Payday 3 best weapons list – what guns are best in Payday 3?

Here’s a full Payday 3 weapons list which you should familiarise yourself with before you start robbing banks in New York City. We’ve also gone ahead and found Payday 3’s best weapons and guns.

There’s not that many weapons in Payday 3. Unlike other shooters, this game gives you a fairly small arsenal to choose from, but instead gives you a much wider range of customisation and mods than other game metas.

While there’s not many weapons in the game, it does mean that their usage is going to be heavily dependant on the specific heist you’re committing.

Payday 3 weapons list

Now that the full game has been released – here’s a concise list of all of Payday 3’s weapons. There’s a whole host of weapon categories in Payday 3: Assault Rifles, Pistols, Shotguns, Revolvers, Marksman, and SMGs.

CAR-4	Assault Rifle	Not to be confused with popular European supermarket Carrefour, the CAR-4 is a versatile AR suited to either long-distance or CQB. It is unlocked straight away and doesn’t have any level requirements.
Northwest B-9	Assault Rifle	A burst assault rifle with extremely high damage output. Unlocked at level 21.
KU-59	Assault Rifle	Great accuracy and damage define this Soviet classic. Unlocked at level 35.
VF-7S	Assault Rifle	No doubt one of the best weapons in the game, the last unlockable weapon is the high-precision rifle of choice for the elite. Unlocked at level 77.
Reinfeld 880	Shotgun	Offers a one-hit kill at most close-range enemies. Unlocked at level 2.
Mosconi 12 Classic	Shotgun	Double-barreled shotgun. Unlocked at level 43.
FIK PC9	SMG	Low damage output, high fire rate and accuracy. Unlocked at level 19.
Ziv Commando	SMG	Unlocked at level 7.
SG Compact-7	SMG	Extremely low recoil makes this the perfect close combat SMG. Unlocked at level 65.
J&M Castigo .44	Revolver	A revolver with an extremely high damage output, neutralised by a slow reload and small magazine. Unlocked at level 10.
Sforza Bison	Revolver	Less kick, more damage. Unlocked at level 70.
Signature .40	Pistol	The standard secondary weapon available at the start of the game. Suited for all combat. Unlocked at start of game.
Stryk 7	Pistol	High rate of fire. Unlocked at level 25.
SP Model 11	Pistol	Big cartridge and high fire power. Unlocked at level 38.
Signature 403	Pistol	Unlocked at level 59.
SA A144	Marksman	Very high damage output rifle. Unlocked at level 15.
Reinfeld 900S	Marksman	Bolt action. Unlocked at level 53.
Marcom Mamba MGL	Overkill	The perfect crowd control weapon. A grenade launcher with potent killing power.
Flashbang	Throwable	Blinds enemies.
Frag Grenade	Throwable	AoE damage.
Throwing Knife	Throwable	One-hit-kill on enemies, and retrievable.

Payday 3 best weapons and guns

The best assault rifle in Payday 3

Controversially, the best assault rifle in Payday 3 is likely going to be the CAR-4, which offers up the following specs:

The CAR-4 is incredibly versatile and is going to work incredibly well for anyone looking for either a long-range distance weapon or a CQC weapon. Whether you’re going for stealth or simply looking to cause some carnage – this is the weapon for you.

The best shotgun in Payday 3

Just like with the CAR-4, the best shotgun in Payday 3 is going to be the Reinfeld 880, unlocked at level 2 and costing only $200,000.

Picking up this shotgun will net you easy one-hit-kills, making it perfect for those Payday 3 players who love a bit of chaos.

The best pistol in Payday 3

Our thoughs on the best pistol for Payday 3 waver between the SP-Model 11 and the base Signature 40. Both have incredible stopping power, though the starting pistol has a pretty high recoil rate. In light of that, we’re going to give the SP Model 11 the upper hand thanks to its superior damage and recoil handling.

The best SMG in Payday 3

The SG Compact-7 must surely take the mantle as the best SMG in Payday 3. Low damage is compensated for a stupidly high rate of fire and handling. You’re going to want this for rushing, but forget picking off snipers on far off rooftops with this gun.

Now that the game has been released, we’re going to be testing out these different weapons in Payday 3’s different heists. Make sure to check in with us for more on our Payday 3 weapons rankings which will help inform your gameplay.

In the meantime, you might be interested in whether or not the game is on Game Pass, or if it’s going to be a split screen game either. We’ve also had a look at whether the game will be cross play.