Fallout Equipment Guide: Weapons

WEAPONS

aka Things that Hurt People

The inhabitants of the post-nuclear world can be divided into two catagories: those who have good weapons, and those who are killed by those who have good weapons. A good weapon can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Guns are the most commonly used weapons in Fallout, and with good reason: they let you hurt things from far away. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and degrees of lethality. This page should help you find the gun that's right for you (hint: don't decide you like the Colt 10mm).

A couple of things to note about this chart: first off, when a gun has two values in the Action Points column, that means the weapon can be fired in both single-shot and burst modes. The first value is the number of points required for a single shot, the second value applies to a burst shot. Secondly, I haven't differentiated between small guns, big guns, and energy weapons - I find such distinctions to be easily enough made without explicit direction. A good basic rule of thumb is this: small guns use bullets, big guns use rockets or fuel, and energy weapons use energy cells. An obvious exception to this rule is the minigun, which uses bullets, but apart from that it holds fairly true.

NAME DAMAGE RANGE ACTION POINTS MIN. STRENGTH DESCRIPTION APPEARANCE

9mm Mauser 5-10 22 4 3 The best thing about this gun is the amount of caps you can trade it for; in combat, you'd be much better off with a good .44

10mm Colt Pistol 5-12 25 5 3 The fact that this is your starting gun says something about it - it's the worst gun in the game. Get rid of it as soon as you can.

12 ga. Shotgun 12-22 14 5 4 A solid, albeit basic shotgun. It does the job . . . but most other guns do it better. The frequent reloading is a pain.

14mm Sig-Sauer Pistol 12-22 24 5 4 This gun is similar to the 12 ga. shotgun, but its longer range and bigger magazine make the 14mm a much better gun.

Alien Blaster 30-90 10 4 2 The gun of choice for one-handers. The alien blaster, despite its short range, is an excellent weapon. Uses small energy cells.

Assault Rifle 8-16 45 5/6 5 A decent gun in single-shot mode, but it really shines with burst shots. However, its low damage reduces the worth of this gun; it's useless by the second quarter of the game. Ammo: 5mm

Colt .223 Pistol 20-30 30 5 5 The best pistol in Fallout, hands down. Great damage, good range . . . the only problem is the frequent reloading.

Combat Shotgun 15-25 22 5/6 5 . . . And after the best pistol in the game comes the best shotgun (granted, there are only two shotguns, but still). Fairly effective in burst mode, with good damage.

Desert Eagle .44 Magnum 10-16 22 5 4 A decent little gun that can take care of anything you might encounter as far as the Hub. Its bark is worse than its bite, however; despite the impressive noise, it doesn't do much damage.

Flamethrower 45-90 5 6 6 An imposing weapon, in the right hands. Unfortunately, the range is horrible, but the high damage often makes up for it.

H&K MP9 SMG 5-12 25 5/6 4 The average Vault dweller's first experience with a burst weapon. The SMG is useful for a little while, but it goes through ammo very quickly. A powerful single-shot weapon is better than this weak burst gun. Takes standard 10mm ammunition.

Hunting Rifle 8-20 40 5 5 Would you trust your life to a gun held together with twine? This hunting rifle is best used for gunning down rats; for larger prey, you'd be much better off with a more powerful gun. The rifle has good range, but not much else good can be said about it. .223 bullets required.

Gatling Laser 20-40 40 6 6 This beast redefines big gun. Massive damage, great range . . . the only downside is the rate at which it blazes through micro fusion cells.

Laser Pistol 10-22 35 5 3 The laser pistol is a wonderful weapon . . . for children. The damage just isn't high enough to make this a worthwhile gun. You'd be better off selling this thing than using it. Uses small energy cells.

Laser Rifle 25-50 45 5 3 . . . The laser rifle, on the other hand, is a great piece of equipment. Great damage and excellent range - an all-around good weapon, right up to the end of the game. The laser rifle takes micro fusion cells.

Minigun 7-11 35 6 7 Don't let the name fool you: there's nothing small about this gun. The range is good, and the apparently low damage is compensated for by a devastating rate of fire. Shoots 5mm rounds

Plasma Pistol 15-35 20 5 4 Like the laser pistol, this little thing is just that - little. Also like the laser pistol, it needs small energy cells. The damage is pretty good, but there are much better weapons out there.

Plasma Rifle 30-65 25 5 6 . . . Weapons such as the plasma rifle, one of the better weapons in the game. The only weakness of this gun is the range, which is average at best. The plasma rifle uses micro fusion cells.

Red Ryder BB Gun 1-3 22 5 3 No need to worry about little Ralphie putting an eye out with this thing; the Red Ryder couldn't ruffle the fur of a squirrel, much less take out an army of super mutants. Useless.

Red Ryder LE BB Gun 25-35 32 4 3 How much difference does two letters make in the quality of a gun? In the case of the LE, quite a bit. Good range, good damage, and with a magazine that holds 100 BBs, reloading is not an issue.

Rocket Launcher 35-100 40 6 6 The most powerful weapon in the game, with an excellent range. However, being forced to reload after every shot is annoying, to say the least. Also, rockets aren't that easy to come by, so save this gun for when you really need it.

