We all pick up weird heaters and joke about that one cursed drop that somehow carried a whole run. Guns in Enter the Gungeon are chaotic, stylish, and absurd, and talking about which ones matter is surprisingly personal.
This piece is my shot at sorting the mess into something useful. I am not listing every single weapon. Instead I rank archetypes that reliably perform across floors, bosses, and bad decisions. If you want a quick shortlist to chase, you will find it in paragraph two of the rankings section.
Yes, this is a subjective list, but it is rooted in play patterns that actually win runs. Think crowd control, boss DPS, ammo economy, and moments where a gun just makes the game feel unfair in a good way.
Here a rank from a reddit user
Short version: I weighed consistency, versatility, and the ability to bail you out when a room goes sour. Damage ceilings are great, but a gun that stalls bullets, chips bosses, and saves ammo often beats a one-hit wonder that needs perfect aim. I also favored weapons that feel fun to use; if it makes you grin while you clear a jam, that counts.
Rankings: Top Gun Archetypes
S-Tier: High-precision, high-penetration rifles. These are your reliable boss killers. They trade rate of fire for punishing hits and often pierce or ignore cover, which means the Beholster and high-health bosses stop being a chore. Playstyle: slow, careful, surgical. Memorable detail: they turn risky peek shots into satisfying scalp hits.
A-Tier: Rapid-fire SMG types. These guns are forgiving and perfect for messy rooms. They shred weaker enemies and let you move aggressively. Playstyle: run-and-gun, close to medium range. Memorable detail: they feel like skating on lead while everything around you explodes.
A-Tier: Explosive launchers and area-of-effect weapons. Not subtle, but holy moly do they clear space. Great for boss phases with adds or for dealing with rooms packed with bullets. Playstyle: space control; be mindful of friendly fire. Memorable detail: a well-placed shot can flip a hectic fight into a slow-motion fireworks show.
B-Tier: Shotgun archetypes. Classic Gungeon staples that punish in-close encounters and reward positioning. They feel clutch for tight rooms and mimics your instinct to push forward. Playstyle: close-quarters brawler. Memorable detail: they often turn a bad dodge into an aggressive retribution.
B-Tier: Utility and gimmick guns. These are the weirdos that bring unique effects: status, ricochet, or ammo tricks. They shine in the right build and with the right items. Playstyle: situational and experimental. Memorable detail: one weird synergy can make a niche gun feel like the god tier pick of the run.
C-Tier: Charge-up and skill-shot weapons. When they work, they obliterate targets, but they punish sloppy play. If you can bait boss attacks and charge safely, they rule. Otherwise they feel slow and frustrating. Playstyle: patient, tactical. Memorable detail: a perfectly timed charge feels like stealing the fight.
C-Tier: Piercing beam or continuous-fire weapons that eat ammo. They do sustained damage but demand resource management. Great for controlled, methodical play but rough on long floors. Playstyle: measured and economical. Memorable detail: they make short work of waves if you can keep the ammo flowing.
D-Tier: Low-damage weirdos and early-game throwaways. These exist to get you to the next chest or to become fuel for a better weapon. They are not useless, but you should never cling to them. Playstyle: temporary and replaceable. Memorable detail: sometimes they surprise you and get a clutch kill, which is always funny.
Want the raw drop tables or item descriptions while you read? The Steam page and the Enter the Gungeon Wiki are solid places to cross-reference what you find on a run and to check exact mechanics.
Useful links
If you like high risk and precise plays, chase the precision rifles. If you just want to stomp rooms and feel unstoppable, go rapid-fire or explosive and never look back.
