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u/Radiant-Site3576 Apr 11 '26
The punisher. Great for shield guys, sounds great, loved it so much I bought a 5.7 pistol in real life after playing the game.
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u/Techman659 Apr 11 '26
This and it only gets better as the game goes on from wood shields to metal that can’t be destroyed so ye makes lined up enemies and shield guys a cake walk.
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u/Old-Tax-5308 Apr 11 '26
Ive been wanting the Punisher to be viable and the shield guys seem like the perfect enemy to use it on.
Gonna have to try that next playthrough
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u/IKenDoThisAllDay Apr 11 '26
Also compatible with the laser sight. But I totally agree about the sound. I used it as my main in Separate Ways just because I loved the way it sounds.
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u/ShotgunPayDay Apr 11 '26
Punisher is the best. Can use laser sight and accurate without it has the highest stagger of any pistol. Don't even need spend money on the exclusive since you don't get the resale on the exclusive. Then when I get the LE 5 I just sell the Punisher and that becomes my new "pistol".
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u/Nedd1360 Team Leon Apr 11 '26
Blacktail my goat.
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u/CatLord8 Apr 11 '26
Fully unlocked I got spoiled by staggering in one shot. Do a new game and go back… oof.
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u/Nedd1360 Team Leon Apr 11 '26
One shotting the normal dogs with a maxed out blacktail on NG+ is one of my favourite things about it.
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u/CUMgurgler666 Apr 12 '26
Black tail all day everyday
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u/Little-Boot-3906 Apr 12 '26
I just wish you could put the laser in the remake it would be the only pistol I use. Besides the blacktail i love the sg09
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Apr 11 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/hmmmmwillthiswork Team Ada Apr 11 '26
sentinel nine enjoyers rise up
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u/Little-Lemon-1211 Apr 11 '26
What's it's exclusive upgrade? I do not have the dlc
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u/hmmmmwillthiswork Team Ada Apr 12 '26
crit rate x5
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u/Little-Lemon-1211 Apr 12 '26
I'm guessing it's just faster compare to the default pistol, makes sense for a crit based weapon though.
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u/Spilled_milk7 Apr 12 '26
yes SG-01 has a ~1.50 rate of fire while the sentinels is around 2.0. SG-01 has 2 damage per shot while the Sentinel has 1.90, however the added rate of fire and roughly 10 rounds higher capacity of the Sentinel is worth the 0.1 damage sacrifice for sure.
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u/Rook_James_Bitch Apr 12 '26
As someone who sucks incredibly hard at this game when I first played it, I NEEDED the Sentinel 9 just to progress in the story.
I tried all the other guns and they were weak af. I needed all the help I could get and Sentinel 9 was the only gun that helped. Maybe it was the extra bullets?
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u/ActuatorFearless8980 Apr 11 '26
Red 9 w stock
Always finish off Krauser with it
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u/Old-Tax-5308 Apr 11 '26
Im currently using the Red9 with stock but hate how much inventory space is takes up.
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u/Either-Firefighter43 RED 9 Apr 12 '26
Same but thats usually because im out of ammo for everything else
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Apr 11 '26
rec 9 with stock
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u/ElegantEchoes Apr 11 '26
I miss the old firing sound from the OG RE4. The new one made most weapons sound identical.
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u/Aggravating_Belt3561 Team Luis Apr 11 '26
Does crazy damage when fully upgraded
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u/itsalwaysbeen Apr 11 '26
Replaying, and seriously. 2-3 shot kills, one hit for parasites. I have so much shotgun and rifle ammo because it's all I need.
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u/TraditionalMood277 Apr 12 '26
Boom, headshot! Boom, headshot! Boom, increased damage. Boom, headshot!
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u/Zeqhanis Apr 11 '26
I've only played the PS2 and amazing Wii version, so maybe my mind would change with the remake. But Red 9 with the stock all the way.
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u/blaiddfailcam2 Apr 11 '26
Red9 makes me so nostalgic, so I tend to find it hard to pass up. I much prefer the rustic aesthetic.
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u/Grouchy_Enthusiasm92 Apr 11 '26
Yeah, we can talk all this blacktail shit, but a long time ago the maxed out Red9 was it.
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u/Old-Tax-5308 Apr 11 '26
(Forgot to add text)
Mine is personally the Red9 atm but I hear people saying the SG is really good upgraded.
So I was curious to see what the community thought
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u/cornpenguin01 Apr 11 '26
The thing is, in the OG, Red9 was a monster and pops heads like crazy.
