Best Legendary Pistols
There are a lot of good legendary pistols in Borderlands 3 but like any true Vault Hunter, you only want to best of the best. This weapons guide will tell you exactly which are the strongest pistols & revolvers and you should have equipped in your inventory. So get ready to farm these powerful handguns:
10. Prompt Critical
The Prompt Critical is a Torgue Pistol that shoots multiple gyro-jets with a very large splash radius, therefore, making it an excellent mobbing weapon. You want to use this weapon in Sticky Mode unless you are playing as Moze.
This weapon initially outshined the Unkempt Harold until that weapon received a buff. That said, the Prompt Critical is still badass!
The Prompt Critical has an increased chance of dropping from Evil Lilith who is located at Castle Crimson in Krieg’s Mind. But this weapon can also randomly drop from any suitable loot source within the DLC.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
47213 x3 | 40131 x3 | 37771 x3 | 37771 x3 | 37771 x3 | 35410 x3 |
37771 x4 | 32105 x4 | 30217 x4 | 30217 x4 | 30217 x4 | 28328 x4 |
9. Gargoyle
The Gargoyle is a COV Pistol that shoots corrosive darts that deal damage on impact and then explodes dealing this same amount of damage again. However, the real power of the Gargoyle comes from the corrosive blobs it frequently shoots out as these do 5 times the base gun damage.
The Gargoyle can eat through your ammo as it consumes 2 ammo per shot. There is also an x2 variant that only consumes 3 ammo per shot. This almost “doubles” the damage output but only consumes 50% more ammo.
The Gargoyle has an increased chance of dropping from Dickon Goyle who is located in Bloodsun Canyon on Gehenna. But this weapon can also ‘World Drop’ in the Bounty of Blood DLC.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
x | x | x | x | 21462 | x |
x | x | x | x | 17170 x2 | x |
x | x | x | x | 13736 x3 | x |
8. Roisen’s Thorns
The Roisen’s Thorns is a Torgue Pistol that deals good Corrosive and Incendiary damage. The main projectile is Corrosive but the weapon’s special legendary effect spawns 4 additional projectiles that deal Incendiary damage.
The Roisen’s Thorn also has an ALT-Fire mode, however, this Sticky mode loses the additional Incendiary projectiles. The “Double-Penetrating” prefix only increases the main Corrosive projectile from 1 to 2 and not the additional Incendiary projectiles.
The Roisen’s Thorns can be obtained from any loot source but has a high chance of dropping from Princess Tarantella II who is located in The Splinterlands on Pandora.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
x | x | x | x | 97200 | x |
x | x | x | x | 77760 x2 | x |
7. Maggie
The Maggie is a Jakobs Pistol that fires 6 projectiles per shot and has a fast reload speed. This Masher-style pistol will outperform most revolvers if you compare the damage output, however, it will do so at the cost of its accuracy.
The Maggie is a fan-favorite Pistol in the Borderlands franchise and it’s the hardest-hitting Jakobs masher in Borderlands 3. It is great for close to mid-range combat.
The Maggie can be obtained from any loot source but has a high chance of dropping from Turnkey Tim who is located in Floodmoor Basin on Eden-6.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
17226 x6 | x | x | x | x | x |
6. Hellshock
The Hellshock is a Maliwan Pistol that always comes with the incendiary and shock element. You can switch elements by using the alternative fire option but the element of the projectiles will also switch if they ricochet off surfaces.
The Hellshock is ideal for mobbing Maliwan troopers as they have a shield and a health gauge. By setting the Hellshock on incendiary, you can shoot at the ground just before your enemies and the projectiles will ricochet – turn into a shock projectile – and strip the shield. Once the shield is gone, you can shoot directly at your opponent to finish the job.
The Hellshock can be obtained from any loot source but has a high chance of dropping from Vermilingua who is located in The Splinterlands on Pandora. Vermilingua is encountered during and after the side quest “The Homestead (Part 2)”.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
x | x | 36655 x2 | 36655 x2 | x | x |
5. Beacon
The Beacon is a Maliwan Pistol that deals good damage and is considered the “better Hellshock“. While the Beacon cannot match the Hellshock’s fire rate, its powers come from its special reload ability because every time you reload the Beacon, it will trigger a Nova Blast around you based on the weapon’s element.
The Beacon is a great weapon to give to Zane’s Clone as it will also trigger the Nova Blasts.
