Resident Evil 5 (PS3/X360) Indepth Weapons and Combat Guide

Version 1.0

Copyright 2009 Christopher Lane

Email: chrissilverdogs(at)yahoo(dot)com
(Just copy and paste the address and put the correct symbols in)

Note: If you see 'RE' in this guide its most likely an 
abbreviation for Resident Evil, its very tiring typing 
you know ;-] 

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1.0 Version history:
********************

1.0 - First and hopefully last version.

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Attention! I'm not intentionally putting spoilers in my guide but
guides of this nature may give away some snippets of story and/
or events in the game. Just wanted to warn you now incase you
haven’t completed the game at least once. This guide is intended
for players who have completed the game at least once and want 
to master the awesome weapons and combat system, not first time 
players as you'll want to learn by experience first.

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Contents: 
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Note - press ctrl and f together to enter the 'find' widow and 
just simple enter the code of what you want to read/visit first 
e.g. Say you wanted to know which is the best pistol you'd go to
section 3.7, easy right.

1.0 - Version History

1.1 - Introduction

1.2 - Guide setup

2.0 - Melee combat

2.1 - The Knife/Machete

2.2 - The Stun Rod

3.0 - Pistols

3.1 - M92F

3.2 - H&K P8

3.3 - SIG P226

3.4 - M93R

3.5 - Px4

3.6 - Samurai Edge

3.7 - Conclusion: which is the best pistol?

4.0 - Shotguns

4.1 - Ithaca M37

4.2 - M3

4.3 - Jail Breaker

4.4 - Hydra

4.5 - Conclusion: which is the best shotgun?

5.0 - Rifles

5.1 - S75

5.2 - Dragunov SVD

5.3 - H&K PSG-1

5.4 - Conclusion: which is the best rifle?

6.0 - Machine Guns

6.1 - VZ61

6.2 - H&K MP5

6.3 - AK-74

6.4 - SIG 556

6.5 - Conclusion: which is the best machine gun?

7.0 - Magnums

7.1 - S&W M29

7.2 - L. Hawk

7.3 - S&W M500

7.4 - Conclusion: which is the best magnum?

8.0 - Special Weapons

8.1 - Grenades

8.2 - Grenade Launcher

8.3 - Rocket Launcher

8.4 - Gatling Gun

8.5 - Longbow

8.6 - Proximity Bomb

8.7 - Gun Turrets

8.8 - Environmental weapons

9.0 - The ultimate weapon load out!

10.0 - Coming soon...

10.1 - Thanks

10.2 - Contact info/Questions

10.3 - Copyright/Legal info

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1.1 Introduction:  
*****************

Hey up Resi fans I'm writing this here to welcome you
to my indepth guide on the weapons and combat system
available in Resident Evil 5. This is my second guide
and I plan to make this one bigger and better than my 
first, while still keeping my easy going writing style.
I ain't holding anything back either, I'll give you
every bit of info I believe will help you decide on
which weapon is right for you in every situation.

Just so you lot know, I'm a real resi fan and have 
completed most of them and I'm really happy with
this latest installment regardless of the negative
and unjustified bad reviews it seemed to have received.
Seriously some review sites should be ashamed, but hell
thats just my opinion. In this one it seems the main
story behind the Resident evil saga reaches it climax
with all the main characters returning to settle old
rivalries and the until now, unseen Ozwell E. Spencer
(the main man along with Edward Ashford who discovered
the Progenitor virus) makes his first appearance while
revealing some new shocking truths. Resident Evil 5
combines the revolutionary gameplay of Resident Evil 4
while in some ways bringing the feel of old Resi back 
i.e. story and characters, not as many scares as
the oldies though. Oh and did I mention theirs also a 
whole new partner system? Either co-op or working with 
the brillaint AI, Resi 5 is very much team work based. 
So looks like another masterpiece by Capcom
and I just hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Anyway as much as you love it, enough chit-chat
for now and on with the guide. I'll start with
the Melee combat and move onto the weapon section to 
help you out as much as I can for when you, yet again, 
enter the world of survival horror!


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1.2 Guide Setup:
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I'll be doing each weapon class individually starting 
with Melee combat and ending with the special toys you 
can get your hands on. I'll lay it out as follows:

Weapon name, when and how you get it and the price
(I'll be using # as the African money symbol).

Weapon stats, upgrades and prices.

When fully upgraded, is it worth all the cash you
spent?

Aesthetics of the weapon, this is a totally subjective
but interesting point about how the gun looks, feels
and sounds.

In the game: I've tested every gun actually in the field
so to speak and I'll tell you if the stats tell the whole
story.

Comments: This is my honest take on the weapon and what its
best suited for, again this is based on experience using the
specified weapon.

Summary, Pros and Cons of the weapon.

That's it, now sit back get a drink, relax and most 
importantly enjoy.

Please Note! - I'm discounting unlimited ammo in this
guide as it not only takes away the fun and realism
it also takes away some advantages and disadvantages
of the weapons which would make a lot of this info 
invalid. Plus its more rewarding not using unlimited 
ammo, that’s just for crazy fun runs or for checking
stuff out without having to use ammo.

Last note, enemies have a set HP (health Points) just
like Chris and Sheva (at full health they have 1000 HP).
Each enemy has a different HP depending on the 
circumstances such as the difficulty you chose or the stage
of the game your at. Also not every enemy of the same type 
will have the same HP. I mention this as throughout my guide 
you'll see damage points and all this means is how much HP 
each shot, slash, bang, or smack will do. Understand? 
I hope so as it isn’t rocket science, well not unless your
using the Rocket Launcher that is 8*] .


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2.0 Melee combat:
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Resi 5 really upped the ante were melee attacks are concerned.
Both Chris and Sheva have a whole load of useful attacks that
both saves ammo and your butt in many situations. Now I have to
point out that although there’s more attacks than Resi 4 its not 
as easy (taking on a crowd of 10 majini with just a pistol and a
single kick is not easily done anymore) as your attacks don’t have
as much spread as Leon's kick did so the reliable head shot, kick
and knife to death routine goes out the window, by the way did
I mention the knife is weaker than it was in resi 4? But in
return you get yourself a huge selection of attacks that have 
varying effects and damage. You can even chain attacks with your
partner, with devastating effects on the poor fello it hits, ha!

Below I will detail both Chris and Sheva's melee attacks, how
to perform them, their effect and damage:

¬¬¬¬¬
Chris 
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Chris is the powerhouse of the two players, his newly gained 
muscles do kinda give it away (seen those Biceps! 8*o ). 
Anyway all that gym work has obviously paid off as he's much
stronger than he used to be and much stronger than Leon was in
Resi 4, hence his attacks deal heavy damage more so than his
partner, only just though. In return he is slightly slower than
Sheva in his attacks, as running speed is virtually identical
(I'd say Sheva is minutely faster). Chris is my favorite
character and his moves are one of the reasons for this. His 
attacks are as follows:

Straight - Chris leans back and puts all his weight and strength
into one hell of a punch. This will knock down whoever it hits
(it can actually knock his/her block off, literally, some times)
and anyone the victim falls into. To do this amazing attack just
stun the enemy with a non-critical head shot. It inflicts 400 damage.

Hook - A popular and simple punch. Chris swings his fist in a 
horizontal fashion that sets up a combo attack (must be done with 
partner). This does less damage than a straight, 300 and you have
to shoot the enemy in the upper-arm area to achieve this attack.

Uppercut - Another brain mashing attack that does the same damage as
a straight, 400. Shoot the majini in the leg till he/she falls to 
their knees or grabs their knee in pain to do this devastating attack 
that if their lucky enough to survive will knock them back. This is 
that powerful it can be used on sub-bosses as well.

Kick - This attack is just hilarious as it sends the bugger
it hits across the room and into other poor gits. This also
proves that Chris has been doing the squats as well as 
pumping the iron. It does 300 damage and must be performed from 
behind after hitting the majini in his arm/middle section just
like a hook. Can also be used to set up combos in some cases.

Stomp - This attack can be an instant kill if used when facing
the majini's head as it simply crushes it, errr gooey. If not
it may still kill him/her due to the sheer force that is thrusted
onto them which results in severe internal damage. As the name 
suggests it has to be done while the majini is on the floor and
stunned. It does a tremendous 600 damage. A word of warning if you
do go for the head popping option though, because like all head kills
spunky (sorry I mean the parasite Cephalo, me and all my friends 
have called it spunky since Resi 4!) may come bursting out and 
will have to be dealt with.

Backhand - This is a very outlandish and powerful attack that is
the final strike of a 3 hit combo (must be done with partner) so 
it can be rather tricky to achieve (one of the Trophies/achievements
is to actually to perform a 3 hit combo called 'The Works'). So 
naturally a very powerful attack that does a massive 3000 damage,
no majini will survive this, sometimes they don't survive the two 
previous required attacks so this just sends them to another dimension.
The only drawback is the fiddly ness to set it up right, you got to
start with a hook, sheva must now do her knee attack (from behind) 
so Chris can deliver this awesome attack. It can also be used on the
Gatling gun majini's if they are stunned correctly by heavy headshots.

Haymaker - Just like the backhand this is the final hit in a combo and
can be performed on the Gattling gun majini's like the backhand if they 
are positioned correctly after enough damage has been caused to his head.
It causes 3000 damage and is basically a straight with more weight put 
into it, hence the slight delay till impact and recovery afterwards. 
Its a beauty to watch.

Neck breaker - This was Hunk's trademark attack in Resi 4's 
Mercenaries and what an attack it is. Less stylish and more
practical than Hunk's but still deadly as ever, its an
instant kill attack on all standard majini. To perform this
attack simply shoot the majini in the leg (just as if you
were setting up an uppercut) and when he/she is grabbing their
leg in pain simply run to them and note the option to uppercut will
appear, don't do this just walk a bit further forward (almost past
the majini) and the uppercut option will quickly change to neck breaker
and bam! Their dead as soon as you press Square/X. Its even easier to
get this when standing behind a majini already as all you have to do
shoot its leg till it falls to its knee and run up to him/her and
press Square/X.

Grapple breaker - This is the move Chris performs when freeing
Sheva from the grasp of an enemy. Chris obviously cares for his
new partner as he chucks his whole self into this punch to make sure
it frees Sheva and knocks the culprit down. This does a massive 500
damage and is easy to perform, just press circle/B when close to
Sheva while she's getting groped by a horny enemy ;o).

Uppercut 2 - This is almost identical to Chris's other uppercut
except it can only be done just before a Licker does a jumping
slash attack (which is fatal), so timing is pretty important here. 
If the correct buttons are pressed in time Chris will perform a 
adrenaline fueled uppercut and due to this it does more damage than 
the standard version, 600.

Stab - This is another Licker only attack and its an instant kill 9
times out of ten. The new Licker variations weak spot is its heart right 
in the centre of its chest and this attack forces Chris's machete right 
into it, ouch! Like the Uppercut 2 timing is very important here as it 
can only be done while the licker is lying on its back and stunned. 
Now the quickest way to get a licker on its back is to shoot its 
exposed brain (quite the opposite of the usual method of buying a 
meal and some jewlry eh?), with a rifle preferably, but be quick as 
these little 'gits' get up quick.

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Sheva     
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"I may not be as big as you but I can still hold my own" My words
exactly Sheva. Just like the girl said herself, she can't half handle
herself well, infact she can deal with every enemy chris can, except a
little faster. Her attacks are performed qicker than Chris's but are 
generally less damaging (probably due to the fact she hasn't got biceps
the size of everest). She performs attacks exactly the same way as Chris
in the sense that the enemy needs to be stunned in a certain way, she has
a totally different fighting style though. Below are the details to her
ass wooping attacks:

Roundhouse kick - This is Sheva's replacment of Chris's straight and
a perfect example of her doing slightly lower damage but quicker 
delivery, it dishes out 350 damage. Shoot a majini in the head so
it grasps its head in pain and run over and press the attack button
to see Sheva lift herself of the ground and perform a nice RHK and
knock all other enemies in the area over.

Twist kick - Replacment of Chris's hook, this mild kick is used to set 
up combos and causes 250 damage to who it hits. Shoot a majini in
upper-arm area to make this attack available.

Somersault - This attack is stunning to watch and a great trade off
for Chris's meaty uppercut. Does 350 damge and is performed while 
a majini is stunned on its knees, simply shoot his/her leg. Can
be used on sub-bosses also.

Knee - This attack is self explanatory, surprisingly Sheva knees an
enemy in the back 'Shock...Horror!'. Not nearly as cool or funny as
Chris's propelling kick but it does the job as the second hit in a 
combo. Causes 250 damage and has to be done from behind by either
being shot in the mid section, arm mainly, or straight after Chris
has done a hook.

Throat slit - This more than makes up for the boring knee attack
but again pretty self explanatory. Performed exactly the same way
as Chris's neck breaker attack (refer to that for tips on
performing this move). Sheva pulls out here knife and cuts the 
majini's neck open causing instant death, nice!

Impale - Again another tease for the senses. Awesome to watch
and even better to perform. When a majini is stunned and on 
the ground Sheva will pull out her knife and slam everything she's 
got into a life taking stab. If performed on the head it will
decapitate its victim in a similar manner as Chris's stomp. But
again be aware that spunky may pop out to pay a visit. If done to
the body it will still kill in one stab most of the time so maybe 
this is the best option as nothing will come out of the victims head. 
Also note this is one attack that actually casues more damage than 
Chris's, this will do 800 damage wereas Chris's stomp only does 600.

Spinning back kick - This is Sheva's final strike in a 3 hit combo
and is a contender for Chris's haymaker. If you can get this combo to
work, shoot a majini's arm them do a Twist kick, get Chris to do a
Kick from behind and press the attack button to get Sheva to lift 
herself of the ground and forcfully hammer a kick into the majini's
head and do a massive 3000 damage. This can also be done on the
gatling gun majini later in the game if their stunned properly.

Skull Crusher - Another combo finisher done in exactly the same way,
depending on the position of the majini before you press the attack 
button to deliver the final blow it will vary between this and
the spinning back kick. This also does 3000 and tends to decapitate
the enemy as Sheva jumps on the poor majini's head and wraps her legs
around it (no childish jokes please, thats my job) and slans him/her 
into the ground before releasing them "Now Breath, ahhhh!".

Grapple breaker - This is essentially another roundhouse kick that
frees Chris when he's being grabbed by a majini. Sheva obviously
doesn't take kind to her fello Africans attacking tourists as this
attack does major damage, 450, to ensure Chris is freed. Thanks
Sheva.

Somersault 2 - This is exactly like Chris's uppercut 2, a 
counterattack to a Licker's jumping slash. For details just 
refer to Chris's Uppercut 2. It does a major 600 damage to 
those pesky freaks.

Stab - Again identical to Chris's heart stab on Lickers, refer
to Chris's for details. It should be an instant kill but actually
does slightly less damage than Chris's stab, due to Sheva only
having a Knife and Chris using a machete. Chris does 1200 damage
and Sheva does 900.

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2.1 The Knife/Machete:
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Both Chris and Sheva have a nicely sharpened blade at their disposal
throughout the game. Chris has a machete and Sheva has a knife, 
surprisingly their is no difference in damage only length. Chris's
machete has more range than Sheva's knife hence its the better of the
two for this reason alone, also I prefer the way it looks both 
holstered and in use but that’s a matter of opinion.

