List of weapons in Resident Evil 4

There are four main types of weapons in Resident Evil 4: Handguns, Shotguns, Magnums, and Rifles. Weapons can be upgraded for pesetas by a Merchant, and many have an "Exclusive" upgrade, which drastically improves the weapons performance.

Handguns
Handguns are the workhorse of Leon's arsenal; while not powerful, they are usually enough to take down single enemies or small groups of weaker foes. In comparison to other weapons, handguns are small, cheap, and versatile, able to perform multiple roles from stunning enemies at close range (leaving them open to a kick or a suplex) to pot-shots from a distance. However, when push comes to shove, Leon may need a degree of firepower greater than what a mere handgun can deliver.

Basic Handgun (Heckler & Koch USP Tactical)
Leon's default weapon, and the only firearm available at the start of the game. It takes up 6 spaces (3x2) of Leon's inventory and, if sold or discarded, can be bought back for 8,000 pesetas.

To begin with, it has a firepower of 1.0, can fire every .47 seconds, takes 1.73 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 10 rounds.

When fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 2.0, can fire every .33 seconds, takes .87 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 25 rounds. The Handgun costs 206,000 pesetas to fully upgrade (198,000 if the player did not sell the starting handgun).

Its exclusive upgrade multiplies the chances of a critical (lethal) headshot fivefold.

Leon's basic Handgun is a useful weapon during the first portion of the game. While by no means powerful, it allows the player to defend him/herself long enough to obtain a superior weapon. The exclusive upgrade can prove surprisingly effective against Ganados, but unfortunately this feature has no effect against more powerful foes. Most players tend to replace the Handgun as soon as they can.

Punisher (Fabrique Nationale Five-seveN)
''"A wise choice, mate. Its ammo will penetrate just about anything." -The Merchant

The Punisher is available for purchase from the Merchant. It takes up 6 spaces (3x2) of Leon's inventory.

While the Punisher costs 20,000 pesetas, it can be obtained for free upon completion of the "Blue Medallion" subquest. The Punisher can shoot through two enemies.

To start, it has a firepower of 0.9 (1.1 if the player shot all 15 medallions), can fire every .47 seconds, takes 1.7 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 10 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 1.9, can fire every .33 seconds, takes .83 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 28 rounds. The Punisher costs 296,000 pesetas to fully upgrade (276,000 if the player shot 10 medallions, and 266,000 if the player shot all 15 medallions).

Its exclusive upgrade allows it penetrate up to five enemies.

The Punisher does not see much use due to its limited stopping power; however, it can be useful in the cabin standoff, where its penetration abilities can stun more enemies at a time. This also preserves shotgun shells for times when you really need them. In addition, it is the most effective handgun to use against enemies equipped with shields.

Red9 (Mauser C96)
''"Ah! The choice of an avid gun collector. It's a nice gun, stranger!" -The Merchant''

The Red9 is available for purchase from the merchant for 14,000 pesetas. It has an equippable stock, which absorbs recoil and helps with precise aiming. The stock costs 4,000 pesetas.

The Red9 takes up 8 spaces (4x2) of Leon's inventory, making it the bulkiest 9mm handgun in the game. The stock takes up an additional 3 spaces (3x1).

To start, it has a firepower of 1.4, can fire every .53 seconds, takes 2.73 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 8 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 3.7, can fire every .40 seconds, takes 1.67 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 22 rounds. The Red9 costs 331,000 pesetas to fully upgrade (335,000 if the player bought the stock).

Its exclusive upgrade increases its firepower to 5.0 (6.5 in the PS2 and Wii ports), making it, shot-for-shot, the most powerful 9mm handgun in the game (more powerful than Ada's shotgun).

It is a great gun for head shots, and is very good for players who want to conserve ammo. With the exclusive it can kill most enemies in two shots. The Red9's only real disadvantage is its size and poor accuracy without the stock.

Blacktail (Springfield Armory XD)
The Blacktail is available for purchase from the Merchant for 24,000 pesetas. It takes up 6 spaces (3x2) of Leon's inventory.

To start, it has a firepower of 1.6, can fire every .47 seconds, takes 1.70 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 15 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 3.0, can fire every .27 seconds, takes .83 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 35 rounds. The Blacktail costs 362,000 pesetas to fully upgrade.

Its exclusive upgrade increases its firepower to 3.4 (4.5 in the PS2 and Wii ports).

