I think it would have been a lot better if Renegade had different weapons to both GDI and Nod. They should have had different Assault Rifles and the Black Hand Sniper should have had a unique laser-based sniper rifle. Needless to say, it would have been a lot cooler.
Haven't you noticed the single player Black Hands sniper shoots a red beam?
But that doesn't make them lasers; even the Nod Assault rifle creates red tracers.