We ranked the 10 best and most robust pistols in Fallout 4 to help you choose the best weapon for your playstyle and build.
In Fallout 4, Pistols are a small handgun with limited range but deadly with the right perks. Gunslingers commonly use pistols that play up close and rely on critical strikes for damage and VATS for accuracy. Pistols can benefit from the perks of Gunslinger, Bloody Mess, Mister Sandman, and even Commando. Base damage, accuracy, range, and available weapon modifications make a Pistol weak or strong. With so many options for selecting a Pistol in Fallout 4, we hope to give you the 10 best and how to collect them.
The Best Pistols Ranked in Fallout 4
The best Pistol in Fallout 4 is the Plasmcaster because of the available mods, unique effects, and base damage. Moreover, the Sentinel’s Plasmacaster can be modified with a comfort grip to gain the advantage of the Gunslinger perk and have some of the best damage with incredible range. The second best choice is the Gamma Gun, which provides good damage, incredible range, and a stun. Lastly, the Deliverer Pistol is the best for stealth, and sneak builds using sneak attacks to one-shot enemies.
Here are the 10 best Pistol weapons in Fallout ranked from best to worst:
- Sentinel’s Plasmacaster – strongest due to range, base damage, accuracy, and overall utility
- Gamma Gun – the best option for crowd control and stuns
- Deliverer – the best pistol for stealth kills
- Alien Blaster Pistol – good base damage and an insane range of 300 meters
- Kellogg’s Pistol – .44 magnum that refills AP on critical hits
- Eddie’s Peace – .44 magnum that increases limb damage
- Wasterlander’s Friend – 10mm that can be automatic and many mods
- The Gainer – .44 magnum that sets enemies on fire
- Pipe Revolver – starter pistol that can be upgraded
- Flare Gun – summons minutemen to aid you in battle
10 Flare Gun
Flare Gun stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Pistol
- Effect(s): Summons nearby Minutemen
- Base Damage: 10
- Ammo: Flare
- Clip Size: 1
- Fire Rate: 3
- Range: 146
- Accuracy: 74
- Value: 50
- Weight: 2
The Flare Gun is a single-shot weapon designed to call in reinforcements from the Minutemen faction. Unlike other pistols on this list, the Flare Gun’s sole purpose is to support. Fire one shot, then swap to another pistol for damage. The leader of the Minutemen, Preston Garvey, gives this Flare Gun to you early in Fallout 4 after completing the First Step quest.
Once obtained, fire a flare in the air and wait around 30 seconds for Minuteman NPC to appear. Typically, there will be between 3-5 with basic laser rifles and weapons. You must be near an owned settlement, but the extra help can be helpful when fighting super mutants in the open fields. Use this tactic and artillery smoke grenades early in Fallout 4 when you have limited ammunition and need extra support.
9 Pipe Revolver
Pipe Revolver stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Pistol
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 24
- Ammo: .45 round
- Clip Size: 6
- Fire Rate: 6
- Range: 83
- Accuracy: 61
- Value: 25
- Weight: 4.2
When it comes to easy beginner pistols, the Pipe Revolver is the best in Fallout 4 because of the available mods. What’s unique about the Pipe Revolver is that the grip and stock modifications determine which perks are activated. For pistols, you want a Standard or Comfort grip. This way, you will activate the Gunslinger perk and boost pistol damage rather than a rifle with a Sharpshooter’s grip. Additionally, this weapon can be heavily modified with a longer barrel, scope, and suppressor!
Travel to Bedford Station southeast from Sanctuary to obtain the Pipe revolver pistol. You can find the pistol on the second floor of the wooden building in front of the desk. Look to obtain the Gun Nut perk to upgrade the Pistol and keep it throughout your playthrough when ammunition from more advanced weapons is sparse.
Related:
8 The Gainer
The Gainer stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Pistol
- Effect(s): Incendiary
- Base Damage: 48
- Ammo: .44 round
- Clip Size: 6
- Fire Rate: 6
- Range: 119
- Accuracy: 74
- Value: 468
- Weight: 4.6
Some of the best pistols in Fallout 4 are 44 Magnum, and the Gainer is a unique version that can set enemies on fire for 15 points of damage. 44 Magnum has excellent ammunition availability, a 100+ meter range, and good accuracy. The base damage can be upgraded with mods like the advanced receiver, which increases damage by over 200! That’s on par with some rifles, and 44 magnums can be acquired early in FO4. The Gainer is ranked 8 because there are better 44 Magnum pistols available with better unique effects on our top 10 list in Fallout 4. However, you should acquire this early and upgrade to its full potential with Gun Nut.
