I love my sniper rifle but I've only found one so far, and it's about to break so its pretty useless atm. What is the easiest way to find more sniper rifles to repair mine? Or do you just have to pay someone else to repair it and then it's only 30-40% or so? I have 100 repair and would rather do it myself but I can't find dealers carrying them or parts anywhere.

There's one hidden in the Hollowed-Out Rock beside Megaton. The rock has three dead trees around it and three molerats nearby. A sniper rifle-carrying Raider spawns on the overpass filled with Raiders near Vault 101 and another sniping Raider respawns in Bethesda Ruins on the catwalk connecting the two buildings.

Thanks that will help a bit.

So do any weapons dealers carry this item? I upgraded the one merchant a couple times, I can't remember if upgrading him further was an option or not.

Lucky Harith should sell one sometimes and Flak and Shrapnel at Rivet City as well as Knight Captain Durga at the Citadel. http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=183 will allow you to repair with scrap metal and there are slower degradation mods too if you want to try one of them.

This.

You should also refrain from using VATS too much, since your weapons take more damage that way.

Thanks for the info, I hope to see some sniper rifles to buy, and that mod sounds pretty cool.

Well on my old tired PC I need VATS as my framerate doesn't always keep up. I didn't know it wears your weapons down faster though, good to know. One thing I've noticed, or perhaps imagined was that I'm point blank head shot up close and it takes more ammo and shots to get your critical hit than it seems to if you use VATS. Is that correct or am I imagining things? It seems like shooting without vats you don't ever get any of the cool removal of limbs, its like oblivion and there is no area damage sometimes.

I went to Bethesda Ruins as per ghouls' advice via fast travel and was practically like getting telefragged, lol. I survived but it was pretty brutal. Be nice if they could fast travel teleport you to somewhere with a little cover or out of enemy site. I got there and some chick was in my face immediately attacking me, so I back up a bit and I'm getting shot from 5 angles, and one of them was that sniper. He was tough to kill, I had to empty my 44 mag into him, lol.

Victory Rifle. Same damage as a sniper rifle and double the item hitpoints. It'll shoot about twice the number of rounds before needing repair. Dogmeat can help you get it.

I find Bethdessa Ruins usually has a sniper that respawns in the wrecked building oposite the buildings with the walkway and raiders inside, right next to where the fast travel dumps you in the middle of the street! If you can take the beating on arival and deal with the raiders its a renewable source of sniper riffle! If you intend to come back for more it might be worth mining the area before you leave.

There's also a Talon Company sniper in that Talon encampment just south of the library, as well as one in a Raider camp near Megaton, on that overpass that starts out by the barn. And of course Arkansas has one in Minefield. I find overall though that I usually need to rely on someone repairing mine for me, as I just don't come across enough of them to keep it repaired myself. If you use the WMK mod and add a couple of components to it, it will take less damage when you use it.

As you explore the game more, you will start finding sniper rifles everywhere. I currently have a stock of 10 barely usable rifles, waiting to be repaired with the Reservist's Rifle, a unique sniper rifle, which is the only sniper rifle worth anything out there. Victory schmictory.

Sometimes it is very hard to get that VATS critical hit when you are using a ranged weapon in VATS up close and personal. When the enemy is that close, I either open up with Eugene and spraying 360 degrees or my spiked knuckles or Double Barreled Shotgun. I've found the Kneecapper extremely useful within two feet. Nearly a guaranteed kill on anything but a Reaver, however you must be out of VATS. I aim at the neck. Using a ranged weapon is not that great up close and personal. You will pick up more crit hits using an appropriate weapon for the range.