While not as powerful as the Red9, the Blacktail's superior capacity and rate of fire still make it a lethal weapon in the right hands. Since it takes up less space than the Red9, it is better suited for those who use the handgun strictly as a secondary weapon.

Matilda (Heckler & Koch VP70)
''"Ah! An awesome choice. It's got three-round rapid-fire capability, although it uses up ammo rather quickly." -The Merchant''

The Matilda is available for purchase from the Merchant for 70,000 pesetas. It can be bought only after completing the game once. It has a permanently-equipped stock and fires in rapid three-round bursts. This is an exact replica of Leon's modified handgun from Resident Evil 2.

The Matilda takes up 10 spaces (5x2) of Leon's inventory. It is the second-largest 9mm handgun in the game, after the Red9 and its stock.

To start, it has a firepower of 1.0, can fire every .47 seconds, takes 1.73 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 15 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 2.0, can fire every .47 seconds, takes .87 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 30 rounds. The Matilda costs 303,000 pesetas to fully upgrade.

Its exclusive upgrade increases its capacity to 100 rounds.

As the Merchant implies, the Matilda does indeed burn through ammo very quickly. While a fully-upgraded Matilda can perform the same role as an automatic, care must be taken to preserve ammunition.

Shotguns
Shotguns offer greater stopping power than handguns at the cost of portability and rate of fire. Due to their spread-fire capabilities, shotguns are best used when dealing with multiple threats at once. Even if the shot itself does not kill, a shotgun blast is usually enough to blow enemies off of their feet, leaving them helpless and vulnerable until they get back up. A shotgun's only true disadvantage is range; a shotgun blast loses its effectiveness the longer it has to travel, restricting the shotgun to close-quarters combat. Nevertheless, it is an effective and useful weapon to carry.

Basic Shotgun (Remington 870 12-Gauge)
The first shotgun in the game is available for purchase from the Merchant for 20,000 pesetas. However, a free shotgun is available on the second floor of the house in the village. The Shotgun is powerful at close range, but damage and stopping power decreases over range. It takes up 16 spaces (8x2) of Leon's inventory.

To start, it has a firepower of 4.0, can fire every 1.53 seconds, takes 3.03 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 6 shells.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 8.0, can fire every 1.53 seconds, takes 1.50 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 18 shells. The Shotgun costs 277,000 pesetas to fully upgrade (257,000 if the player stole the Shotgun in the village instead of buying one).

Its exclusive allows it to do maximum damage at any range.

It is good at the begining of the game, were enemies often come from one way, though at first it takes about three hits (besides head shots) to kill most enemies. It becomes rather unwieldly when faced with most bosses, due to its low rate of fire.

Riot Gun (Benelli M4 Super 90)
The Riot Gun is the second shotgun available to the player. It can be purchased from the Merchant for 32,000 pesetas. Like the Basic Shotgun, the Riot Gun's power decreases over longer range. It takes up 16 spaces (8x2) of Leon's inventory.

To start, it has a firepower of 5.0, can fire every 1.53 seconds, takes 3.03 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 7 shells.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 8.0, can fire every 1.53 seconds, takes 1.50 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 17 shells. The Riot Gun costs 415,000 pesetas to fully upgrade.

Its exclusive upgrade increases its firepower to 10.0.

NOTE: This weapon is based off of the gun Richard carried in "REmake".

Striker (Armsel DAO-12 "Street Sweeper")
The Striker is the third and final shotgun available to the player. It is purchased for the price of 43,000 pesetas. Compared to the other two shotguns, the Striker's damage decreases more dramatically over distance, but its shot radius is wider. The Striker takes up 10 spaces (5x2) of Leon's inventory, making it the most compact of all the shotguns.

To start, it has a firepower of 6.0, can fire every 0.73 seconds, takes 3.00 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 12 shells.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 12.0, can fire every 0.73 seconds, takes 1.50 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 28 shells. The Striker costs 392,000 pesetas to fully upgrade. Overall it is considered the best shotgun due to its capacity, power, and firing rate.

Its exclusive upgrade increases its capacity to 100 shells.

Ada's Shotgun (Sawed-off Mossberg 500)
Ada uses a special shotgun in Separate Ways. It lacks a buttstock and has a shorter barrel than Leon's Shotgun, but the pump has a vertical foregrip.