To obtain The Gainer, go to the unmarked location south of Hub City Auto Wreckers on the far east of the Fallout 4 map. Here, you will find a code-locked door requiring you to enter codes 10, 4, 5, and 1. You can find the code device on a wall near the locked door.
7 Wasterlander’s Friend
Wasterlander’s Friend stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Pistol
- Effect(s): Crippling
- Base Damage: 18
- Ammo: 10mm round
- Clip Size: 24
- Fire Rate: 46
- Range: 83
- Accuracy: 76
- Value: 772
- Weight: 6
The Wastelander’s Friend is a 10mm pistol with a large magazine and a high rate of fire. This is a unique variant of a standard 10mm Pistol with 50% more limb damage. Limb damage is helpful to cripple legs and limit mobility to enemies that won’t die with an initial round of fire from VATS. The other strength of the Pistol is the availability of mods like suppressors and automatic receivers, as well as increased damage with receiver upgrades. What holds Waster’slander’s Friend back is limited base damage and, even when upgraded, doesn’t have nearly the single-shot damage potential. However, we recommend this pistol for players using Gunslinger and Commando perks because you get benefits from both with an automatic receiver.
To obtain the Wastelander’s Friend pistol, buy it from Deb, a vendor in Bunker Hill. Bunker Hill is a settlement northeast of Diamond City, and in the center hub, you will find various vendors.
6 Eddie’s Peace
Eddie’s Peace stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Pistol
- Effect(s): Crippling
- Base Damage: 48
- Ammo: .44 round
- Clip Size: 6
- Fire Rate: 6
- Range: 83
- Accuracy: 81
- Value: 454
- Weight: 5.0
Another 44 Magnum to make out of the top 10 best Pistol list in Fallout 4 is Eddie’s Peace. The strength of Eddie’s Peace is the extra effect of dealing 50% extra limb damage. Moreover, this pistol comes with a snub nose barrel, comfort grip, and an already attached short scope. Thus, you can save on spending, resources, and materials by upgrading the gun or avoiding the gun nut perk. To see the full strength of any 44 Magnum, you must unlock Gun Nut rank 4, which can be done at level 39 with at least 3 intelligence. Eddie’s Piece’s weakness is that the special effect isn’t as good as Kellogg’s Pistol and requires a quest completion to obtain.
To obtain Eddie’s Peace, complete the Long Time Coming companion quest for Nick Valentine. You must reach 750 affinity with Nick first, then Nick’s memory is triggered by remembering an old gangster, Eddie Winter. The quest chain continues with the conclusion at Andrew Station, where you obtain the pistol.
5 Kellogg’s Pistol
Kellogg’s Pistol stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Pistol
- Effect(s): Relentless
- Base Damage: 48
- Ammo: .44 round
- Clip Size: 6
- Fire Rate: 6
- Range: 119
- Accuracy: 70
- Value: 449
- Weight: 4.3
Kellogg’s Pistol is the best 44 Magnum on our top 10 list in Fallout 4 because it has the Relentless perk refilling Action Points (AP) on critical strikes. AP, used in VATS, is essential for any gunslinger pistol build. You build towards luck, special stats and agility, and banking criticals, increasing the likelihood of landing them and their damage. This gives the Pistol similar damage to rifles and other heavy weapons, allowing the weapon type to compete effectively. With Kellogg’s Pistol, you refill AP, allowing you to stay inside VATS longer.
The Mysterious Stranger perk is also helpful here, randomly triggering a critical, which you can then bank, use, and stay shooting with pinpoint accuracy. Kellogg’s Pistol isn’t higher on the list because other weapons have better weapon modifications or higher base damage, fire range, and range. However, Kellogg’s Pistol is one of the best overall pistols in Fallout 4 and can be used throughout most playthroughs.
To obtain Kellogg’s pistol, complete the main story quest, Reunions, given by Nick Valentine and located at Fort Hagen. Fort Hagen is on the southwestern part of the Wasteland map in Fallout 4. This quest will involve Dogmeat, Piper Wright, and Nick Valentine and originates early in the main story at Diamond City. Kellogg also has a useful outfit you should collect in addition to his pistol.
4 Alien Blaster Pistol
Alien Blaster Pistol stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Energy Weapon
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 50
- Ammo: Alien blaster round; Fusion cell (with Fusion magazine mod)
- Clip Size: 42
- Fire Rate: 100
- Range: 119
- Accuracy: 79
- Value: 1551
- Weight: 2.5
The Alien Blaster pistol is a unique futuristic weapon that shoots out bolts of blue energy and does significant damage without any perks. Moreover, you can modify this weapon with 4 points in Science from the Intelligence tree. Once fully upgraded, you can use Fusion Cell ammunition rather than Alien Blaster rounds. This helps keep up ammunition availability, though it will only be done at higher levels. Another strength of the Pistol is its great range, accuracy, and low action point cost. The only downside is that the projectile’s slow travel time can often be missed if the enemies are not in close range or moving.
