M40A3 (Part 1)

The M40A3 is one of two bolt-action sniper rifles, the other one being the R700. It has low recoil, so it is easy to track targets if the first shot did not kill the target. It has a 5 round magazine that is loaded one round at a time. The M40A3 has one disadvantage that other sniper rifles do not have; it is comparatively difficult to use without Stopping Power. Without Stopping Power, the M40A3 is a one-shot kill only to the head and neck, and its rate of fire is too low to reliably two-shot kill. This makes it one of the weakest sniper rifles without stopping power, and means that Stopping Power is practically a necessity. This also means that the M40A3 is less than ideal for killing Juggernauts even when it has Stopping Power equipped, as Juggernaut and Stopping Power cancel each other out. However, with Stopping Power, the M40A3 is just as powerful as the R700 with Stopping Power and Barrett .50 Cal with Stopping Power against enemies that are not using Juggernaut.
The M40A3 has one unique feature not seen with any other weapon. When it is equipped with the ACOG, its base damage is raised from 70 to 75. This means that, when combined with Stopping Power, it is a one-shot-kill anywhere on a non-Juggernaut, and is still a one-shot-kill on Juggernauts when the round impacts on the neck or head. It also makes it easier to use the M40A3 at closer ranges and facilitates quick-scoping, due to the ACOG's reduced magnification and aiming time compared to the sniper scope, however recoil is increased significantly, and the scope will block the target if the player happen to miss.