The PSL is an excellent battle rifle. Its US equivalent would be the M-14. That is, it's capable of accurate long-range fire when scoped, or short to midrange fire with iron sights. Don't think of it as a sniper rifle; think of it as an M14 equivalent, in both classic and modern roles. It only downside is its very long barrel and 10-round magazine limit.
The only problem I ever had with my PSL was the magazine. There were weld pits in the magazine under the feed lips that were catching the rim of the cartridge. Some work with a needle file to smooth out the front of the pits fixed that. The second mag that I purchased I handpicked to avoid that problem.
That being said, I just ordered a VEPR .308. These are supposed to be much more accurate than the PSL, but are overall higher build quality and have heavier barrels. I would have ordered the 7.62x54R version to maintain ammo commonality, but the 7.62x54R VEPR does not use double-stack magazines and is thus limited to 10 rounds.
I like the look of the Zastava M76, but the 8mm round is expensive and can be hard to find. Even before the panic, 8mm ammo was still going for around $20 for a box of 20 with PRVI Partizan ammo, versus $14 or so for 7.62x54R. I know this firsthand because I also shoot Mausers.
If I were to make a choice between PSL or M76, I would have to choose the PSL due to weight and ammo availability. However, I would choose a VEPR .308 over both, due to the availability of 20-round mags for the VEPR, as well as its ability to be converted to take M-14 mags should you want to go that route.
