[Top 7] Payday 2 Best Shotguns In The Game

In the chaotic world of PAYDAY 2, a well-placed shotgun blast can turn the tide of any heist, and With so many options available, choosing the best shotgun for your heist or build needs can be a daunting task. In this article,we rank the top 7 most powerful and versatile shotguns in the game.

Ranked good to best:

7. The Grimm 12g

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Brimm 12g being inspected

» Grimm 12g in action 

The Grimm 12g is a very spammable, automatic shotgun that shares the highest ammo pickup in the shotgun category. Although It has the lowest damage in the shotgun category, it works wonderfully in tandem with special ammunition like dragons breath rounds and/or HE rounds as an overwhelming secondary.

The Grimm 12g is a shotgun available in the secondary weapons category and has a measly 18 damage compared to its brethren but do not let that fool you. Its best features aren’t found in the stat screen. The Grimm 12g has the highest ammo pickup rate in the shotgun category, automatic fire, and magazine allowing it to benefit from Shotgun skills like Close By.

Grimm 12g Strengths:

• Extremely easy, reliable and spammable despite its low damage because of its high fire rate and high ammo pickup.
• with Dragons Breath Rounds equipped, this gun trivializes any difficulty under overkill.
• Highest Ammo Pickup Rate in the Shotgun category. Never have to worry about running out of ammo in a heist.
• Benefits from skills the Close By for having a Magazine.

Choose this weapon if:

• New to Gaming and aren’t very good at aiming
• You have a primary with a low pickup rate and you don’t want to bring Ammo Bags
• You keep running out of ammo during heists

Grimm 12g stats:

How To Get the Grimm 12g:

Unlock the weapon at level 27 for 605,500 Dollars

6. The Predator 12g

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The Predator 12g being inspected in the Safehouse

» Predator 12g in action 

The Predator 12g is a semi automatic shotgun in the primary slot. It has a somewhat high Fire Rate, Above-Average Damage and a strong ammo pickup rate to make it through a heist.

The Predator 12g is reliable and available to equip and use from the start but will bite back at the player once they start missing their shots or try progressing beyond Overkill Difficulty.. Equipping the 000 Buckshot with skills like Overkill and Shotgun Impact aced this gun can one shot on Overkill and lower difficulties. Other than for the beginning of Infamy, the Predator 12g is unfortunately outclassed by other shotguns, especially in the late game.

The Predator 12g Strengths:

• Cheap and Reliable gun available from the start, Great on early runs when many skills and weapons are unavailable
• Strong Ammo Pickup (4-7 bullets per box with perk deck boost)
• Fast rate of fire and its semi auto nature makes it quite ammo efficient
• Modifications for the weapon are relatively cheap compared to other shotguns

Choose this weapon if:

• Just went infamous and are starting from scratch again
• Are brand new to Gaming and are looking for your first weapon to use in Payday 2
• Don’t have much money available and need a weapon for a heist.

Predator 12g stats:

How To Get Predator 12g :

Is available from the start for 42,000 dollars

5. The Steakout

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The Steakout being inspected in the Safehouse

» The Steakout in action 

The Steakout 12g is a primary shotgun with average damage and similar to the Brothers Grimm, has an automatic fire mode, high ammo pickup and benefits from a myriad of Shotgun Skills in the Shotgunner Tree.

The Steakout 12g is an automatic shotgun and has the third highest ammo pickup in the shotgun category. The Steakout 12g can also equip a drum mag and alongside with skills like Close by and Shotgun Impact Aced, it can deal major damage in a short amount of time because of its fire rate and large magazine

The Steakout Strengths:

Very large magazine that can be enlarged by equipping the Drum Mag and Close By Aced

Magazine Based reload, quick reloads with minimal downtime

High Fire Rate melts dozers and cops close range

Third Highest ammo pickup rate in the shotgun category

Choose this weapon if:

You want a higher damage alternative to the The Grimm 12g

Going loud on a heist, since The Steakout has no concealment attachments

Quick Reloading and Crowd Control capabilities

The Steakout stats:

How To Get The Steakout:

Unlock the weapon at Level 52 for 920,000 Dollars

4. M1014

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m1014 being inspected in the Safehouse

» M1014 in action 

The M1014 is a semi-automatic shotgun available in the Primary slot. It shares a lot with the Predator 12g but with its main differences being a higher fire rate, larger base magazine size, and slightly lower ammo pickup.

The m1014 is capable of killing the majority of non special enemies in a single headshot with the proper skills on Death Wish/Death Sentence (Shotgun Impact Aced and 000 buckshot equipped). Although it's a semi automatic, the M1014 has a (if you’re spamming the weapon fast enough) higher fire rate then even the automatic Izhma 12g. Headshots are essential with this weapon since it has only a base of 55 damage. If you are confident in your aim, you may want to switch out the Buckshot for AP Slug Rounds, this weapon is only effective when aiming for headshots.