The Beacon has an increased chance of dropping from Jerrick Logan who is located in Bloodsun Canyon on Gehenna. But this weapon can also ‘World Drop’ in the Bounty of Blood DLC.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
x | 68997 | 68997 | 68997 | 68997 | 68997 |
x | 43907 x2 | 43907 x2 | 43907 x2 | 43907 x2 | 43907 x2 |
4. Unkempt Harold
The Unkempt Harold is a Torgue pistol that shoots a horizontal spread of gyro-jets. These projectiles will continue to spread out from each other the further they travel. Therefore, you want to use the Unkempt Harold at close to medium range.
This classic Torgue Pistol isn’t as powerful as in Borderlands 2 – and that’s mostly because we don’t have a Bee Shield in Borderlands 3 – but it is still an absolute blast.
The Unkempt Harold has an increased chance of dropping from Caber Dawd who is located in Bloodsun Canyon on Gehenna. But this weapon can also ‘World Drop’ in the Bounty of Blood DLC.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
72636 x3 | 61740 x3 | 58109 x3 | 58109 x3 | 58109 x3 | 54477 x3 |
58109 x4 | 49392 x4 | 46487 x4 | 46487 x4 | 46487 x4 | 43582 x4 |
3. Free Radical
The Free Radical is a Maliwan Pistol that shoots shock orbs. These projectiles deal splash damage on impact and summon a new homing projectile that moves in on the original target. This is kinda a mixture between the Beacon and the Carrier.
The Free Radical outshines the Hellshock and Beacon in pure damage but is locked to the shock element.
The Free Radical is a Director’s Cut exclusive Legendary and has a 30% chance of dropping from Beef Plissken in Karass Canyon on Pandora. You can also get this weapon from The Seer or Hemovorous the Invincible but it is also in the general DLC6 loot pool.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
x | x | x | 125449 | x | x |
x | x | x | 79831 x2 | x | x |
2. Atlas Replay
The Atlas Replay shoots explosive projectiles that home in on tracked enemies and deal Splash Damage on impact.
This weapon is great because normally you need to mark enemies yourself before the homing projectiles work. The Atlas Replay’s ALT-fire marks enemies automatically and for every enemy you mark, you gain a fire rate boost.
The Atlas Replay is a Director’s Cut exclusive Legendary and has an increased chance of dropping from Hemovorous the Invincible in Darkthirst Dominion on Pandora. You can also get this weapon from Sera of Supremacy on True Trials but it is also in the general DLC6 loot pool.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
82428 | x | x | x | x | x |
1. Light Show
The Light Show is a Vladof Pistol that fires multiple projectiles that travel in a spinning circular pattern.
This weapon literally shreds through enemies with its high fire rate and damage output. It’s also an amazing gun to give to your Digi-clone while playing as Zane.
The Light Show has an increased chance of dropping from Lasodactyl which is located in the Obsidian Forest on Gehenna. But this weapon can also ‘World Drop’ in the Bounty of Blood DLC.
Kinetic | Cryo | Fire | Shock | Corrosive | Radiation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
35702 x4 | 30346 x4 | 28561 x4 | 28561 x4 | 28561 x4 | 26776 x4 |
If you have any honorable mentions, let me know in the comments below.
MentalMars
More Legendary Weapons
- Borderlands 3 Legendary Weapon Tier List
- Every Borderlands 3 Legendary Weapon
- Best Borderlands 3 Legendary Shields
- Best Legendary Grenade Mods in Borderlands 3
- Best Legendary Rocket Launchers in Borderlands 3
- Best Legendary Snipers in Borderlands 3
- Best Legendary Shotguns in Borderlands 3
- Best Legendary SMGs in Borderlands 3
- Best Legendary Assault Rifles in Borderlands 3
El Rostro
1. Unkempt Harold.
End.
Grey Matter from Ben Ten
Beacon
JC
Hell shock, moon fire, beacon, maggie & bloom. Imo
Hyperion🛡✈️
Light Show!
Cory Allen Poole
My go to pistols are the Maggie the hellshock and lightshow
Nasser DW
Craps!
ZerØ Gamma Gaming YT💎
Unkempt Harold
Alexander
Lightshow, Maggie, Beacon, Hellshock, Seventh Sense (when it was viable), PSUH (Packin Shredded Unkempt Harold), Gargoyle,
Cardboardgoblet
Double penetrating vigorous roisen’s thorns.
Works for me.
Cardboard box 12
I personally think that the infinity should be an honorable mention