Resident Evil 4 Remake Best Shotguns Ranked

The Resident Evil 4 remake has several shotguns that you can use. Combined with upgrades, your boomsticks will become even deadlier in close-range combat. Here’s our guide that ranks the best shotguns in the Resident Evil 4 remake.

Ranking the Best Shotguns in the Resident Evil 4 Remake

Each shotgun’s exclusive upgrade is taken into consideration in these rankings because the stat gains from them are impactful. You’ll need to purchase an Exclusive Upgrade Ticket from the Merchant for 30 Spinels to gain access, but it’s well-worth it for the best shotguns.

Riot Gun vs. Striker

The Riot Gun and the Striker can be considered as the best shotguns in the Resident Evil 4 remake.

The Riot Gun can be purchased from the Merchant from Chapter 6 onward for 28,000 Pesetas. It has the following base stats:

• Power: 6.4
• Ammo capacity: 7
• Reload speed: 1.0
• Rate of fire: 0.75
• Exclusive upgrade: 1.5x power

Screenshot by GameSkinny

The Striker, meanwhile, can be purchased from Chapter 10 onward for 38,000 Pesetas. Its base stats can be seen below:

• Power: 9.0
• Ammo capacity: 12
• Reload speed: 1.0
• Rate of fire: 1.13
• Exclusive upgrade: 2x ammo capacity

Screenshot by GameSkinny

The reason why we rank these shotguns highly is due to their respective characteristics. The Striker comes out ahead right from the get-go thanks to its higher ammo capacity, rate of fire, and bullet spread.

Alternatively, the Riot Gun’s concentrated fire, combined with its unique perk and maxed out stats, make it an absolute powerhouse. The Riot gun will have 19.2 power versus the Striker’s 16.2 when also maxed out.

Essentially, you’re choosing between the Striker, which is the best shotgun right out of the gate, or the Riot Gun, which is the best shotgun in RE4 when all upgrades are taken into consideration. For a more in-depth comparison, you can watch the DPS test video below from YouTuber FP Good Game:

W-870 default shotgun

The W-870 is the first shotgun that you’ll acquire in the Resident Evil 4 remake. You’ll find it on the second-floor landing in a house during the Village Square encounter (the one that’s closest to the tower).

When fully upgraded, it will have the highest power among all shotguns in the game. Unfortunately, its lower ammo capacity and rate of fire hold it back from the top spot. You can see the base stats below:

• Power: 5.6
• Ammo capacity: 5
• Reload speed: 1.0
• Rate of fire: 0.45
• Exclusive upgrade: 2x power

Screenshot by GameSkinny

Skull Shaker DLC shotgun

The Skull Shaker can only be obtained if you own the Deluxe Edition or purchase the standalone DLC. Although it can be fairly decent after quite a lot of investment, it still pales in comparison to the Riot Gun and Striker.

The Skull Shaker is hampered by low ammo capacity, rate of fire, and the fact that you spend extra money for it. Conversely, its only selling point is that it’s small and compact. As such, we advise you not to bother with it, making it the lowest ranked shotgun in the Resident Evil 4 remake. You can see the base stats below:

• Power: 5.4
• Ammo capacity: 2
• Reload speed: 1.0
• Rate of fire: 0.49
• Exclusive upgrade: 2x power

Screenshot by GameSkinny

Now that you know the best shotguns ranked in the Resident Evil 4 remake, perhaps you’d like to see how we’ve compared other weapon types. We’ve got guides on the best weapon upgrades to prioritize, the best handguns/pistols, an SG-09R vs. Sentinel Nine comparison, and a Stingray vs. SR-M1903 sniper rifle comparison.

Featured image by GameSkinny.