A well-placed shotgun blast or a finely tuned handgun can mean the difference between survival and a grisly end in Resident Evil 4 Remake. Here’s which weapons pack the biggest punch-and which upgrades will keep Leon one step ahead of the horrors stalking the village.
Just a note: While you may be encouraged to hold off on upgrades until you get the gun you’re going to stick with for the rest of the game, you should know that you’ll earn back a good chunk of your investment on guns you’ve upgraded if you sell them back to the mysterious vendor. So there’s no major harm in dropping a few upgrades into the starting handgun or shotgun. Just don’t get too attached!
The best handgun in the Resident Evil 4 remake
The Red9 stands out as the strongest handgun in Resident Evil 4 Remake thanks to its incredible power and satisfying precision. While it has noticeable recoil and slower handling than other pistols, upgrading its stock and power early turns it into a reliable sidearm capable of dropping stronger enemies with fewer shots. Many players favor it for its balance between raw damage and accuracy, especially during the tougher late-game encounters where every bullet counts.
Fans of the original Resident Evil 4 probably remember the Red9. This absurdly powerful handgun ran circles around the rest of the handgun arsenal. While it isn’t quite the beast that it once was, the Red9 is still our pick for the best handgun in the game, assuming you’ve got the space for it.
Here’s a guide on where to find the Red9 for free, though if you miss its first appearance, the vendor will eventually start selling it in Chapter 5.
The remake removes the red dot sight from many of the guns in Resident Evil 4, the Red9 included. Without it, the accuracy definitely takes a bit of a dip. You can patch up this gun’s recoil and accuracy with an attachable stock, but that’ll make it take up 10 full slots in your inventory.
Despite that, because of its high damage-per-shot and versatility, you can’t go wrong with the Red9. If you’ve looking to save a little space, the Blacktail handgun (which unlocks from the vendor once you reach the Castle) is nearly as good, takes up just 4 slots, and has a much higher rate of fire.
The best shotgun in the Resident Evil 4 remake
The Riot Gun stands out as the most balanced shotgun in the Resident Evil 4 remake, offering strong power, tight spread, and manageable recoil. It performs exceptionally against groups of enemies and large targets, making crowd control easier in mid- to late-game encounters. Upgrading its power and reload speed first gives Leon a dependable weapon for both close-quarters defense and boss fights, combining raw damage with accuracy that other shotguns can’t quite match.
There’s some debate on which shotgun is the best option in Resident Evil 4, and that debate continues with this remake. Our pick: the Riot Gun. It offers more range and accuracy than the other two shotguns, while nearly matching the weighty 20.2 damage that the starting shotgun is capable of reaching.
The Riot Gun is available from the vendor once you reach the Castle. You should use the starting W-870 shotgun until then, but feel free to sell it off once the Riot Gun becomes available.
The last shotgun, the Stryker, is not a bad pick since it doesn’t require getting the expensive exclusive perk to get the damage up pretty high. But its terrible range and accuracy limits it to extremely close encounters, so bear that in mind.
The best rifle in the Resident Evil 4 remake
The Red9 stands out as the best rifle in Resident Evil 4 Remake thanks to its high power output and stock upgrade that boosts accuracy for precise shots at range. Pair it with the large-caliber magnum ammo exclusive to this handgun variant, and it shreds through enemies like chainsaw-wielding maniacs or regenerating bosses with minimal misses. Players prioritize upgrading its firepower and capacity early since it one-shots most foes after a few levels, making runs smoother from chapter 4 onward. Its laser sight attachment seals the deal for lining up headshots effortlessly.
You’ll find your first rifle early on in the Resident Evil 4 remake, the first time you encounter the vendor. Immediately buy that starting rifle from him, along with the scope he gives you for the purchase. There’s not a driving need to upgrade it, but it will be tremendously useful throughout the Village chapters of the game.
That said, the SR M1903 is not the best rifle in the game (though it does deal the most damage). The honor goes to the Stingray, a semi-automatic sniper rifle that becomes available from the vendor in the Castle. While its damage isn’t as high as the bolt action variant, the Stingray’s ability to fire off multiple shots in a row without unscoping is crucial for the middle and end of the Resident Evil 4 remake.
Just a note, there is another rifle in this game: the CQBR Assault Rifle. This gun is fully automatic, in contrast to the other rifles, but because rifle ammo is so limited throughout Resident Evil 4, we can’t recommend it.