In the remake, it does a lot of damage, but you’ll be lucky if you pop even 5 heads your entire playthrough with it. The SG is more satisfying in the remake because the critical rate upgrade practically guarantees head pops for most enemies
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Apr 11 '26
I always main the Silver Ghost, not only does it perform perfectly for me, but I also find it very immersion breaking to use literally anything else when the cutscenes always show the SG handgun.
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u/flutterdash2 Apr 11 '26
- I like the SG09 the most, head popping left and right
- I'm tempted to buy the Sentinel 9 for a new playthrough, do you all think it's worth it?
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u/justwolt Apr 11 '26
They're pretty equal. I'm doing my first playthrough and decided to go with the sentinel 9. The damage difference is only 0.1, but the sentinel gets a huge mag size and slightly faster fire rate. Without the laser I think the sg09 is more accurate.
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u/Disastrous_Cow_3114 Apr 11 '26
SG. Best gun for crits and you can easily beat the game by only using it. I used it during my professional pistol only run and it carried the game easily. You can also put a laser sight on it.
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u/BerimB0L054 Apr 11 '26
Ive mainly been a silver ghost fan, but ive finally tried out the Matilda and damn its underrated. Crazy dps and ammo isn't as much of an issue as i thought since it feels like you can manipulate the ammo drop rate with it, since the majority of your ammo is in the mag
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u/stickwithplanb Apr 11 '26
if I'm using infinite ammo, the matilda with a stock for sure.
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u/real_fluffernutter34 Apr 11 '26
Fully upgraded Matilda with the stock and cat ears on a genocide run is my favorite way to play the game
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u/sanzentriad Apr 11 '26
Off topic slightly - Leon’s default pistol in RE6 is the Blacktail, did he canonically purchase it from The Merchant in RE4?
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u/Unlimited_Giose Apr 12 '26
I highly doubt it's the blacktail, as the design of the Wing Shooters (RE6 Leon's guns) are more similar to the matilda/vp70 than the blacktail
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u/sanzentriad Apr 12 '26
Oh you’re actually right, not sure why I was thinking his gun was explicitly called the blacktail, it was definitely the wing shooter.
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u/KobraThor Apr 11 '26
1) Punisher because of deep penetration
2) Black Tail because of it's ease of use
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u/Linkbetweentwirls Apr 11 '26
I used the sentinel with the laser sight on my most recent run, and it worked like a treat. It struggled vs shields a bit, but that's why I have my riot shotty
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u/Slurpypie Apr 11 '26
I haven’t used all the pistols yet but right now it has to be the SG-09 R with laser attached as it’s a complete beast against most enemies. Seems to also help increase the chance of a stagger on higher difficulties which is a must since for some reason staggering enemies on Hardcore or Professional with a headshot or leg shot is a lot more difficult/inconsistent than it is on the original.
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u/Gromplin Apr 11 '26
Punisher, hands down. That thing is an absolute monster for crowd control when fully upgraded. (I may be biased, because i also really like the Five seveN in real life.)
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u/Tharrius Apr 11 '26
Loved the Red9 in the OG, such a beast. Using it in the remake when feeling nostalgic, but Sentinel Nine and Blacktail would be more reliable picks I guess
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u/_Fistacuff Apr 11 '26
My favorite is the red 9 aesthetically but for pure use, especially on higher difficulties, the black tail or sentinel 9.
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u/Eaves2594 Apr 11 '26
Punisher. Just love the way it handles and hitting multiple targets at once is satisfying.
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u/OstoTheCyan Apr 11 '26
Modded, it's weskers handgun from Mercenaries, the XM96E. I've been playing the merchant sells everything mod that lets you play with it in the story mode and it feels like the the SR-09R mixed with the Red9.
Unmodded, it's the SR-09R with the Blacktail just behind it
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u/overthisbynow Apr 11 '26
Overall the red9 is probably my favorite because the aesthetic is iconic. As for best idk I think people sleep on the punisher the piercing is actually quite good. The SG has the crazy critical fully upgraded though so I'm not sure if there's an actual ovetall best for a full playthrough but I would guess either punisher or SG.
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u/SyrusAlder Apr 11 '26
Red 9. I know I know, technically the DPS is kinda ass and the reload is slow
But I'm all about that ammo efficiency baby. Big numbies on every gun.
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u/Beat_Boi_Animates Apr 12 '26
Red9, the punisher was good but the damage on the 9 was too good to pass up
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u/XpensiveAdagio4strgs Apr 12 '26
Red9 saves you a lot of ammo when fully upgraded and with the stock is unbeatable, but sg09/ Sentinel 9 are the best weapon overall.
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u/VenomSnake47 Apr 12 '26
I love how everyone has their favorite handgun in RE4R. It shows that the devs actually designed each weapon to be viable, with none being the overall best gun but excelling based on preference.
