Fallout 76: Best Shotguns

Highlights

• Salt of the Earth is a unique shotgun in Fallout 76, part of Legacy content, obtained through a challenge and can now only be traded between players.
• The Pump Action Shotgun in the game can be obtained from various sources such as loot drops and specific locations.
• Fancy Pump Action Shotgun is a rare shotgun with impressive ammo capacity and reload speed, obtained through a specific quest and limited chance drops.

When players explore the Appalachia in their Fallout 76 gameplay, they have to anticipate facing some of the worst the world has to offer since the nuclear fallout of the Great War. On top of raiders are mutants and irradiated creatures that now populate the Earth, making it much harder for player characters to survive in the wild. Thankfully, the game does offer a wide variety of familiar weaponry for players to use, including Shotguns that allow players to stand their ground up close against the toughest of threats.

Despite the game offering quite a roster of weapons, a Shotgun can become a player’s dependable companion especially when surprised in close spaces. What the Shotgun lacks in terms of range it more than makes up for with massive firepower up close, allowing players to dominate short-ranged combat with the right strategy.

11 Salt Of The Earth

Legacy Content With Better Reload Speed, Higher Base Damage Output

Considered as one of the two unique variants of the Double-Barreled Shotgun in Fallout 76 gameplay, the Salt of the Earth was introduced in 2019’s “Nuclear Winter” update. The item is considered part of Legacy content, as it was only attainable via the “Down on the Farm” challenge in Survival Mode from June 11 to June 7, 2019. Since then, the weapon can only be traded between players.

Despite its status as Legacy content, the Salt of the Earth stands out as one of the more pristine-looking shotguns in the game. Its Mods that provide extra shots, faster reload speed, and higher damage while aiming can make it a must-have for players who want to specialize in close-quarters combat with items to spare for trading.

10 Pump Action Shotgun

Default Shotgun Does The Job Done With Decent Damage Output

Considered one of the first shotguns players can acquire in their Fallout 76 gameplay, the Pump Action Shotgun boasts a decent range and accuracy for a short-range weapon. It also serves as the base appearance of stronger variants such as Civil Unrest, the Fancy Pump Action Shotgun, and the Kabloom which have different perks.

Thankfully, players who want to get used to this weapon before fully upgrading can acquire this from various sources. Mole miners and the Scorched often carry the Pump Action Shotgun as loot. However, some can be found in specific locations such as Helvetia Church, the crashed bus on Highway 91, Greg’s Mine Supply, the bar counter in Morgantown, and the counter of Giant Teapot.

9 Civil Unrest

Additional AP Can Help Players Make The Most Out Of Combat

Players enjoying their Fallout 76 gameplay might have some difficulty recognizing Civil Unrest as it looks identical to its basic weapon, the Pump Action Shotgun. However, its key difference is how it gives its wielder 10 AP upon being equipped as well as the capabilities of using the same mods.

Adventurers in Fallout 76 can only get the weapon after completing the “Falsely Accused” side quest in Eastern Regional Penitentiary. Despite its rather middling stats, the extra 10 AP can do wonders for players starting the game with not a lot of AP to go around.

8 Fancy Pump Action Shotgun

Extremely Rare Shotgun Compensates With Impressive Ammo Capacity, Reload Speed

As the name implies, the Fancy Pump Action Shotgun is quite the stylish addition to a player’s Fallout 76 arsenal, especially when compared to its base Pump Action Shotgun variant. The gun’s stock boasts a darker wood with precise gold detailing, with floral patterns and white diamonds adding a visual flair to the weapon. Stats-wise, the weapon’s better reload speed and ammo capacity allow players to get more out of each mag, letting them stay in combat faster.

Players can get the Fancy Pump Action Shotgun with the “Wastelanders” update, specifically when players turn in Pleasant Valley claim tickets to the bellhop in the Pleasant Valley Ski Resort basement. However, these tickets are only available as random drops when players complete the “Key to the Past” main quest, with the claim tickets themselves only having a 1.5% chance to even procure the shotgun as a reward.

7 The Kabloom

Stronger Armor Penetration With AOE Lets Players Outlast Crowds

Players who managed to install the free “Once in a Blue Moon” update for their Fallout 76 gameplay will unlock the “Safe and Sound” public event in the title, allowing them to acquire The Kabloom. Despite its flowery decor, this unique shotgun can tear through most of the game’s tougher opponents should they become unfortunate enough to encounter the player’s crosshairs.

When acquired, the pump-action shotgun can come with various special effects. These include boosted armor penetration, guaranteed AOE damage on impact, and much faster reload speed. Despite its limited range, The Kabloom can tear enemies a new one – especially for players who prefer getting up close and personal with their opponents.

