M14
Single shot medium to long range.
This rifle is not unlocked until level 46 which is quite a way through the multiplayer ranking. Initialy I felt a little disappointed as I had expected something similar to the G3 and had worked hard to unlock it. It is not very similar to the G3 at all. The single shot and very high accuracy are the only shared features. It has a ferocious kick which does not allow multiple shots and I find the iron sights obstructive and just could not get on with them.
I then realised that I was using it the wrong way. With the red dot sight it becomes one of the most accurate and powerful assault guns in the game. With precise aim you can achieve single shot kills as well as double kills with just one shot. It has a high power shot as well as good penetration as standard. These qualities need to be utalised correctly to really make the rifle work for you.
Concentrating on choke points will see you taking down the target coming through the door as well as his team mate behind him. It is accurate to long range as well so you can hold these choke points at a distance.
With a good aim this rifle can be used at mid to long range for mobile sniping or for holding down whole areas of the map with single shots. The ACOG sight is particularly well suited to this tactic and you end up with a very close rifle to the M21 sniper rifle but with a much larger clip. For a mobile sniper this is very useful, as the recoil is relatively small for a sniper rifle. If you are accurate and always get you headshots then this should be a serious consideration.
For me however the headshot can be a little elusive and I find myself firing off 2 or 3 shots to get the kill. For this reason I opt to just use the brute force and play mid to short range games where I can dispense targets quickly. By slowly making your way up the field from cover to cover pausing for targets to present themselves to you, you can make this gun really work. Otherwise you can actively rush people, relying on the power to take down multiple targets quickly with single shots or quick bursts.
Useful Perks
Slot 1 – Bandolier, Claymores, Frags, Special Grenades
Slot 2 – Stopping Power
Slot 3 – Deep Impact, Steady Aim
Useful Attachments
Red Dot Sight, ACOG