Now although melee attacks have been majorly improved the knife has
been weakened from the one in Resi 4, although variety in style and
use(s) has been expanded. So the shoot in the head (or knife
if your skilled enough), kick group onto the floor, knife to death
and repeat tactic has been hampered which adds to the reason Resi 5
is arguably more difficult than 4 (yes that tactic was that useful 
and easy).Don't worry though you get all those cool hand-to-hand moves 
to compensate, which in my opinion is much better, realistic, enjoyable,
adds more variety and is more of a challenge. Its also worth mentioning
if you try that old tactic (which I have on several occasions) your partner
just ends up shooting the majini on the floor which defeats the 
object of saving ammo anyway. 

There is however a similar tactic to the 'shoot/knife, kick, knife till 
dead and repeat' tactic that can be used on sub-bosses such as the 
Executioner and Chainsaw lunatic. Best done using a shotgun, simply shoot
the enemy till the option to do a melee attack appears but don't perform it
till the very last second you can and keep shooting him. Then at the last 
second hit him and he'll go into his recovery sequence giving you loads of
breathing space to fill him with more ammo, repeat this till dead. Doing
this means sub-bosses shouldn't pose much trouble just make sure you get 
your timings just right or you may pay with your life.

Never the less the knife/machete is still always there in times of need
and can be used effectively as long as its only used sparingly. Both 
Chris and Sheva do 50 damage with every slash but if its used to save
a partner from a crawling or flying spunky (that’s either a Kichwa or
Kipepeo) while being grabbed it does a nice 500 damage to make sure it 
dies.

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2.2 The Stun Rod:
*****************

The stun rod is another melee weapon Chris and Sheva can use to 
increase the variety and fun in close combat fighting, its probably
also to make up for the weaker knife along with the new melee attacks.
Its used exactly like the knife albeit a bit slower to recover from
a swing. Its causes a huge 666 damage (the Beasts number if I'm not 
mistaken) to anyone it hits and has a 50% chance of a critical head
shot, or swing in this case. Most standard majini die in 1-2 hits but
please beware that some enemies are just simply immune to the effect.
One major plus to this is that it can kill a spunky in one swing to the 
head/parasite. Just be quick as you gotta get close enough to actually
hit the parasite and that’s when it tends to attack you. This awesome
perk means it rivals Flash grenades for effective spunky killing and
can be used as many times as you like were as you gotta find or buy 
flash grenades/rounds but there’s always a risk of getting hit, grenades
don't have this problem. Its up to you which is best for the situation
your in. 

The stun rod costs #3000 and becomes available at the end of chapter
2-3, it takes up one of your nine item spaces. One final note, if your
going on farming runs (re-doing chapters for ammo or money/treasure)
then I recommend giving this to your AI controlled partner and keeping
them in Cover mode to save ammo.


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3.0 Pistols:
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Pistols are your workhorse so to speak and are most likely the gun you'll
be using the most, so its very important you pick the right pistol to get
you through this nightmare in one piece. Just like RE 4 the pistols have
been improved from the old REs, and just like RE 4 the pistols are the
hardest category to decide which is the best one and I've done the most
homework on them to help me decide. I fought the horde of majini's at
the beginning of chapter 1-1 in the ally way with each pistol fully upgraded 
and took on the second horde with the Executioner (public assembly) for 
some brain splattingly good fun research as well. Anyway I think I've come 
to my conclusion and the following section details it all in its glory. But
please note that 'best' is a subjective term and I've done my best to keep
an unbiased and honest opinion and just give you the facts for you to decide
yourself (just like I have with every weapon category). Regardless of what I 
recommend I'd still like you try all the guns yourself as its not only fun
but you may prefer a gun that I didn't recommend.

Note that pistol ammo is the most common so don't be afraid to use it
when your ammo reserves are low.


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3.1 M92F:    
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This is the Pistol you first get at the butchers shop with your other 
gear, after that its available from the weapon shop straight away for
a cheap #2000. If you decide to sell it you'll get 10% of the buying 
price and the price of upgrades you've bought so far. So It would be 
#200 for an un upgraded one and varying on the upgrades you bought, 
this is the same for every weapon in the game.


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Firepower -  150   |  170  |  190  |  210  |  230  |  250  |  Total
Price -    Default | #2000 | #3000 | #4000 | #5000 | #6000 | #20,000


Firerate - Fast = bang-bang-bang 


Reload speed - 1.70sec | 1.62sec | 1.53sec | 1.36sec |  Total 
Price -        Default |  #1500  |  #2000  |  #2500  |  #6000


Capacity - 10    |  13  |  16  |  20  |  25  |   30  |   33  |   37  |  
Price -  Default | #500 | #500 | #500 | #500 | #1000 | #1000 | #1000 |

Capacity -  |   40  |   45  |   50  |   60  |   70  |   100   |  Total
Price -     | #2000 | #2000 | #4000 | #5000 | #5000 | #12,000 | #35,000


Critical % - 1     |   2   |   3   |    4    |  Total
Price -   Default  | #3000 | #8000 | #13,000 | #24,000
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Is it worth it? - So to fully upgrade this pistol it'll set you back 
#85,000 but in return you get yourself a very good pistol indeed, 
easily worth it and read below to find out why.

Aesthetics - This gun is designed after the classic Italian Beretta
series and looks very nice in both Chris and Sheva's more than
capable hands. It has a laser sight underneath the barrel for
targeting and is loaded with standard 9x19mm Parabellum bullets
inside black clips/magazines, and every time you reload you get a
nice view of the cool design on the side of the handle. A RE favorite 
as its been the pistol of choice in many of the series games although
different variations and modifications. Its placed in Chris and Sheva's
holster when not in use. It has a sorta 'pop' sound which suits the 
firearm very nicely as the Beretta ist an overpowered handgun by any 
means. Something else worth noting is that this is the gun Sheva and 
Chris always seem to have in the games videos so using this would add to
the continuity of the whole experience. Finally after every shot a
puff of smoke comes out of the barrel of the gun. 

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Pretty much. Its not as weak as
you may expect when compared to the other pistols, its got a swift
reload animation, a mega cool capacity, good speed for a handgun
and a very high critical % that just wipes out swarms of majini with ease.

Comments - This pistol may be your first one but just like the first 
one in RE 4 its an amazing handgun that will help you through this game 
on any difficulty without much trouble. First off it has an insanely high
capacity that saves you two entire item spaces of ammo, so you only need
one box for the rare times you do reload or if your like me you will
want your gun fully loaded at all times. Secondly the high Critical %
is any headshot specialists dream, I can guarantee that every 3 headshots
you make one will be a critical, if not everyone! Oh and don't worry if
spunky is gonna pop out of a majini's head as it'll come out anyway if
it wants to, so don't let that stop you going for the headshots. The
firepower isn't very high but its high enough for a pistol especially
when you take the other perks into account. Finally, fully upgrading
this gun unlocks the M93R, so that’s just another reason to make this 
your handgun of choice.  

Summary, Pros and Cons - An overall excellent choice of a handgun for
any style of player, especially for those who like headshots and
need as many item spaces as they can keep free.

Pros: You get it for free, good upgrade Price, Very high capacity, frees
up item space, amazing Critical headshot %, Swift reload and looks sweet.

Cons: The only issue I can see with this gun is that its the weakest
out of all the pistols but defiantly strong enough. 


***********
3.2 H&K P8:
***********

This Pistol becomes available for purchase after chapter 2-3 from
the weapon shop for a fair price of #4000. Sale value is #400.


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Firepower -  140   |  160  |  180  |  200  |  220  |  240  |  260  
Price -    Default | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #4000 | #4000 | #5000

Firepower - |  300  |  Total
Price -     | #6000 | #26,000


Firerate - Fast = bang-bang-bang 


Reload speed - 1.53sec | 1.36sec | 1.19sec | 1.11sec | 1.02sec | 0.85sec 
Price -        Default |  #2000  |  #3000  |  #3000  |  #3000  |  #7000

Reload speed -  |  Total
Price -         | #18,000


Capacity -  9    |  11  |  13  |  15   |  17   |   19  |   21  |   25  |  
Price -  Default | #500 | #500 | #1000 | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #5000 |

Capacity -  |  Total
Price -     | #14,000


Piercing power - 2     |   3   |   4   |    5    |  Total
Price -        Default | #5000 | #9000 | #12,000 | #26,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? This pistol costs #84,000 to fully upgrade, that’s 
#1000 cheaper than the M92F and a case of you get what you pay for
as the M92F is more than worth the extra #1000. However if you
want a pistol with more kick, miss the rapid reloads of RE 4's 
pistols and want the ability to pierce through groups of majini
and shields then this is a bargain of a gun.

Aesthetics - Designed after the German made Heckler & Koch USP and
very well done indeed. Its a nice change from the M92F's roundish
design to this more blocky and fancy look, similar to the Blacktail
from RE 4. Its laser sight is attached to the gun in a style that looks
as if it was made like that i.e. more solid and less under sling like 
the M92F. It makes a hefty crack sound when fired and smoke comes out 
the barrel after every shot. Stored in your holster when not in use and
although the reload is fast it still gives you a glispe of the detail 
of the side of the weapon and the black clip that gets loaded each time.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Again their pretty much dead on. 
When fully upgraded the reload takes less than a second and the 
piercing power is great. But I didn't really notice the power 
difference between this and the M92F.

Comments - Like all German made guns this is very good, although I 
see no need in switching from the M92F if you've invested in upgrades
already unless the piercing and rapid reload grabs your attention. This
would be a great gun for your AI partner as their programmed to go for 
body shots more often than not, so the piercing factor would be perfect
for them. This is kinda like the Punisher from RE 4 (although much 
better) so enemies that have shields pose no problem for this as you
will shoot straight through it and if you love taking on groups with 
pistols then there is no better tool for the job (well, except maybe
the M93R). Also note that although it says 300 damage per bullet, you
can rack up more damage per bullet with enemies in groups e.g. 3 majini's
would equal 900 damage per bullet. So you can really save ammo here.

Summary, pros and cons - If you liked the Punisher from RE 4 but wished
it did more damage then this gun is a dream come true, also if you miss 
the fast reloads from RE 4 this is your pistol of choice.

Pros: Does more damage than the M92F, has a rapid reload, holds a fair
amount of bullets, the piercing factor can be deadly and ammo conserving
in the right hands, looks very tech-cool and is a brilliant weapon to
give to your partner plus its cheap to upgrade.

Cons: The piercing factor can be a waste and miss used at times and there
really is no need to swap your M92F if its been upgraded already for 
this on your first or even second run.


*************
3.3 SIG P226:
*************

The SIG P226 is for sale in the weapon shop after chapter 4-2 for the
same price as the H&K P8, #4000 and can be sold for #400.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  180   |  220  |  240  |  260  |  280  |  300  |  320  
Price -    Default | #1000 | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #3000 | #4000

Firepower - |  340  |  350  |  370  |  390  |  410  |   430   |   480   | 
Price -     | #4000 | #5000 | #5000 | #7000 | #7000 | #10,000 | #15,000 |

Firepower - |  Total
Price -     | #68,000


Firerate - Fast = bang-bang-bang 


Reload speed - 1.70sec | 1.62sec | Total 
Price -        Default |  #2000  | #2000   


Capacity -  8    |  10   |  12   |  13   |  14   |   16  |  Total      
Price -  Default | #1000 | #1000 | #2000 | #3000 | #4000 | #11,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #81,000 buys you a pistol which can do more damage 
than two of the available shotguns, with the range of a pistol and at
the cost of one pistol bullet. So yeah, I'd say its worth it. Though
their is some drawbacks.

Aesthetics - Yet another German designed gun complete with a black 
finish. Just like the H&K P8 Its more blocky looking than the M92F
and the laser sight is again screwed on with an actual attachment,
not under sling. Looks just as cool as the P8 in Chris and Sheva's
hands yet more smooth and sleek, a real treat for the eyes. And it
makes a wonderful loud bang when fired to warn anyone of its high
power. And just like the others a puff of smoke comes out of the 
barrel after every shot is fired, also its stored in Chris and 
Sheva's leg holster when not being used. Finally it’s a good job
the reload looks good because its long enough. You can see some 
nice detail on the gun along with the handle and clip.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - In one way they do as they let
you know about the awesome firepower but some people may miss 
the other weak stats due to the extreme power factor, its easily
done. Or you might think with power that high the capacity and
reload speed don't matter, but they do especially when surrounded
by several enemies. 

Comments - A interesting pistol this one. Now as much as I'd like 
to whole heartedly recommend you use this, I can't, let me explain.
Anyone remember the red9 from RE 4? Well that weapon was the most
powerful pistol in that game yet it had a good capacity and a 
swift reload plus a stock to increase accuracy. Do you see what I'm
getting at? It was just too good, had no drawbacks and a pistol with
high power has to have drawback to make a game a challenge, the SIG 
P226 is what Capcom should have done with the red9, evened it up a bit.
By the way I was never a real fan of the red9 (although it was fun) I
always thought the original handgun was better. Now the SIG P226 has 
brilliant power like the red9 had yet is evened out by its combination
of poor capacity and slow reload so you gotta make those 16 bullets of
480 damage count. But if you use the quick item screen reload trick
(that’s combine ammo with the gun with just two taps of the action 
button, from the ammo to the gun) then the reload speed becomes less of
a problem but still keep an eye on the number of rounds you have left.
Never the less this is a pistol that can do major damage from all ranges
at just the cost of a handgun round (ultimately rifles are the best for
high power for long range shots) and can tackle anything from crowds
of majini to bosses as long as its used properly and reloaded often.

Summary, Pros and Cons - Overall a beast of a handgun that can cause 
some serious damage to all foes regardless of its shortcomings.

Pros: Mega damage for the cost of a single pistol round, looks and
sounds super sleek, cheapest of all handguns to fully upgrade.

Cons: Pathetic capacity combined with the slowest pistol reload 
really does hamper the gun (though this is both good and bad, 
we don't want a game too easy now do we?!). Oh I almost forgot,
it has no special perks such as piercing of high critical %. 


*********
3.4 M93R:
*********

You can buy this pistol from the weapon shop once you have fully
upgraded the M92F. It will cost you a whopping #30.000, don't worry
though its worth it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  170   |  190  |  210  |  230  |  250  |  270  |  290  
Price -    Default | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #3000 | #4000 | #4000

Firepower - |  310  |  330  |  350  |  370  |   400   |  Total    
Price -     | #5000 | #5000 | #7000 | #8000 | #15,000 | #58,000 


Firerate - This gun can be fired at different rates, but the 
standard is a rapid 3 round burst = bangbangbang-bangbangbang 


Reload speed - 1.70sec | 1.62sec | 1.53sec | 1.36sec | Total 
Price -        Default |  #1000  |  #2000  |  #3000  | #6000   


Capacity -  10    |  12   |  14   |  16   |  18   |  20   |  22        
Price -  Default  | #500  | #1000 | #1500 | #1500 | #2000 | #2000

Capacity - |  24   |  26   |  30   |  Total
Price -    | #2500 | #3000 | #8000 | #22,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #86,000 plus the #30,000 to buy the gun itself 
makes it the most expensive pistol in the game. Good job its a 
bit more than a pistol then, worth every penny!

