[Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Scout Rifles and How To Get Them (August 2021)

Updated:

19 Apr 2022

Scout rifles are semi-automatic, precise, and underappreciated. While they don’t pack the same punch as a sniper rifle, they most certainly make up for it from their faster firing rate and similar range and accuracy. So today we’re going to give you a list of our top 10 scout rifles in Destiny 2 and how you can get them.

Our Top 10

Trustee
Night Watch
Polaris Lance
MIDA Multitool
Hung Jury SR4
Transfiguration
Eternal Blazon
Vision of Confluence
Symmetry
Dead Man’s Tale

1. Trustee (PvE, PvP)

A single word is etched inside the barrel: "Alton-1."

Trustee is a scout rifle from the Deep Stone Crypt Raid. It lives up to its Raid weapon status by being one of the best PvE scout rifles right now. Not only that, but it also is a respectable gun in PvP. If you can roll the Reconstruction perk, you can get up to 35 bullets in your magazine!

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 45

Range: 42

Stability: 58

Handling: 38

Reload Speed: 65

Rounds/Min: 260

Magazine: 17

Perks:

Rapid-Fire Frame: Fires full auto with deeper ammo reserves. Faster reload when weapon is empty.

Drop Mag: Magazine drops on reload, wasting ammunition but greatly increasing reload speed.

Under Pressure: Improved stability and accuracy as the magazine gets lower.

Redirection: Damaging rank-and-file combatants increases damage against more powerful ones.

What makes Trustee good?:

Good perk rolls
Good for both PvE and PvP
Best feeling scout rifle right now

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/1392919471-trustee

How to get Trustee:

You can acquire this weapon as a random drop from the Deep Stone Crypt Raid.

Trustee in Action:

2. Polaris Lance (PvE)

"I've forgotten so much of my past life, of my family. But when I hold this rifle, everything feels right. I feel like… I'm home." —Ana Bray

Polaris Lance is an exotic with a unique perk that turns fires an explosive round after 4 consecutive precision hits. It’s beastly in PvE but can still do a number on players in PvP. It’s a very rewarding gun for the accurate shooter (not me).

Exotic Weapon Stats:

Impact: 67

Range: 79

Stability: 75

Handling: 32

Reload Speed: 49

Rounds/Min: 150

Magazine: 15

Exotic Perks:

The Perfect Fifth: Precision hits return ammo to the mag. Landing 4 precision hits loads a delayed Solar explosive round for your next shot.

Zen Moment: Causing damage with this weapon increases its stability.

What makes Polaris Lance good?:

Good range
Good stability
Rewards precision hits with an explosion

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3413074534-polaris-lance#

How to get Polaris Lance:

You can acquire this weapon from exotic engrams or the Monuments to Lost Lights Kiosk at the Tower.

Polaris Lance in Action:

3. MIDA Multitool (PvP)

Select application: Ballistic engagement. Entrenching tool. Avionics trawl. Troll smasher. Stellar sextant. List continues.

Returning from Destiny 1 is the Mida Multi-Tool. This scout rifle is reliable but didn’t have much to show for until its catalyst was updated.

Exotic Weapon Stats:

Impact: 60

Range: 51

Stability: 51

Handling: 87

Reload Speed: 82

Rounds/Min: 200

Magazine: 16

Exotic Perk:

MIDA Multi-Tool: This weapon boosts move speed.

MIDA Radar: Radar stays active while aiming down sights.

What makes Mida Multi-Tool good?:

Good Handling
Good reload speed

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/1331482397-mida-multi-tool#

How to get Mida Multi-Tool:

You can acquire this weapon from exotic engrams or the Monuments to Lost Lights Kiosk at the Tower.

Mida Multi-Tool in Action:

4. Night Watch (PvE, PvP)

Sleep with both eyes open.

Is this scout rifle old? Yes. Is it still good? I’d say so. Formerly a Gambit reward you can get this weapon as a world drop. The curated roll (the one we’ll list) is fantastic but it has a good selection of random perks too, so in general, you shouldn’t be disappointed.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 60

Range: 48

Stability: 46

Handling: 74

Reload Speed: 44

Rounds/Min: 200

Magazine: 19

Perks:

Lightweight Frame: Superb handling. Move faster with this weapon equipped.

Overflow: Picking up Special or Heavy ammo reloads this weapon to beyond normal capacity.

Explosive Payload: Projectiles create an area-of-effect detonation on impact.

What makes Night Watch good?:

Good perk rolls
Good for both PvE and PvP

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3504336176-night-watch

How to get Night Watch:

You can acquire this weapon as a random drop from legendary engrams.

Night Watch in Action:

5. Hung Jury SR4 (PvE)

A Scout Rifle, modified by Dead Orbit's superb technicians and specialists.

