ARC Raiders Osprey: My A-Tier Weapon Guide, Loadouts & Build

Hello Raiders, Elias here from RivalSector.com. I’ve been living on the surface for the past few weeks, grinding out quests, dodging ARC patrols, and getting into more than a few scrapes with rival squads. In an extraction shooter, your gear is everything, and I’ve tested just about every piece of hardware you can craft. While many players are gravitating toward high-RPM assault rifles, I’ve found my true calling. It’s the weapon that defines my playstyle: the Osprey.

In ARC Raiders, the person who controls the sightlines controls the fight. Information, positioning, and the ability to deal massive damage from a safe distance are, in my opinion, the most powerful tools you can have. And let me tell you, no weapon in the game delivers on that promise better than this bolt-action beauty.

Today, I’m not just going to review the Osprey. I’m going to show you why it’s a permanent fixture in my A-tier loadout, how to build it, and how you can use it to become the most feared player in any lobby.

Why the Osprey is My A-Tier Angel of Death

Let’s get this out of the way: the Osprey is a Rare bolt-action sniper rifle, and its single most important feature is that it’s the only accessible weapon in the game with a built-in, high-powered scope.

That fact alone launches it into the A-tier. While other players are trying to land 150-meter shots with the Ferro’s iron sights, I’m already zoomed in, lining up my shot, and calling out enemy positions to my team. This gun isn’t just a weapon, it’s a high-powered reconnaissance tool that turns you into the squad’s overwatch.

But it’s not just about the scope. The Osprey is a monster for three key reasons:

1. The PvP Icebreaker: This is the Osprey’s primary job. In PvP, a single headshot from an Osprey will instantly shatter any player’s shields, regardless of tier. This is your “start fight” button. The moment you land that shot, the enemy is in a panic, their health is exposed, and they’re scrambling for a shield charger. This is your squad’s signal to push and overwhelm them.
2. Follow-Up Shots: Unlike the one-and-done Ferro, the Osprey boasts an 8-round magazine and a relatively fast bolt-action. Did you miss your headshot? No problem, you can immediately send a body shot. Did a different enemy peek? You have seven more rounds ready. This consistency is what makes it reliable when the pressure is on.
3. Lethal Efficiency: It chambers Medium Ammo, which is far more common and easier to stack than the Heavy Ammo needed for its main competitor, the Ferro. You can stay in the fight longer and apply pressure from range without worrying about burning through your entire ammo supply in one engagement.

The Big Question: Does It One-Shot?

No, the Osprey does not one-shot a fully shielded Raider with a headshot, and I’m glad it doesn’t. Embark clearly designed this game to avoid a “one-tap” meta, which I personally find refreshing. The Osprey has a unique headshot multiplier of 2.05x (unlike the default 2.5x on many weapons).

This means your job isn’t to get a cheap kill from 300 meters. Your job is to be a tactical operator. You break their armor, you force them to heal, and you create the opening for your team to clean up. It’s a much more engaging and team-oriented playstyle.

Osprey By the Numbers: PvP vs. PvE

The Osprey is a specialized tool, and like any specialist, it has clear strengths and weaknesses. Understanding its role in both PvP and PvE is critical to your survival.

PvP: The Apex Predator

This is where the Osprey was born to be.

• Best For: Initiating fights, third-partying, picking off players from a safe distance, and gathering intel.
• How I Use It: I find a high-ground position overlooking a key objective or extract point. I scan for enemy squads. The first one I see, I line up the headshot, crack, and call it out. “Player on the blue roof, shields broken!” My team moves in while I cover their push, ready to finish off anyone who breaks from cover. It’s a devastatingly effective one-two punch.

PvE: The Weak Link

Here’s the trade-off. The Osprey has Moderate ARC Armor Penetration.

• Good Against: Small, unarmored bots. It’s perfect for quietly clearing Snitches, Ticks, and Wasps from the perimeter of a compound before you move in.
• Terrible Against: Heavy ARC units. Do not, I repeat, do not try to plink away at a Bastion or a Rocketeer with this thing. You will waste all 80 of your Medium rounds and barely scratch its paint. This is its one, glaring weakness, and it’s why your secondary weapon choice is so important.

My Ultimate Osprey Build: Crafting & Mods

You can’t just find Ospreys lying around. You need to earn this rifle.

First, you need to find the Osprey I Blueprint on the surface (check locked caches and high-tier loot zones). Once you’ve extracted with it, you’ll need to get your Gunsmith bench to Level II.

The craft is hefty, but it’s worth every single component.

Crafting Recipe: Osprey I

Once you’ve crafted it, it’s time to mod. The Osprey has slots for a Barrel, Magazine, and Stock. My priority is always stealth and bullet velocity.

• Barrel (Priority 1): Silencer II or III. A suppressed Osprey is terrifying. Breaking an enemy’s shields without giving them a clear audio cue of your location is a massive tactical advantage. You can fire, reposition, and fire again before they even know where you are.
• Barrel (Priority 2): Extended Barrel. If you don’t have a good silencer, this is your next best pick. It increases bullet velocity by 25%, meaning less bullet drop and less leading your target. It makes those long-range shots much easier to land.
• Stock: Stable Stock. Anything that reduces weapon sway while you’re scoped in is a huge win. This helps you keep your crosshair perfectly steady for that critical headshot.
• Magazine: Extended Medium Mag. This is just a nice bonus. 8 rounds is usually enough, but having 12+ means you can apply even more pressure before needing to reload.

The Perfect Pair: Best Osprey Loadouts

Because the Osprey is so specialized for long-range PvP, your secondary must cover its weaknesses: CQC and Anti-Armor. Running this gun solo without a plan for these two things is a death sentence.

These are the two loadouts I run almost exclusively:

1. The “All-Rounder” (My Go-To):
   • Primary: Osprey (with Silencer)
   • Secondary: Anvil Hand Cannon
   • Why: This build covers every possible scenario. The Anvil uses Heavy Ammo and has “Strong” ARC Armor Penetration. It’s my “oh-crap” gun for when a Bastion walks around the corner. It’s also a two-tap monster in CQC. This loadout lets me snipe players, kill heavy bots, and defend myself up close. It’s easily one of the best ARC Raiders meta weapons combinations in the game.
2. The “PvP Specialist”:
   • Primary: Osprey (with Extended Barrel)
   • Secondary: Vulcano Shotgun or Bobcat SMG
   • Why: This loadout is purely for hunting Raiders. You control everything past 50 meters with the Osprey. If anyone dares to push your position, you swap to the Vulcano or Bobcat and delete them instantly. This build is weaker against heavy ARC, so you’ll need to rely on your team to handle them.

My Final Verdict

The Osprey is not a beginner-friendly gun. It demands good positioning, clear communication, and a patient trigger finger. But if you are the kind of player who loves to control the entire battlefield, this is your weapon.

It’s the most consistent and effective long-range PvP tool in the game, hands down. It turns you into a ghost, an intel-gathering machine, and the initiator of every fight. It takes investment to craft and build around, but it has won me more raids than any other gun in my stash.

For more deep-dives and guides like this, make sure to check out our ARC Raiders category right here on RivalSector.com.

Now get out there, find that high ground, and start breaking some shields. Elias, signing off.

Would you like me to do a deep dive on my other favorite weapon, the Anvil, and why it’s the perfect companion?