Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the eleventh episode of my Black Ops 2 Weapon Guide.
This time, we're covering the DSR 50.
Black Ops 2 marks the weapon's debut in the Call of Duty series, and it serves as the
high-damage, bolt action option for those seeking the maximum possible one-shot lethality.
The DSR-50 is a German rifle, designed and manufactured by DSR Precision.
It is a higher-calibre variant of the DSR-1 design, built around the powerful .50 BMG
anti-materiel cartridge.
Like the DSR-1, the .50 calibre variant is a bolt-action rifle in a bullpup configuration,
with its magazine behind the trigger for a shorter overall length.
A forward magazine holder in front of the trigger holds a second mag for faster reloads
- a useful trait, given the paltry 3 round capacity of the standard box magazines.
To combat the sizeable recoil of the fifty calibre round, hydraulic recoil buffers and
a specially designed 'blast compensator' are incorporated into the rifle design.
The latter component is part sound suppressor, part muzzle brake: mitigating noise output,
visual flash and felt recoil.
In-game, the DSR 50 boasts impressive damage: no other bullet-based weapon can trump this
rifle's one-shot potential.
A shot anywhere above the waist - whether to the arms, stomach, chest, neck or head
- will kill outright.
When suppressed, this damage will be diminished somewhat: only killing in one shot to the
head, neck and chest.
This damage is unaffected by the distance from your target: the DSR is entirely capable
of efficiently eliminating enemies at extreme ranges.
As a bolt-action weapon, the potential rate of fire is very low: the bolt needs to be
cycled manually between every single shot.
This equates to a maximum effective fire rate of around 50 rounds per minute: this slow
rate means you're more reliant on accuracy, to better put the high damage of this weapon
to use.
Hipfire performance is very poor - divergence is significantly worse than even the other
sniper rifles.
While a successfully connected shot will often kill, hipfiring should be saved for the direst
of emergencies: relying on a secondary weapon is a far more sensible move in closer quarters.
Recoil is high, but will always settle between shots: while this might make tracking a moving
enemy for follow-up shots challenging, the DSR's kick is seldom a factor in shot accuracy.
Aim time is slow, at 420 milliseconds - reinforcing the weapon's intended role as a long-range
area denial weapon, instead of anything more aggressive.
Magazine capacity is low, at just 5 rounds: although few weapons can lay claim to 5 reliable
kills between reloads, so the capacity issue isn't critical.
Reloads are relatively slow, but when performed in a safe place are not too inconvenient:
a spare 3.29 seconds is usually easy enough to find.
Our class with the DSR-50 is both resistive and reactive: centred around a long-range
rifle, but with the means to deny enemy attempts to dislodge you from your perch.
Our attachment selection focusses on making the DSR more effective at a longer range:
the awesome power of this weapon is most effective over the longest reaches of any map.
You'll perform better as a sniper by keeping the enemy at an arm's reach, instead of taking
a more aggressive route and quickly scoping a close-range foe.
First up, the Ballistics CPU will help reduce your weapon's sway while aiming: improving
the ease with which you may wrest your crosshairs onto target.
While holding your breath will yield the steadiest shooting platform, there will be many times
when you won't have the luxury to pause before aiming: and the lower sway will make a critical
difference to your available accuracy.
Continually staring down your scope can prove a dangerous prospect, with tunnel vision blinding
you to peripheral enemies.
The Variable Zoom attachment is a great help, with the two zoom options giving you much-needed
flexibility while aiming with the DSR.
The lower zoom default will allow you to survey a much wider area than the regular scope,
giving you better notice of enemy activity in front of you.
Zoom in once you've acquired a distant target, for a greater degree of precision in your
shot - and better odds of an instant kill.
Next up, we'll be using the Overkill wildcard to elect a second primary - and to provide
the perfect defence against incoming enemies wielding SMGs.
What better way to fight SMG fire, but with an SMG of your own: many might expect a sniper
to be at a disadvantage in a close-range firefight - but courtesy of Overkill, you can flatten
their advantage.
You'll want an SMG that is particularly well-suited to hipfire: one of the faster-firing choices
- such as the MP7, Vector or Skorpion - would be my choice.
To really shine in close quarters, we'll also add the laser sight to our SMG of choice:
with it, your close range performance will be blinding.
With a secondary SMG, your fast-handling defence is assured - the trick is to remain alert
enough to react.
If you're feeling fruity, you could swap out the SMG for the might of a shotgun instead
- few foes will expect your buckshot surprise upon approaching a sniper's nest.
Our perk selection combines resistivity and reactivity, the latter essential to make good
use of our second primary.
First up, Flak Jacket will protect you from enemy explosives: only an occasional threat
for a long range class, but a useful resistance when facing grenade-happy enemies riled by
your presence.
Next, a critical part of our build, and an essential cornerstone to our overkill strategy:
Fast Hands permits faster weapon switching, for the use of your SMG as though it were
a pistol.
When facing incoming assailants, you'll seldom have more than scant notice, so every second
counts - this perk will save your life with startling regularity.
Our final perk is Tactical Mask - when you're holed up in a good sniping position, others
may attempt to dislodge you through use of tactical grenades.
In any case, with a weapon built for precision - keeping your sights clear should always
be a priority.
Finally, the Claymore is a useful means of protecting your back while you are otherwise
emplaced: while more dependent on good positioning than the bouncing betty, claymores will prove
more troublesome to avoid.
They'll give most enemies pause for thought in their approach: and the destruction or
detonation of your claymore might give you notice sufficient to de-scope and switch weapons.
That's our build: a deadly marksman's rifle at its core, with reactivity through the Overkill
wildcard rounding out the sniper rifle's key weakness.
Of course, the trick is knowing when to switch to your close-range primary: a degree of alertness,
an eye on the mini-map and a keen sense of hearing can all help.
If all else fails, the arrogance of your opponent might be their undoing: their expectation
of an easy kill might give your surprising secondary a window of opportunity.
The DSR-50 is a weapon of unmatched potency, able to instantly snuff opponents at any distance
with a degree of reliability unseen in the other sniper rifles.
A successfully connected shot to the centre mass of your enemy will yield little surprise
in terms of lethality - whereas the lower-damage sniper rifles might only wound, giving your
quarry the chance of escape.
This reliable performance is paid for with all-round slow handling, however - the bolt-action
mandating careful shots, the slower aim time requiring that you fire from prepared position.
Few weapons will prove as ineffective at a close range: in a fast-paced gunfight, you'll
have just one chance to land an unaimed shot before any savvy opponent will get the better
of you - and the DSR has the worst hipfire performance of any weapon.
Still, that's where your secondary comes into play - and while the DSR might not be particularly
versatile, few weapons come close to competing with this sniper rifle's ranged potential.
This German weapon is a true marksman's rifle, ideal for lone wolf snipers seeking reliable
lethality.
If your aim is true, you'll find one shot kills with the DSR...
...are as simple as eins, zwei, drei.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me next week, when I'll be covering the next Shotgun - the S12.
Until then, farewell.