Aesthetics - A relative of the M92F and just as sleek as its Italian
brother. Resi fans will know this is the gun Claire Redfield used
in Resident Evil Code Veronica (X). It's got a very modded look
and rightly so as its got a built on stock and handle to control 
recoil. Its Laser sight it attached on top of the gun unlike the 
other pistols in the game were their underneath. During reload you 
get a look at the pretty brown handle and a quick glimpse of the clip
sliding in with the standard handgun ammo. 

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Yes and no. They alert you of the
weapons awesome firepower and 3 round burst but don't inform you of 
the many ways the gun can be fired with some practice. And of course
its got a swift reload and comfortable capacity.

Comments - This is easily a contender for best pistol in the game, you
defiantly get your moneys worth here. To start of it does major damage,
just below the SIG P226, but doesn't have as much a problem when it comes
to reload speed and capacity. It has a stock and handle to improve
accuracy and control the recoil, and due to its unique perk it needs them
both. This gun has the ability to fire bullets rapidly with no break
in-between each shot. This feature can be used many different ways and 
essentially turns this pistol into a machine gun with more power and 
accuracy. There are many ways it can be fired and I encourage you to
experiment to find your favorite, this also means it can be used for
different jobs from crowd control to boss killing. The main ones worth
mentioning are as follows:

Single shot = Can still be fired like a standard handgun for accurate hits
or ammo conserving. Just tap the fire button, the faster you tap the faster 
the bullet will fire.

3 Round burst = This is what the gun is advertised with and a returning 
feature from older RE games. Just hold down the fire button and you will
fire 3 shots rapidly then the gun will stop to recover, press again for
another 3 shots.

3 Round burst without the recovery = This is about timing, just before you
fire off the last shot let go of the fire button and press it again and you
should fire off another 3 rounds without the recovery period between bursts.

Constant rapid fire = This is very much like the 3 Round burst without the 
recovery but slightly faster and can be continued for as long as you like
or till you need to reload. Just repeat the 3 Round burst without the 
recovery method but time your fire button 'release' and 'press' so it fires
no stop like a machine gun. May require some practice to get it right.

So as you can see this is a monster of a gun and can be used as much more
than pistol. But, and it is a 'J lo' BUTT, due to its rapid fire nature and
ability to be used on all enemy types it goes through handgun ammo like 
George Bush went through retarded quotes. So unless you have completed the 
game a few times and have a huge stock load of pistol ammo in your inventory
box (the one you have access to between each chapter) or heaven forbid you use 
Infinite ammo? You must be careful not to waste too much ammo and use your
others guns as well.

Summary, Pros and Cons - If you like the SIG P226's power but hate its 
drawbacks then this is a more than good replacement for a pistol with
power. In a way its more powerful as its standard 3 Round burst can cause
a huge 1200 damage. Its swift reload and cool capacity is a plus and don't 
forget its mega cool perk of all the different fire rates, which includes
rapid fire.

Pros: High power, comfy reload speed and capacity, stock and rest handle to
increase accuracy and reduce recoil and the ability to be fired at different
rates.

Cons: Only the high price and ammo consumption is a problem, ammo 
Consumption can be controlled though.


********
3.5 Px4: 
********

This is a wicked pistol that’s exclusive to Jill BSAA in the Mercenaries
game, shame as its such a brilliant gun. It can't be upgraded and its
stats are as follows:

Firepower - 300

Firerate - Fast = bang-bang-bang

Reload speed - 1.70sec

Capacity - 25

Critical % - 87.5%

Please note: I'm note sure what numbered level the critical is as 
the game doesn't tell you unlike the other guns with a high critical
%. But from my experience using this and a fully upgraded M92F I'd 
say its a 5.

Is it worth it? - You get it for free as Jill BSAA in Mercenaries.

Aesthetics - This a direct lift of a Beretta Px4 Storm, made by the
same Italian company as the Beretta pistols. Very easy on the eyes
and makes a lovely sound when fired (even more so if an enemies head
is blown off by the shot ;-] )and has the cool smoke effect after each 
round. The laser sight is attached on very much like the H&K P8 and SIG 
P226. Its stored in Jill's leg holster when not in use and uses the 
standard handgun bullets.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - If you understand the whole critical
% system? then yeah the stats are dead on. The system is simple, each gun
starts with a standard critical % and all the upgrades do is increase
the chances of you landing a critical headshot with a single hit to the 
head.  

Comments - I love this gun! The critical % of the M92F is awesome, 
but this one is just godly. Every two headshots will be critical,
guaranteed. Actually every shot will most likely be critical. It 
does a respectable 300 damage, which is more than the M92F, in 
fact the only thing the M92F has over the Px4 is a higher capacity 
and a faster reload. But the reload speed is manageable with the capacity
which isn't important as item space shouldn't be a problem with Jill in 
Mercenaries. The 25 rounds should give you enough breathing space till 
your next reload. I really can't credit this gun enough, I wish it was in 
the main game, its also one of the reasons Jill BSAA is one of my favorite 
characters in the Mercenaries.

Summary, Pros and Cons - Aim high and you will always prevail against all
standard majini's, even crowds can be wiped out in seconds. Don't worry 
about the possibility of spunky popping out of the majini's head because 
Jill BSAA comes with 5 Flash grenades as standard.

Pros: Godly Critical %, good power, reload speed and capacity. Oh and it 
looks cool.

Cons: You can't get it in the main game 8-( .


*****************
3.6 Samurai Edge:  
*****************

This is unfortunately another Mercenaries exclusive gun and belongs 
to the man in shades, Wesker STARS. Just like Jill's Px4 its stats 
are un upgradeable and set at the following:

Firepower - 400

Firerate - Fast = bang-bang-bang

Reload speed - 1.70sec

Capacity - 15

Is it worth it? - You get this with Wesker STARS in the Mercenaries 
game as standard.

Aesthetics - In my opinion this is the best looking pistol in the game,
and a contender for best looking gun in the game. RE fans will remember
the Samurai Edge handgun from the Resident Evil remake for Gamecube.
There was many different variations on the Samurai Edge, Chris, Barry and
Wesker all had different modifications. Its a modded M92F originally
made by Joe Kendo, the brother of Robert Kendo who owned the gun shop
in Raccoon city. The one in this game is the best of the lot and 
personally modified by Albert Wesker. He still has it now as the gun
he shoots you with in the main game is this very weapon. 

Extremely stylish with its black and silver finish, the brown handle with
a gold star in the middle (STARS logo, can be seen during reload) just adds 
to the very nice look of this gun. Makes a meaty bang when fired, has the puff 
of smoke effect after its been fired and is stored in Wesker's leg holster when 
not killing enemies. Oh and I almost forgot the laser sight which is attached
under the guns barrel, kinda like the Px4 but looks much better. Also note the
15 round clip, this gun is from the old RE's and most pistols held 15 bullets 
then. Nice one Capcom 8*) .  

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Yep, except the reload doesn't
seem as long as the SIG P226 (un upgraded) even though there supposed 
to be the same length. This also applies to Jill's Px4. This could be
pure psychological on my part due to the Samurai's beauty.

Comments - This is the most powerful pistol available in the 
Mercenaries and can be used on all the sub-bosses if so desired.
The capacity and reload aren’t great but they seem to be more of
a nostalgic twist to the gun (The old RE's pistols held 15 rounds 
and weren’t that quick at reloading). Plus the fact the gun is gorgeous
looking makes it more bearable (much like myself actually).
This mega awesome pistol just adds to the reason Wesker STARS is one
of the best characters in the Mercenaries. Again I wish it was in the 
main game for Chris/Sheva to use.

Summary, Pros and Cons - I don't think I can praise this gun anymore
without repeating myself.

Pros: Strongest pistol in the mercenaries, looks very groovy and 
has a nice nostalgic touch to it.

Cons: Doesn't have any special perks and I suppose the slow reload
and smallest pistol capacity in the game could be considered bad 
but like I said above I like the nostalgia of it, well suited to 
Wesker STARRS.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------

******************************************
3.7 Conclusion: which is the best pistol?:
******************************************

This ones a real toughie, but I'd have to go with the Px4 due to
its ridiculously high critical % perk, great power and decent 
capacity, the reload speed isn't too bad either when you take
the capacity into account. I decided on the Px4 due to the fact
you'll mostly be using your handgun on standard Majini's and this
gun goes through them like a hot knife through butter. I am aware 
you can't get this gun in the main game, so the best handgun you 
can get in the main game has to be the M92F because it has the same
perk as the Px4, although not quite as high a %. It also has the 
advantage of saving you two whole item spaces with its awesome 
capacity and its power is enough for a handgun as long as you 
don't take on too many tougher enemies with it.

Honorable mentions have to go to the M93R for its power and 
versatility, and the H&K P8 for its piercing ability and
rapid reload. Both the SIG P226 and Samurai Edge are great
weapons but offer nothing new or better when compared with
the other pistols. However if your only taking the Mercenaries
into account the SIG P226 and Samurai Edge are two of the best
pistols available. 

And the winner is = Px4/M92F
-----------------------------------------------------------------

*************
4.0 Shotguns:
*************

Resident Evil wouldn't be Resident Evil without a shotgun to blow
zombies (majini's in this case) brains into mush and RE5 certainly
raises the bar when it comes to quality of the shotguns you get to
play with. All four shotties are unique and have their advantages
and disadvantages and it can be hard to pick between them,
that’s were I come in. Below I've done my best at evaluating each
shotty individually and then summarizing to see which is ultimately
the best shotgun to have on your back, literally. 

Also note that shotgun shells are rather common, especially when
using your shotty regularly, so don't be afraid to blow a hole or
few into all kinds of enemies when needed. 


***************
4.1 Ithaca M37:
***************

The M37 is found during chapter 1-2 inside the old building, its
right next to the building where the woman in the black dress 
screams for your help. You'll need a key to get inside, the key
is inside the top floor of a house, just assist jump Sheva at the
first broken ladder you come across (at the beginning of the 
chapter) to see it and then again at the second for her to go and 
get it. Once your in the old building the Ithaca is in full view in
the typical RE style, on a wall mount. After that it becomes available
to buy from the weapon shop for #2000, sells for #200.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  200   |  230  |  260  |  300  |  330  |  360  |  400  
Price -    Default | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #3000 | #5000 | #9000

Firepower - |  Total
Price -     | #24,000


Firerate - Pump action shotgun = bang'pump'bang 


Reload speed - 3.00sec | 2.85sec | 2.70sec | 2.40sec |  Total 
Price -        Default |  #500   |  #1000  |  #3000  |  #4500


Capacity -  6    |   7  |   8  |   9  |  10  |   12  |   13  |   15  |  
Price -  Default | #500 | #500 | #500 | #500 | #1000 | #1000 | #1500 |

Capacity -  |   16  |   17  |   18  |   20  |   22  |   25    |  Total
Price -     | #2000 | #3000 | #4000 | #5000 | #7000 | #10,000 | #36,500


Critical % - 1     |   2   | Total
Price -   Default  | #5000 | #5000
---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Is it worth it? - #70,000 is the asking price to upgrade this to its 
full potential, making it the cheapest shotgun in the game. Its worth the
money because fully upgrading it unlocks the Hydra, a major plus, and
the gun itself isn’t too bad either. 

Aesthetics - The stats may not be the best but this gun don't half look
good, during use and while resting on your back. This gun is a perfect
example of the detail Capcom put into their games, even the scuff marks
on the reloading handle look awesome. One little thing I think looks
amazing on this gun, and again shows off the detail, is the actual
metal switch that the wooden reload handle pumps to load another shell
ready to be fired (it can be seen much easier while the guns on your 
back). That’s a very minute thing but its the little things that make 
the big difference, all the best game developers know this (the likes
of Rockstar, Naughty Dog and Capcom).

Another interesting point is that this gun seems to be made for Chris's
BSAA costume as it suits it perfectly while resting on his back. It
still looks cool on Sheva though. The gun itself is an identical copy
of the Ithaca M37 Shotgun used by both American Military and Police.
The reload is a simple one, you load two shells into the gun (regardless
of the number you actually need) and pump it. Makes a lovely bang when 
fired and has the standard smoke after each shot, also the laser sight
is attached to the side of the gun so you can get a good shot on the
enemies. One final point is that you can see this gun can have a strap </pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
attached due to the hole available on the handle, you can't actually do 
it in this game though. 

Do the stats tell the whole story? - I didn't notice much difference
in the ability to blow heads off between this and the M3 for example,
infact due to the M3's power it blows heads off easier. But other than
the critical factor the stats let you know what your dealing with.

Comments - Seeing as this is the first shotgun you get your gonna 
love it regardless of the others available later on. And if your
on your very first playthrough? (which if you are what are you
doing reading my guide?! Naughty naughty) this will serve you very 
well without the need to change to one of the other shotties later
in the game, as long as your not on a difficulty higher than Normal.
I really like this boomstick and it has saved my ass many times in 
tough situations, including sub-boss encounters. Like all shotties
its a reliable source of power and the ultimate crowd control tool
so you can get real use out of this weapon. Its large capacity has to
be noted as well because it almost holds an entire box of shells,
saving you much needed item space. 

It has a standard power factor of 400 which is a nice hole just 
waiting to be made. But also be aware that shotguns have a varying
power factor, at longer ranges the power will be lowered and at 
extremely close range it can do more damage than the stats tell you.
This applies to all shotguns, especially the Jail Breaker and Hydra.
If you want proof of this start a game on the Mercenaries on Public
Assembly as Wesker STARS and wait for the Executioner to come and
start shooting him with your L. Hawk which does 2300 damage per 
bullet and see how many rounds it takes (make sure you shoot him in
the same spot till dead or the results may differ). Now kill the next
Executioner with your Hydra, which does 500 damage per shell, as up 
close as you possibly can and see how many shells it takes. I can 
almost guarantee it will take the same or most likely less ammo than 
the L. Hawk took. Magic eh? Nah its just ballistics.   

Summary, Pros and Cons - Overall a steady and reliable shotgun with
a high capacity and decent firepower, also it has a swift reload
and a critical headshot factor, though I have to admit this isn't as 
noticeable as I'd expected mainly due to the guns spread effect. 
Worth upgrading to unlock the Hydra alone and I just love playing
with this weapon regardless of the stats.

Pros: Cheapest shotty, high capacity, critical % and respectable
power along with a quick reload. Oh and it looks groovy.

Cons: Compared to the other shotguns its rather weak and basic,
critical factor can be hard to even notice.


