Resident Evil 5 is set on the continent of Africa, where you battle against a plethora of different infected enemies. Playing as Chris Redfield or Sheva Alomar, you will need to have the right tools to defeat these bio creatures that are dead set on stopping you. This article will talk about the top 10 weapons in the game and how you can acquire them.
#10 M92F
Image
The M92F has been a staple of the Resident Evil franchise. First introduced in the original Resident Evil game of the late ’90s, the M92F handgun makes its reappearance in Resident Evil 5. The M92F was the standard weapon of the RPD S.T.A.R.S. unit, which Chris Redfield was a part of. When Capcom did a remake of Resident Evil, they added the Samurai Edge version of this weapon into the game. This weapon is found after you meet with your local contact at the start of the game. It may not look flashy initially, but it will be a go-to weapon against the Majini in the early stages of the game when you fully upgrade it.
What makes the M92F great
It can be upgraded to hold 100 rounds
Sports the most severe critical damage among handguns at a 3 when upgraded
Has the second-fastest reload speed among handguns at 1.36 seconds when upgraded
#9 H&K P8
Image
The H&K P8 makes its debut in Resident Evil 5. It’s a good upgrade from the M92F with its starting piercing power of 2. The piercing power will help mow down rows of Majini as you progress throughout the game. This handgun will be critical in the later stages of the game. You can only acquire this gun by purchasing it from the game's weapons store after you have gotten to chapter 3-1 of the game.
What makes the H&K P8 great:
It can be upgraded to piecing level 5
Has the fastest reload speed among handguns at 0.85 seconds when upgraded
Has modest firepower of 300 when upgraded
#8 VZ61
Image
The VZ61 is a mockup of the Skorpion VZ 61 submachine gun. It is one of the first machine guns you can acquire in the game. You can find it in Chapter 1-1 of the game. It is in the public assembly where you will be facing the Executioner. It is to the right of the red gate that will be blown open after you defeat the Executioner. Just look for a silver box, and it will be inside! When you complete the game and fully upgrade the VZ61, it will unlock the Gatling Gun in the store for purchase. In and of itself, that makes getting this gun and upgrading it a big deal.
Here's a video on how to find the VZ61 in the game.
What makes the VZ61 great:
It can be upgraded to hold 300 rounds
It can be upgraded to have a critical hit of 3
Upgrading this gun fully and beating the game unlocks the Gatling Gun
Can help mow down hoards of Majini with headshots
#7 Jail Breaker
Image
The Jail Breaker shotgun is found in Chapter 6-1 of the game at the bottom of the ship stairwell when you first enter it. What this shotgun lacks in firepower, it makes up for with reload speed, pellets fired, attack spread, attack range, and rate of rounds fired. Fully upgraded, this shotgun can fire off rounds as fast as you can pull the trigger. This is very helpful in holding back monsters like the Giant Majini, the Gatling Gun Majini, and the Big Man Majini. The only downside is you have to be close to these enemies to get the full effects of this shotgun.
Here's a video on finding the Jail Breaker in the game.
What makes the Jail Breaker great:
Fastest reload speed among all shotguns when upgraded
Second fastest fire rate among all shotguns when upgraded
Highest attack range among all shotguns when upgraded
#6 H&K MP5
Image
Players can find the H&K MP5 at the start of Chapter 2-1. It will be on the left side in a silver box on top of some tires. What makes this submachine gun so good is its piercing power. Its ability to cut through armor and shields, when fully upgraded, will be vital in making it through the later stages of the game. So what it lacks in average firepower and average reload speed, it makes up for in its piercing power.
Here's a video on finding the H&K MP5 in the game.
What makes the H&K MP5 great:
It has the highest piercing power among all submachine guns at 4 when upgraded
It has a modest clip capacity of 150 when upgraded
It has a reload speed of 2.1 seconds when upgraded
#5 H&K PSG-1
Image
Players can find the H&K PSG-1 sniper rifle in Chapter 5-3. It is on the east side of the 2nd floor of the missile area. When you open the door, it will be in a silver box to the right. You also may run into a Reaper sub-boss right before you get to the door, as the room has a power switch for the sliding elevator that you will need to activate. This sniper is my favorite due to the scope upgrades that a player can acquire. The scope upgrade will be essential in defeating enemies from longer ranges and getting all the BSAA emblems for bonus unlocks in the game.
Here's a video on the H&K PSG-1 in the game.
What makes the H&K PSG-1 great:
The only sniper rifle with upgradeable scope range
Fastest reload speed among sniper rifles at 1.7 seconds when upgraded
Excellent for scouting areas ahead from a safe distance
Will be needed to get the BSAA emblem in Chapter 6-1
#4 Hydra
Image
The Hydra can only be acquired by purchasing it in the store. You will have to fully upgrade the Ithaca M37 to unlock the ability to buy this gun. The Hydra made its debut in Resident Evil 5 but was so popular in the game that it has been in other Resident Evil games since then. The Hydra is the best weapon against the Reaper sub-bosses throughout the game. But a word of warning, the Hydra is best suited for Chris instead of Sheva. This is because of the way that these two hold the shotgun differently.
What makes the Hydra great:
Best all-around gun to use on Reaper’s in the game
Second highest firepower among shotguns when upgraded
It has an attack range of 15 when upgraded
#3 L. Hawk
Image
The L. Hawk, also commonly known as the Lightning Hawk, can be found in Chapter 5-3. There is a sarcophagus on the upper west side of the map during the Wesker battle. You will need the help of your partner to open this. Inside there will be the Lightning Hawk. The Lightning Hawk has been in the Resident Evil games since Resident Evil 2. It is, in my opinion, the best magnum in the game. What it lacks in firepower, it makes up for in reload speed, piercing power, accuracy, and rounds fired.
Here's a video on finding the L. Hawk in the game.
What makes the L. Hawk great:
Fastest reload speed among magnums at 1.36 seconds when upgraded
Highest piercing power among magnums at 7 when upgraded
Fires off rounds faster than all other magnums
#2 Gatling Gun
Image
The Gatling Gun is only available for purchase in the game store. It is unlocked after you fully upgrade the VZ61. This gun is also only available to be used by Chris. This is excellent to use against the hordes of Majini that you will encounter in the game. It comes with infinite ammo, so no need to reload! But there are some drawbacks to using this gun. It will slow down movement speed, and there is a short delay with the gun’s firing.
What makes the Gatling Gun great:
You can easily mow down enemies in your way with the Gatling Gun
It comes with infinite ammo
It does not need to be reloaded
#1 Rocket Launcher
Image
Players can find the Rocket Launcher in Chapter 3-1. There will be a wrecked boat on the northwest side of the marsh. In the boat will be a silver box with the Rocket Launcher inside. The Rocket Launcher will pretty much destroy anything with one shot, except for certain bosses. You can only find this in one place in the game. But after discovering it and completing Chapter 3-1, you can buy it in the game shop. Getting infinite ammo on this is a must and only requires you to finish the game on any difficulty in less than 5 hours.
Here's a video on finding the Rocket Launcher in the game.
What makes the Rocket Launcher great:
One-shot kill on enemies and sub-bosses
You can easily acquire infinite ammo by completing the game in under 5 hours
Can kill groups of enemies in one well-placed shot
This concludes my article on the top 10 weapons in Resident Evil 5. Now get out there and save the world from the Majini hordes!
With experience in gaming since 1990, my goal is now to combine that love for gaming with my passion for writing. I love doing deep dives on games that I love.
Gamer Since:
1990
Currently Playing:
Fortnite
Top 3 Favorite Games:
Battlefield 4, Borderlands 2, Resident Evil HD Remaster