6 Combat Shotgun

Base Shotgun That Packs A Lot Of Punch With Mod Options

Despite its nature as a relic from the time before Fallout history’s cataclysmic Great War, the Combat Shotgun and its more packed double-barreled appearance gives it a more heavy-duty look compared to the rest of the game’s shotguns. Due to the game’s semi or full-auto nature, the Combat Shotgun is a more efficient choice for rapid-fire encounters at close quarters without having to tire oneself farming for Legendary shotguns.

To acquire the Combat Shotgun, players simply need to explore much of the game’s dungeons. Players can find Combat Shotguns along Watoga’s southern entrance, or the upper floor of the Southhampton Estate’s barn. In terms of loot, players can usually acquire Combat Shotguns from Mole Miners or the Scorched.

5 Crowd Control

Players who want a more “tacticool” take on their Fallout 76 appearance may want to use Crowd Control instead of the traditional shotgun. While Crowd Control is based on the Combat Shotgun, the former boasts a white stock with a blue insignia, while metal plating around the body gives it a more militaristic look.

However, attaining Crowd Control can get tricky due to its nature as a Legendary drop. Crowd Control is only available through the “Eviction Notice” public event, which in itself is only unlocked with the “Test Your Metal” update. Despite its difficulty in acquisition, Crowd Control can be a desirable shotgun with its base stats, particularly its AOE and defense reduction mods.

4 Pepper Shaker

Auto Shotgun Boasts Higher DPS At Close Range

Arguably among the most brutal of shotguns available in Fallout 76 gameplay, the Pepper Shaker lives up to the name due to its nature as a machine shotgun. Operated via a rotary barrel, the Pepper Shaker looks more like a Gatling gun than a traditional shotgun. When equipped with a single barrel, the Pepper Shaker can double its bullet output, potentially capable of obliterating foes much faster than regular shotguns.

However, its devastating firing rate does have a steep cost: its plan is a Rare Reward from “Grahm’s Meat-Cook,” a seasonal public event that usually occurs once a year. Upon acquisition, players can get the Pepper Shaker as a Legendary drop, purchase it from the Purveyor, or craft at a weapons workbench.

3 Gauss Shotgun

Reach Potential Allows Players To Fight Enemies At Mid-Range

Introduced during the “Wastelanders” update of the Fallout 76 experience, players can rely on the Gauss Shotgun as one of the most potent shotguns in the game. As with its rifle variant, the Gauss Shotgun can be charged to increase its charge output. Although classified as an “energy gun” when crafted, it’s not necessarily an energy weapon in the traditional sense due to its special firing mechanism.

When fired, the Gauss Shotgun also explodes its bullets upon impact to deal some degree of area damage, making it an excellent burst weapon. Its decent range also allows the Gauss Shotgun to become a substitute for a mid-range weapon with a decent kick. Players who are Allied with the Settlers can purchase the weapon’s plans from Samuel, after which the Gauss Shotgun can be crafted and then eventually acquired in quests or from the Purveyor Murmrgh.

2 Double-Barrel Shotgun

Slow Reload Is Compensated With Decent Firepower, Firing Rate

Being a straightforward Fallout 76 weapon, it’s not too difficult to find a Double-Barrel Shotgun provided players know where to look for a copy or its base components. Mole miners and Scorched often carry Double-Barrel Shotguns, although they’re also scattered throughout the game’s mines. Portside Pub has one behind its counter for players to use as well.

Despite its slow reload, the Double-Barrel Shotgun easily outclasses other shotguns due to its sheer power. Its decent range makes it suitable for short-range to sub-mid-range encounters, making it a dependable asset for players who prefer killing foes up close.

1 Cold Shoulder

Extra Ice Damage And More Ammo Capacity Can Help Players Last Longer In Engagements

Introduced in the Mutation Invasion update of Fallout 76, players can craft the Cold Shoulder after buying its plans from Giuseppe Della Ripa for 500 Stamps or unlocking it via Season 12 “Rip Daring and the Cryptid Hunt.” As its Season source implies, Cold Shoulder is the signature weapon of cryptid hunter Rip Daring, who is also the protagonist of the “Astoundingly Awesome Tales” in-universe franchise.

At first glance, Cold Shoulder bears a heavy resemblance to its base variant, the Double-Barrel Shotgun. However, the weapon is more ornamental, boasting a chillingly blue hue with white details. Its stylish appearance fits its status as a Legendary Shotgun, coming with default traits that give it four times an ordinary shotgun’s ammo cap (Quad), boosted damage against Cryptids (Paranormal), and slows (Cryo). When used correctly, players may be able to demolish foes at ease in close quarters, provided they’re able to adapt to the weapon’s relatively low mag cap.