Resident Evil 4 blew everyone away in 2005 when it was released with a variety of new weapons to choose from. Do you favor the close-range spread shot of the shotgun or are you obsessed with precision and keeping your accuracy percentile as high as possible for each chapter? RE4 has a little bit of everything and depending on what strategy you prefer, the items that you see listed here can slide up and down on the scale of ‘best-in-game.’ One thing is for sure though, all of the weapons on this list are the best versions of their class, and when you use them correctly, they’ll carry you through to the end chapter in style.
10. Infinite Launcher
Fire unlimited shots with this baby.
Why is this listed so low on the list you ask? Two words: Game. Breaker. Unlocking the Infinite Launcher is a badge of honor for your save file, but actually using it in combat tends to make the game a little boring after a while. Still, it’s nice to have an insta-kill in your pocket for some of the more involved bosses that you’re up against (Looking at you Ramon Salazar).
The Infinite Launcher can only be obtained in New Game+ mode after you beat the game. In between starting up a new game, you can check in with the Merchant to buy the Infinite Launcher for 1,000,000 PTAS. If you want to get this earlier in your next game, you’ll need to make sure you start saving up in your previous game before carrying over to your next playthrough.
9. Handcannon
The fully upgraded Handcannon comes with unlimited bullets.
As far as any of the magnums are concerned, most magnum ammo drops are few and far between. The Handcannon takes this even further because it uses its’ own special magnum ammo that’s only dropped when this weapon is inside your attaché case. While this is limiting at first, once you fork over enough PTAS to our Merchant friend, you can unlock an infinite ammo mode and become the unstoppable god-beast you’ve always wanted to be.
Even without infinite ammo, with a base firepower stat of 30.0, the handcannon is one of the strongest magnums in the game and a must-have in your inventory for subsequent playthroughs. Although it takes a pretty penny to fully upgrade this weapon, the end result of a 99.0 firepower stat that can pierce through most armors for an insta-kill makes this an incredibly fun weapon to play around with.
Unlike most of the weapons on this list, there actually is some work that goes into obtaining the Handcannon. After you beat the game and unlock The Mercenaries mode, you’ll have to play through this minigame enough times to get 5 stars for all of the characters in all of the maps. The plus side is that after you’ve cleared out this minigame mode, you’ll be able to buy The Handcannon from the Merchant for free.
Upgrade list
Firepower
Lvl 1 - 30.0
Lvl 2 - 35.0 - 40,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 40.0 - 50,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 45.0 - 70,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 50.0 - 90,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 60.0 - 120,000 PTAS
Exclusive - 99.9 - 200,000 PTAS
Firing Speed
Lvl 1 - 1.17
Reload Speed
Lvl 1 - 3.67
Lvl 2 - 2.83 - 25,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 1.83 - 50,000 PTAS
Capacity
Lvl 1 - 3
Lvl 2 - 4 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 5 - 20,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 6 - 25,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 8 - 35,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 10 - 50,000 PTAS
Exclusive - Infinite - 200,000 PTAS
8. Flash Grenade
Flash grenades are common as drops before a group of crows.
Flash Grenades are handed out like Chiclets throughout the majority of your playthrough for Resident Evil 4. Although they seem worthless at first, once nighttime rolls around and parasites start busting out of ganados heads, this weapon becomes a vital tool in clearing out enemies while conserving ammo.
This innocent little ball of light has the power to 1-hit-kill any enemies with exposed Las Plagas, making it a useful tool when large groups of common enemies are breathing down your neck. The grenades only take up two slots in your attaché case and although they don’t stack, saving these up to unleash on a large crowd is the best way to get out of a tight spot.
7. TMP
The TMP fully upgraded from the weapons recovery menu.
Do you care about your accuracy percentiles? No? Well then get yourself a TMP and start raining bullets down upon your enemies! This weapon is your one and only machine pistol option in the game and what it lacks in accuracy and firepower it makes up for in firing rate and capacity.
The TMP is one of the first guns available as soon as you meet the Merchant. It’s available for 15,000 PTAS in the GameCube version and 10,000 PTAS in most other versions of the game, so getting this bad boy is all a matter of saving up. If you’re an early-adopter of this weapon and the accuracy is really bothering you, once you hit chapter 1-3, you can buy a stock for 4,000 PTAS that takes up 4 spaces in your attaché case. The stock reduces recoil and increases accuracy as it changes the firing position from your hip to your shoulder.
Upgrade list
Firepower
Lvl 1 - 0.4
Lvl 2 - 0.5 - 7,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 0.6 - 14,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 0.8 - 18,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 1.0 - 24,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 1.2 - 35,000 PTAS
Exclusive - 1.8 - 100,000 PTAS
Firing Speed
Lvl 1 - 0.10
Reload Speed
Lvl 1 - 2.37
Lvl 2 - 1.93 - 5,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 1.17 - 15,000 PTAS
Capacity
Lvl 1 - 30
Lvl 2 - 50 - 7,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 100 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 150 - 20,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 200 - 25,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 250 - 35,000 PTAS
6. Chicago Typewriter
The Chicago Typewriter is purchasable for the main game and the Separate ways minigame.
The Chicago Typewriter is another god-class weapon that you can pick up on subsequent playthroughs of Resident Evil 4. A submachine gun with infinite ammo, this is a great New Game+ option if you want to mow down ganados without the worry of ammo management.
This weapon is unlockable in a couple different ways depending on what game system you’re using. For the GameCube, it’s available for purchase for 1,000,000 PTAS after you beat the Assignment Ada minigame that’s unlocked after you beat the main game. If you’re playing on a different system, you’ll be able to unlock this weapon (again for 1,000,000 PTAS) after you beat the Separate Ways minigame that’s unlocked after beating the main game.
If you’re a fan of aesthetics, and you’re playing a PS2 ported version of the game, you’ll also be able to access a different skin for this weapon to match Leon’s mobster costume. While the stats will remain the same, this new version adds a foregrip and replaces the typical magazine clip with an ammo drum and comes with two new reload animations to fit in with Leon’s new style.
5. Blacktail
View of the fully upgraded Blacktail.
The Blacktail is one of the most powerful handguns in the game.. It’s available for purchase from the Merchant for 24,000 PTSA at the beginning of the castle stages in Chapter 3-1.
This weapon only takes up Six cells (2x3) in your inventory giving it a step above the Red9 handgun for those who are interested in conserving space in their attaché case. Coming in with a top firepower ranking of 4.5, it’s also a huge step up from the regular handgun that you start the game with.
If speed and efficiency are your things, then the Blacktail is your go-to handgun. While it may not pack the biggest punch, it has the best reload and firing speeds of any of the handguns that you can find in your first playthrough. Although you may end up using more bullets to pack the same punch, the firing rate alone means that you can serve out more damage per second compared to any of the other handgun.
Upgrade list
Firepower
Lvl 1 - 1.6
Lvl 2 - 1.8 - 10,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 2.0 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 2.3 - 20,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 2.7 - 25,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 3.0 - 35,000 PTAS
Exclusive - 3.4 - 80,000 PTAS
Firing Speed
Lvl 1 - 0.47
Lvl 2 - 0.40 - 10,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 0.27 - 20,000 PTAS
Reload Speed
Lvl 1 - 1.70
Lvl 2 - 1.47 - 8,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 0.83 - 15,000 PTAS
Capacity
Lvl 1 - 15
Lvl 2 - 18 - 8,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 21 - 10,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 25 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 30 - 20,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 35 - 25,000 PTAS
4. Rifle (Semi-Auto)
The Rifle (Semi-auto) with the standard scope from the weapons recovery menu.
With the diversity of new enemies that we see in Resident Evil 4, the Rifle is actually one of the more useful weapons in the game. With just the standard scope it’s extremely powerful for clearing out enemies like El Gigante, Dr. Salvadore, or the Ganados controlling obstacles in the castle and island portions of the game.
The Semi-Auto Rifle is an incredibly fun gun for strategy-junkies. Run out of flash grenades? No problem! This baby will one-hit-kill any parasite you see. Are a bunch of Ganados hiding behind chest-high barriers at a distance? NBD! Take ‘em out with a well-timed headshot, and you’re home-free.
While you can feasibly use other strategies to kill regenerators and iron maidens in the later chapters, one of the most fun attachments for this weapon is the infrared scope that you can use to pick out parasites one-by-one.
The Semi-Auto version of the rife is available for purchase from the Merchant for 35,000 PTAS as soon as you hit chapter 3-1 at the beginning of the castle. If you’re going all-in on this weapon, consider buying it with the upgraded scope for 10,000 PTAS at the same time.
Upgrade list
Firepower
Lvl 1 - 7.0
Lvl 2 - 8.0 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 9.0 - 18,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 11.0 - 24,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 13.0 - 30,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 15.0 - 40,000 PTAS
Firing Speed
Lvl 1 - 1.43
Exclusive - 0.40 - 80,000 PTAS
Reload Speed
Lvl 1 - 2.33
Lvl 2 - 1.90 - 9,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 1.33 - 18,000 PTAS
Capacity
Lvl 1 - 10
Lvl 2 - 12 - 10,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 14 - 12,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 17 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 20 - 20,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 24 - 25,000 PTAS
3. Broken Butterfly
View of the fully upgraded Broken Butterfly.
When it comes to #aesthetic, the Broken Butterfly can’t be beat. Its a six-shooter revolver at it’s base, and although the reload speed is abysmal, it has one of the coolest reload animations in the game. The Broken Butterfly is the first magnum that you find in the game, and the max firepower stat more than makes up for the slower reload speed and smaller capacity. When the firepower for this weapon is updated all the way, it’s the third most powerful gun in the game.
While you can buy the Broken Butterfly from the Merchant in Chapter 3-1 for 38,000 PTAS, if you play through the game a little longer you can pick this weapon up for free in the western castle wall by the hedge maze, where you can boost Ashley up to retrieve it from a chest.
Upgrade list
Firepower
Lvl 1 - 13.0
Lvl 2 - 15.0 - 25,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 17.0 - 30,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 20.0 - 35,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 24.0 - 50,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 28.0 - 70,000 PTAS
Exclusive - 50.0 - 150,000 PTAS
Firing Speed
Lvl 1 - 0.7
Reload Speed
Lvl 1 - 3.67
Lvl 2 - 3.00 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 2.33 - 20,000 PTAS
Capacity
Lvl 1 - 6
Lvl 2 - 8 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 10 - 20,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 12 - 25,000 PTAS
2. Striker
View of the fully upgraded Striker.
Our runner-up for one of the best weapons in the game goes to our first shotgun on this list. The smaller chance for ammo drops on shotgun shells and the ineffectuality of long-range combat results in a little more nuance for using this weapon efficiently. However, the Striker is great for pushing away crowds of enemies that are too close for comfort.
The Striker is unlocked in chapter 4-1 and can be purchased from the Merchant for 43,000 PTAS. Although this is very late in the game for a new weapon, the trade-off between the increased firepower and capacity make it a no-brainer to ditch your older model and work on upgrading this one right away.
Upgrade list
Firepower
Lvl 1 - 6.0
Lvl 2 - 7.0 - 25,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 8.0 - 28,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 9.0 - 32,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 10.0 - 40,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 12.0 - 60,000 PTAS
Firing Speed
Lvl 1 - 0.73
Reload Speed
Lvl 1 - 3.00
Lvl 2 - 2.40 - 8,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 1.67 - 15,000 PTAS
Capacity
Lvl 1 - 12
Lvl 2 - 14 - 10,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 16 - 12,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 20 - 16,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 25 - 18,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 28 - 25,000 PTAS
Exclusive - 100 - 60,000 PTAS
1. Red9
The Red9 and stock from the weapons recovery menu.
While the Red9 may not be the strongest weapon in the game, it’ll definitely be your go-to gun if you’re focusing on accuracy and stockpiling ammo. When it’s fully upgraded, this handgun packs the same punch that you’ll get as a base-stat for a shotgun, with the added benefit of packing a stronger punch from a farther range.
The Red9 is available for purchase from the Merchant in chapter 2-2 for 14,000 PTAS. However, the base accuracy is so bad that you may want to waituntil chapter 2-3 when you can buy it with the additional stock that’s listed at 4,000 PTAS. Once the stock is equipped, the decrease in recoil and increase in steadiness means you’ll end up with one of the more stable guns in the games. Between the 8 spaces (4x2) that the gun takes up and the 3 spaces for the stock, it’s the biggest handgun in the game, but if you’re looking for sheer firepower, this is the only way to go.
Upgrade list
Firepower
Lvl 1 - 1.4
Lvl 2 - 1.7 - 15,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 2.0 - 20,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 2.4 - 24,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 2.8 - 28,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 3.5 - 45,000 PTAS
Exclusive - 5.0 - 80,000 PTAS
Firing Speed
Lvl 1 - 0.53
Lvl 2 - 0.47 - 10,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 0.40 - 15,000 PTAS
Reload Speed
Lvl 1 - 2.73
Lvl 2 - 2.20 - 6,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 1.67 - 10,000 PTAS
Capacity
Lvl 1 - 8
Lvl 2 - 10 - 6,000 PTAS
Lvl 3 - 12 - 8,000 PTAS
Lvl 4 - 15 - 12,000 PTAS
Lvl 5 - 18 - 16,000 PTAS
Lvl 6 - 22 - 22,000 PTAS
