Handguns are never going to be your go-to method of choice for infiltration (unless you’re the kind of person who loves a challenge), but when a situation sours and you find yourself backed into a corner and running low on ammo in your primary weapons, a handgun is your best friend.
Handguns rarely have large magazines and almost never deal a whole lot of damage. But when it comes to stability and Accuracy, they shine bright. They are also often excellent choices for stealth approaches and allow you to carry a suppressed weapon while leaving the option for your two primary weapons to stay loud and powerful. While customization options can be quite limited with a handgun, you can bet that no matter which one you pick you’ll always have a good idea on how it works before you’ve even pulled the trigger.
Sturdy, stable, reliable: handguns are a loyal friend in the most unstable of combat situations.
P45T
HOW TO UNLOCK: UNLOCKED FROM THE START OF THE GAME
The first pistol you lay your hands on is also one of the most reliable. While the P45T isn’t a powerhouse by any means, it’s stable and, with the proper pacing, accurate as needs be. With a 15-round magazine, you won’t have to worry about reloading if you have to pull this little guy out.
An improvement over the P45T in nearly every way, the 5.7 USG boasts improved Damage, Accuracy, Range, and Penetration. It comes with a 15-round magazine and makes for a good stealth weapon. Like the P45T, slow, careful trigger pulls will keep your shots accurate and stable. If you go trigger happy, you can expect a wide bullet spread that promises to hit all but your target. A very reliable handgun when used carefully.
The M1911 doesn’t offer much that the P45T doesn’t, but it does promise a good bit more Damage, Range, and a sprinkling of extra Penetration. It’s lacking in bullet capacity from a clip that only carries a total of eight bullets, but the additional Damage makes up for it. Ultimately it comes down to preference. Do you like dealing more Damage per shot? Then the M1911 is your guy. If you want something more reliable at the cost of Damage and Range, use the P45T.
The P12 functions as a sort of inverted vision of the M1911. Both weapons have the same amount of Damage, but where the M1911 has advantage in Handling and Rate of Fire, the P12 boasts decent boosts in Accuracy and Noise Reduction. Slapping a suppressor on this weapon will max out its Noise Reduction stat easily, making it an excellent choice for stealth. With a 12-round magazine and good stealth possibilities, the P12 is a handy weapon to have around if you’re fixing to sneak your way through enemy territory.
Compared to the P45T, the P227 loses when comparing Handling and Rate of Fire, but shows good jumps to in Damage and Accuracy. Even while carefully and meticulously shooting, the P227 has a habit of fanning out its shots, making it a bit tricky to use in tense situations. But if the idea of increased Damage sounds appealing, then give this handgun a try.
The M9 is almost a variation on the P45T in terms of stats and magazine size. The key differences are found in drops to Accuracy and Handling, but increases to Range and Noise Reduction. The Noise Reduction isn’t going to do much for you, since once you put on a suppressor its maxed out just like the P45T. That leaves you with just the boost in Range, which, with a handgun, isn’t often all that useful, especially if your bullets tend to flare out like they do with this weapon. If given the choice between the P45T and the M9, choose the P45T. But if you’re wanting something different, but familiar, then you could do much worse than the M9.
A monster of a handgun that comes out of the box with close to max Damage. You’re going to take a giant hit to most other stats when selecting this gun over the others, but if you tend to go in guns blazing at enemy bases, this beastly gut buster is an excellent pick.
A modified M9 with boosted Damage and Penetration. El General isn’t going to win any “Gun of the Year” awards, but it’s a quality choice if you’re looking for a solid handgun with a 15-round magazine, decent Accuracy and high Handling.
La Novena - Exotic
HOW TO UNLOCK: DEFEAT RICARDO GODINEZ DEL TORO
A golden alternative to the D-50, the La Novena is a natural choice for assault operatives. You’re not getting much in the way of stats, but its massive Damage stat promises to put enemies down and keep them down. There are no stealth options for this gun, so only use it if you like to make an entrance.
Lady Killer - Exotic
HOW TO UNLOCK: DEFEAT ANTONIO
Now this is a handgun! Decent Damage, high Accuracy and Handling, full Noise Reduction with a suppressor, and a 20-round magazine; there are few situations the Lady Killer can’t suit. If you’re looking for one of the most reliable handguns in the game, look no further. While there are better options in terms of Damage output, there are few competitors that can challenge the Lady Killer’s overall performance.
A tiny little friend in times of violence, the BFF has decent stats, with particularly high Damage, but a small, 7-round magazine. It has a slow Rate of Fire and isn’t particularly accurate, even when fired at a pace. It’s a tough handgun to use, so only use it if you’re up to the challenge.