*******
4.2 M3:  
*******

The M3 is found in chapter 3-3 on a small docking area just 
behind where Josh docks the boat for the second time. It then
can be bought for #4000 from the weapon shop once the chapter 
ends. Sale value is #400.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  300   |  320  |  350  |  370  |  400  |  420  |  450  
Price -    Default | #1000 | #1000 | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #3000

Firepower - |  480  |  500  |  550  |  600  |  650  |   700   |
Price -     | #4000 | #4000 | #5000 | #5000 | #8000 | #10,000 |

Firepower - |   900   |  Total
Price -     | #12,000 | #60,000


Firerate - Pump action shotgun = bang'pump'bang 


Reload speed - 3.00sec | 2.70sec |  Total 
Price -        Default |  #3000  |  #3000


Capacity -  5    |   6   |   7   |   8   |   9   |  10   |  Total     
Price -  Default | #1000 | #1500 | #2000 | #2500 | #3000 | #10,000 
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #73,000 buys you arguably the most powerful shotty 
in the game with only a slow reload and weak capacity to hold it back. 
But those factors are unimportant due to the fact you should never
need to go more than 10 shells to clear a crowd or kill a sub-boss
with a power factor of 900, letting you reload in peace. For what
you get this gun is rather cheap.

Aesthetics - This meaty weapon looks just like the real life combat
shotgun Benelli M3 made by the Italian firearms manufacturer Benelli.
Used by police SWAT teams and sportsmen. I especially like the way
an empty shell is ejected out the gun, if you pause the game while 
shooting you can see the ejection port on the side of the gun opening 
and shutting. Looks very modern and techno compared to the M37 and also
looks cool on Chris's back, especially the Safari costume. Reloading 
is identical to the M37 and shows of the details on the side of the gun
and the reload itself seems more easier and marginally quicker (I'm 
referring to the pump between each shot, not the shell reload as that’s 
slower than the M37). It makes a louder bang when fired than the M37, 
what a surprise, and has the little smoke effect after each shot.
Much like the M37 the laser is connected to the side of the gun, but
on the barrel this time.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Yes they do. But unlike the SIG 
P226 the low capacity and slow reload isn't an issue.

Comments - Anyone remember the Riot Gun from RE4? Well I loved that gun
and thought it was the best shotgun in the game and the M3 is like a 
supped up Riot Gun so you can imagine how much I love this weapon. If you 
want your shotty to wipe out crowds and make bosses scared of YOU? Then 
this is the shotgun you'll most likely want. The standard power factor is 
through the roof and when your up close its even more effective, 'is it
a bird? is it a plane? is it Chuck Norris?! NO its a majini's head!'.
Also note it has a longer barrel than the other shotguns letting you get 
nice and close to the enemies various soon to be gone body parts.

Summary, Pros and Cons - If you have this weapon on your back it'll rarely
let you down, contender number one for best shotty in the game.

Pros: Mega damage even without taking the extra shotgun damage factor into
account (refer to the M37 for details), cheap price considering what you get 
for it, and you get it rather early on in the game. Has a longer barrel for 
easier close up shots. 

Cons: Slow reload and poo capacity is this guns only flaws however they are 
both very irrelevant. Doesn't have any special perks either.


*****************
4.3 Jail Breaker:  
*****************
You get this shotty very late in the game, chapter 6-1 just before you enter 
the room where you speak to Excella underneath the massive square spiraling
stairs. After that its up for sale in the weapon shop for #4000 once you have
completed chapter 6-3. You can sell it un upgraded for #400.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  180   |  200  |  220  |  250  |  300  |   350   |  Total  
Price -    Default | #2000 | #3000 | #4000 | #7000 | #10,000 | #26,000


Firerate - Semi-Auto shotgun = bang--bang--bang 


Reload speed - 2.52sec | 2.38sec | 2.24sec | 2.10sec | 1.96sec | 
Price -        Default |  #500   |  #1500  |  #2000  |  #5000  |

Reload speed - | 1.82sec |  Total
Price -        |  #7000  | #16,000

Capacity -  5    |   6   |   7   |   8   |   9   |  10   |  11       
Price -  Default | #1000 | #1000 | #1500 | #1500 | #2000 | #2000

Capacity - |  12   |  13   |  15   |  Total
Price -    | #3000 | #4000 | #6000 | #22,000

Attack range -  7    |  10   |   15    |  Total
Price -      Default | #6000 | #15,000 | #21,000 
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - You'll be paying #85,000 for this not so normal 
shotgun and if its used properly you'll be glad you did. However
if you like the way this gun works you will be better off not
upgrading this straight away and save up for the Hydra.

Aesthetics - In terms of looks this gun looks just like a grenade 
launcher, I'm not aware if there is a real life shotgun designed 
like this but I'd imagine so, some kind of riot weapon. It may be
a variation of a Atchisson Assault Shotgun with a drum magazine? 
In game it has a very fancy and techno/modern look to it with compact 
size, adjustable arm rest and handle. You can see the drum magazine 
operating during use, ejecting and loading shells. The weapon looks
rather cute when on your players back but that cuteness soon 
evaporates when you fire the damn thing and see all the pellets go
into someone, makes a cool sound when fired as well. The reload
is very quick and all you see is the player slamming two shells into 
the drum of the gun. Finally the laser sight is on the side of the
gun in a very attachment style.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - They don't give this weapon 
justice unless you know about the attack range perk or the extra damage 
all shotguns are capable of, especially this one. Key point here is its
not as weak as you may first think.

Comments - Down on paper this is the weakest shotgun in the game but 
that’s not the case, although its not as stupidly overpowered as the 
Striker was in RE4. The Striker in RE4 suffered from the red9 syndrome
(Did I just coin a phrase? Damn I'm goood!) it was way overpowered
and had a ridiculous capacity of 100 shells along with a similar attack
range perk as the Jailbreaker does. Although thankfully Capcom have done
with this what they did with the SIG P226, evened it up a bit. Now lets 
get the basics out the way, it has a wicked fast reload which compensates
for the not great but not bad capacity. 

But the main point of this gun is the power factor and Attack range perk. 
As I briefly mentioned above the Jailbreaker only has a damage factor of 
350 (the basic Ithaca M37 does 400) so it may seem turd for a shotgun but 
take into account that all shotguns can nearly double there damage at close 
range and with its range perk it can almost be tripled. You see the Attack 
range doesn't just effect long range shots because it also boosts its close 
range aswell due to all the extra pellets that’s fired. Add to this the fact 
the gun doesn't spread as much (the circular radius of pellets fired is much 
smaller than the M37 and M3 but contains the same amount, leading to more 
concentrated shots) makes one awesomely powerful weapon in the right hands.
Unlike the M37 and M3 this shotgun can be used to hit more precise targets
with all its power going into that one thing e.g. a bosses weak spot or a 
majini's head, instead of being spread across the whole enemy. So if you
like to blow heads off with a shotgun or need to hit an exact target? This
is the tool for you. This also makes it better at head shots than the M37
regardless of its critical perk. 

So this gun can pump out some serious damage regardless of what the stats say. 
A word of warning though, you must get close to whatever target you wish to 
hit/do major damage too as even with the extra range given by the perk its 
still crap at distances (I believe that attack range perk is to boost the 
guns power at closer ranges rather than improve its long distance 
effectiveness as I detailed above). One final thing, you hold the gun by the
hip and not on the shoulders like the M37 and M3 so aiming is different and
may be awkward if you can't find the laser while targeting a very close 
enemy. Oh I almost forgot, it doesn't need pumping after every shot so its
also faster at firing than the other two shotties, again adding to the
guns ability to cause some serious damage.

Summary, Pros and Cons - After reading the above I think you're aware how
great this shotgun is when used correctly.

Pros: Fastest reload of all shotguns, faster firing 'Semi-Auto', has more
compact pellets (less spread, more straight) when fired than the M37 and M3 
allowing more precise shots on specific objects e.g. heads and bosses weak 
spots, and the Attack range perk boosts the close range power to almost triple 
the standard 350.

Cons: Its low capacity and aiming from the hip seems the only problem but
the capacity issue is eased by the lightning fast reload and the aiming 
is a subjective matter. Also you don't get this gun till the very end of 
the game. There’s also the matter of the gun being very poor at longer 
ranges regardless of what the Attack range perk may make you believe.
This certainly isn't the shotgun for you if you use it any further
than close-medium range, medium is pushing it!


********** 
4.4 Hydra: 
**********  

You unlock this boomstick of death by fully upgrading the Ithaca M37.
The price is a measly #30,000, compared to the power it gives you
thats nothing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  280   |  290  |  310  |  330  |  350  |  380  |  400  
Price -    Default | #2000 | #3000 | #3000 | #4000 | #4000 | #5000

Firepower -  |  420  |  440  |  460  |   500   |   550   |  Total
Price -      | #5000 | #7000 | #7000 | #10,000 | #13,000 | #63,000


Firerate - Sawn-off shotgun = bang--bang--bang 


Reload speed - 3.67sec | 3.30sec | Total  
Price -        Default |  #2000  | #2000


Capacity -  4     |   5   |   6   |   7   |   8   |   9   |  10        
Price -   Default | #1000 | #1000 | #1000 | #1500 | #1500 | #2000

Capacity -  | Total
Price -     | #8000


Attack range -  7    |  10   |   15    |  Total
Price -      Default | #6000 | #15,000 | #21,000 
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #94,000 means this is the most expensive shotgun in
the game and I'll just say this...BUY IT!

Aesthetics - The Hydra is easily one of the most stylish guns in the
game. Whether its the classical look of it or the super cool reload 
sequence, this gun oozes awesome. Its obviously a direct copy of a real
life Sawn-off shotgun with the added bonus of a third barrel. The gun
fits onto the players back lovely and looks just as good as the M37,
if not better. I also love the way the laser sight has been taped onto
the bottom of the gun in a very makeshift fashion. The reload sequence
as I previously mentioned is a sheer joy to watch and makes those three
seconds of reload time fly by, probably the best reload sequence in the 
game. The deafening boom it makes when being fired is brilliant and 
really makes you realise the damage you just caused. I can't compliment
the way this gun looks enough!

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Very much like the Jailbreaker, if
you understand how the Attack range perk works then you will be fully
aware how formidable this gun is. If you want the details on the attack 
range perk refer to the Jailbreaker.

Comments - I present to you contender number two for the best shotgun in
the game. This beauty is like a hybrid of the three other shotties in the
game. It has the Ithaca M37's style and looks, the M3's brute strength
and the Jailbreaker's Attack range perk. Need I say more? No, but I will 
anyway. Forget the low capacity as nothing short of bosses can survive
10 close up shots from this monster so that’s not a problem and the super
stylish reload will most likely make you happy the reload takes 3.30 
seconds. Now 550 damage is great to begin with but add the extra damage
a close up shot from a shotgun can do as well as the Attack range perk
that makes close up shots even more deadly (I explained how this works
in detail in the Jailbreaker section, check that for details) so we're
talking 1000's of damage here. I actually figured That Wesker STARS in
the Mercenaries mode has both a L. Hawk and a Hydra and the Hydra is 
capable of doing more damage than the L. Hawk (I explained this in the 
M37 section, check there for more details) and that one isn't even
fully upgraded.

The Attack range perk also means its pellets are less spread and more 
straight which makes it better for hitting a particular target such as
a majini's head or a Reapers soft spot. But much like the Jailbreaker
its works best at extreme close range although it is better at long 
range shots than the Jailbreaker is. Finally I have to mention the
fast fire rate it has due to the fact it doesn't have to pump 
between shots, it fires just as fast as the Jailbreaker but with
more power. Oh and incase your wondering you can only fire one shell
at a time not two or the whole three like Sawn-off shotguns can as
it only has one trigger, the design and extra barrel is mainly for 
show and to let you know about its intense power. One final yet
important fact is that you aim different with this gun than you do
with all other guns in the game. Its aimed and fired with one hand
(by Chris and Wesker, Sheva uses two) at a level a bit higher than 
the shoulder held shotties, M37 and M3. This can be strange at first 
but you'll quickly get used to it and then love it. Sheva just uses 
it like other shotguns.

Summary, Pros and Cons - At close range this weapon makes you 
practically invincible! This is the closest gun in the game
your gonna get to one of RE4's stupidly overpowered guns such
as the Striker or red9. But due to its slow reload, weak capacity
and charm it gets away with it and doesn't fall victim to the 
'red9 syndrome'. 

Pros: High standard power and insane power when used up close
with its attack range perk, sexy reload sequence and appearance.
Can kill all and any enemy in the game, especially good against
spunky that pops out of majini's head because if you don't have
a flash grenade handy they can drain ammo. Not with the Hydra,
one or two close up shots at the most kills it.

Cons: Both the reload speed and capacity are poor but really don't
matter. It'll take you awhile to get this due to its high price
and the fact you have to fully upgrade the M37.
------------------------------------------------------------------

*******************************************
4.5 Conclusion: which is the best shotgun?:
*******************************************

This is a clear fight between the M3 and the Hydra and depending on
how and what you use your shotgun for will decide on which you
prefer. If you tend to use your shotgun for all ranges when its
required and still want a big kick out of it then the M3 can't be 
beat with it high power although it lowers over high range. 
But if you use your shotty mainly close up and want tremendous power 
then the Hydra wins because it actually does more damage than the M3 
up close due to the attack range perk, regardless of what the stats 
tell you. But for me I'd have to say the Hydra wins it because it takes 
the best bits from the other three shotguns and combines them to make a 
devastating yet stylish weapon.

And the winner is = Hydra
------------------------------------------------------------------

***********
5.0 Rifles:
***********

Rifles where first introduced to Resident Evil in Resident Evil Code 
Veronica (X) by the hilariously insane Alfred Ashford. But it wasn't 
until RE4 that they became a proper weapon that can be used throughout 
the game, and they make a marvelous comeback in RE5 . Rifles are easily 
one of my favorite weapon classes due to their high power, accuracy, 
versatility (if your skilled with it) and their ability to blow heads 
clean off 'BOOM HEADSHOT!!!'. Just like RE4 there are two distinct types
of rifle available and below I've detailed both of them across all three 
rifles you can get in this game. Rifles are best for long range sniping
hence why they come equiped with a zoom scope for zooming in on distint
and sometimes hidden targets. They can however be used in close range
fighting as well, especially the Semi-auto ones. So if you need power 
in close quaters don't be afrade to whip your rifle out. If your playing
co-op it may be a good idea to have one player scope out an area before 
entering and having that same sniper take point in tough situations.

Rifle ammo is neither common nor rare so use accordingly. Beaware that 
the more you use a gun the more ammo will appear in random ammo drops 
so if you like rifles and can use them in close quarters as well as 
sniping then use it as much as you like.  


********
5.1 S75:  
********

This is the first rifle you get in the game but don't let that trick you
into believing its not as good as the others. You find it in chapter 2-1
just before you enter the shanty town and just after the dock area. Its 
in a house where loads of majini come bursting out, also Kirk starts 
shootings rockets at them just before you get to the house. It becomes
available in the weapon shop after you complete chapter 2-3 for #2000
and can be sold for #200. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  750   |  800  |  850  |  900  |  950  |  1050 |  1120 |   
Price -    Default | #1000 | #1000 | #2000 | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 |  

Firepower - |  1200 |  1270 |  1350 |  1420 |  1500 |  1700 |   2000  |
Price -     | #3000 | #3000 | #4000 | #5000 | #5000 | #8000 | #12,000 |

Firepower - |  Total
Price -     | #51,000


Firerate - Bolt action rifle = bang'load another cartridge'bang 


Reload speed - 3.67sec | 3.30sec |  Total 
Price -        Default |  #3000  |  #3000


Capacity -  6    |   7  |   8  |   10  |   12  |   15  |   17  |     
Price -  Default | #500 | #500 | #1000 | #1000 | #2000 | #2000 |

Capacity - |   20  |   22  |   25  |   40  |   50    |  Total
Price -    | #3000 | #4000 | #4000 | #8000 | #10,000 | #36,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #90,000 is the asking price to fully upgrade this
rifle and if you ask me its worth every penny. This weapon can be 
used by both sniping masters and beginners, its power is only beat
by magnums and the brilliant capacity saves you space in your
inventory. Also its one of the most Aesthetically pleasing weapons 
in the game. Did I mention that fully upgrading it unlocks the 
Longbow to buy? You have to complete the game as well though. 

