There are 17 primary and secondary weapons in Payday 3. You do get some of them at the start of the game, but most can be unlocked only if you progress through the game levels. Fortunately, some of the early weapons are very good and can be excellent substitutes before you get to the more expensive ones. Our guide will provide you with a tier list of the best weapons in Payday 3, including their unlock levels and prices.
Best Weapon Tier List in Payday 3
Here’s a quick breakdown of our tier list of the best weapons in Payday 3:
- S-Tier Weapons:
- SA A144 Marksman Rifle
- CAR-4 Assault Rifle
- A-Tier Weapons:
- Reinfeld 880 Shotgun
- Castigo 44 Revolver
- Sforza Bison Revolver
- B-Tier Weapons:
- Northwest B-9 Assault Rifle
- KU-59 Assault Rifle
S-Tier Weapons
SA A144 Marksman Rifle
- Unlock Level: 15
- Price: $300,000
This is the most accurate marksman rifle in the game, plus it has low recoil and a high rate of fire and damage. It not only easily deals with infantry and specials but also with bulldozers, although it may take a couple of magazines before they go down. SA A144 is without a question the best weapon in Payday 3, even if you play on the hardest difficulty.
CAR-4 Assault Rifle
- Unlock Level: Available by default.
- Price: $200,000
The best starting weapon in the game is the CAR-4. It’s a universal choice for most Payday 3 players, as it performs equally well in all combat situations. CAR-4 has the highest damage of all starting weapons in the game, all that’s missing is good optics. But once you add that to the mix, you can easily take out other snipers regardless of their position.
Related: 10 Best Payday 3 Builds – Stealth and Loud
A-Tier Weapons
Reinfeld 880 Shotgun
- Unlock Level: 2
- Price: $200,000
The Reinfeld 880 has the highest damage of all shotguns in the game. Since it’s a pump-action shotgun, its rate of fire and accuracy suffer a bit. But when it comes to close-quarter combat, there’s probably no better option in the early game.
Castigo 44 Revolver
- Unlock Level: 10
- Price: $75,000
Never underestimate the power of the revolver, especially as brutal as Castigo 44. If this weapon could one-shot enemies via a single headshot, then it would be an S-tier choice. But since it takes two shots, it goes into the A-tier. Still, it’s a truly incredible piece of weaponry that has a long-range barrel and a hardwood grip for better control.
Sforza Bison Revolver
- Unlock Level: 70
- Price: $250,000
The Bison is a revolver with an improved barrel that limits the rise of the muzzle. This means that it has significantly higher shock absorption than Castigo, which results in better accuracy and higher damage. It also has an RDS sight and a tactical grip, but I can’t place it higher on the list since this weapon comes way too late in the game.
B-Tier Weapons
Northwest B-9 Assault Rifle
- Unlock Level: 21
- Price: $300,000
The Northwest B-9 has a slightly higher rate of fire than the CAR-4, but it loses in terms of accuracy and stability, which is a significant drawback for such an essential weapon as an assault rifle. It also comes only after level 21 and costs 50% more than CAR-4, so it’s a no-brainer which one’s a better choice.
KU-59 Assault Rifle
- Unlock Level: 35
- Price: $500,000
The KU-59 is another assault rifle on the market that has a lower rate of fire and damage than both the CAR-4 and the Northwest B-9. Although this model is expensive, it can be quite impressive at close range if you fire it in short bursts to deal some real damage without losing accuracy.
That’s it for our tier list of the best weapons in Payday 3. Stay tuned for more PD3 tips and tricks articles right here.
