ARC Raiders has a pretty long list of weapons for players to choose from. Some are very obviously more powerful than others, while a few fit specific niches, like taking on larger Arcs or fighting other Raiders. But at the bottom of the barrel, there are a few underutilized guns that can definitely compete with the best in the game, especially when adding on a few good attachments and upgrading them to tier four.
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The main point is that any gun can work, and every single one has a viable space when fighting for loot topside. It doesn't matter if players are running a free loadout or looking to go in with a full set of gear; there are a few guns that they should keep an eye out for that can pack just as much of a punch as those that are considered must-haves.
Hairpin
The Perfect Stealth Weapon
Details:
- Stealthy sidearm option with decent headshot damage
- Way faster fire rate at max level
The Hairpin has been widely written off by the vast majority of the playerbase. Not only is it terrible at killing Arcs, but the time between shots can make it feel quite sluggish, especially when fighting an intense battle where every second counts. However, when upgraded, the gun can actually become a pretty impressive stealth weapon, thanks to the built-in silencer.
Because the time-to-kill is quite long overall, needing up to four headshots to take down a heavily armoured player, being able to fire off those first bullets undetected can turn the pistol into a deadly tool in the player's arsenal. By the time the other player manages to react, they will already be half HP and will have a tough time fighting back, one because they won't know what direction to look, and two, because they will be dead before they can even return fire.
Burletta
Tearing Through Players With A Single Clip
Details:
- Huge mag size potential
- Fast shots for multiple targets
The Burletta is an intriguing pistol that is often overshadowed by the bigger names in the class, like the Anvil and Venator. But now that the Venator has been brought down a peg, players should for sure consider the Burletta as a cheaper option that can be just as effective both in close-quarters and mid-ranged engagements.
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The headshot damage can actually take a lot of players by surprise, and by adding on an extended mag, suddenly players have an accurate, effective weapon that can clear out an entire team of Raiders without even needing a reload. In a lot of situations, it can actually be more efficient to have this pistol as a secondary to something like an Osprey or Ferro, as while the SMGs can be useful in their own right, they don't have the same raw potential as the small but mighty Bureltta.
Torrente
Shredding Anything That Gets Close
Details:
- Fast fire rate, perfect for close-quarters
- Very good against stationary Arcs
The Torrente is an odd one out from the rest of the guns in ARC Raiders. Being the only true LMG in the game, the gun comes with the obvious downside of having a long reload time between the large clips, but that weakness becomes negligible as players reach the higher tiers of the weapon.
In terms of raw damage, the Torrente has one of the lowest TTK in the entire game, being able to shred any players from 100-0 under a second. Players should give the weapon a try should for sure, but it is important to focus on upgrading it to max and fitting it with as many stability attachments as possible, as when it comes to PvP battles, there is virtually no weapon that can stand toe to toe with it up close.
Stitcher
The Kettle's Faster Brother
Details:
- Similar time to kill as Kettle vs Light/Medium shields
- Way faster fire rate and reload speed at rank four
The Stitcher and Kettle are two sides of the same coin. The latter focuses more on more serious single-shot damage, while the former comes with a higher fire rate that makes it more powerful indoors. While many players opt into the Kettle for most of their raids, the Stitcher can actually be a more tailored option that can shred through players in seconds and be more competitive against larger groups.
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The Stitcher already has a significantly lower reload time than the Kettle, but upgrading it only makes that clip swap faster. Also, the effective DPS on the Stitcher is technically higher, and even different armor types don't change the damage between the guns all that much. Overall, with enough attachments and an aggressive enough playstyle, this SMG can easily be seen as one of the best PvP guns in the game, even if the common tag may make it seem weak at first.
Il Toro
Demolishing Teams In Seconds
Details:
- Two or three shot any target up close, even to the body
- Perfect for Stella Montis
Il Toro is a borderline overpowered weapon when used in the right circumstance. Shotguns aren't all that useful in a lot of situations, Topside, but where they come in handy is in high-loot areas and maps like Stella Montis, where everything is indoors, and the encounters are much more close and personal.
The damage is the big draw, being capable of quickly demolishing anyone close enough to absorb the full force of the pellets, and even though the range is supposed to drop off heavily, it can still be pretty damn effective at slightly longer ranges. Attachments are where things get interesting, as not only do players have a silencer that can turn the weapon into a silent killer, but there are other options like stocks that improve draw rate, allowing players to quickly pull out the Il Toro to take out a close-up target before they even have a chance to react.
ARC Raiders
- Released
- October 30, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
- Embark Studios
- Genre(s)
- Extraction, Shooter, Third-Person Shooter, Survival
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty