Resident Evil 4 Remake: Which Pistol Should I Choose? All Handguns Ranked

The Resident Evil 4 remake has several options for pistols and handguns that can make it hard to choose the right one. Being the most basic weapon type, handgun ammunition tends to be fairly plentiful, making these armaments a mainstay in your inventory. However, you may be wondering which pistol to choose since there are several options. We’ve ranked all of the RE4 handguns below. 

Best RE4 Handguns: All Pistols Ranked

When discussing which is the best pistol to choose in Resident Evil 4 remake, we have to consider their availability and usage once upgraded. For instance, certain handguns are decent for your first campaign, but others might surpass them once you acquire certain upgrades or once you’re on your subsequent runs.

Top Tier RE4 Pistols

Red9

The Red9 handgun can be considered the best handgun to choose in RE4 remake because of its stopping power. It easily outclasses most of its counterparts. The only downside to using the Red9 is that it doesn’t group shots well, making it a pain to shoot distant enemies. To fix that, you’ll need to buy the Red9 Stock, which costs 9 Spinels

Blacktail

Conversely, the Blacktail, which can be purchased for 24,000 Pesetas, works wonders right from the get-go. It doesn’t excel in any particular category, but it’s great across the board (which, in and of itself, is its selling point).

Screenshot by GameSkinny

Mid Tier RE4 Handguns

SG-09

There are two default pistols to choose in RE4 remake. 

The first pistol to consider is the SG-09R, which is technically the game’s default handgun. It doesn’t surpass other options, but it’s fairly reliable most of the time.

Sentinel Nine

Alternatively, if you purchased the Deluxe Edition or the standalone DLC, you’ll be able to use the Sentinel Nine handgun, which has nearly identical stats to the SG-09. Its main advantage, though, is its higher ammo capacity. You can learn more in our SG-09R and Sentinel Nine comparison guide.

Image via Capcom

Bottom Tier RE4 Side Arms

Matilda

When ranking all of the side arms in Resident Evil 4, one might balk at the idea of including Matilda so low on the list.

It’s not a terrible pistol, per se, but there are a few factors that hold it back. The first is that the weapon itself costs 10 Spinels. Meanwhile, the Matilda Stock, which allows the gun to fire three-round bursts, costs an additional 12 Spinels. Lastly, burst-fire means it chews through ammo considerably faster compared to other handguns.

The Matilda becomes more viable once you’ve obtained the Cat Ears accessory, which provides infinite ammo. Unfortunately, you’re likely to earn that on your fourth playthrough or later, which means other weapons will take its place.

Punisher

Finally, there’s the Punisher, which you probably want to avoid entirely. It has very low power, and its main perk, Penetrating Shots, isn’t particularly useful. You’re better off blasting enemies with a shotgun at close range.

Likewise, hitting a Ganado with a headshot doesn’t automatically mean you’ll land another on his buddy behind him. As such, guaranteed penetration will come in the form of body shots, which wastes ammo. Combine that with its lower damage output, and its to the bottom of the pile for Punisher. 

Those are all of the RE4 pistols and handguns ranked. Now that you know which sider arm to choose, there are many more choices to make and mysteries to unravel in this remake of a Capcom classic. Head over to our guides hub for more. 

Featured image by GameSkinny.