[Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Hand Cannons and How to Get Them

Destiny 2 Best Hand Cannons


Destiny is well known for its vast arsenal composed of all kinds of rifles, rocket launchers, machine guns, fusion rifles but one of these death dealers stands out. The Hand Cannon, just the name inspires thoughts of cowboys dueling, staring each other down in the hot noon sun. Though not everyone's cup of tea, these damage heavy cannons are some of the better weapon options in the game, and some of the guns are even lore intensive with tales of light and dark attached to them. So, pick one up and mow the enemy down, guardian. 

 

10. Waking Vigil
Great For PVP

 

    The Waking Vigil, the name itself, should be reason enough to quest for this massive damage dealer. It is great for PVP with its high impact, great handling, and large magazine that allow you to run and gun with little reloading as you tear through Guardian after guardian. 

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 80
  • Range 38
  • Stability 44
  • Handling 67
  • Reload Speed 60
  • Rounds Per Minute 150
  • Magazine 12
  • Aim Assistance 85
  • Inventory Size 46
  • Zoom 14
  • Recoil 98
  • Bounce Intensity 2

Weapon Perks

Exotic: Lightweight Frame.
Sights: Truesights HCS, Hitmark HCS, Crossfire HCS.
Magazine: Armor- Piercing Rounds, Ricochet Rounds
Trait: Outlaw
Trait: Snapshot Sights

Perks

Sights: Hitmark HCS, Crossfire HCS, Sureshot HCS, Fastdraw HCS, Steadyhand HCS, Truesight HCS.
Magazine: Extended Mag, Ricochet Rounds, Flared Magwell, Alloy Magazine, Appended Mag, Armor- Piercing Rounds, High Caliber Rounds, Light Mag.
Trait: Opening Shot, Triple Tap, Zen Moment, Grave Robber, Hip-Fire Grip.
Trait: Outlaw, Dragonfly, Slideshot, Auto-loading Holster, Snapshot Sights.

How to obtain: Finish activities in the dreaming city.

VideoGuide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADzrBjfDU4k&ab_channel=Marcusbgaming

 

9.Nation of Beasts 
Great for PvE.

 

The Nation of Beasts boasts impressive numbers for when you're out there in space facing down the dark. High impact a quick reload and a great number of rounds per minute allow you to take on the enemies even in overwhelming numbers and mow them down. 

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 84
  • Range 46
  • Stability 61
  • Handling 48
  • Reload Speed 50
  • Rounds Per Minute 140
  • Magazine 10
  • Aim Assistance 71
  • Inventory Size 51
  • Zoom 14
  • Recoil 95
  • Bounce Intensity 5

Weapon Perks

Adaptive Frame.Dragon Fly.

Perks

Barrel: Extended Barrel, Full Bore, Hammer-Forged Rifling, Arrowhead Brake, Chambered Compensator, Corkscrew Rifling, Fluted Barrel, Polygonal Rifling, Smallbore
Magazine: Accurized Rounds, Drop Mag, Tactical Mag, Extended Mag, Steady Rounds, Alloy Magazine.
Trait: Outlaw, Opening Shot, Ambitious Assassins, Zen Moment.
Trait: Kill Clip, Explosive Payload, Rampage, Triple Tap.

How to obtain: Last wish raid drop.

VideoGuide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNVomGM9HTA&ab_channel=Aztecross

 

8. Midnight Coup
Great for PVP.

 

This flashy piece is not only formidable due to its low bounce intensity, nor the fact that it can shoot at 150 rounds a minute; its perks make it a killer for when facing other guardians in the crucible. Ambitious Assassin and the Corkscrew Rifling make taking down the enemy a piece of cosmic cake.