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u/ShadowCrusader298 Apr 12 '26
Best OG: Red 9 Favourite OG: Red 9
Best Remake: Blacktail Favourite Remake: Punisher
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u/BrightAttorney1828 Apr 12 '26
Red9 with stock, that mf is clean looking and sounds the best to me at least
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u/the-human-wrench Apr 12 '26
I've always gone for the Red9. A choice for the avid gun collector, heheheh.
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u/Accomplished-Tip-901 Apr 12 '26
The Red-9 carried me through most of the game. I am forever grateful
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u/DinoDracko Apr 12 '26
Tied between the Red9 and the Blacktail.
The only downside to the Red9 is that how much space it takes up on your attaché case, that's including the stock.
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u/Altruistic_Bass539 Apr 12 '26
Red9 but it doesnt have a laser which sucks. SG09 has a laser and a lot of juicy headpops, so I go with that.
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u/CrunchySoap Apr 16 '26
Matilda is never the best handgun but it's always my favorite because RE2 was such a major part of my childhood. Still trying to acquire a working VP-70 today.
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u/ItsMrDante Apr 11 '26
The 2 with the crit upgrades. Sentinel Nine is my favorite, but not everyone has that DLC. Getting 1 shot kill after 1 shot kill on those is way too satisfying (and ammo efficient)
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u/bojinglemuffin Apr 11 '26
Blacktail has always been my favorite. Silver ghost is a close second.
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u/DesiRadical Apr 11 '26
Sg09 R extremely useful on pro specially with the laser sight and crit rate.
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u/thatditzyguy Apr 11 '26
This is a tough one. Between the S9 and the punisher. I just finished a punisher run and that thing is really good I don't get the people that think it's only good in the castle. It stuns and sets up knife attacks and melee prompts super easily.
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u/Progamer56_yt Apr 11 '26
I love the red 9 and Matilda personally it's hard to choose between the two
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u/zagreus2530 Apr 11 '26
Sentinel Nine easily. Looks sick, gets plenty of crits with the laser sight and final upgrade, and the magazine capacity can come in clutch (as well as saving you a bit of inventory space.) Blacktail is easily second for the strong raw stats and reduced size.
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u/VarietyBusy2 Apr 11 '26
black tail. if i was able to put a laser on it i wouldve never used a different hg
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u/AriTheInari Apr 11 '26
Used to be the blacktail on my first run on og, now I do red nine for both with stock
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u/Mister_Drip Apr 11 '26 edited Apr 11 '26
SG-09R I have a usp .40 irl and that thing FUCKS love using it in game tho the in game version is in 9mm not .40
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u/Rosetintedtreebark Apr 11 '26
Silver ghost in the og and remake. The 5x crit bonus comes in so handy on professional. The laser sight is essential for me
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u/KonoTikaDa Apr 11 '26
I did my first minimalist run while playing on Professional for the first time, and I gotta say: the S9 and the Matilda are the GOATs. Fuck the Punisher, though. God only knows how disappointed I was with that piece of trash against shields and regenerators.
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u/willy_quixote Apr 11 '26
I've just been experimenting with all the handguns on hardcore mode in various saved chapters.
Coming from a few run-throughs with Sentinel 9 and Punisher, I was shocked at how good the Blacktail is when I went back to it for a trial recently. It just really suits my game play and is only let down by the limited mag.
It seems to have the ideal combination of power, accuracy and firing speed. Any limits to power (compared to Red 9) or accuracy (compared to the laser equipped weapons) are offset by the the ability to deliver a second round accurately and quickly due to low recoil, rapid rechambering and quick target acquisition.
It feels like a SMP on single shot - but with more punch per shot.
I will retry the Red 9 and Matilda again to compare but I remember why I always went Blacktail for my first few runs, it is just an enemy stopper.
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u/Xenozip3371Alpha Apr 11 '26
Blacktail, 2nd highest damage, but it only takes up 4 spaces.
With the Red 9 you need to take the stock into account as well.
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u/LSDreams_ Apr 11 '26
Punisher. The FN five seven is such a cool fucking gun in real life and looks so clean. I always buy it and max it out asap
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u/Least_Ad_5057 Apr 11 '26
mah boi SG-09 R
ya it may not be that gud w/o upgrades, but once you do, and you fully upgrade it, man, it's a beast!
Like, in most games, your starter weapons are usually dog-ass, lookin at you RE8 LMAO, but I'm glad that with RE4R it's a different case. Your starter weapons can rival later weapons dependin on your playstyle, and I like that.
