They could go further than that and completely replace it. :0 I pretty much never see anyone using it.

I see it used fairly often, if you know how to use it and you have a good team supporting you, you can be a lot of help with long off special, common, and the rifle is brutal against the tank. Used more in private games.

Oh man. You don't play with the people I do then. I'm normally the only one with an auto shotty when tier 2 weapons come around. And it's not like they are holding our team back either, they are good with the hunting rifle. I find it fine if you know how to use it.

I love using the HR. There's no need to buff it or replace it. People use the M16 because they think this is CS:S.
The hunting rifle is awesome in the hands of those who know how to use it.

With the HR you can shoot through almost any wall and one shot pretty much and common zombie or infected (except the tank)

The HR is balanced you just need to play with people that are smarter than the rifle.

I use it when im bored or wen i dont wanna be rambo with the m16 and its really good, like said b4 u have to know how to use it or else it is as usless as you say, btw its fun picking off common headshot by headshot XD

Lol even so. i always use the hr in versus. its just fun as shit.

The HR if fine. I don't tend to use it myself, but IMO its good to have 1 person with it on your team, just to keep the team balanced.

It's only useful for the death toll finale, and they don't give you the chance to pick one up in the last safe house so you're forced to carry one for a little while. :|

I feel that the hunting rifle has its uses. However, I feel that the hunting rifle is far less useful in versus because many of the maps are smaller, the hunting does in fact have an accuracy problem unless you're crouched, and it is kind of hard to shoot the far-off smoker when your teamates don't protect you from the horde around you.

I'm a big fan of the hunting rifle, but I feel that there is nothing the hunting rifle can do that the auto, assault rifle, or even pistols can't do better.

Who cares really? One team with autoshotguns is unstoppable. Alone, it's hard to stop me with an autoshotgun. The hunting rifle is good for the finale though, when climbing up the ladder to the roof with camping special infected ready to ambush, the rifle works wonders getting rid of those boomers.