[Top 10] Fallout 76 Best Heavy Weapons (And How To Get Them)

Updated:

01 Apr 2024

Fallout 76 is a bit of a touchy subject for a lot of Fallout fans, however, to give the game some credit, they did a great job at giving players a wide range of weapons and weapon effects. As the title suggests, I will be diving into some of the best heavy weapons in Fallout 76.

Now this list can be made in many different ways. I have decided to focus on your standard, non-legendary heavy weapons. I chose this because everybody focuses on legendary weapons and nobody pays any attention to the standard versions of these weapons.

I know it’s nigh on impossible to play this game using basic weapons, but this list can really help beginners, and also maybe experienced players looking to change their build.

So this list will be ranking non-legendary heavy weapons, I am ranking these based on a combination of damage, speed, and the ability to enjoy causing destruction!

Perks:

Perks are a crucial part of Fallout 76, they give you the ability to increase the damage, speed, and durability of your weapons. The stats in this list will show the weapons effects with no perks or special boosts. I find it’s easier to work from the ground up when trying to upgrade your weapons and their efficiency.

To help players in their quest to become a heavy weapon God, here is a list of must-have perks for heavy builds. Please note that other perks can help you too, but they depend on whether you are a team player, a lone player, power armor player ect, so this part is just for plain heavy weapon efficiency:

Heavy Gunner Rank 3 - Non-explosive heavy weapons do 30% more damage
Expert Heavy Gunner Rank 3 - Non-explosive heavy weapons do 30% more damage
Master Heavy Gunner Rank 3 -Non-explosive heavy weapons do 30% more damage
One Gun Army Rank 3 - Heavy guns gain a 12% stagger chance and a 12% chance to cripple limbs
Bear Arms Rank 3 - Heavy guns weigh 90% less

Number 10 - Harpoon Gun:

Ah the harpoon gun, as efficient at hunting whales as it is dismembering humans! This takes the number ten spot as it’s a fun weapon, but it is by no means practical. It does have high damage per shot, but its reload time makes this gun a bit obsolete. But, get a good roll on a legendary and you never know!

How To Get One:

You can get one of these bad boys in the wrecked boat just north of Point Pleasant next to an unfortunate dead fisherman.

Stats:

Damage: Between 125 and 175
Required Level: 30
Ammo: Harpoon
Magazine Size: 1
Range: >120
Accuracy: 6
Fire Rate: 2
AP Cost: 40
Weight: 16.0

Number 9 - Minigun:

Fallout 76 minigun spawn location + plan + mods (2021 NEW)

This gun seems unfair, Super Mutants are able to turn you into a meat bag within seconds with this weapon, but when a player uses it, it feels like it takes about a month to warm up before a single bullet is fired. That being said, its ammo is cheap and plentiful and it does tear apart Feral Ghouls with ease so it’s not all bad!

How To Get One:

You can get one of these beasts by traveling to Burning Mine, there is one in the shed up the stairs just before you go into the mine

Stats:

Damage: Between 20 and 24
Required Level: 35
Ammo: 5mm round
Magazine Size: 500
Range: > 204
Accuracy: 47
Fire Rate: 182
AP Cost: 30
Weight: 18.0

Number 8 -Gatling Laser:

Fallout 76 Gatling laser spawn location+plan+mods

This weapon would have been a little higher up on the list if it wasn’t for the expense! Running on fusion cores as ammunition makes for an expensive experience, also by the time you have reloaded this weapon it’s too late, You are already dead!

On the plus side, it can turn enemies into a steaming pile of ashes, so yay!

How To Get One:

Getting one of these can be a little tricky as there is no guaranteed spawn location for it. The best chance of getting one is through completing events or by opening government supply creates.

Stats:

Damage: Between 16 and 25
Required Level: 25
Ammo: Fusion Core
Magazine Size: 500
Range: > 204
Accuracy: 56
Fire Rate: 182
AP Cost: 30
Weight: 18.0

Number 7 - Auto Grenade Launcher:

AUTO GRENADE LAUNCHER - Full Guide - Location, Plan, Mods, Stats, Legendary - Fallout 76

If you are looking to make as much noise as possible then this gun is for you. Quite literally a machine gun that fires grenades! Lots of fun to use, not very practical though as the ammo is heavy and expensive. This weapon is most effective against one single tough enemy, this is because trying to kill multiple moving targets with a grenade launcher usually ends up in accidental suicide!

How To Get One:

These can spawn randomly in various chests or loot boxes. But the easiest way to get one of these is by killing high-level Scorched or Super Mutants, they occasionally drop one for you.

Stats:

Damage: 3/3 Physical Damage
Area Damage: 107 To 117
Blast Radius: Inner 150, Outer 500
Required Level: 40
Ammo: 40mm Grenade Round
Magazine Size: 12
Range: > 120
Accuracy: 55
Fire Rate: 100
AP Cost: 30
Weight: 18.0

Number 6 - Missile Launcher:

Fallout 76 Missile Launcher Location

Ah the missile launcher, aka the lethal firework! This is a fun weapon to use on clusters of enemies, just fire and watch the body parts fly! One big drawback to this weapon is that missing your target is pretty upsetting, you are literally watching your hard-earned ammo blowing up the scenery for no reason. Still, it’s worth the risk if you ask me!

How To Get One:

Missile Launchers are a favorite weapon ofMole Miners, so killing a few of them is likely to get you one. There are several spawn locations for the Missile Launcher too.

Charleston Capitol Building, Inside Sam Blackwell’s office.

Fort Defiance, fourth floor, on a table next to a Power Armour station.

Clarksburg, Behind the security gate in the gun store.

Stats:

Damage: 1 Physical Damage
Area Damage: 105 To 155
Blast Radius: Inner 150, Outer 500
Required Level: 20
Ammo: Missile
Magazine Size: 1
Range: > 204
Accuracy: 69 ;)
Fire Rate: 2
AP Cost: 45
Weight: 20.0

Number 5 - Flamer:

THE FLAMER - Full Guide - Location, Plan, Mods, Stats, Legendary - Fallout 76

The flamer is the only weapon in the game that cooks your enemies for you! This weapon sets your enemies on fire, meaning that even after you have fired your flamer your target is still taking damage, so that’s pretty cool. Good for clearing caves as it doesn’t leave much room for your enemies to take cover or escape.

How To Get One:

You can find one of these in a couple of different places.

Quarry X3, On the platform behind the yellow pump.

Grafton Steel Underground, Next to a corpse at the end of a collapsed walkway in the northwest corner.

Stats:

Damage: Between 29 and 36
Required Level: 30
Ammo: Fuel
Magazine Size: 100
Range: > 204
Accuracy: 60
Fire Rate: 91
AP Cost: 30
Weight: 15.0

Number 4 - Gatling Gun:

Fallout 76 Gatling gun spawn location+plan+mods (2021 NEW)

The Gatling Gun is a personal favorite of mine. The sound that it makes when firing is so satisfying, thud, thud, thud, thud. It’s like music to my ears. Cheap ammo, pretty good damage per shot, and a large magazine. A great all-around weapon, good for killing groups of enemies or lone enemies. Large or small, it annihilates them all!

How To Get One:

You can get one of these by completing the quest Defiance Has Fallen, you can also get a short version of this gun in the Lucky Hole Mine, Or at Poseidon Energy Plant WV-06.