Best Shotguns In Fallout 4, Ranked

Highlights

Shotguns in Fallout 4 are scarce, but with modding and legendary effects, players can enhance their firepower.
Different shotguns cater to different playstyles, with some offering unique advantages for specific situations.
From close-quarters combat to staggering enemies, shotguns like the Combat Shotgun and Justice can be powerful assets.

Considering the range of weapons in Fallout 4, from pistols to laser guns, there is a noticeable lack of shotguns available in the wasteland. Although there is a significant amount of modding and legendary effect shotguns available, which includes content from the Creation Club, the number of shotguns available in the base game is surprisingly small.

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Thankfully, each of the weapons is quite different from the other, and the type of shotgun a player uses will mostly be down to their personal style and preference. That said, some are far more likely to be used by players than others for various reasons, and knowing what the best shotguns are in Fallout 4 can be very helpful for those looking to conquer the Wasteland.

5 Double-Barrel Shotgun / Handmade Shotgun

Two Early-Game Weapons With Unimpressive Stats

Damage: 45
Rate Of Fire: 36
Magazine Capacity: 2

The Double-Barrel Shotgun, from the base game, and the Handmade Shotgun, from the Creation Club, feature the same base stats. The Double-Barrel Shotgun is an effective weapon in the early stages of the game and will help players fight off the enemies they encounter during the first few hours. With poor accuracy, players should only use this weapon at very close quarters.

Players can find the Double-Barrel Shotgun naturally by looting low-level raiders or from vendors such as Arturo Rodriguez in Diamond City. Gamers should also keep a keen eye out for the legendary effect of this weapon, which is called Never Ending. This will let players fire the weapon constantly and never have to worry about reloading. Unless players find this effect, this weapon will most likely be cast aside in favor of an upgrade.

4 Triple-Barrel Handmade Shotgun

A Shotgun That Can Come With Some Great Legendary Effects

Damage: 50
Rate Of Fire: 36
Magazine Capacity: 3

A better variant of the previously mentioned Handmade Shotgun, the base version of this weapon is an upgrade as it deals 5 more damage and can fire off one more shot. This could be crucial in engagements where defeat is looking likely. This shotgun can be found on raiders and specific vendors whilst at a high level. Shotguns are all about high damage, so the Powerful Receiver mod, which increases damage by 38, may be of interest to those considering the Triple-Barrel Handmade Shotgun.

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The Triple-Barrel Handmade Shotgun can also be found with three different legendary effects already equipped: Incendiary, Nimble, and Ghoul Slayer. Players should take note of Nimble as its 75% increase in movement speed, while aiming will assist in making quick decisions in close-quarters combat.

3 Combat Shotgun

A Semi-Automatic Shotgun That Requires Less Reloading

Damage: 50
Rate Of Fire: 20
Magazine Capacity: 8

The Combat Shotgun is an 8-round shotgun with high damage. The magazine capacity is what keeps it above the previous entries on this list, as it allows players to pump out more damage without being interrupted by the chore of reloading. To improve this already good shotgun, players should look to install the Advanced Receiver and Drum Magazine. This will increase the damage and fire rate with only minor losses to range and accuracy while increasing the magazine size to 32.

As befitting its place on the list, the combat shotgun is a tad harder to find in the open world. They are sometimes carried by raiders but can also be sold by various vendors, like Deb in Bunker Hill. If the Far Harbor expansion is installed, players will receive the Combat Shotgun as part of completing the Hull Breach side quest.

2 Justice

A Useful Weapon That Can Stagger Enemies

Damage: 75
Rate Of Fire: 20
Magazine Capacity: 8

The key selling point here is that Justice is a unique weapon with a legendary effect. The legendary effect in question is Stagger. As the name suggests, all shots that hit have a chance to stagger enemies. This is incredibly useful in close-quarters combat and can give players a chance to escape from powerful foes. An upgraded version of the Combat Shotgun, Justice comes with a Powerful receiver modded on as standard, hence its 75 damage.

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Justice can only be acquired in one way: Fallout 4 players must buy it from Penny Fitzgerald at her shop in Covenant. She can trade with the player between 8 am and 6 pm.

If Penny dies before players can acquire the Justice shotgun, the weapon will become permanently unavailable.

1 Le Fusil Terribles

A Great Tool To Use When Targeting Limbs

Damage: 62
Rate Of Fire: 20
Magazine Capacity: 32

Taking the top spot as the best shotgun in Fallout 4 is the Le Fusil Terribles. This is a unique version of the Combat Shotgun that has a very high magazine capacity and damage as standard. Not much separates it from the Justice, but the range and accuracy of this shotgun are better, and its legendary effect has a higher ceiling. This weapon grants Violent, a 25% increase in damage and limb damage but with 25% more recoil. If the recoil can be controlled, it provides a massive boost.

As a unique shotgun, it can only be found in one place. To get it, players must go to the captain's cabin in Libertalia and look for a wooden crate that can be looted. Once located, players should consider an Advanced Receiver mod to take the damage to 99 and make this an end-game-worthy shotgun.