The Resident Evil 4 remake (RE4R) includes a variety of guns that can be fully upgraded with enough currency. This may raise the question of which guns to upgrade first and which are the most effective in each category. In this article, we will provide recommendations for the best pistol, rifle, shotgun, and magnum to use.
It is worth noting that although it may be wise to wait until you obtain the gun you want to use for the remainder of the game before upgrading, you can still sell upgraded guns back to the vendor for a significant portion of your investment. Therefore, it is not a major issue to put some upgrades into your starting handgun or shotgun, but it is important not to become too attached to them.
1. Best Handgun in Resident Evil 4 Remake
Those who played the original Resident Evil 4 may recall the Red9, a remarkably powerful handgun that outclassed all others in its category. Although it is not as potent as it once was, the Red9 remains our top pick for the best handgun in the game, provided you have room for it.
In the remake, the red dot sight has been removed from many guns, including the Red9, causing a decrease in accuracy. However, you can improve its recoil and precision by adding a stock, which requires 10 inventory slots.
Despite this, the Red9 is still an excellent choice due to its high damage output and versatility. However, if you want to save inventory space, the Blacktail handgun, which becomes available from the vendor once you reach the Castle, is a close second, taking up only 4 slots and offering a much faster rate of fire.
How to find the Red9
The Red9 handgun in the Resident Evil 4 remake is not available until you reach Chapter 4's Lake section. To acquire it, you'll need to head towards the shipwreck located at the center of the lake while in the boat. There will be barrels onboard, as well as a chest containing a gemstone inside the cabin.
Once you're facing forward, exit towards the right (starboard) side and move towards the front (bow). You'll see a fancy chest ahead of the cabin that contains the Red9.
2. Best Shotgun in Resident Evil 4 Remake
In Resident Evil 4, there is some discussion about which shotgun is the best, and that debate continues in the remake. Our choice for the best option is the Riot Gun, which provides greater range and accuracy than the other two shotguns while nearly matching the powerful 20.2 damage of the starting shotgun.
The Riot Gun can be obtained from the vendor after reaching the Castle, so it is recommended to use the starting W-870 shotgun until then, and then sell it once the Riot Gun becomes available.
The Stryker shotgun is also a decent choice, as it doesn't require the expensive exclusive perk to reach high damage levels. However, its poor range and accuracy limit its effectiveness to close-range encounters, so keep this in mind.
3. Best Rifle in Resident Evil 4 Remake
Early on in the Resident Evil 4 remake, you'll come across the vendor who will offer you your first rifle. It's recommended that you buy it immediately, along with the scope that comes with the purchase. While there isn't an urgent need to upgrade it, it will prove extremely helpful in the Village chapters of the game.
However, despite the fact that the SR M1903 deals the most damage, it is not the best rifle in the game. The title goes to the Stingray, a semi-automatic sniper rifle that becomes available from the vendor in the Castle. Although its damage output isn't as high as the bolt-action variant, the Stingray's ability to shoot multiple times without unscoping is critical for the middle and end portions of the Resident Evil 4 remake.
It's important to note that there is a fully automatic rifle in the game, the CQBR Assault Rifle. However, since rifle ammunition is scarce throughout Resident Evil 4, it's not recommended to use it.
4. Best SMG in Resident Evil 4 Remake
In the Resident Evil 4 remake, there are only two SMGs available. The TMP can be found early on, while the LE 5 SMG becomes available halfway through the game. If you want to fully upgrade one of these weapons, we suggest choosing the TMP. Although its damage is not great and its accuracy needs improvement with a stock, it is still useful for killing weaker enemies.
However, you won't have enough money to fully upgrade the TMP until late in the game. If you don't plan on investing in it, you can switch to the LE 5 SMG as soon as you find it in the laboratory. Alternatively, you can skip the SMGs entirely and rely on your handgun, shotgun, and rifle, which can cover your short, mid, and long-range needs.
5. Best Magnum in Resident Evil 4 Remake
In the original Resident Evil 4 game, the Broken Butterfly was clearly the best magnum. In the remake, it still packs a punch, but lacks a laser sight making it hard to hit targets from a distance unless you're completely still. As an alternative, we suggest using the Killer7 which deals less damage per shot but has piercing rounds and comes equipped with a laser sight.
The Killer7 is available at the vendor in the final chapters of the game, and since magnum ammo is rare, it's not a problem if you didn't have it earlier. We advise keeping any magnum ammo you come across for later segments that require a powerful weapon.
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