Sniper Rifle 14-34 50 6 5 The sniper rifle has unparalleled range and respectable damage. When used properly, it can be a truly formidable gun, capable of taking out an enemy before they even know you're there. Holds 6 shots of .223 caliber ammo.

Turbo Plasma Rifle 35-70 35 4 6 Considered by many to be the single best weapon in Fallout. Great damage, good range, and only 4 action points per shot . . . need I say more?

Page by Thorokano

NAME	DAMAGE	RANGE	ACTION POINTS	MIN. STRENGTH	DESCRIPTION	APPEARANCE
9mm Mauser	5-10	22	4	3	The best thing about this gun is the amount of caps you can trade it for; in combat, you'd be much better off with a good .44
10mm Colt Pistol	5-12	25	5	3	The fact that this is your starting gun says something about it - it's the worst gun in the game. Get rid of it as soon as you can.
12 ga. Shotgun	12-22	14	5	4	A solid, albeit basic shotgun. It does the job . . . but most other guns do it better. The frequent reloading is a pain.
14mm Sig-Sauer Pistol	12-22	24	5	4	This gun is similar to the 12 ga. shotgun, but its longer range and bigger magazine make the 14mm a much better gun.
Alien Blaster	30-90	10	4	2	The gun of choice for one-handers. The alien blaster, despite its short range, is an excellent weapon. Uses small energy cells.
Assault Rifle	8-16	45	5/6	5	A decent gun in single-shot mode, but it really shines with burst shots. However, its low damage reduces the worth of this gun; it's useless by the second quarter of the game. Ammo: 5mm
Colt .223 Pistol	20-30	30	5	5	The best pistol in Fallout, hands down. Great damage, good range . . . the only problem is the frequent reloading.
Combat Shotgun	15-25	22	5/6	5	. . . And after the best pistol in the game comes the best shotgun (granted, there are only two shotguns, but still). Fairly effective in burst mode, with good damage.
Desert Eagle .44 Magnum	10-16	22	5	4	A decent little gun that can take care of anything you might encounter as far as the Hub. Its bark is worse than its bite, however; despite the impressive noise, it doesn't do much damage.
Flamethrower	45-90	5	6	6	An imposing weapon, in the right hands. Unfortunately, the range is horrible, but the high damage often makes up for it.
H&K MP9 SMG	5-12	25	5/6	4	The average Vault dweller's first experience with a burst weapon. The SMG is useful for a little while, but it goes through ammo very quickly. A powerful single-shot weapon is better than this weak burst gun. Takes standard 10mm ammunition.
Hunting Rifle	8-20	40	5	5	Would you trust your life to a gun held together with twine? This hunting rifle is best used for gunning down rats; for larger prey, you'd be much better off with a more powerful gun. The rifle has good range, but not much else good can be said about it. .223 bullets required.
Gatling Laser	20-40	40	6	6	This beast redefines big gun. Massive damage, great range . . . the only downside is the rate at which it blazes through micro fusion cells.
Laser Pistol	10-22	35	5	3	The laser pistol is a wonderful weapon . . . for children. The damage just isn't high enough to make this a worthwhile gun. You'd be better off selling this thing than using it. Uses small energy cells.
Laser Rifle	25-50	45	5	3	. . . The laser rifle, on the other hand, is a great piece of equipment. Great damage and excellent range - an all-around good weapon, right up to the end of the game. The laser rifle takes micro fusion cells.
Minigun	7-11	35	6	7	Don't let the name fool you: there's nothing small about this gun. The range is good, and the apparently low damage is compensated for by a devastating rate of fire. Shoots 5mm rounds
Plasma Pistol	15-35	20	5	4	Like the laser pistol, this little thing is just that - little. Also like the laser pistol, it needs small energy cells. The damage is pretty good, but there are much better weapons out there.
Plasma Rifle	30-65	25	5	6	. . . Weapons such as the plasma rifle, one of the better weapons in the game. The only weakness of this gun is the range, which is average at best. The plasma rifle uses micro fusion cells.
Red Ryder BB Gun	1-3	22	5	3	No need to worry about little Ralphie putting an eye out with this thing; the Red Ryder couldn't ruffle the fur of a squirrel, much less take out an army of super mutants. Useless.
Red Ryder LE BB Gun	25-35	32	4	3	How much difference does two letters make in the quality of a gun? In the case of the LE, quite a bit. Good range, good damage, and with a magazine that holds 100 BBs, reloading is not an issue.
Rocket Launcher	35-100	40	6	6	The most powerful weapon in the game, with an excellent range. However, being forced to reload after every shot is annoying, to say the least. Also, rockets aren't that easy to come by, so save this gun for when you really need it.
Sniper Rifle	14-34	50	6	5	The sniper rifle has unparalleled range and respectable damage. When used properly, it can be a truly formidable gun, capable of taking out an enemy before they even know you're there. Holds 6 shots of .223 caliber ammo.
Turbo Plasma Rifle	35-70	35	4	6	Considered by many to be the single best weapon in Fallout. Great damage, good range, and only 4 action points per shot . . . need I say more?