Aesthetics - This thing is as beautiful as the Hydra and Samurai 
Edge and its reload animation rivals the Hydra's. Take your pick 
which one but its designed after a bolt action rifle used for 
hunting large game or snipers that prefer this over the semi-auto 
style rifles. Everything about this gun looks good, I especially
like the reload after each shot and the full reload (when you
actually put more ammo in the gun) is even better, the sound
it makes is divine. It also looks cool on Chris BSAA's 
and Sheva's 'Clubbin' back when not being used. In the looks 
department this gun is pure class and super stylish.  

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Basically, its super strong,
super cool and has a huge capacity. 

Comments - I just adore this rifle and its one of my favorite guns
in the game. To start off with its got a huge 2000 damage per bullet
ontop of the piercing factor all rifles have, so this beauty can be 
used on anything from a majini to the very last boss battle. Also 
note it only takes two clean hits on the ammo draining spunkies that
randomly burst out of majini's heads, showcasing the weapons power.
Its amazing 50 round capacity will save you loads of space because
you don't need to carry a box of ammo with you. And its reload maybe
slow but when it looks this good who cares, plus with a capacity of
50 you won't be reloading often anyway. Its also cheap for such a 
strong weapon.

Now onto this guns weakness, if you want to call it a weakness, the
reload between each shot. Seeing as this is a bolt action rifle you 
have to load a round every time you fire a shot to ready another to 
be fired. During this time you will no longer look down the scope for
a brief moment while you load another cartridge into the gun, this may
make you lose you bearings to what your shooting, especially if you 
missed your target. But what it also does is make you aware of your
near surroundings (something you'd most likely be unaware of if you
were still looking down the scope) a huge plus in my mind as its very
annoying when a majini creeps up on you just as your about to decapitate 
his friend. 

Something else the reload does is exaggerate every shot you take, 
so if you miss it feels really bad due to the reload and the enemy 
is still there. But on the other hand, if you blow a majini's head 
off it makes it all the more enjoyable while your loading another 
round into the gun. This is one of the reasons using this gun is 
so much fun, its a headshot Specialists dream come true. One final 
point I have to make is to dismiss any beliefs that this rifle is for 
pros only, due to the fact their less likely to miss so the reload 
between each shot isn't so bad. Whereas if you miss with the Semi-auto 
rifles it doesn't matter due to their fast firerate. Now I understand 
why people may think this but remember the S75's extreme power, so you 
can just aim for the body to kill majini's in one shot, which is a bigger 
target than the head (the head is what you'd have to hit to kill a majini 
in one shot with either Semi-auto rifle, most of the time anyway). So this 
can be used by novices too, but pros will have more fun going for the 
headshots with this monster. Finally, this may not be the best rifle to 
be used in close quarters combat but pros can manage it, I do and its high 
power always pays off.
     
Summary, Pros and Cons - As you can probably tell from my comments 
section I really like this gun and recommend you pick this as your rifle 
of choice. An awesome weapon in every respect.

Pros: Very high power, can be used on all enemy types (even bosses), 
holds loads of ammo saving you item space, can be used by pros and 
beginners, stylish looking is an understatement and rather cheap 
considering what you get.

Cons: Slow reload but it looks so good and you shouldn't need to reload 
often, needs reloading in-between each shot and you stop looking down 
the sight while doing this (I've detailed above why neither of these is 
really a problem, and the reload animation sounds and looks great). 
Not the best rifle for close quarters fighting unless you're very good 
with it.


*****************
5.2 Dragunov SVD:
*****************

This is the second rifle you get throughout the game and its the first
that’s semi-auto. It’s found in chapter 2-2 just after the cut scene 
with Irving in a locker and this is just at the moment when a rifle is 
extremely useful, how convenient. It can be bought for #4000 after
chapter 2-3 and sold for #400. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  650   |  700  |  750  |  800  |  850  |  900  |  950  |   
Price -    Default | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #3000 | #4000 | #5000 |  

Firepower - |  1000 |  1100 |  1300   |  Total  
Price -     | #5000 | #8000 | #12,000 | #44,000


Firerate - Semi-auto rifle = bang--bang--bang 


Reload speed - 2.83sec | 2.69sec | 2.55sec | 2.41sec |  Total 
Price -        Default |  #500   |  #1000  |  #1500  |  #3000


Capacity -  7    |   9  |  10  |   12  |   13  |   15  |   16  |     
Price -  Default | #500 | #500 | #1000 | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 |

Capacity - |   18  |  Total   
Price -    | #6000 | #15,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #62,000 will buy you a fully upgraded Dragunov and
if you prefer semi-auto to bolt action rifles then this is the one to
pick and worth the upgrade price.

Aesthetics - In the looks department this is a rather attractive 
weapon but not as stylish as the S75. It does look just like a 
real Dragunov SVD sniper rifle and goes very well on both Chris
BSAA and Sheva's BSAA back. The reload is a simple clip reload
and has a rather quirky bang when fired. Finally like all rifles it
has a laser that the other player can see while aiming and the smoke
effect after firing.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Tells you everything except
for the atrocious sway you have to put up with while aiming the
gun.

Comments - As I stated before this is the first semi-auto rifle you 
in the game so people who don't like the bolt action rifle, can't use 
the bolt action rifle or both will be very pleased with this and out
of the two semi-auto rifles this is the best due to its higher power 
and bigger clip. Although this doesn't do as much damage as the bolt 
action rifle it can pump damage out quicker due to its faster rate of 
fire and against enemies that are fast, deadly and take shit loads of
damage e.g. Lickers this is a very useful tool to have. Speaking of
Lickers this is the best weapon against them besides the Rocket 
launcher and Nitrogen rounds due to its power, firerate and scope.
The best and quickest way to kill them is shoot the Licker in its 
head so it lifts it higher than normal and shows its heart on its 
chest, now shoot the heart and it should be dead. You couldn't do
this with the bolt due to the reload because the Licker would already 
have its heart covered by its ugly head before you could get a second
shot off, it doesn't have time with the Dragunov and H&K PSG-1.

One more thing to mention is that due to its faster rate of fire and
still high power its generally better in close quarters than the bolt
as you can clear a group of enemies dead easy and can be better than a
shotgun at times. Like all rifles it has great penetration and can kill
enemies lined up or blast through shields like paper. Just bear in mind 
that’s its lower power means it may not kill a majini in one shot unless 
its a head shot which are harder to get with this as its doesn't have a 
cross for its scope, it has a red dot which seems to make accurate shots
harder to achieve. Oh did I mention the sway? This gun has awful sway 
when aiming, the worst in the game never mind the worst in the rifle
category!

Summary, Pros and Cons - This is the best semi-auto rifle available
and if you don't like the bolt then this is the rifle for you. Also
if you need to pump out damage quickly with a rifle and have loads of 
ammo then this is what you want.

Pros: Decent power and capacity, bearable and plain reload, good
firerate, great at pumping out damage in a short space of time,
rather cheap and one of the best weapons against the Lickers.

Cons: Has a stupid amount of sway when aiming which can make
accurate shots harder (or easier if you go with the rhythm??),
per bullet the damage is average when compared to the S75 and
the dot sight in the scope isn't as good as the cross on the
S75 making it less accurate, with the sway on top this really 
isn’t the best rifle for sniping.


**************
5.3 H&K PSG-1:
**************

The last rifle and the 2nd Semi-auto one you get and probably the 
worst of the lot but it does have its perks. You get this late 
in the game during chapter 5-3 in the power room for the moving 
platform. It can be bought for #4000 after chapter 5-3 and sold 
for #400. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  600   |  650  |  700  |  750  |  800  |  900  |  1000  |   
Price -    Default | #1000 | #2000 | #3000 | #3000 | #4000 | #5000  |  

Firepower - |  1200 |  Total  
Price -     | #7000 | #25,000


Firerate - Semi-auto rifle = bang--bang--bang 


Reload speed - 2.55sec | 2.41sec | 2.27sec | 2.13sec |  1.98sec | 
Price -        Default |  #500   |  #1000  |  #1500  |   #3000  |

Reload speed - 1.7sec |  Total 
Price -        #5000  | #13,000

Capacity -  5    |   6    |   7   |   9   |   11  |   15  |  Total  |     
Price -  Default | #1000  | #2000 | #3000 | #4000 | #5000 | #15,000 |

Scope Upgrade - |   1   |   2   |  Total   
Price -         | #3000 | #8000 | #11,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Is it worth it? - It costs you #64,000 for a weaker rifle with a smaller
clip compared to the Dragunov so in short, no its not worth it but thats
not everything. 

Aesthetics - This really is a pretty weapon whether its being used,
reloaded or simply resting on your back (especially Chris BSAA).
Visually its a direct copy of the German Heckler & Koch PSG1, not
surprising this is the 3rd H&K weapon in the game as they are high
quality weapons like most German made things (shame about the 
majority of the people!). Can't really say much more about this gun 
except it has a super cool reload animation and the usual smoke 
effect after being fired oh and it has a cross style scope when 
looking through it like the S75.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - The scope upgrade is extremely
overrated but everything else is clear.

Comments - I have mixed feeling towards this weapon because I really 
like it but it has major drawbacks and its unique perks, mainly the 
enhanced scope, don't make up for it. Speaking of the upgradeable
scope, its a complete waste of money as you never need to zoom in 
that much and it makes 99.9% of all shots harder not easier as you'd
expect. The zoom is also extra sensitive due to the longer distance
it can zoom in on. In my opinion the only good thing about the zoom
is if you want a good view of something to appreciate the effort Capcom
have put into the detail of the game, so it has no practical use only
Aesthetic. The guns main drawback is its lower power and capacity 
compared to the Dragunov, yes I know its only 100 damage and 3 extra
bullets but I use (and I recommend that you do as well) my rifle as 
a damage dealer to all enemies particularly bosses so this takes more 
bullets to achieve the same damage and with rifle ammo not being the 
most common ammo this can cause problems, add the rapid reload and you
can find yourself ripping through more boxes of ammo than enemies. The guns
rapid reload is probably its main perk as long as you dont waste ammo as
I mentioned above. This guns scope however is better than the Dragunovs as 
its a better crosshair when looking through it and it doesn't have that 
awful sway that the Dragunov does. So if you want an accurate rifle that
doesn't reload after every shot this is the rifle you'll be wanting. Now
as contradicting as this may sound this is the best rifle IF, and only IF,
you have unlimited ammo on because it eliminates ammo usage worries and with
it being semi-auto it can pump out damage quicker than the S75. Along with 
that it doesn't have that stupid sway that the Dragunov has while aiming
and the lower capacity and power is irrelevant due to the unlimited ammo
allowing continuous fire until the enemy's dead. But You shouldn't be 
using unlimited ammo anyway, should you!?

Summary, Pros and Cons - The worst rifle in the game unless you want a 
rifle with pin point accuracy with no sway and no reload between each 
shot. Unique zoom perk is almost useless and defiantly a waste of money.

Pros: Rapid reload, Extra Zoom (mostly useless), looks sexy and is the
best rifle if you have unlimited ammo on.

Cons: Weakest rifle, worst capacity, Zoom upgrades are a waste of money,
you get it late into the game.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

*****************************************
5.4 Conclusion: which is the best rifle?:
*****************************************

If you've been paying attention then you already know which is the 
best rifle. The S75 is the undisputed champ of the rifles, with its
awesome power per bullet, huge capacity, sleek looks and reload it 
has no competition from the other rifles unless you include the
H&K PSG-1 with unlimited ammo on, which were not...ever! An 
interesting fact is that a fully upgraded S75 is the most damage
a single item space can do, times the 2000 damage by the 50 bullets
loaded into it and you have 100,000 damage, not even the S&W M500 
and Rocket Launcher can compete with that. Yes the Stun rod 
eventually could beat it but thats not practical and the Longbow
and Gatling gun would obviously hammer it but they have the evil 
unlimited ammo as default so they don't count unless Chuck Norris 
says they do (hang on...Chuck says no as only wimps use unlimited 
ammo and he hates wimps, infact he says only wimps use guides so 
I'd run!).

And the winner is = S75
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

*****************
6.0 Machine Guns:
*****************

Machine guns get a lot of bad press due to their relatively low 
firepower and I agree, partly, but if you don't have a shotgun 
on you then a machine gun is the best crowd control tool you could 
wish for. They also make good pistol substitutes in some cases but 
a machine guns true power lies in its ability to pump out damage at 
an astonishing rate 2nd to few, add the bundles of ammo and you start 
to see the appeal. Machine guns aren’t just for inexperienced players 
that couldn't hit a Blue Whale at 2 feet, no as even top quality players 
can get use out of the machine guns on offer in this game. There are two 
sub machine guns and two assault rifles and one from each category is 
best used as a spray/crowd control weapon and the other is best used as 
an accurate, controlled single fire/burst weapon and I'll be explaining 
them all below.

As I said above Machine gun ammo is very common which is a good thing
with them being automatic and all. Don't be too shy or too eager to
burn machine gun ammo, just use it at a casual yet healthy rate.


*********
6.1 VZ61:
*********

This is the first gun you find in the game (well besides the M92F but
you get given that, you don't find it) on chapter 1-1 in the public
assembly area (where the axe looney and all the majini's are). But 
very much like the Rifle category don't let that fool you into 
thinking its the worst because its arguably the best. It can be 
bought for #2000 after chapter 1-2 and sold for #200. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -  50    |   60  |   80  |  100  | Total
Price -    Default | #2000 | #2000 | #4000 | #8000


Firerate - Fully Automatic = bangbangbangbangbangbangbang 


Reload speed - 2.83sec | 2.69sec | 2.55sec | 2.27sec |  Total 
Price -        Default |  #1000  |  #1000  |  #2000  |  #4000


Capacity - 50    |  60  |  80  |  100  |  120  |  140  |  160  |  180  |  
Price -  Default | #500 | #500 | #1000 | #1000 | #1500 | #1500 | #2000 |

Capacity -  |  200  |  220  |  240  |  260  |  280  |   300   |  Total
Price -     | #3000 | #4000 | #5000 | #6000 | #7000 | #10,000 | #43,000


Critical % - 1     |   2   |    3    |  Total
Price -   Default  | #5000 | #15,000 | #20,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #75,000 is the cost to upgrade this head popping 
machine gun to its full potential and I wouldn't cry too much about 
the cost as you get what you pay for.