A fan favorite from the first Destiny, Hung Jury SR4 performs well in PvE with the right rolls. I would look for one with Firefly or Box Breathing for PvE and PvP respectively. I’ll link a god roll guide in the In Action section below.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 62

Range: 63

Stability: 60

Handling: 47

Reload Speed: 51

Rounds/Min: 180

Magazine: 19

Perks:

Precision Frame: This weapon's recoil pattern is more predictably vertical.

Overflow: Picking up Special or Heavy ammo reloads this weapon to beyond normal capacity.

Bottomless Grief: Increases magazine size. While you are the last living member of your fireteam, each final blow refills your magazine.

High-Impact Reserves: Rounds at the end of the magazine deal more damage.

What makes Hung Jury SR4 good?:

Good perk rolls
Decent stats

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/4281371574-hung-jury-sr4

How to get Hung Jury:

Hung Jury in Action:

6. Transfiguration (PvP, PvE)

Desire becomes reality, o wishbringer mine.

Transfiguration is a solid scout rifle from the Last Wish Raid with some cool lore that we’ll link for you here.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 67

Range: 81

Stability: 34

Handling: 50

Reload Speed: 51

Rounds/Min: 150

Magazine: 14

Perks:

High-Impact Frame: Slow-firing and high damage. This weapon is more accurate when stationary and aiming down sights.

Outlaw: Precision kills greatly decrease reload time.

Explosive Payload: Projectiles create an area-of-effect detonation on impact.

What makes Transfiguration good?:

Good range
Good perk pool

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3799980700-transfiguration

How to get Transfiguration:

You can acquire this weapon from the Last Wish Raid.

Transfiguration in Action:

7. Eternal Blazon (PvE)

"But this eternal blazon must not be to ears of flesh and blood."

Eternal Blazon is a good workhorse gun that you’ll be pleased to have. It’s not crazy, but I recommend that you don’t sleep on this weapon.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 60

Range: 45

Stability: 41

Handling: 74

Reload Speed: 61

Rounds/Min: 200

Magazine: 18

Perks:

Lightweight Frame: Superb handling. Move faster with this weapon equipped.

Full Auto Trigger System: Holding down the trigger will fire this weapon at full auto.

Rangefinder: Aiming this weapon increases its effective range and zoom magnification. Increased projectile velocity while aiming Rocket Launchers and Grenade Launchers.

What makes Eternal Blazon good?:

Very effective gun with the right perks
Reliable
Decent in PvP

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3514096004-eternal-blazon

How to get Eternal Blazon:

Eternal Blazon in Action:

8. Vision of Confluence (PvE)

What you have seen will mark you forever.

This is a Vault of Glass weapon that is strong in PvE and can work in PvP with the right perks. It has some interesting perks that only come from the Raid’s weapons. Check out the Weapon Details section below for all the possible non-curated perks.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 60

Range: 45

Stability: 41

Handling: 74

Reload Speed: 61

Rounds/Min: 200

Magazine: 18

Perks:

Precision Frame: This weapon's recoil pattern is more predictably vertical.

Zen Moment: Causing damage with this weapon increases its stability.

Firefly: Precision kills with this weapon increase reload speed and cause the target to explode, dealing Solar damage to nearby enemies.

What makes Vision of Confluence good?:

Decent overall stats
Good perk pool

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3186018373-vision-of-confluence

How to get Vision of Confluence:

Vision of Confluence in Action:

9. Symmetry (PvP, PvE)

Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

While it got nerfed a while back, Symmetry is still a decent exotic scout rifle. Its exotic perk allows you to switch from regular rounds to target -seeking arc rounds, called Arc Seekers. It’s a pretty fun gun to use.

Weapon Stats:

Impact: 45

Range: 37

Stability: 68

Handling: 42

Reload Speed: 24

Rounds/Min: 260

Magazine: 20

Perks:

Revolution: This weapon fires full auto.

[Alternate Weapon Action] : Swap to Arc Seeker mode. Arc Seekers track toward combatants you target.

Dynamic Charge: Precision hits build up Dynamic Charge. Swapping to Arc Seeker mode increases damage and partially reloads the magazine based on the number of charges.

What makes Symmetry good?:

Effective against powerful enemies in PvE
Unique and strong perks

Weapon Details:

https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/4017959782-symmetry

How to get Symmetry:

You can acquire this weapon from exotic engrams or the Monuments to Lost Lights Kiosk at the Tower.

Symmetry in Action:

10. Dead Man’s Tale

Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

Nerfed the very day this article was written (but before it was published), Dead Man’s Tale was and still is one of the best scout rifles in the game. It’s not what it used to be, but this cowboy-style weapon is still effective. Another upside of this gun, however, is that it rolls with a random perk that can make this gun better. I highly recomend you try this gun for yourself. Yeehaw, forever.