M1014 Strengths:

High Fire Rate when spamming the weapon

Can one shot non special enemies on DS/DW (with proper skills)

Ammo Pickup Rate of 4-6 bullets per box with perk deck boost

Equipping the Ap Slug rounds make this weapon a close range DMR that deletes dozers and common enemies

Choose this weapon if:

Are Adept at aiming and Payday 2’s Gameplay

Need an effective shotgun for Death Sentence or Death Wish

You have quick fingers and can shoot very fast manually

M1014 stats:

How To Get M1014:

Unlock at Level 15 for 327,000 Dollars

3. The Izhma 12g

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Izhma 12g Inspected in The Armory

» Izhma 12g in action 

The Izhma 12g is a magazine fed Automatic Shotgun available in the Primary slot. It has high enough damage to consistently one shot all enemies (except specials) and a reliable ammo pickup rate to get you through your heist..

The Izhma 12g is a unique shotgun that benefits greatly from Crit builds because of its automatic firing mode and can be modified to have a concealment of 27. When using the Izhma with skills like Low blow and/or Sneaky Bastard with Overkill, this gun becomes effective even in difficulties like Death Wish/ Death Sentence.

Weapon name Strengths:High Damage Output with low concealment crit builds

Its Magazine allows it to benefit from the skill Close By

If you can rapidly tap fire it, you can shoot it slightly faster then just holding it down

Choose this weapon if:

You are running a low concealment crit build

Have a trigger finger

Are playing on Death Wish or Death Sentence

Izhma 12g stats

How To Get Izhma 12g:

Unlocks at level 26 for 581,000 Dollars

2. The Brothers Grimm

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Brothers Grimm inspected

» Brothers Grimm in action 

The Brothers Grimm are the Akimbo primary variants of the Grimm 12g shotgun in the Secondary slot.

The Brothers Grimm are this high on the list for the same reasons that the Grimm 12g was in the 7th spot even as a secondary. Extremely high ammo pickup rate, spam-ability, and its deadly cohesion when the Dragon’s Breath rounds or HE Rounds are equipped because of the Brothers Grimm naturally high spread and insanely high pickup. These guns are the definition of an extremely-easy noob-friendly primary loadout. This gun (alongside a concealment Crit build with skills like Overkill and Berserker) is DSOD viable.

Brothers Grimm Strengths:

HIGH ammo pickup rate

Massive spread, works wonderfully in tandem with Dragons Breath rounds or Tombstone Slugs/Poison Ammo

Magazine Based reload for minimal downtime from shooting

Choose this weapon if:

You want to use Special Ammo (He rounds, Dragons breath rounds Etc.) since the Brothers Grimm have a high ammo pool and ammo pickup rate

You need a strong crowd control primary without fearing running out of ammo mid-heist

Don’t want to pay too close attention to where you’re aiming, just hold down mouse 1.

Brothers Grimm stats:

How To Get Brothers Grimm::

Unlocks at Level 27 for 847,000 Dollars

The Akimbo Goliaths

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image of the Brothers Grimm and a Bain mask mural

» Akimbo Goliath 12g’s in action 

The Akimbo Goliath 12g’s are Payday 2’s best shotgun because this shotgun sits in a holy throne amongst what makes a shotgun amazingly effective in the highest difficulties in Payday 2, damage multipliers.

The Akimbo Goliath 12g’s are the perfect dozer destroyer in Payday 2 because of a wonderful ammo variant, Ap Slugs rounds. Next to the damage multipliers from crit skills like low blow and unseen strike because of the goliaths very low concealment, being able to benefit from every skill in the shotgunner tree(Close By,Overkill, Etc) benefit from skills in the akimbo tree(Akimbo Aced Etc), AND The AP slugs ability to shoot through cover, two of the greatest automatic DMR’s in Payday 2 are in your handles.

Akimbo Goliath 12g Strengths

Benefits from multiple Damage Multipliers and skills across multiple skill trees

Very large ammo pool and high ammo pickup rate, works wonderfully in tandem with The Judge

Kills Dozers incredibly quick, even on the highest difficulties. When AP slugs are equipped, you can shoot them safely through walls.

Choose this weapon if:

Are playing on death sentence or death wish and need a primary to take care of Dozers without fear of running out of ammo mid-heist

Are running a low concealment crit build

Are playing on a heist with narrow areas and don’t want to care about shield swat

Akimbo Goliath 12g’s stats:

How To Get Akimbo Goliath 12g:

Available from Level 1 for 714,000 Dollars