Aesthetics - This a small gun that looks rather cute on your back 
compared to all the other big guns that rest on your back. Its
an Czechoslovakian weapon (Skorpion) and true to its real life 
counterpart. It looks really smart with its brown handle, under sling 
style laser dot and small clip (must be a magic clip to be able to hold 
300 rounds). Makes a 'pop' sound when fired which is true to its low 
firepower. Has the standard smoke effect like every other gun in the game. 
The reload is rather bland but does the job anyhow.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Depends how you look at them, the
low power may make you think its useless and the high capacity may make
you think its great for spraying, you'd be wrong about both. If you
use this properly the power is unimportant and the capacity is for
saving you item space not spraying. The critical is important and dead
on as its not as high as the M92F's which is a level 4 fully upgraded, 
this is a level 3 when fully upgraded.

Comments - This is one of the sub machine guns and the accurate, 
controlled single fire/burst one due to its low power and critical
perk. Spraying is just a waste of ammo with this as its the weakest
gun in the game, its enormous clip may make you think spraying is the
way to go but its certainly not. This is the best machine gun if you
don't have the M92F as its critical perk is great at decapitating 
majini's, although not as good as the M92F's. If you prefer to use 
another pistol for whatever reason you can still have the awesome 
critical perk with this gun. If you do have the M92F however this 
is the worst machine gun you could have as its main perk becomes 
redundent. Its capacity has to be noted as its quite impressive
especially if you use this properly (not spraying but going for 
accurate headshots) it will last you forever along with saving you
two item spaces. Its slow reload isn't even worth mentioning due
to the insane capacity and fully upgrading this along with 
completing the game unlocks the Gatling gun for purchase from
the weapon shop. The one time you could spray is if you were
crowded by Majini's as you could spray in a horizontal line across 
all their heads and hopefully most their heads will explode due to
the critical but except some not to and to waste some bullets.

Summary, Pros and Cons - Either the best or the worst machine gun
in the game depending on what pistol your using.

Pros: Critical perk, huge capacity, found early in the game and 
is a respectable replacement of the M92F oh and it can make a 
funny continuous head explosion fest. 

Cons: Weakest gun in the game, ammo can be wasted if its used wrong
and has a rather slow reload.


************
6.2 H&K MP5:
************

The 2nd machine gun you get during the very beginning of
chapter 2-1. Its actually in the first room your in with
the Hummers. Can be bought from the weapon shop for #2000
and sold for #200 after chapter 2-3

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -   60   |   70  |   80  |   90  |  100  |  120  |  Total  
Price -    Default | #2000 | #3000 | #4000 | #6000 | #8000 | #23,000


Firerate - Fully Automatic = bangbangbangbangbangbangbang 


Reload speed - 2.70sec | 2.55sec | 2.40sec | 2.10sec |  Total  | 
Price -        Default |  #1000  |  #2000  |  #3000  |  #6000  |  


Capacity -  45   |  55  |  65  |   80  |   90  |  100  |  110  |  120  |  
Price -  Default | #500 | #500 | #1000 | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #4000 |

Capacity -  |  130  |  150  |  Total
Price -     | #4000 | #6000 | #23,000


Piercing power -  2    |   3   |    4    |  Total
Price -        Default | #3000 | #12,000 | #15,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - It'll cost you a total of #67,000 to fully upgrade
the MP5 which turns it into the best crowd control weapon in this
category. So yeah if want to use it for that purpose its defiantly
worth it.

Aesthetics - Easily one of the best looking guns in the game with
one of the best reloads to top it off. Its a perfect replica of the 
H&K MP5 with torch and red dot sight (like in Call of Duty 4) 
modifications that sadly do nothing but make the gun look more 
groovy. Sounds really cool too especially when its being reloaded,
speaking of the reload it has a really good reload animation thats
also swift as well as sleek. Ontop of all that it looks really 
nice resting on your back especially on Chris BSAA's (like most
guns actually). Has the standard smoke effect when fired and the
laser dot comes out of somewhere underneath the barrel not the
red dot sight ontop of the gun.  

Do the stats tell the whole story? - They really do tell you
everything with this one except for how beautiful the gun is.

Comments - This is the 2nd sub machine gun and the spray/crowd 
control one. Another contender for best machine gun in the game
with its rapid fire, piercing power, high capacity and speedy 
reload all contribute to its ability to rack up some serious 
damage to several enemies in a relatively short space of time.
You can go into crowds of Majini's and other similar enemies
with no fears of getting overwhelmed or killed with this baby
on you. Its Damage isn't great but give it time and it can have
devastating effects on even sub bosses. Again like the H&K P8
the piercing power can be wasted but due to the fact this is a 
machine gun and the ammo isn't as precious as pistol ammo its
not as big a problem as it can be with the P8. Also like the 
other Heckler & Koch weapons (P8 and PSG-1) its got a fast 
reload and slick looks. This is also the best weapon to give
AI Sheva as it plays to hear programmed strengths, lets her
take on a variety of enemies and doesn't waste your more 
important ammo.   

Summary, Pros and Cons - If you want a machine gun to wipe out 
crowds and look good doing it you can't go wrong with this 
German masterpiece.

Pros: Piercing power, fast reload, good capacity, looks really
good, 2nd only to shotties for keeping hordes at bay and fairly
cheap. Oh and makes enemies with shields a walking joke.

Cons: Weak unless you stand your ground and keep firing at 
the target(s) (the other attributes of the gun encourage 
this however). Needs to be fully upgraded and in the right 
hands to be fully appreciated.


**********
6.3 AK-74:
**********

The powerhouse of the machine guns and the 3rd you'll find
during chapter 5-1 in a little room that’s easy to miss, its
just after the first fight with the two lickers and there’s 
also a red herb and a safe with cash in it within the room.
Can be bought for #4000 after chapter 5-3 and sold for #400.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -   90   |  100  |  110  |  120  |  130  |  140  |  150   
Price -    Default | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #3000 | #3000 | #3000

Firepower - |  160  |  170  |  180  |  190  |  200  |   220   |
Price -     | #4000 | #5000 | #5000 | #6000 | #8000 | #10,000 |

Firepower - |   250   |  Total
Price -     | #10,000 | #64,000


Firerate - Fully Automatic = bangbangbangbangbangbangbang 


Reload speed - 2.83sec | 2.55sec |  Total 
Price -        Default |  #3000  |  #3000  


Capacity -  30   |  35  |   40  |   45  |   50  | Total    
Price -  Default | #500 | #1000 | #1500 | #3000 | #6000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - It'll cost you #73,000 to get a machine gun that
does 250 damage per bullet with a magazine of 50 so you can pump out
12,500 in about 10 seconds if you don't miss a single target. If you
think that being able to do that much damage in such a short space of 
time at just the cost of machine gun bullets is worth #73,000? then
its easily worth it.

Aesthetics - The world famous AK-74 almost looks as good as it shoots.
The perfect mix of wood and metal gives the gun a very smart appearance.
Its been modified with a laser dot on the side of the weapon that is
actually used to aim with. Looks good on both Chris and Sheva's back 
while not being used and looks cool when being used. Your going to be
seeing the reload animation quite alot if you don't do the quick reload
via the your equipment menu, its not a riveting animation but its not
boring. Either way get used to it because its a slow reload and the gun 
has a low capacity. The standard smoke effect is present and the gun
has a deeper bang than both the MP5 and VZ61.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - The stats may or may not make
you aware how bad the combination of a piss poor capacity and slow 
reload speed can hinder you against several enemies at once. The
power per bullet and total damage per clip is great but you have 
to use the equipment menu reload to get the best out of the gun.

Comments - I like this gun buts its not without its problems. As
I mentioned above the snail paced reload speed ontop of the small
clip causes serious problems, especially with this being a fully
automatic weapon. The equipment menu reload is a MUST. But thats 
the price for such a powerful weapon, granted it only does what 
the M92F does in terms of damage but the M92F isn't a machine
gun nor does it use the plentiful machine gun ammo. You can cause
serious damage with this in a short space of time at a very low 
cost. The AK is the first assault rifle you find and due to its
weaknesses of low capacity and slow reload with the high power factor 
its the accurate, controlled single fire/burst one. You can take 
crowds on with this by popping one round at a time into the enemies.
The best technique is to stun the lot of them with a single shot to 
the head and finish 2-3 of them off quickly and then reload before 
the others come out of their stunned state. Simply repeat and you'll
always prevail. There is however one time when spraying is a good 
tactic and thats against tougher foes including sub bosses/bosses.
Just try not to miss as with all the machine guns it jumps around a 
bit when firing continuously, and concentrate your fire into your 
target then do the equipment menu reload while there stunned, repeat
till dead.

Summary, Pros and Cons - If you have the M92F and the Hydra which
makes the perks of the VZ61 and MP5 almost useless and you just
want a machine gun as an extra tool to play with and use up all the 
bundles of machine gun ammo then this is arguably the best one you
could use.

Pros: Really high power per bullet for a machine gun, can cause
major damage in a short time at the cost of the common machine gun
ammo.

Cons: Low capacity and slow reload which are both emphasized by the 
rapid fire nature of the gun. Rather expensive for a gun thats only
real perk is damage.


************
6.4 SIG 556:
************

The last machine gun you find in the game during chapter 5-2 right
next to where the conveyor belt that needs power to move is. Dead 
easy to spot and there is an Incendiary grenade right next to it on 
the desk. Costs #4000 and can bought after chapter 5-3, resale value
is #400.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower -   80   |   90  |  100  |  110  |  120  |  130  |  140   
Price -    Default | #2000 | #2000 | #3000 | #3000 | #4000 | #4000

Firepower - |  150  |  160  |   180   |  Total
Price -     | #6000 | #8000 | #12,000 | #44,000 


Firerate - Fully Automatic = bangbangbangbangbangbangbang 


Reload speed - 2.55sec | 2.41sec | 2.27sec | 1.98sec | 1.70sec   </pre><pre id="faqspan-3">
Price -        Default |  #1000  |  #2000  |  #2000  |  #3000

Reload speed - | 1.42sec |  Total
Price -        |  #4000  | #12,000


Capacity -  40   |  45  |  50  |   55  |   60  |   65  |   70      
Price -  Default | #500 | #500 | #1000 | #1000 | #2000 | #4000 

Capacity - |   80  |  Total
Price -    | #6000 | #15,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - This is the same situation as the AK-74 except
it has slightly less power in exchange for a bigger clip, faster
reload and a cheaper price tag of #71,000. It can actually cause
more damage with its clip at 14,400 but thats because it has 30
more rounds and it obviously takes longer to achieve the damage.
I'd say its worth it but like the AK-74 it shouldn't be your 1st
priority when upgrading all your guns.

Aesthetics - A very slick looking weapon and its good to have 
an assault rifle that isn't either the M4 or M16 for once. This 
is an improved version of the SG 550 assault rifle made in 
Switzerland and is a real eye pleaser. Looks very cool on Chris 
BSAA's back and everyone else's back for that matter. Makes a 
unique noise like a mixture of the AK-74 and the MP5 when fired 
and has the standard smoke effect after being fired. The laser 
dot comes from just underneath the front of the gun. The reload 
is just like the AK-74's but because the gun looks better
the reload looks better to, shame its a lot faster.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Yeah they do with this one,
its an allrounder and the stats show that. The reload does however
seem faster than the stats say to me.    
 
Comments - The 2nd of assault rifles and due to its good power,
reasonable clip size and rapid reload speed its better used as
a spray/crowd control weapon. Very similar to the AK-74 with some 
slight differences in the power, capacity and reload speed. It
has 70 less power per bullet but in return you get a far superior
reload speed and a more comfortable capacity much better suited 
for taking on groups of enemies. As for taking on a single enemy
and wanting to pump serious damage into him/her this can do that as 
well. Because it still has a respectable damage factor of 180 per 
bullet and a larger clip compared to the AK-74 it can actually pump 
more damage out at just the price of a few more rounds and seconds, 
I'd say you can pump out 14,400 (if you don't miss) in about 15 
seconds. Still it doesn't beat the AK-74 in damage per second so if 
you really need to pump damage out as fast as possible with a machine 
gun the AK-74 is the better choice.

Summary, Pros and Cons - This gun is a very middle of the road weapon
and does a great job in all departments although excels in none. If 
you want a machine gun as an extra gun for some fun and to use up all 
the machine gun ammo you get then this is a top choice along with the 
AK-74, but without any of the drawbacks of the AK. 

Pros: Good at both crowd control and single fire for dealing damage,
really fast reload as well as a fairly good capacity and it looks cool.

Cons: Excels at nothing in particular besides reload speed and you
get it rather late in the game.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

***********************************************
6.5 Conclusion: which is the best machine gun?:
***********************************************

This is probably the hardest category to pick a winner for as each 
gun will benefit a different player depending on how they play, what
they prefer and what other weapons their carrying. This is mainly due
to the fact that a machine gun isn't a 'must have' as you can complete 
the game quite easily without using one at all, but you'll miss out
on some real fun and variety doing so. So what I'm going do is put why
each gun could be the best for YOU below, just use the one that best 
suits your needs.

The VZ61 is the winner if: You don't have the M92F handgun. Simple as
that, if your not packing that head popping monster for whatever reason
then you should use this machine gun for the critical perk to allow 
easier decapitations of Majini's.

The H&K MP5 is the winner if: You want the best possible gun other than
a shotgun to deal with and wipe out crowds with ease. Also if shielded
enemies piss you off this is a real winner for you as well.

The AK-74 is the winner if: If you have the M92F and the Hydra/M3 and
just want a machine gun to deal as much damage as possible in the 
shortest time then this is what you want. Like in real life, this is 
the most powerful of machine guns available in this game 

The SIG 556 is the winner if you: Have both the M92F and Hydra/M3 and
just want a machine gun as an extra weapon thats suited for different 
jobs including crowd control and quick damage dealing to tougher 
enemies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

************
7.0 Magnums:
************

These babies are the powerhouses of the game and deal tremendous
damage that nothing short of the Rocket Launcher can compete with.
Very much like the shotgun and pistol they have been in Resident 
Evil since the very first one and make a welcome return in this 
installment as well. There are 3 different magnums in the game 
and picking between them can sometimes be more trouble than its 
worth but each one has its advantages over the other and that’s 
what I'll be detailing below for you to pick which best suits you.
Beware that magnum ammo is very rare so you should only use it for 
boss's, sub-boss's or in emergencies. Also you should take advantage
of the capacity upgrades available for ammo. So if your know your near 
the end of a level and have an empty magnum dont waste what little 
bullets you have just wait till you get to the weapon shop and then
upgrade the capacity to get a fully loaded magnum.

Note: If you’re low on magnum ammo but have loads of cash then you can 
actually buy ammo for your magnum. Just buy a S&W M29 from the weapon 
shop for #4000 and then sell it and you get to keep the 6 rounds that 
came with the gun, repeat till you have all the ammo you need. This 
can actually be done for all ammo types just buy the cheapest weapon
that uses the ammo you need and sell it for the ammo, repeat. But 
unless you have bought and upgraded everything in the game its 
probably not worth doing it for any ammo other than magnum.