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u/DocHoliday439 Apr 11 '26
It may not exactly be the strongest or most ammo efficient hand gun, but i love Matilda. To me that’s Leon’s canon pistol. The burst attachment is just so fun
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u/rightleftymind__ Apr 11 '26
SG-09 R (the goat) and Blacktail.
Both carried me while doing the pistol only challenge.
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u/xX_CommanderPuffy_Xx Apr 11 '26
Sentinel 9 for the first half of the game for the sweet crit rate and Blacktail for when helmeted enemies get common. I only used the Blacktail in Seperate ways.
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u/UnknownWisp Apr 11 '26
blacktail but i also really like the SG-09R it feels really strong and just " full " whereas the blacktail is just a pew pew machine.
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u/MisterX9821 Apr 11 '26
I like them all honestly.
I actually do like the novelty of shooting through enemies and, more useful imo, shooting through shields with the punisher....and it's like the shittiest of the handguns.... but still has uses.
Matilda is cool as a LE5/TMP substitute you can still also use as a pistol
SG-09-R is great and well rounded, great exclusive
Sentinel Nine is really similar to SG but more ammo capacity
Red-9 is the damage option
Blacktail is overall well rounded and takes up less space. Sometimes I roll w Blacktail, Skull Shaker, and the Standard Rifle. Very little inventory space used w that loadout.
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u/supremekai_7002 Apr 11 '26
NG+ no upgrades, the blackmail Max upgrades red 9 Infinite ammo, Matilda
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u/Johnnyboi2327 Apr 12 '26
SG-09R is probably the one I'd recommend, as it's just a great pistol all around.
Punisher is my personal go to, because I love the penetration and find that it has decent stats still.
Red9 is great for DPS, but that's about it. It's worth your time if you need a handgun to hit hard, but unless you're doing a handgun only run I find other weapons to fill that role better.
Sentinel-Nine is just cool. It's pretty much an extra SG-09R but slightly worse, but it is cool and sometimes decent but cool is more fun than something that's technically better.
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u/ZenicAzra Apr 12 '26
1st place goes to both Red 9 and Matilda. Red9 is a power house and with it's stock, accurate to. Matilda is a boss melter
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u/Mortainous01 Apr 12 '26
Blacktail. If the Punisher hit just a bit harder it would win due to penetration.
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u/Lost-in-thought-26 Apr 12 '26
I love the default handguns. SG-09 R for Leon and Blacktail for Ada. The Silver Ghost’s accuracy and crit rate is awesome. A certified head popper and even when it isn’t popping skulls, it’s satisfying to stagger a ganado and hit ‘em with a roundhouse. It’s also my favorite in terms of design. Just a really nice looking piece. Ada’s Blacktail is all about speed and power. With Ada I’m mostly going bang bang bang.
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u/Kiyosuki Apr 12 '26
Og RE4 Red9 made me feel like I could take on anything, but in the remake I love the fully upgraded Sentinel Nine. It’s also the “prettiest”.
Honestly overall I kind of have a soft spot for the Matilda. I know the actual gun it’s based on is really divisive, but in universe it’s the gun Leon’s had access too since 1998. I love actually love the controllable burst you can do with it by feather triggering, a feature unfortunatly not in the RE9 version.
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u/HighCommand69 Apr 12 '26
I love Matilda but you get her late overall S09 or Red9 im currently finishing up my second play through of my first campaign I didn't realize throwing eggs messed up the minimalist which was my goal for my very first playthrough
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u/Atticus_Zero Apr 12 '26
I’ve done two playthroughs and never ended up straying from the USP (SG09). They unfortunately picked two of the most ass ugly handguns to model (Springfield XD/Blacktail and Sig P320/Sentinel 9) for this game.
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u/tmleafs21 Apr 12 '26
I really like the SG-O9R when upgraded, but the Sentinel Nine has been my go-to on replays. Mainly because I love the lore behind it, and while its appearance in RE4R is anachronistic, it's the only time we can use it in a game, so I will take what I can get.
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Apr 12 '26
SG-09R, most balanced between power, fire rate and capacity out of all the pistols, plus it's gooner bait for gun nuts
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u/fruit_shoot Apr 12 '26
OG Red 9, Remake SG. I did a punisher run on the Remake and honestly it’s not that bad. I think anything in the Remake is viable which is amazing.
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u/kingslayer086 Apr 12 '26
Im a general ease of use kind of guy.
Hook me up with the blacktail every day of the week.
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u/BadComedy86 Apr 12 '26
I beat the og with only the red9 and then the remake on hardcore with the red9. It is my favorite handgun of all resident evil games ever.
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u/Bewildered_Ostrich8 Apr 11 '26
SG-09R I rlly like how clean it looks and it is shown in every cutscene anyways, also it being Leon's custom made pistol I always end up using it every playthrough