Rifle: A good basic skill to have since many of the weapons sold by raiders are serviceable M19 rifles.You'll rue the day you didn't pick up this skill as you look helplessly at the rifle you can't shoot accurately.
However, despite its initial benefits, Rifle suffers from the same assortment of problems as Clip Pistol, namely its lack of weapon variation and being easily outclassed by Assault Rifle. Though, if one is lacking of said weapon, Rifle serves as a good transition until greater prospects of AUTO and BURST arrive.
Technically however, Rifle can also be seen as the best ranged weapon skill in the game due to its association with the Red Ryder Rifle; but said rifle can only obtained by means of exploit.