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 80
  • Range 37
  • Stability 46
  • Handling 64
  • Reload Speed 60
  • Rounds Per Minute 150
  • Magazine 12
  • Aim Assistance 90
  • Inventory Size 60
  • Zoom 14
  • Recoil 80
  • Bounce Intensity 20

Weapon Perks

Intrinsic: Lightweight Frame.
Barrel: Smallbore, Corkscrew Rifling, Extended Barrel.
Trait: Rampage, Ambitious Assassin.
Trait: Outlaw.

How to obtain: Leviathan Raid drop.

VideoGuide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti97UyquSDs&ab_channel=xHOUNDISHx

 

7. Ace of Spades
Great for PVP and PVE

 

This gun is not only awesome but for fans, holds value on a sentimental level. Speaking of how to obtain it would spoil some of the story, so here are some facts. If you're considering Gambit, this is your gun. High impact, rounds per minute, a generous mag size, great aim assists. There is little, this gun is bad at, so, once you have it make the most of it.

 

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 84
  • Range 78
  • Stability 46
  • Handling 46
  • Reload Speed 48
  • Rounds Per Minute 140
  • Magazine 13
  • Aim Assistance 70
  • Inventory Size 56
  • Zoom14
  • Recoil 100
  • Bounce Intensity 0

Perks

Exotic: Memento Mori
Barrel: Corkscrew Rifling
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds
Grip: Smooth Grip
Trait: Firefly
 

How to obtain: Exotic quest challenge.

1. Cayde’s Will  Finish off the campaign to obtain the mission from Banshee-44

2. Invader KillsGo to the gambit and use a hand cannon to kill invaders.

3. 250 Strike kills with Hand Cannons Banshee-44 will now ask you to do strikes and kill enemies with hand cannons. This is more time consuming than it is difficult.

4. 25 Precision Hand Cannon Kills in Crucible Now banshee wishes you to go to the PVP arenas and obtain headshots 25 to be exact.

5. Cayde’s Caches Now, you have to travel around to find Cayde’s caches EDZ, IO, Nessus Cache, Tangled Shore.

6. The Mission Finally, to finish up, you need to go to Titan and start a mission and keep an eye out for messages that say a chest is nearby. Have fun!

VideoGuide: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=j0PLSaHOdU4&ab_channel=NeedlessSpace

 

6. The Last Word
Great for PVE

This wild west inspired piece is one of the coolest. Sporting a Fan Fire exotic trait, and accurized rounds you can pull off your best John Wayne as you walk towards the dangerous enemy blasting away with 225 rounds a minute with great stability. So, go ahead pilgrim... Draw!

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 78
  • Range 28
  • Stability 46
  • Handling 28
  • Reload Speed 82
  • Rounds Per Minute 225
  • Magazine 8
  • Aim Assistance 40
  • Inventory Size 40
  • Zoom 11
  • Recoil 100
  • Bounce Intensity 0

Perks

Exotic: Fan Fire.
Barrel: Corkscrew Rifling.
Magazine: Accurized Rounds.
Grip: Hip-Fire Grip, Textured Grip.

How to Obtain: Exotic quest challenge.

The Cleansing

Head to the tower talk to drifter, obtain the Hive artifact you need to cleanse by killing hive, hive bosses with solar.

The Temptation

Once done return to the Drifter with your cleansed artifact and obtain the second step. Now go defeat Guardians in the Crucible; it will take some time since every time you die it resets so keep at it.

The Damnation

Once done a new mission will appear on Titan head to Ogre Lost Sector to the left of the Rig, go down and find the shielded Hive Acolyte, kill the wizard to lower the Acolyte’s shield then take him out.

Sullied Light

Return to the Drifter and he will give you a new objective with 4 steps. 15 Etched Crystals and 50 Hive Larvae can be done in mars running into lost sectors. Then go to the Rig and await the ritual to begin and defeat it. The medals you simply acquired by fighting in the crucible.

