Vintar BC

Vintar BC
Type	Sniper rifle
Ammunition	9×39mm 10 round detachable box magazine

The Vintovka Snayperskaya Spetsialnaya "Vintorez" (Special Sniper Rifle, "Ruchup"), named Vintar BC in game, is a small-sized subsonic sniper rifle. It appears in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat.

Background

This rifle features an integral PSO-1 scope and silencer. It was developed by TsNIITochMash (Central Scientific Institute for Precision Machine Building) in the 1980s and manufactured by the Tula Arsenal. The Vintar BC is Scar's signature weapon and commonly employed by Veteran Loners. The Vintar BC was not used by stalkers or sold in Shadow of Chernobyl (with the exception of Charon) and is only found in a few stashes or quest rewards. The weapon uses 9×39mm subsonic rounds.

Overview

The Vintar BC is an automatic sniper rifle with an integral silencer/supressor that uses 9×39mm ammo. It has high armor-piercing ability but its range is actually worse than that of most rifles due to its low-velocity subsonic rounds, which have considerable drop that must be factored in when firing at longer ranges. However, when used within its effective range it is a very powerful and accurate weapon. It is fairly light (as a sniper rifle), easy to handle, has good accuracy and is generally cheaper to maintain and upgrade than the SVDm-2 or assault rifles converted for sniper use. In addition, its 4x magnification scope is superior to those of assault rifles, which only upgrade to 2x magnification. A drawback is its small 10-round magazine, causing the need to reload frequently in automatic fire. Despite these drawbacks, it is arguably the only sniper rifle in the game that can be effective when used properly at close ranges (high damage + high automatic fire rate), and can take down even the toughest enemies rapidly provided one can master it's substansial recoil in fully automatic fire.

Appearances

Shadow of Chernobyl

The rifle is only used by Monolithian Charon. The savior also uses the rifle, but he never appears in the actual game.

Acquisition

• In the Freedom base, eastern barracks on the floor. There are 150 rounds of armor-piercing ammo directly above this location in the barracks attic. Sometimes the ammo will fall through the attic floor into the barracks itself.
• In a stash on the Southern Wall of the Freedom Base
• Obtained from General Voronin after the player has finished the quest to retrieve the Sniper TRs 301 from a mercenary camp.
• Stash in X16 - the stash is in the blue powerbox seen whilst descending down the broken elevator shaft at the entrance of X-16.
• Rare stash inside the Military warehouses, at Freedom's graveyard in a large storage bin. The stalker with the coordinates is unknown.
• Obtained after killing Charon in the basement of Monolith HQ in Pripyat.

Clear Sky

Scar holding his VSS

Acquisition

• Several Veteran Loners commonly carry a Vintar as their faction's primary sniper rifle or a battle rifle.
• Given by Forester as a reward for getting the Compass artifact (he gives upgraded Vintar).
• Sold by Shilov and Thrush when the player joins the Loner faction.
• Very rarely sold by Tooth (you have to have at least neutral reputation to Bandits)
• Scar's original Vintar can be found in the great swamps, near the entrance to the Agroprom research institute at the northern part of the swamps, the landmark is a large cluster of vortex anomalies. Because of the large emission and nature's elements it's heavily damaged and in need of repairs, it is also empty. Fully repairing it will cost about 9600 rubles.

Upgrades

Vintar's upgrade tree, like its assault rifle counterpart, SA Avalanche, combines both assault rifle and sniper rifle upgrade trees. Most importantly it can be upgraded, quite noticeably, into an extremely rapid-firing rifle, allowing a skilled player to make use of it as both an assault rifle and sniper rifle — if one keeps in mind the low magazine capacity. Due to its power, it can also function as a quasi-SMG if one doesn't want to take the time to master the distinct curve of the subsonic rounds.

Call of Pripyat

In Call of Pripyat, the Vintar is rarely used by stalkers, most of them appearing only at the near-end of the game. Some of the military stalkers from Operation Fairway uses this weapon. Loners will rarely field the Vintar and will only show up late in the game, often in the hands of those wearing SEVA suits. Monolith experts also makes limited use of this weapon, commonly being held by snipers on the ground sporting Exoskeletons or Scientific Monolith suits.

Acquisition

• One can be found atop one of the structures in the Burning Farm anomaly field in Zaton, relatively early in the game, one should be careful as one may die from the intense heat generated by the Burner anomalies along with the anomalies themselves. The landmark here is that it is the only building with a ladder. You will get coordinates after giving Compass to Beard.
• A custom Vintorez called the Tide can be bought from Nimble. This version deals more damage, has a flatter trajectory, better durability, and is more precise, at the cost of firing speed.
• Owl very rarely has it in inventory after finishing Missing Stalkers mission, handing Compass to Sultan or Beard and getting A Wealthy Client achievement (chances are slightly increased after entering Pripyat).
• Hawaiian may sell the Vintar after getting A Friend of Duty achievement, though at a much higher cost than Owl.
• One of dead soldiers lying near Department Store in Pripyat may have it in his equipment.
• In free play, Monolith experts wearing Curtain Helmets may use it, and at least one sniper equips it during the Evacuation.
• Veteran Loners in SEVA Suits may carry this weapon.
• Garry has Vintar BC.

Upgrades

In Call of Pripyat, it is one of two sniper rifles capable of being upgraded with the useful auto target identification upgrade — letting it work like binoculars. It can also be upgraded with night-vision, high-contrast, and long-range sights. It also has a few Handling upgrades boosting this already good stat, meaning it can be effective both as a sniper rifle and close combat assault rifle — assuming the player doesn't mind reloading often, as the magazine capacity cannot be upgraded anymore.

Notes

• In Shadow of Chernobyl there is a pistol named Big Ben which is found in the Wild Territory with the same stock damage as the Vintar BC.
• The weapon is called "Vintorez" which means threadcutter or bolt cutter.
• The rifle normally can use AS VAL 20-round magazines (for close-combat situations, not for long-range assault — it will behave kind of unbalanced with the heavy magazine attached), but for gameplay reasons the game developers did not include this weapon capability in game, even in the upgrade tree (as a magazine capacity upgrade).
• Vintar BC is one of the stealthiest sniper rifles in all S.T.A.L.K.E.R games; when shooting from far enough, the target might not react to taking damage from the player (for example attempting to take cover or even getting into combat stance). In other cases, when dealing with a group of opponents, killing one of them (usually with a headshot) will not alert the remaining enemies. These facts can be observed in the demonstrative video.

thumb|center|360px|Video demonstrating upgraded Vintar BC's bullet drop and auto-target identification upgrade

Gallery

Shadow of Chernobyl

VSSfirst.png

First person view

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Reloading

3rd person view

World model

Call of Pripyat

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First person view

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Reloading

Third person view

Upgrade view