I just can't decide. Sniper rifles or assault rifles? Which one would be more fun? Pros and Cons of each?

Snipe Rifles are for long distance kills and open areas, Rifles are for close combat and corridors. It is best to choose some close-quarter weapon alongside a sniper.

Why not take them all

I'm actually taking both perks for each of my two starting characters. One will use ballistic weapons, and the other will use tech weapons (energy/radiation/etc). But they will both use full-auto and single-shot rifles in the respective weapon types.

Go for the middle-ground: musket / bolt-action rifles with iron/reflex sights. Super versatile, if your aim is decent.

edit: well, actually a true middle-ground would be semi-auto weapons like the laser rifle. But those are boring IMO.

For those who don't yet know, Commando governs the use of ALL automatic weapons, including pistols. Gunslinger is single-shot pistols only.

Revolvers too.

Not really. I'm not planning to use automatic weapons until I make my second character (because I've always wanted a full auto laser rifle. So excited!). I'll be sticking to non-auto pistols and something like a hunting rifle for my first guy, though.

What kind of question is that?!?.. ALWAYS go Commando!!

Commando first, but I'll end up with both eventually. Depending on competing desires, I may not end up getting gunslinger, though. Some people thought getting rid of skills dumbed down the game, but it looks like I'm actually having to choose between firearms now.

I might go with Rifleman first to conserve ammo, but I really want to get a fully automatic laser shotgun as early as possible, so that's a tough one.

Rifleman.

Sniper rifles and shotguns cover every range you need.

Run n gun has never been my deal. Rifleman should work with sniper though, so keep that in mind.

I'll get both for sure. Covers all the important weaponry.

Rifleman all day. Long range and then you also get a buff to shotgun damage for when your close quarters.

Are muskets in the game (not including the laser musket)?

Automatic weapons = waste of ammo

Sorry, meant laser muskets. I seriously hope there are no conventional muskets in FO4 .

Wait, where are people getting all this stuff about shotguns. The rifleman perk doesn't mention anything about it, and with a lead in of "keep your distance long and your kill count high", I doubt it would affect it.

In fact, looking at the perk chart, it doesn't look like any perks affect shotguns! Where's shotgun surgeon? Seems like it'd be a great fit under Endurance.

I would get both, I like using a large variety of guns like having a full weapon bar like quake or unreal tournament. I hope the 8 sided d-pad hotbar returns, I didn't like the 2 sided one in skyrim or having to pause and scroll through the list, I liked it better when I could just press up to get my laser rifle and up/left to quickly draw my pistol.

My guess is automatic shotguns are affected by commando while semi auto will be affected by rifleman.

My first guy will be all about Commando. Maybe Riflemen later on. Maybe.

My second character will be Rifleman all the way.

So I guess go with Commando first, then try Rifleman later.

im a crack shot with iron sights at a distance, so a nice semi-auto rifle....or manual action (bolt, lever) i dunno for sure, might make a run ad gun pistol whippin grenade throwin cowboy. hmm.

Ooh. That would be a huge oversight on their part. Why would anybody choose the beam splitter, which only adds 2 damage to the laser rifle, if it precludes them from benefitting from the Rifleman perk, which adds another 27 (I think) damage? Come to think of it, how do they qualify rifles? The laser pistol and rifle have the same base weapon. Is it a laser pistol with a stock or a short-barreled laser rifle? Is it a long-barreled laser pistol, or a sawed-off laser rifle?

rifleman. Fallout without my beloved cowboys weapons its not a game that I wanna play.