The Conversation

Once done return to the Drifter, then travel to Thieves Landing and head south to the Hive Ruins, take out the enemy insert Worm in-wall, shoot the wizards, shoot the crystal, and then drop down to face Enkaar three times. It’s a quick draw match and it will take time to get it right. Enkaars’ clones attack in the order they spawn. Good Luck

VideoGuide: Destiny 2: How to Get The LAST WORD Exotic Hand Cannon!

 

5.Spare Rations
Great for PVP and PVE

 

Explosive payload. That’s it, that should be more than enough. The numbers on this gun are just fantastic. It is definitely a workhorse with its ability to be wielded in both PVP and PVE so I recommend taking this monster to the gambit so you can tear enemies apart and get those invaders out quickly.

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 80
  • Range 39
  • Stability 50
  • Handling 74
  • Reload Speed 60
  • Rounds Per Minute 150
  • Magazine 13
  • Aim Assistance 92
  • Inventory Size 57
  • Zoom 14
  • Recoil 100
  • Bounce Intensity

Weapon Perks

Exotic: Lightweight Frame.
Barrel: Hammer Forged Rifling.
Magazine: Appended Mag.
Trait: Overflow
Trait: Payload

Perks

Barrel: Hammer-Forged Rifling, Corkscrew Rifling, Fluted Barrel, Full Bore, Smallbore, Arrowhead Brake, Chambered Compensator, Extended Barrel, Polygonal Rifling.
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds, Appended Mag, Flared Magwell, Richochet Rounds, Light Mag, Extended Mag, Alloy Magazine, Armor- Piercing Rounds,
Trait: Rapid Hit, Fourth Time’s the Charm, Snapshot Sights, Subsistence, Threat Detector, Field Prep, Auto-Loading Holster.
Trait: Kill Clip, Rampage, Multikill Clip, Slideshot, Rangefinder, Moving Target, Swashbuckler, Hip-Fire Grip.

How to obtain: Gambit Prime Matches and increase your rank.

VideoGuide: *REMASTERED* Most Efficient & Fastest way to farm the *God Roll* Spare Rations in Destiny 2, 2020!

4. Austringer
Great for PVP

 

The Austringer boasts one of the harder impacts on this list, making it a feared damage dealer with great perks and decent reload speed. What makes it even better is all the modifications that can be done with it. One of the more versatile hand cannons in the game, it is worth questing for. 

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 84
  • Range 51
  • Stability 63
  • Handling 52
  • Reload Speed 51
  • Rounds Per Minute 140
  • Magazine 11
  • Aim Assistance 75
  • Inventory Size 53
  • Zoom 14
  • Recoil 95
  • Bounce Intensity 5

Weapon Perks

Exotic: Adaptive Frame.
Barrel: Corkscrew Rifling.
Magazine: Tactical Mag.
Trait: Outlaw
Trait: Range Finder
 

Perks

Barrel: Hammer-Forged Rifling, Corkscrew Rifling, Fluted Barrel, Full Bore, Smallbore, Arrowhead Brake, Chambered Compensator, Extended Barrel, Polygonal Rifling.
Magazine:  Accurized Rounds, Tactical Mag, Appended Mag, Drop Mag, Extended Mag, Steady Rounds, Alloy Magazine, Flared Magwell
Trait: Outlaw, Subsistence, Triple Tap, Eye of the Storm, Air Assault, Snapshot Sights.
Trait: Rangefinder, Demolitionist, Rampage, Opening Shot, Underdog, Zen Moment

How to obtain: Can be found abord the Leviathan from the Menagerie.

VideoGuide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6Ke1eaofsw&ab_channel=ThisWeekInVideoGames

3. Not Forgotten.
Great for PVP

 

Not Forgotten is one of the more prevalent hand cannons when it comes to PVP with perks like Accurized Rounds, Precision frame, and Zen moment combine with high stats on the canon make it strong against any other combatant. Once obtained, go back out there and dominate.