************
7.1 S&W M29:
************

This is the first magnum you get which is actually bait for a trap
in the village during chapter 3-1 Marshlands. If you go to take
it before you kill all the majini's in the area you get trapped
and surrounded by a group of bow and arrow majini's, I recommend
you wait till every ones dead before collecting it. After chapter
3-3 it'll become available to buy for #4000 and can be sold for
#400. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower - 1500   |  1700  |  1900  |  2100  |  2400  |  2700  
Price -    Default | #2000  | #3000  | #4000  | #6000  | #8000   

Firepower -  |   3200  |  Total
Price -      | #10,000 | #33,000

Firerate - Like a Pistol with a bigger recoil = bang--bang--bang 


Reload speed - 3.53sec | 3.36sec | 3.18sec | 2.83sec |  Total 
Price -        Default |  #1000  |  #2000  |  #3000  |  #6000


Capacity -  6    |   7   |   8   |   9   |  10   |  11   |   12         
Price -  Default | #3000 | #4000 | #6000 | #6000 | #7000 | #10,000 

Capacity -  |  Total
Price -     | #36,000

Piercing power -  2    |   3   | Total
Price -        Default | #3000 | #3000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #78,000 is the upgrade cost to get everything you can 
out of this magnum and its certainly a good price for the most all
rounded magnum in the game.

Aesthetics - Although the least attractive of the magnums its still
has a unique classic look, almost looks like it has a bit of rust
developing on the metal. The super awesome reload animation more 
than makes up for it though, it has the same sleek reload that the 
handcannon had in Resident Evil 4 (before the reload speed was fully 
upgraded, infact I never fully upgraded the reload speed of the 
handcannon as I loved the first reload so much). One of the best
reloads in the game along with the Hydra and S75. Its based on the
real life Smith & Wesson Model 29 made famous by the Dirty Harry
films and it recreates it accurately besides the fact the real
Smith & Wesson only holds 6 rounds not 12. The red dot comes from
the side of the brown handle and when it fires it makes a hefty 
bang along side a huge recoil to warn people of its power.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Yes they do, when compared
to all the other magnums this is the one in the middle with
great power, reload speed, capacity and piercing power. A true
all rounder and the stats reflect that.  

Comments - Seeing as this is the first magnum you get and by the 
time you find the next one (L. Hawk) you'll probably already have 
dumped loads of cash into upgrades for this one, then add the fact 
this one is overall better than the L. Hawk and fully upgrading it 
unlocks the S&W M500 this is defiantly the magnum you want to be
carrying for a while. It holds 12 rounds so you wont be reloading 
often, well you probably will as the reload animation is so cool
but you wont actually NEED to reload often as few enemies can 
withstand twelve rounds from this thing. It has a power factor of
3200 per bullet plus the piercing power that magnums have from
scratch and the piercing upgrade means this can cause all sorts
of damage from the likes of crowds of majini's all the way to the
final boss of the game. The slow reload isn’t even worth mentioning
due to the fact it looks so good you'll be glad of its length. Also
like all magnums its great if you want to deal high damage from any 
distance without having to look down a scope like you do with rifles.
The ultimate emergency weapon as you can quickly equip it in sticky
situations and pump out serious damage quickly to wipe out bothersome
enemies at any distance, the only other gun that can do that is rifles
but again you have to wait a second till you look down the scope to
get a shot off which could be a second too late.

Summary, Pros and Cons - If you want a gun that can be used on all 
enemies in all situations and cause serious damage at the same 
time then this is what you want to be in your inventory. A great 
all round killing machine, including those irritating sub-bosses.

Pros: Intense power from all ranges, really good capacity for a 
magnum, beyond awesome looking reload animation, a very effective 
piercing ability, relatively cheap for a meaty magnum and you get
it early on in the game so stick with it. Also fully upgrading this
unlocks the S&W M500 to buy from the weapon shop.  

Cons: There’s only two I can think of and there not really proper
problems, a slowish reload but who cares when it looks this good
and the ammo is very rare but that’s the same for all magnums. Oh 
and I suppose there is a more powerful magnum available but again
that’s not a proper issue.


************
7.2 L. Hawk:
************

The second magnum you find in the game at a rather late stage during
5-3 while your in the heat of battle with Wesker and Jill. Its in a 
huge stone coffin on the 2nd floor that you'll need your partner to 
help you open it. You have to collect it during the first half of the 
fight (while Wesker’s still there) or you cant get it. Its then 
available after the chapter (5-3) for #5000 and can be sold for #500.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower - 1400   |  1600  |  1800  |  2000  |  2300  |  2600  
Price -    Default | #2000  | #3000  | #4000  | #6000  | #8000   
 
Firepower -  |   3000  |  Total
Price -      | #12,000 | #35,000

Firerate - Like a Pistol with a bigger recoil = bang--bang--bang 


Reload speed - 1.70sec | 1.62sec | 1.53sec | 1.45sec | 1.36sec  
Price -        Default |  #2000  |  #3000  |  #4000  |  #6000  

Reload speed - |  Total
Price -        | #15,000


Capacity -  5    |   6   |   7   |   8   | Total   
Price -  Default | #1000 | #2000 | #3000 | #6000


Piercing power -  3    |   5   |    7    |  Total
Price -        Default | #5000 | #10,000 | #15,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - #71,000 makes this the cheapest magnum in the game 
and if its style and debatable perks make the difference for you then
its worth your cash. I think its worth it simply because its so cool
looking and fun to use regardless of its shortcomings.

Aesthetics - This is another sheer beauty to look at, one of the best
in the game if you ask me. First of all its a direct copy of a Desert
Eagle so it already looks sleek then the gun seems chrome plated as 
well with a stylishly indented handle to finish the look off. Although 
not as groovy as the S&W M29 or the S&W M500's reload animation its 
still an eye pleaser with the indented handle and swift clip insertion. 
The laser dot is attached to the bottom of the barrel and again makes 
the gun look very smart indeed, best suited to Chris BSAA's costume. 
Like all magnums it makes a huge bang when fired along with an even
bigger recoil.

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Everything except the piercing 
power is correct. The piercing is very overstated as I can't tell
the difference between this and the other two magnums piercing
abilty one bit. Maybe there is a difference but from the many tests
I've done I can't tell in the slightest. So totally ignore those extra
piercing points in the stats because if there’s any truth in it you wont
notice it.

Comments - As I mentioned above the guns main supposed perk (piercing
power) is no different to the other magnums piercing ability so that
goes out the window. Also contrary to popular belief this does not fire
any faster than the S&W M29. Its also has a lower capacity and lower 
firepower than the S&W M29, I know its only 200 power less but seeing 
as magnums are first and foremost about delivering hefty damage to tough
enemies that extra 200 makes a hell of a difference over a short amount
of time and magnum rounds. So the only thing this gun has over the 
S&W M29 is a slightly faster reload that still looks good but not even
near as good as the S&W M29's sexy reload. Its not looking very good for
this gun is it, when the only advantages it has over S&W M29 is a faster
reload and a slightly cheaper price saving you #7000, oh and it looks a 
lot better too (except for the reload) but other than that your much 
better off sticking with the first magnum till you unlock and can afford 
the S&W M500. Never the less its still incredibly fun to use regardless 
of its weaker stats compared to the other magnums as long as you've got 
the cash and have already bought and fully upgraded both the S&W M29 and
the S&W M500.

Summary, Pros and Cons - The cheapest and worst of all the magnums but 
still tons of fun using it and its great looks make it very easy on 
the eyes.

Pros: Looks super cool, very swift reload, cheapest price for a magnum 
that can still do the job that the other two can but takes a bit longer 
doing it.

Cons: Weakest magnum when power is the whole point of a magnum, piercing
power is really overrated, not the best capacity.


*************
7.3 S&W M500:
*************

To get this inhuman weapon you have to fully upgrade the S&W M29 and 
it'll then be available to buy for #30,000. Can be sold for #3000 but 
you'd have to be an idiot to sell this.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Firepower - 2100   |  2300  |  2500  |  2700  |  2900  |  3100  
Price -    Default | #2000  | #2000  | #3000  | #4000  | #4000   
 
Firepower -  |  3300  |  3500  |  3700  |  3900  |  4100  |  4300   
Price -      | #5000  | #6000  | #6000  | #8000  | #8000  | #10,000 

Firepower -  |  4500   |  5000   |  Total
Price -      | #10,000 | #15,000 | #83,000


Firerate - Like the two other magnums but with an even bigger 
recoil = bang---bang---bang 


Reload speed - 3.53sec | 3.18sec | Total  
Price -        Default |  #2000  | #2000


Capacity -  5    |   6   | Total   
Price -  Default | #2000 | #2000


Piercing power -  2    |   3   | Total
Price -        Default | #2000 | #2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it worth it? - The #89,000 worth of upgrades ontop of the #30,000 
buying price makes this one of the most expensive weapons in the game.
But seeing as this gun makes every single enemy in the game a complete 
laughing stock I'd say its worth it.

Aesthetics - This monstrous beast is an exact lift of the Smith & Wesson 
Model 500 which is the most powerful handgun in production on the planet.
Looks very stylish with all its indentations along the stupidly long barrel 
which has an oddly shaped tip on the end of it (I was going to make a dick 
joke then but I wouldn't want you to 'blow a load' with laughter now would 
I!?). Looks almost just like the handconnon from RE4 but with a black handle
and different designs along the barrel, the black handle and black strips on
the sights really contrast the silver color of the gun (could be chrome 
plated). The laser dot comes from the handle in the same fashion as the
S&W M29. When fired you don't half get knocked back by the enormous 
Recoil of the gun and the noise its makes is very dense, loud and proud is 
the perfect description for this weapon of the gods. Oh and it has the same 
amazing reload as the S&W M29 to top this piece of eye candy off. 

Do the stats tell the whole story? - Yep and with a firepower factor of 
5000 who cares about the other statistics honestly!?

Comments - There isn't really that much that needs to be said about 
this gun except pure annihilation for anyone or anything unlucky
enough to get shot by it. But you know me by now, I'm going to 
enthersize the point till I get bored! This thing hits like a speeding 
train, a solid right hand punch from Rocky Marciano, a round house 
kick from Chuck Norris...actually that’s not true, going a bit too far 
there but you get the point. With a stupendous firepower factor of 5000 
this is the gun to be packing when things get tough or when you just 
want to blow an annoying enemy into the next millennium. Its six round 
capacity is more than enough as absolutely nothing except major bosses 
can withstand 6 clean hits from this. The slow reload much like the 
capacity isnt a problem and it looks so good who cares. Finally the 
piercing factor is as good as the other two magnums in the game 
(ignore the L. Hawk as its piercing isnt any better than the other 
magnums regardless of what the stats say) if not slightly better due
to the insane firepower. In comparison to the Handcannon from RE4 
I'd say this one is better due to the fact the Handcannon in RE4, much 
like the red9 and striker, is beyond insanely overpowered plus that had 
a higher capacity and a faster reload. Like the other weapons improved in 
RE5 the S&W M500 is far more even and realistically fair, so it doesn't 
fall victim to the red9 syndrome thankfully.

Summary, Pros and Cons - This gun is Chuck Norris's gift to RE5
and a sheer joy to use after you have earned it, worth every penny.

Pros: Unbelievably strong (strongest gun in the game), looks sublime,
has one of the best reloads in the game, reload speed and capacity
are both good enough for the gun when viewed as a whole package
including the great piercing factor.

Cons: There is nothing bad about this gun except for the price but
you get what you pay for.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

******************************************
7.4 Conclusion: which is the best magnum?:     
******************************************

No need to blabber on here, the S&W M500 is the undisputed champion
of the magnums due to its power factor and magnums are all about the
firepower. Its also backed up by cool looks, ample capacity and reload
speed and it also has one of the best reload animations in the game too.
The S&W M29 should be the magnum you use until you unlock the 
S&W M500 as the L. Hawk just isn't up to scratch but fun to use 
nevertheless. 

And the winner is = S&W M500
----------------------------------------------------------------------

********************
8.0 Special Weapons:
********************

This special weapon section includes all weapons that don't fall into
any specific catergory but are still used in the game to kill enemies.
They can either be unlocked by doing a required task and then bought 
in the weapon shop or found lying around throughout the adventure.
Below I'll be detailing each weapon and how or where you'll find it/
unlock it.

*************
8.1 Grenades:
************* 

You can find three different types of hand grenades all over the place
(mainly in box’s and on tables) while your making your way through this 
nightmare. Hand grenades were first introduced in RE4 and they make a 
welcome return in RE5. You have the same three types as you did in RE4 
and they do the exact same job although look a bit different, better 
actually. Something weird I noticed was that your player doesn't 
actually pull out the pin of the grenade before throwing it. They 
just throw it and it blows, that’d kinda be like pointing a shotgun 
at an enemy and it firing without pulling the trigger?? Anyway I 
highly doubt the majini that just had his legs blown off really 
cares that you have a batch of magic grenades. All three grenades 
have different uses but some are better than others, below are 
each ones details:

Frag Grenades - These are the green grenades and probably the most 
common. They'll explode after a few seconds once you've thrown one
and cause some major damage to anyone in its direct blast (1500) 
and still hurt any one near the explosion with splash damage (1000).
Great for wiping out crowds of majini's and slowing down sub-bosses 
just remember to think ahead as it wont explode immediately on 
contact. You can carry up to 5 in one item space. Beware you can
hurt yourself if you get caught in the explosion.

Incendiary Grenades - These are the red ones and the overall least
useful of the lot. They burst into flames on contact and leave a 
trail of flames that will cause damage (500) and stop anyone who
steps into the fire that’s left. Handy if you want to slow enemies
down (note not every single enemy in the game will be effected 
by the flames) but not the best at dealing out damage. I look at 
these as a hybrid of the Flash and Frag grenades as it stuns
enemies but not as good as a Flash and it does damage but not 
as much as a Frag. Its very much Jack of all trades master of 
none this one. It does however have two jobs that its really 
worth having for though. The first is killing the evil mutated
dogs in one go with no fuss, as long as they have not spunkied 
i.e. there heads split in half and they somehow become more 
foul, basically they mutate even further. If they do mutate on
you you'll be needing a flash like you do with all spunkies. 
The one other job these are good for is the bosses that are
harmed by fire i.e. all three Uroboros's. They are super 
effective against those two enemy types. You can carry 5 
of these in one item space but most of the time there a 
waste of space. Beware you can burn yourself if you throw it
too close or run into the flames.

Flash Grenades - These babies are the blue grenades and easily
the best of the lot due to the fact they can kill everything
and anything that is a spunky or has spunkied out on you in
one go. As long as the enemy is in the flash radius they will
die instantly and most of these enemies take a hell of a lot
of ammo that could be better used on something else. Here’s a 
list of all the spunkies that the flash grenade will evaporate
into thin air with one blast:

Bui Kichwa
Cephalo
Mutated Adjule 'aka' mutated dog
Kipepeo
Duvalia 

So as you can see Flash's can kill all these pains in the 
ass instantly so its always worth carrying some with you
all the time. Also note that they can be used to stun enemies
that haven’t spunkied as well. They can blind and briefly 
stun enemies to a complete halt while they cover their eyes
allowing you to follow up with an attack unbothered. Some 
smaller animals e.g. rats, can be killed just by throwing
one at them. You can carry 5 in one item space and very much
worth the space. Beware you can blind yourself if you throw the
grenade too close to yourself and the screen goes bright white 
for a short period of time, can be dangerous if a un-blinded 
enemy runs and attacks you.


