Dragon Rifle vs. regular Black Powder Rifle

[Fartikus]

I have a Black Powder Rifle that is reasonably accurate at long range. It's just hard to aim without a scope. I normally use this weapon to 1 or 2-shot large bad guys or remote turrets. It works well and is fun to shoot with.

Last week I found the bigger Dragon rifle, and started trying it out in the same role. For some reason, I can't seem to hit anything with it at medium or long range. I'm pretty sure I'm aiming correctly, but when I fire, the targets either show no damage, or way less damage than the Dragon rifle is reported to discharge. I am not sure if the Dragon rifle is glitched, or if it has some hidden stats that restrict its range or accuracy, or I'm just using it wrong.

Does anyone have any suggestions or knowledge about how to use this gun?

[mans got drip✅]

Dragon Rifle shoots 4 projectiles at once and works more like a shotgun.

[Vyvyvn]

Originally posted by mans got drip✅:

Dragon Rifle shoots 4 projectiles at once and works more like a shotgun.

THIS. However it's not too bad to carry it for the same role: Shotgun for interiors, Rifle for exposed sniping situations. I run with both myself. I just wish reload speed could be tied into the player's agility. (IE: Slightly faster reloading if you had high agility)

Given the slow speed for the dragon though, And the range being a lot shorter before it spreads out, It's good to save it for ambushes and carry a few mines to keep people sneaking up on you while reloading.

[Fartikus]

Wut... the Dragon is just another type of blunderbuss? Well crud, the Fallout 76 Wiki misled me. "Range 419" my %^&(.
https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/The_Dragon

I guess I'll get rid of this thing then. Poops.

[Hefutoxin]

Originally posted by Fartikus:

Wut... the Dragon is just a close-in blunderbuss? Well crud, the Fallout 76 Wiki misled me. "Range 419" my %^&(.
https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/The_Dragon

Range is how far the projectile can go before it loses damage, not how tight the spread is.

Like a Broadsider has a range over 200. A cannon ball will never make it that far.

[Fartikus]

Well... it sure is spreading itself out into uselessness if it won't hit what you're aiming at, or might only randomly hit. Gah, a 4-pellet scattergun...

[Hefutoxin]

Originally posted by Fartikus:

Well... it sure is spreading itself out into uselessness if it won't hit what you're aiming at, or might only randomly hit. Gah, a 4-pellet scattergun...

It's ball ammo. Be thankful you can hit anything at all with a Flintlock.

[Fartikus]

I can hit dead-on most of the time with the standard black powder rifle. If the gun had an actual sight on it, I would hit consistently dead-on.

[GeneralGamePlaying]

Long range becomes less effective. With the riflemen character i kept anti armor dragon till the end, if i remember right (not bloodied).

There is black powder rifles with 400 range instead of 200, but compared to the dragon the black powder rifles generally seem a little bit weaker and less precise, but reload faster?

Aiming with the dragon can be trained, the damage doesn't make a huge difference. VATS allows hitting better with the high range, and i have the impression, that hitting on lower range with a longer range weapon might mean more punch.

[Turd King]

The dragon used to have legendary varients it doesnt anymore so if your using a build of some sort eventually the black powder will be better

[GeneralGamePlaying]

Originally posted by Turd King:

The dragon used to have legendary varients it doesnt anymore so if your using a build of some sort eventually the black powder will be better

So my rifleman char might sell the dragon high, unless it's already gone somehow. Benn using pistols exclusively for months.

Black powder rifles still exist with legendary effects, so getting one with about 400 range should be optimal then.

[Turd King]

Originally posted by GeneralGamePlaying:

Originally posted by Turd King:

The dragon used to have legendary varients it doesnt anymore so if your using a build of some sort eventually the black powder will be better

So my rifleman char might sell the dragon high, unless it's already gone somehow. Benn using pistols exclusively for months.

Black powder rifles still exist with legendary effects, so getting one with about 400 range should be optimal then.

If you had a legacy dragon with legendary versions you could sell it. otherwise its useless