It has a firepower of 5.0, can fire every 1.53 seconds, takes 3.03 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 12 shells.

Ada's Shotgun cannot be upgraded.

Rifles
Rifles are the antithesis of shotguns in multiple ways; unlike shotguns, which spray multiple small pellets at once, rifles fire single, high-powered shots over long distances. Rifles are best used in long-range combat, where the accuracy and power of the rifle allows Leon to snipe enemies as they attempt to get closer to him. The best target while sniping is the head; a single rifle round is more than capable of blowing a Ganado's head clean off, and even Novistadors can be neutralized with a headshot. However, due to their unwieldiness, rifles are not as useful in close-quarters combat as a handgun or a shotgun and can only reliably deal with single targets per shot; discretion must be used to determine the correct time and place to use a rifle.

Bolt-action Rifle (Springfield M1903A4)
The Bolt-action Rifle is the first of two sniper rifles. It is purchased from the Merchant for 12,000 pesetas. It can be equipped with a custom scope for extremely long-range sniping for 7,000 pesetas. It must be re-cocked after each shot, taking the player out of the aiming mode. Additionally, a thermal imaging scope is found on the island base, and is especially useful against all varieties of Regenerator.

The Bolt-action Rifle takes up 9 spaces (9x1) of Leon's inventory. The custom and thermal scopes takes up 3 spaces (3x1) each.

To start, it has a firepower of 4.0, can fire every 0.67 seconds, takes 4.00 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 5 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 12.0, can fire every 0.67 seconds, takes 2.33 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 18 rounds. The Bolt-action Rifle costs 289,000 pesetas to fully upgrade (296,000 including the custom scope).

Its exclusive upgrade increases its firepower to 18.0 (30.0 in the PS2 and Wii ports), making it more powerful than the Semi-auto Rifle.

Semi-auto Rifle (Heckler & Koch SL8)
The Semi-auto Rifle is the second and final sniper rifle available to the player. It is purchased for 35,000 pesetas. A custom scope for extremely long-range sniping can be purchased for 10,000 pesetas. Like the Bolt Action Rifle, the Semi-auto rifle can equip the thermal imaging scope found on the island base. As a semi-auto, it does not take the player out of aiming mode.

The Semi-auto Rifle takes up 14 spaces (7x2) of Leon's inventory. The custom and thermal scopes takes up 3 spaces (3x1) each.

To start, it has a firepower of 7.0, can fire every 1.43 seconds, takes 2.33 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 10 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 15.0, can fire every 1.43 seconds takes 1.33 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 24 rounds. The Semi-auto Rifle costs 351,000 pesetas to fully upgrade (361,000 including the custom scope).

Its exclusive upgrade increases its firing speed to once every 0.83 seconds.

Automatics
Automatics fire multiple rounds in rapid succession; while each individual round is generally less powerful than that of the typical handgun's, the sheer volume of fire will rip most enemies to pieces. They are not as useful as shotguns when dealing with crowds; however, automatics do not lose their effectiveness over range as a shotgun does. Automatics are best saved for tougher opponents; their rapid rate of fire denies enemies an opening to attack, while their withering fire can wear even a boss down.

TMP (Steyr Tactical Machine Pistol)
The TMP is a compact submachine gun, firing special TMP ammo. It can be bought from the Merchant for 10,000 pesetas. A stock can be equipped, reducing recoil and improving accuracy, for 4,000 pesetas.

The TMP takes up 6 spaces (3x2) of Leon's inventory. The stock takes up an additional 4 spaces (2x2).

To start, it has a firepower of 0.4, can fire every 0.10 seconds, takes 2.37 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 30 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it does 1.2 damage, can fire every 0.10 seconds, takes 1.17 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 250 rounds. The TMP costs 330,000 pesetas to fully upgrade (334,000 including the stock).

Its exclusive upgrade increases the firepower to 1.8.

Custom TMP
In The Mercenaries minigame, HUNK carries a customized TMP as his weapon. It has several upgrades and looks slightly different from the standard TMP, as well as an already equipped stock.

It has a firepower of 1.0, can fire every 0.10 seconds, takes 1.17 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 100 rounds.

The Custom TMP uses TMP ammo and cannot be upgraded.