*********************
8.2 Grenade Launcher:
*********************

You'll find the Grenade Launcher during chapter 4-1 Caves in
the last big statue puzzle area, just head down the first set
of stairs and turn left then take your next left and there it 
is. Its then available after the chapter for #10,000 and can 
be sold for #1000. It fires its grenade shells in a straight 
line and stays like that till it hits something, not in the 
traditional fashion of slowly falling to the ground like most
grenade launcher rounds do. Each round is also a damaging
projectile without the contents of the grenade. All this means
is if the shells were empty they'd still do damage but only
100. This is useful if your using the Nitrogen rounds 
because if you don’t mind using another round you can use one
to freeze the enemy and use another to shatter him/her without
having to get close to them or swap to another weapon, although
I'd recommend using another weapon. Now there are six different
grenade round types and each has its own uses and some are better 
than others. Below I'll detail them all:

Explosive Rounds - These are your basic grenade rounds and come
loaded with the grenade launcher. They cause 1000 damage with
a direct hit and are best used against crowds of majini's and
moderately tough sub-bosses. Similar to the Hand grenade except 
they explode on contact and do 500 less damage. The launcher
can hold 12 rounds and the rounds can be bought from the weapon
shop after chapter 4-1 for #4800. Beware much like the Frag you
can hurt yourself by firing it too close to you.

Flame Rounds - These are exactly like Incendiary grenades except
fired straight ahead. They do 500 damage and are best used against
dogs and Uroboros which are weak against fire. Can be useful to
slow down enemies by covering the area/floor with rounds to almost 
make a wall of fire that certain enemies can't cross till the flames 
die down. Will cost you #2400 for a box of shells and you can buy 
them at the weapon shop after chapter 6-3. The Launcher will hold 12 
shells. Beware just like the Incendiary grenades you can burn yourself 
with the flames. 

Acid Rounds - Another Resident Evil classic although not as powerful
as they used to be. Does the same damage as the Flame rounds (500) 
except it also knocks the enemy down unlike Flame. Good to use on 
a large variety of enemies including lickers. Can be bought for #2400
from the weapon shop after chapter 4-1. The Launcher will hold 12 
shells.

Electric Rounds - These really only have one use and that’s a Flash
Grenade/Round substitute as there very good at killing the spunkies
that pop out of the majini's head, 2nd only to flash. Its takes between
1-3 hits to the parasite to kill it and in return of not always killing 
them instantly like the Flash do it packs some damage as well (400) so 
it can be used on other enemies to stun them like the Stun Rod does and 
eventually kill them, although not recommended as there not very strong.
Cost #1200 and can be bought after chapter 6-3. The Launcher will hold 12 
shells. Watch out you can easily electrocute yourself by shooting an enemy 
too close to you.

Nitrogen Rounds - These things were introduced in Resident Evil 3 and 
are a great tool to have by your side. Each shell is filled with liquid
nitrogen and one shot will freeze most enemies solid making them shatter able 
in one hit including a melee attack (I recommend quickly switching to your 
pistol or machine gun for the job). These are also the absolute best weapon 
to kill those damn Lickers with as their absolute ammo sinks. Instead of 
wasting countless bullets just one shot from this will freeze the shits 
and then one shot from your pistol/machine gun will kill them. However 
they have a very weak fire power rating (100 which is the actual shell 
damage not the nitrogen damage as all that does is freeze) so if you use 
it on an enemy that can't freeze e.g. Gatling Gun Majini, its a waste of 
shells so don't bother. The launcher will hold 12 rounds and you can buy 
the ammo after chapter 6-3 for #4800.

Flash Rounds - Much like the Hand grenades I'd say these Flash rounds are
the best of all the grenade launcher rounds available. They have the exact
same ability as the Flash grenades (check Hand grenade section for details)
but with better range and you can hold 12 flash shells in one item space
instead of the 5 Flash grenades. Surprisingly cheap at only #600 and can be
bought after chapter 4-1. Does only 100 damage which is the shell impact
not the actual flash. Like the Flash grenades be careful not to blind 
yourself by shooting the rounds too close to yourself.

One final note about the Grenade Launcher is that is doesn't half look
good with its modern design and striking/contrasting colors. It also 
has a really awesome reload, if you want to see it just make sure you 
have a box of the ammo type loaded into the Launcher in your inventory 
and simply reload as you would any other gun (not the inventory screen
method, although if you want to load another ammo type into the Launcher 
that’s how you do it).    


********************
8.3 Rocket Launcher:     
********************

Another solid regular of the RE series and always a source of
explosively good fun. This is the only weapon in the game that is 
more powerful than the godly S&W M500, each rocket round/shell 
does an enormous 30,000 damage which is equivalent of 6 full blasts 
from the S&W M500. It also has a big blast radius so splash damage
aplenty. You can find one for free during chapter 3-1 Marshlands
on the half sunken boat in the large open area at the beginning.  
You can then buy it for #10,000 after chapter 3-3 and be sold for 
#1000. It takes up one item space and holds only one rocket so make
your shot count, especially at this price, its best reserved for
bosses/sections of the game that you just can't beat or can't be 
bothered trying as one rocket will kill almost all bosses in one 
hit. 

I only ever use the Rocket Launcher on fun runs (and boy is 
it fun!) as it feels cheap using it to beat hard parts of the game, 
that’s the point after all a challenge. During chapter 6-3 you can use 
a reload able Rocket Launcher but this is a one off for that particular 
boss battle. Note that it also has a zoom-in scope to make sure your
one hit wonder doesn't miss, even at longer ranges and it also stresses
that you really don't want to fire it too close as you can seriously 
hurt yourself. However I find in emergencies (completely surrounded by 
tough enemies) you can shoot the ground in front of you and as long as 
you don't literally hit your toes it will wipe them all out and you'll 
hopefully just cover your eyes and not get hurt. Finally it's worth 
mentioning that you can unlock an infinite Rocket Launcher by achieving
a total game completion time of 5 hours or under. You don't have to do it
in one go just redo chapters that you spent too long doing and the game 
will let you know when you unlock it. 


****************
8.4 Gatling Gun:  
****************

Reminiscent of the Gatling gun fun available in RE 2 and 3, it 
makes a disappointing return to action. Identical to the one the 
Gatling gun Majini's are packing in the game and is unlocked
buy both fully upgrading the VZ61 and completing the game. You
can then buy it for #50,000 with infinite ammo and only Chris can
use it. I personally don't like this and think its a waste of money,
unfortunately there’s no refunds and you'll only get #5000 for selling 
it. First of all its the least accurate weapon in the game and can take 
you ten shots to just land one on your target, even with its rapid fire 
and 450 damage per bullet its still bad and a pain to use. Secondly it 
looks just awful when its in your inventory whether you actually have it 
equipped or not, the massive ammo box is so clunky and it restricts your 
view of both Chris and everything else in front of you. If you want a 
powerful rapid firing weapon with infinite ammo to wipe out crowds just 
use the AK-74 with unlimited ammo enabled, you'll be so much better off.


************
8.5 Longbow:
************    

Sheva's exclusive toy but unlike Chris's Gatling gun this is really 
good and actually fun to use. You can unlock it by fully upgrading 
the S75 and completing the game, it then becomes available to buy
from the weapon shop for #50,000 and can be sold for #5000. It 
has unlimited ammo as standard, looks cool as Sheva uses it and 
does a huge 1500 per arrow. So what’s the catch I hear you ask...what
you didn't ask? Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway! It has no aiming
laser attachment (Like krauser's did in RE4 in the Mercenaries) so
you've got to aim it yourself buy sight, judgment and experience. 
Its really not as hard as you may first think because after a few
shots you get good judgment of where the arrow is going to go and
how it fires, with plenty of practice you'll soon be splattering 
Majini's heads every shot and bringing bosses down to size. The 
lack of laser does make it more realistic and fun to use plus 
it evens the weapons other strong aspects out to make it more fair 
(Capcom have done this with other weapons as well e.g. SIG P226) 
plus its not that fast between each shot. 

This is good to give to AI Sheva if you don't want her using up
your ammo and still want her helping you out but be aware that AI 
Sheva is good and just one hit from this will kill all/most Majini's
so I find it takes away some of the fun for me. I give her the Stun
Rod or nothing at all so its almost like the other RE's and I take 
on this horror on my own and she's my mule i.e. a living breathing 
carry case for my ammo and extra items.


*******************
8.6 Proximity Bomb:
*******************

You get these mines for the first time during the first fight with 
Popokarimu at the end of chapter 2-2 and are used to stun it so you 
can damage its weak spot. Not something I use often but for those
who like setting strategic traps for idiotic enemies that happily
walk onto them these are great. They do the same damage as a Frag
grenade (1500) and can be placed almost anywhere on the ground and
they can be picked back up if not detonated. They don't blow up if
you or your partner stand on it thankfully but will hurt you if you
stand near it while an enemy sets it off. You can hold 5 in one
inventory space and can be bought for #300 each after chapter 2-3,
sold for #30 and can also be found throughout the rest of the game.


****************
8.7 Gun Turrets:   
****************

There are 3 different gun turret types in the game, Gatling gun, RPD
style heavy machine gun and a Rocket Launcher, they all have infinite 
ammo but can overheat with continuous fire. The Gatling gun styled 
ones are available throughout the whole game at different points and 
are just like the Gatling gun Chris can get but with better accuracy 
and stability. The RPD is only available to Chris during chapter 2-3 
on top of the 4X4 throughout the car chase and is a more powerful AK-74. 
The Rocket Launcher style one is only available during the Irving boss 
battle and seems a weaker version of the Rocket Launcher you can carry 
with no zoom-in scope. Obviously these are stuck to the ground and have
limited view but are very powerful and can save you ammo against tough 
enemies, however I usually prefer to use my weapons in my inventory
as its more fun.


**************************
8.8 Environmental weapons:
**************************

There are 3 different types are environmental weapons that can injure
and even kill enemies. As the name states these are objects in games
different environments, usually in the background and can be hard to
spot sometimes. They are as follows:

Explosive barrel - These have been in RE for a long time (since RE3 I
think) and cause major damage to anyone in the direct blast and still
hurts enemies further back. It causes 1000 damage and can wipe out crowds
of Majini's or slow down sub-bosses with a bang. Be careful not to be too
close when you set it off though as you may get caught in the blast.
Their usually red metallic barrels and easy to spot.

Oil canister - These are usually in groups of 3 and once set off
cause a small temporary fire along the whole oil trail to hurt and 
stop/slow enemies down. Not as good as the explosive barrel and best 
suited to stunning not killing enemies (however enemies can be killed 
by it as long as they've been weakened before hand) with its low damage 
factor of 500. Be careful not to burn yourself with the fire.

Electrical Transformer - These are the hardest to spot as there above 
ground on top of Electrical posts and need to be shot down. Funny if
they land on enemies heads which causes a bit more damage than a 
headache, it also electrocutes the enemy(s) it falls on and you can
start the electricity going again by simply shooting the Transformer, 
works great when an enemy(s) walks past it. Can be shot to get this
effect as much as you like however the shock only does 200 damage.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

**********************************
9.0 The Ultimate Weapon load out!:
**********************************

As you can tell by my guide I've had a lot of practice with the
tools of destruction (probably too much) in this awesome game.
And If you want to know the weapon load-out to have that basically
makes you unstoppable on any difficulty against any enemy then you've
come to the right section. If you have these following weapons in
your inventory then nothing this game has to throw at you can stop
ya:

Fully Upgraded M92F - Makes all Majini's and weaker enemies a 
breeze.

Fully Upgraded Hydra - This gun demolishes 'anything' within range
and makes trouble some crowds a thing of the past.

Fully Upgraded S75 - The ultimate tool for long range destruction
and the key to headshot heaven.

Fully Upgraded S&W M500 - This turns all enemies into a walking
joke including the toughest of bosses, pure annihilation.

Grenade Launcher loaded with Flash Rounds - 12 Flash rounds to
dispatch those pesky spunkies that always pop out of heads when
you least expect it, nothings quite as good at spunky killing
than this.

*Optional* Fully Upgraded AK-74 or SIG 556 - Good extra weapon 
to have for fun and to use all that spare machine gun ammo, 
it's a matter of opinion if it's worth the extra item space though.  

If you have those 5 weapons I can guarantee you won't come across
a situation where you'll need another weapon in the entire game.
Place the M92F, Hydra, S75 and S&W M500 in the four quick select
spots and the Grenade Launcher in the centre spot for quick and
easy selection when its required. Put ammo in the other free spaces
and a health item, get Sheva to hold the rest of your ammo and more
health items. Give AI Sheva the Longbow if you want her help, if not
give her the Stun Rod or nothing (she'll use her knife when she's
not standing behind you) so you can use her as a mule i.e. holding
all your items you cant carry.

That’s it, the Ultimate Weapon load out. You couldn't have a better 
selection of weapons to survive the game, with these you are basically 
invincible.


********************
10.0 Coming soon...
********************

I'm seriously considering making an Indepth Mercenaries guide as 
Its one of the best parts of the game and I love it. However I see 
Gamefaqs already has an Indepth guide to the Mercs. If I do make
one it won't be till after the new download content 'Mercenaries 
Reunion' mode is out in Feb-Mar and I've had some time with it
so I can then make my guide more detailed and up to date. I've 
got SS rank with every character on every map in Solo play (my 
preference) and my guide will be concentrating on the best tips
and techniques for every character to use on every map so YOU
can also get those SS ranks. No maps, item/enemy locations or
other generic stuff like that as you can get that anywhere, 
I'll be giving you the good stuff to get those monster scores.
Hopefully I'll get round to it, you'll just have to wait and
see.


************
10.1 Thanks:
************

I'd just like to say a few thank you’s to the following:

ME! For writing and finishing this awesome, If I say so myself,
guide. I'm glad I kept motivated and eventually completed it, 
it took awhile as you can probably see.

Capcom for making another outstanding Resident Evil game and
for releasing new 'GOOD' download content, Versus sucked! But
the new up coming episodes and Mercenaries upgrade has got 
me excited 8*) .

Piggyback for the Official Guide to RE5 as I briefly used it
for reference, I wanted to check odds and ends to make sure
I had it right, and I did!

GameFaqs for hosting my guide.

My Brother and friends who I've enjoyed playing RE5 with and 
experiencing everything you've just read about 1st hand.

Finally I'd like to thank you for reading, I hope it has
Helped you somewhat and more importantly you enjoyed 
the read.


****************************
10.2 Contact info/Questions:
****************************   

If you have questions about anything I've discussed in this
guide or have any questions about/need help with RE5 don't
hesitate to contact me through email or PSN. Your probably
better contacting me through PSN, I don't usually accept
completely random strangers adding me as friends but if
you explain you've read my guide and need help or
whatever I'll add ya. My info is follows:

PSN - xoChrisiskingox

Email - chrissilverdogs(at)yahoo(dot)com


**************************
10.3 Copyright/Legal info:
**************************

This document is Copyright 2008 Christopher Lane and seeing as 
Chuck Norris is my friend I wouldn't even dare using it without
my permission!! Seriously if you want to use my guide that’s great
but a quick email or message through PSN to ask first wouldn't hurt
as I'm very likely to allow you to use it. Remember credit were 
credit due, don't go round the web saying you did all this. 
Naturally Gamefaqs have my permission to host it.