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 80
  • Range 47
  • Stability 61
  • Handling 42
  • Reload Speed 59
  • Rounds Per Minute 150
  • Magazine 10
  • Aim Assistance 79
  • Inventory Size 60
  • Zoom 14
  • Recoil 95
  • Bounce Intensity 5

Perks

Exotic: Precision Frame.
Barrel: Extended Barrel.
Magazine: Accurized Rounds
Trait: Zen Moment
Trait: Magnificent Howl

How to obtain:  Obtain Legend rank in the Crucible

VideoGuide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAGxUDcfKPY&ab_channel=Marcusbgaming

 

2. Luna's Howl
Great for PVP

Luna’s Howl is one of the most stable and consistent when using the Magnificent Howl trait; it’s a 79 on aim assists means you will put bullet after bullet into your enemy with the shots being increased damage. The high stability and Precision Frame will help you pull off victory after victory in PVP.

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 80
  • Range 47
  • Stability 61
  • Handling 42
  • Reload Speed 59
  • Rounds Per Minute 150
  • Magazine 10
  • Aim Assistance 79
  • Inventory Size 60
  • Zoom 14
  • Recoil 95
  • Bounce Intensity 5

Perks

Exotic: Precision Frame.
Barrel: Polygonal Rifling.
Magazine: Drop Mag
Trait: Zen Moment
Trait: Magnificent Howl

How to obtain:  Obtain Fabled rank in the Crucible

VideoGuide: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WwNbHz2LG8&ab_channel=NeedlessSpace
 

1.Thorn
Great for PvP and PvE

 

The now mythical Thorn from the fist Destiny is still to this day one of the most, if not the most popular, hand cannons in the game. The stats for the gun itself make it great for any activity, but it’s the cruel Soul Devourer trait that makes this beloved gun stand out. Once shot, the round slowly eats away at health, so take aim and destroy in PVP and PvE.

Weapon Stats:

  • Impact 80
  • Range 41
  • Stability 60
  • Handling 68
  • Reload Speed 46
  • Rounds Per Minute 150
  • Magazine 11
  • Aim Assistance 85
  • Inventory Size 60
  • Zoom14
  • Recoil 100
  • Bounce Intensity 0

Perks

Exotic: Mark of the Devourer
Barrel: Corkscrew Rifling
Magazine: Accurized Rounds
Grip: Textured Grip
Trait: Soul Devourer

How to obtain: Multi-step Exotic Quest.

1. A Hunk of Metal
Load into the EDZ at the Trostland and make your way to the Salt mines, follow the cave until you find the broken elevator, use the transmat beacon there you will be sent to the higher section of the mine. Follow the path until you find the blue shield covering the elevator, follow the road opposite side of the rock, and jump through the cave. Find the pile of bodies in the black crater, interact, and find HUNK OF METAL.

2. The Essence
Use Hadronic Essence to restore Thorne's power, killing warlocks in the Crucible, finishing Nightfall's, or complete bounties for Asher if you need to find Hadronic Essence.

3. The Steel
Use Plasteel Plating; if you need to find some kill Titans in the Crucible, bounties for Sloan, or complete waves of Blind Well.

4. The Binding
Sapphire Wire to bind the elements together.  Bounties for Ana Bray, Complete escalation Protocol on mars or kill Hunters in Crucible.

5. Weaponizing
Kill guardians in the Crucible this takes a while, so load up with void weapons and patients.

6. Something Yet Remains
Thorn has been recreated; head to the Farm talk to Tyra Karn.

7.The Chasm of Screams
To finish up, finish the new version of Savathun’s Song Strike on Titan. Take a fire team to make things easier.
 

VideoGuide: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=8PKwNC9KElo&ab_channel=KackisHD

Good Luck.

 

You may also be interested in:

More on this topic:


Not born but spontaneously combusted into the world of geek; Armando walks the thin line of dedicated fatherhood and diving into all Dark Heart of all things geek.
Gamer Since: 1987
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: Red Dead Redemption
Top 3 Favorite Games:The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Batman: Arkham Knight, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain


More Top Stories