The best SMG in the Resident Evil 4 remake
The Chicago Sweeper stands out as the strongest SMG in the Resident Evil 4 remake due to its infinite ammo potential once fully upgraded. It offers incredible stability and a high rate of fire, making it perfect for clearing crowds of enemies with little effort. Although it requires completing the game on Professional difficulty with an S-rank to obtain, the reward is worth the challenge. Upgrading its power and reload speed first turns it into one of the most reliable weapons for late-game encounters.
There are just two SMGs in the Resident Evil 4 remake. You’ll find the TMP very early, whereas the LE 5 SMG is available more than halfway into the game. If you’re looking to fully invest in one of these guns, we’d recommend the TMP. The damage isn’t isn’t great and the accuracy needs the help of a stock, but if you’re clearing lots of weaker enemies, it’s not a bad option.
When fully upgraded it becomes pretty powerful, but you won’t have enough money for that until very late into the game. If you’re not going to invest in it, feel free to switch immediately to the LE 5 SMG when you find that in the laboratory.
That said, you can also just skip the SMGs entirely, and just focus on your handgun, shotgun, and rifle, which can cover your midrange, short-range and long-range needs.
The best magnum in the Resident Evil 4 remake
The Broken Butterfly stands out as the best magnum in the Resident Evil 4 remake thanks to its immense firepower and surprisingly manageable handling. Its shots can tear through most enemies and even bosses with just a few well-placed bullets. Buying it early allows players to take advantage of Magnum ammo drops throughout the campaign, making it more useful than late-game alternatives. Investing in its power and reload speed upgrades pays off quickly, turning it into a reliable choice for high-damage encounters.
The original Resident Evil 4 had an obvious answer to the question of which was the best magnum: the Broken Butterfly. Even in the remake, this gun still hits like a truck. But it no longer has a laser sight in the remake, and hitting your target at any sort of range is now nearly impossible unless you’re standing completely still.
Therefore we’d recommend the Killer7, which deals about half the damage per shot, but is able to fire piercing rounds and, better still, comes with a laser sight by default.
You’ll find the Killer7 at the vendor, very late into Resident Evil 4, in the game’s final chapters. But given that magnum ammo is so hard to come by, you’re not really missing out by not having it earlier. We’d recommend saving any magnum ammo you find for later sequences, which definitely benefit from having a high-impact solution on-hand.
How to get Red9 exclusive upgrade
To get the Red9’s exclusive upgrade in Resident Evil 4 Remake, you must first fully upgrade the weapon (all stats to level 5) or use an Exclusive Upgrade Ticket, then purchase the upgrade itself for 100,000 pesetas at the Merchant.
Requirements
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Fully upgrade Red9 first: Max Power (to 2.7), Ammo Capacity (16), Reload Speed (1.25), and Rate of Fire (1.26). Total base upgrade cost is around 331,000-384,000 pesetas.
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Merchant unlocks: Available after Chapter 9 (post-maze in Castle’s Great Hall) for full upgrades; earlier via ticket from Castle Merchant (Chapter 7+).
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Effect: Boosts power by 1.5x (to 4.05), making it the strongest handgun for staggering and damage.
Using a Ticket (Faster Option)
Buy an Exclusive Upgrade Ticket for 30 Spinels at any Merchant offering them (Castle onward), then exchange it on the Red9 to unlock the slot without full upgrades-still costs 100,000 pesetas to buy. Spinels come from treasures like Blue Moonstones; save 9 for the Red9 Stock too (Precision +1.8).
Upgrade Costs Table
| Upgrade Path | Cost | When Available |
|---|---|---|
| Full Upgrades | ~331K pesetas | Post-Ch. 9 Merchant |
| Ticket Unlock | 30 Spinels | Ch. 7+ Castle |
| Exclusive Buy | 100K pesetas | After unlock |
Red9 stock location and effects
The Red9 Stock is a key attachment for the Red9 handgun in Resident Evil 4 Remake, purchased exclusively from the Merchant.
Location
Available starting in Chapter 6 (after the house defense with Luis in the castle area). Trade 9 Spinels directly in the Merchant’s special “Tune-Up & Custom Parts” menu-no fixed world location, as it’s a deal-exclusive item.
Effects
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Boosts Precision by +1.8 (from base 3.00 to 4.80), tightening shot grouping and reducing recoil for better control at mid-range.
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Makes the Red9 feel rifle-like, essential for its heavy kick, especially pre-upgrades; takes extra inventory space (equips to grip).
Acquisition Tips
Farm Spinels early via treasure requests (e.g., Blue Medallions give Elegant Heirloom for 5 Spinels) or selling gems like Emeralds. It sells for 2,000 pesetas if needed, but repurchase at 4,000-better to keep equipped.