Chicago Typewriter (M1A1/M1928 Thompson "Tommy Gun")
''"Stranger, stranger! Now THAT'S a weapon!" -The Merchant''

The Chicago Typewriter is an infinite-ammo submachine gun. It is available for 1,000,000 pesetas after beating the Assignment Ada minigame. For the PS2 port, beating Separate Ways will unlock this gun for the main game, while beating Assignment Ada will unlock it for Separate Ways, where it costs 300,000 pesetas.

The Chicago Typewriter takes up 21 spaces (7x3) of Leon's inventory, making it one of the bulkiest weapons in the game.

It has a firepower of 10.0 and can fire every 0.10 seconds. It takes 1.63 seconds to reload, but it never needs to be reloaded (although Leon's Mobster costume has a special animation) and has unlimited ammunition.

The Chicago Typewriter cannot be upgraded (but there is no real need for upgrades for this gun).

Magnums
Magnums, like automatics, are best saved for harder enemies. Magnums are extremely powerful weapons, eclipsing shotguns and even rifles in terms of sheer firepower per shot. They are also only slightly bigger than handguns, meaning they do not take up very much space, while their modest capacities and rates of fire allow them to deal a massive amount of damage in a short amount of time. While these traits make magnums perfect for boss battles, magnums are not suitable for use against common opponents such as Ganados, and even less so if Leon is facing a group of enemies due to the rarity of magnum ammo. Magnums can only damage a single enemy per shot, making them no more effective than handguns at crowd control, if not less so. In addition, magnum ammo is extremely scarce; one must take great care to preserve ammunition whenever possible. This is doubly true if the player is wielding the Handcannon; not only does the weapon use its own unique ammunition, but Handcannon ammo is even rarer than normal magnum ammunition. While truly fearsome weapons, magnums should be used wisely and sparingly.

Broken Butterfly (Schofield Model 3)
''"I see you have an eye for things. Gun's not just about shootin'. It's about reloadin'. You'll know what I'm talkin' about." -The Merchant''

This magnum revolver can be acquired from the Merchant for 38,000 pesetas. However, a free Broken Butterfly can be obtained in the locked room next to the fountain in the castle. Leon will need Ashley's help to retrieve it. It takes up 8 spaces (4x2) of Leon's inventory.

To start, it has a firepower of 13.0, can fire every 0.70 seconds, takes 3.67 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 6 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 28.0, can fire every 0.70 seconds, takes 2.33 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 12 rounds. The Broken Butterfly costs 492,000 pesetas to fully upgrade (455,000 if the player stole the Broken Butterfly from the locked room instead of buying one).

Its exclusive upgrade increases its firepower to 50.0.

Killer7 (AMT Hardballer Longslide)
This magnum automatic can be purchased for 77,700 pesetas from the Merchant. It takes up 8 spaces (4x2) of Leon's inventory.

To start, it has a firepower of 25.0, can fire every 0.70 seconds, takes 1.83 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 7 rounds.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 35.0, can fire every 0.70 seconds, takes 0.93 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 14 rounds. The Killer7 costs 337,700 pesetas to fully upgrade.

The Killer7 has no exclusive upgrade.

NOTE: This gun was named in tribute to another Capcom game, "Killer7". The gun's appearance was based off of Arnold Schwarzenegger's pistol in the hit film "The Terminator", down to the top-mounted laser sight.

Handcannon (Smith & Wesson Model 500)
"Stranger! *laughs* What d'you need that for? You goin' huntin' an elephant?" -The Merchant''

The Handcannon is the second most powerful weapon in the game, outclassed only by the Rocket Launcher. It is the most difficult weapon to obtain, requring a 5-star ranking for every character in every stage of the Mercenaries minigame. Once unlocked, the gun is free. It fires unique .50 caliber ammunition that is very rare.

The Handcannon takes up 8 spaces (4x2) of Leon's inventory.

To start, it has a firepower of 30.0, can fire every 1.17 seconds, takes 3.67 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 3.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 60.0, can fire every 1.17 seconds, takes 1.83 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 10 rounds. The Handcannon costs 790,000 pesetas to fully upgrade.

When exclusively upgraded, the Handcannon has a firepower of 99.9, and has infinite ammunition.

On another note, the name of this weapon was most likely named after the Magnum Revolver from Resident Evil 0. The description says "It's more of a HandCannon than a hand gun" in Resident Evil 0. Another possible influence is the film Pulp Fiction, in which John Travolta's character refers to an attacker's magnum revolver as a "goddamned handcannon".