To obtain the Alien Blaster pistol, travel to an unmarked site where a UFO crashed from the sky. The marked site is north of Vault 81, northwest of Diamond City. Any companion outside of Dogmeat will mention the crash, and you can also pick up a garbled radio beacon to find the site. Look for a cave near the crash site, enter, and be prepared for a fight.
3 Deliverer
Deliverer stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Pistol
- Effect(s): V.A.T.S. Enhanced
- Base Damage: 25
- Ammo: 10mm round
- Clip Size: 12
- Fire Rate: 66
- Range: 53
- Accuracy: 67
- Value: 774
- Weight: 4.4
The Deliverer 10mm Pistol is a unique variant with the V.A.T.S. Enhanced perk, giving Improved VATS hit chance, 25% less Action Point cost. What makes the Deliverer strong is the already suppressed weapon and greater damage than other 10mm pistols. Moreover, you can create a sneak build centered around this weapon and two agility perks. Mister Sandman, which increases silenced sneak attack damage by 50%, and Ninja, your ranged sneak attacks do 3.5x normal damage. These two bonuses stack with Gunslinger and Bloody Mess, drastically increasing damage. The downside is you must be stealthy to do the most damage, and when detected, this gun is weaker compared to two and three on our list.
To obtain the Deliverer pistol, complete the Tradecraft quest given to you by Desdemona with the Railroad. The Railroad can be entered via the Old North Church, northeast of Diamond City. This quest will begin immediately after the Road to Freedom, and it’s suggested to at least work with the Railroad to obtain this weapon.
2 Gamma Gun
Gamma Gun stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Radiation Weapon
- Effect(s): AOE; stun on direct hit
- Base Damage: Direct hit 100 Radiation; AOE 23 Radiation and Explosion damage
- Ammo: Gamma round
- Clip Size: 8
- Fire Rate: 66
- Range: 119
- Accuracy: 69
- Value: 156
- Weight: 3
The Gamma Gun uses Gamma Rounds doing radiant damage, and unlike other Pistols, it has an area-based damage explosion and effect. The strength is that this Pistol has AOE damage potential and can stun enemies on a direct hit! Moreover, the Gamma Gun can be upgraded with an electric signal carrier antennae, charging the round and increasing your one-shot potential. The downside is the radiation damage will be weak against robots, ghouls, and super mutants. Moreover, you have limited modification capacity, and the ammunition can be difficult to find. The upsides, however, are incredible, allowing for AOE damage, stuns, and charge bursts!
To obtain the Gamma Gun, travel to the Crater of Atom, where you will find the Child of Atom cultist. You can obtain a gun from them. The unique version, Lorenzo’s Artifact gun, is a reward from Jack Cabot for completing the quest for the secret of Cabot’s house. You can find Jack Cabot’s house just south of Bunker Hill.
1 Sentinel’s Plasmacaster
Sentinel’s Plasmacaster stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Energy Weapon
- Effect(s): Instigating
- Base Damage: 24 Physical, 24 Energy
- Ammo: Plasma cartridge
- Clip Size: 30
- Fire Rate: 33
- Range: 119
- Accuracy: 148
- Value: 148
- Weight: 4.8
The Sentinel Plasmacaster is the best of our 10 Pistol list in Fallout 4 because of its unique two types of base damage and Instigating special effects. You must modify the grip to be standard or comfortable to gain the Gunslinger perk advantage. Once done, you will gain all the advantages of the Pistol using this unique plasma gun, which has an array of weapon upgrades.
With multiple damage types, you can avoid enemy resistance to one another and best-in-class range, magazine size, and accuracy. The downside is that this weapon and its unique variant require a story-related choice, but plasma guns generally are easy to find at higher levels in Fallout 4. Consider the Plasma Gun and Sentinel’s Plasmacaster a must-have once you’ve reached 40+, have Science, Gun Nut, and want serious damage as a gunslinger!
The Sentinel’s Plasmacaster can be obtained by completing the quest of a New Dawn and siding with the Brotherhood of Steel. After this is done, visit Teagan, where you can purchase the weapon aboard the Prydwen. If you don’t wish to side with the Brotherhood, Experiment 18-A can be obtained from the institution, though it will need to be modified. Additionally, Plasma guns will start appearing at higher levels, and even the base Plasma gun can carry your damage from level 40 and beyond.
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