Helldivers 2: How to Adjust Scope and Firing Mode on Guns

An accurate shot is always the best way to start an encounter in Helldivers 2, and the better you are at taking off the heads of Automatons or the skulls of the Terminids, the easier it will be to score a win for Super Earth. Among all the various weapons available to players, there are still more features to discover when wielding the powerful firearms at your disposal.

Other than firing off projectiles or lasers, there are other ways that players can tweak their weapons to do more for them out on the battlefield. Knowing how to tweak and get the right settings can make it easier to pick off targets at range or to engage in close-quarters combat. If you have been scratching your head about just how to adjust your scope and firing mode in Helldivers 2, this guide has you covered.

Updated March 18th, 2024 by Russ Boswell: There are some mechanics in Helldivers 2 that aren’t explained very well and one of the most useful mechanics allows players to change the fire rate or their weapon, as well as their scope distance on some guns. Once players know how to activate this feature, they will find that some weapons have a few options that can be toggled. To better showcase how to change weapon scopes and fire rates in Helldivers 2, the following guide has been updated with a companion video.

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Adjusting Scope and Firing Modes in Helldivers 2

Despite the game putting players through their paces early on as part of the tutorial, which covers plenty when it comes to surviving the dangers of stepping foot on alien planets, it doesn’t dive into weapon customization during operations.

As such, it is vital for soldiers all around the world to know just what to do once they get out of the Hellpod. For starters, depending on the weapons that have been unlocked using Warbonds, there can be several options to pick from. Pistols, for example, are armed with flashlights that can be turned on, off, or set in auto mode. Other weapons, like assault rifles and marksmen rifles, can be tweaked to fire in bursts, fully automatic, or semi-automatic. Scopes can also be adjusted for various levels of zoom to help with long-range encounters.

To bring up the menu, simply hold down Square (PS5) or the R key (PC) with the specific weapon equipped, which then brings up the options for that weapon. To adjust the settings, use the D-pad buttons or the mouse wheel and right mouse button to toggle between the various options.

This way, you can make the most out of your team’s configurations and fight more effectively. Those wielding marksmen rifles can stay out of harm’s way, sniping at dangerous foes, while those that prefer to do their business in closer range can depend on higher rates of fire and a better view of things when aiming. And when the day turns to night, everyone will be able to have some illumination to show them the way forward.