Other
These are the more exotic weapons in Resident Evil 4; most of them are more powerful than the typical gun, and none of them are conventional firearms.

Mine Thrower
''"Not only will you need cash but you'll need guts to buy that weapon." -The Merchant''

The Mine Thrower fires explosive darts that detonate after a short time. The darts stick to surfaces and enemies and do damage roughly equal to a hand grenade. It costs 9,800 pesetas, and a scope can be attached for 8,000 pesetas. The firepower stat of the Mine Thrower actually refers to its explosive blast radius.

The Mine thrower takes up 10 spaces (5x2) of Leon's inventory. The scope takes up an additional 4 spaces (2x2).

To start, it has a firepower of 2.0, can fire every 1.33 seconds, take 3.43 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 5 darts.

Fully upgraded, it has a firepower of 6.0, can fire every 1.33 seconds, takes 2.57 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 10 darts. The Mine Thrower costs 192,800 pesetas to fully upgrade (200,800 including the scope).

Its exclusive upgrade increases the blast radius even further and gives the mines heat-seeking capabilities.

NOTE: Mine Darts are very rare in all but the Wii version, where it is plentiful. In all other versions it does not appear unless Leon has possession of a Mine Thrower. This makes the Mine Thrower more of a novelty weapon at best.

Bowgun
The Bowgun is a weapon exclusive to Separate Ways mode. It can be bought for 70,000 pesetas. The Bowgun fires explosive bolts that detonate on contact. It takes up 15 spaces (3x5) of Ada's inventory.

It has a firepower of 16.6, can fire every 2.43 seconds, takes 2.0 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 1 round. The ammo counter shown in the corner of the screen indicates how many bolts are available in total, not how much ammo is loaded in the weapon.

The Bowgun cannot be upgraded.

Krauser's Bow
In The Mercenaries minigame, Jack Krauser uses a compound bow to attack enemies. It uses arrows as ammunition.

It has a firepower of 10.0, can fire every 0.03 seconds, takes 0.03 seconds to reload, and has a capacity of 1 round. The ammo counter shown in the corner of the screen indicates how many arrows are available in total, not how much ammo is loaded in the weapon.

Krauser's Bow cannot be upgraded.

Plaga Removal Laser P.R.L. 412
The P.R.L. 412 is a directed-energy weapon with unlimited ammunition. It can only harm creatures that have been infested by Las Plagas; it does not do damage to barrels or other inanimate objects. The P.R.L. 412 is unlocked by beating the main game on Professional mode. Once unlocked, the weapon is free.

The P.R.L. 412 takes up 21 spaces (7x3) of Leon's inventory, making it one of the bulkiest weapons in the game.

The basic mode of fire for the P.R.L. 412 is a short-ranged pulse of light, which damages and stuns enemies, much like a flash grenade. When charged up, the P.R.L. 412 fires a penetrating laser bolt that pierces and kills most enemies in one shot.

The P.R.L. 412 has no listed stats and cannot be upgraded.

Rocket Launcher (RPG-7)
The Rocket Launcher is a single-shot weapon that that does massive amounts of damage to anything in its blast radius, including Leon. To purchase one from the merchant costs 30,000 pesetas. One can be found in the castle. It takes up 16 spaces (8x2) of Leon's inventory.

After firing a single rocket, the Rocket Launcher is useless and is discarded.

The Rocket Launcher cannot be upgraded.

Special Rocket Launcher
Ada tosses this Rocket Launcher to Leon during the final boss battle. It is capable of defeating the final boss in one shot. It takes up 16 spaces (8x2) of Leon's inventory.

Like the standard Rocket Launcher, the Special Rocket Launcher can only be fired once before having to be discarded. If the player defeats the final boss without using the Special Rocket Launcher, it can be sold to the Merchant for 30,000 pesetas.

The Special Rocket Launcher cannot be upgraded.

Infinite Launcher
This weapon does the same damage as the normal rocket launcher, but can be used an infinite number of times. It is available for purchase after completing the game once. It can be bought for 1,000,000 pesetas. It takes up 16 spaces (8x2) of Leon's inventory.

The Infinite Launcher cannot be upgraded.

NOTE: It is possible to buy two Infinite Launchers, though there is no practical advantage for doing so (It would take 32 spaces of Leon's inventory and cost the player 2,000,000 pesetas, and since Leon can only wield one weapon at a time, buying another Infinite Launcher only serves to waste space and money).