.

For a low end rifle, it's still pretty useful

I used mine up until level 13 then i finally sold it. I still have my 9mm pistol and use it as my main side-arm... even though i have found much better i can't part with the 9mm pistol i love it.

I installed a silencer and scope on mine, it's my favourite stealth weapon. Keep in mind I'm on very easy :sadvaultboy:

I ditched the Varmint Rifle almost immediately and after getting my first Service Rifle I has no reason to go back. My only gripe is that the Varmint Rifle has some of the best upgrades. I want to be about to put a Night Scope and Suppressor on an Assault Carbine.

Ratslayer was useful all the way up to level 21, now I just use Varmint Rifles (including the Ratslayer) to repair my fully modded Sniper Rifle (Anti-Materiel ammo is too heavy to carry).

Before I got my hands on my ever so lovingly customized sniper rifle, the Varmint Rifle was an absolute gem. Speaking of scope, why is it called a 'night scope'? I never foudn any night vision option to turn on for it.

The varmint rifle has a regular scope and a night-vision scope, the night vision scope has a green tint to it and helps out greatly when sniping at night.

Well, mine IS a night scope, but I cant seem to use the night vision, the only green I see is the rims of the lens.

Must be glitched then because I have a regular scoped varmint rifle and a night-scoped one and the night scope one has a very noticeable green tint that helps me see at night.

This is off topic but your sig is great.

Oh hell yeah, its in my stealth kit, with extended mags, night scope and silencer. Along with my sniper and my silenced 10 with the extended mags. I have a few stimpacks and some mines, with antivenom, gun repair kits and a spare set of armor. Wish they would have had the common sense to make an armor repair kit as well. But like I have been saying on every post I make, they screwed the adventuring up so bad with all of the locked buildings and empty map(unless you consider a barn with no loot and locked buildings a "location"), I find myself getting bored of an installment, in a series, that I spent 100's of hours playing. Good thing is, I am going to buy a new copy of FO3 GOTY and make a killer run through. Thanks Obsid, you sold another copy of FO3.

While aimlessly wondering the Wastelands, I have my 9mm Maria out for the following reasons:

- Doesn't slow the char down.
- 21+ average damage - perfect for any foe. And if I do happen to run into something stronger than average, Boone will make short work of it.
- Plentiful ammunition.
- Looks badass.

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Ratslayer

It's fun, more so with the fast shot trait. However, after I was given a service rife/AR-15, I sold it and didn't look back. My inner CoD4/MW2 player loves the iron sights on the service rife. I also love going "CLACK... CLACK CLACK CLACK" when I open up on something. I like the gun, but... I like the service rifle more.

I need to find this Ratslayer as mentioned above.

Is it compatible with all the same mods as a regular varmint rifle?

It's a unique rifle; you can't mod uniques. It's a damn sight better than the VR, though and you can use VRs to repair the Ratslayer too. It's a very good weapon to have early on.

You can find it in Broc Flower Cave and you'll have to tackle a few big rodents along the way. If you're a very low level I suggest taking Boone. Other than that - it's the easiest unique to obtain next to Chopper and That Gun.



Makes the VR obsolete apart from it's repair uses.