Apex Legends: Best Pistols, Ranked

Image: Respawn Entertainment & EA via HGG

Human Made

My name is Gibson Vasela. I am a freelance writer who has been playing video games for almost 20 years now. I play all kinds of games, but I especially love immersive sims and RPGs.

Reviewed by Benjamin Barr

Like many great shooters, Apex Legends features a huge roster of different weapons to choose from. Whether it’s a long-range sniper rifle, a versatile assault rifle, or a powerful shotgun, you’re sure to find something that suits your playstyle. But nothing complements your primary weapon like a good pistol at your side. Whether it’s the rapid-fire RE-45 or the heavy-hitting Wingman, every pistol has some viability in Apex Legends.

Out of all the pistols in the game, which ones are the best to use? What are their strengths and weaknesses? In today’s article, we’ll be ranking the best pistols in Apex Legends.

Every Pistol in Apex Legends, Ranked

So without any further delay, let’s hop right into this article for the best pistols ranked in Apex Legends!

3/3

p2020

First up on our list, we have the p2020. This pistol is in an unfortunate spot, as it doesn’t have the utility or power needed to make it meta. It’s a semi-automatic pistol that fires as fast as you can pull the trigger. Since it’s such a basic gun, there really isn’t a reason to pick this weapon up unless you just landed and don’t have anything else to grab.

What are its strengths?

This gun is — for the most part — easy to use, due to its low recoil and decent hip-fire accuracy. The p2020 is a great gun to grab if you are playing Arenas mode, as it’s free to buy and its upgrades are incredibly cheap. It can use the Hammerpoint Rounds hop-up, which gives it a bonus of +50% damage to targets without shields. This gives it some viability as a sidearm.

What are its weaknesses?

As previously mentioned, this is a semi-automatic gun, and thus you need to be precise with your shots in order to effectively deal damage to a target. Its damage-per-body shot is low as well, at only 15 damage. It’s definitely not a great primary weapon.

Does it have any good cosmetics?

My legendary skin of choice for this firearm is the Null Hypothesis skin. This is a fairly basic remodel with a gray and white color scheme with red highlights. Featured as a part of the Lost Treasures collection event, it has since become a rare skin that I have yet to see reappear in the shop. Unlike most skins in the game, this one actually looks more realistic, which I personally prefer.

2/3

RE-45 Auto

Image: Respawn Entertainment & EA via Koby Gibson Ross / HGG

Next up on our ranking, let’s take a look at the RE-45 machine pistol! This is the only fully-automatic pistol in the game, which makes it a good choice as a sidearm. The pistol has never really seen much use in the meta, unfortunately. Given that it can now use Hammerpoint Rounds in Season 12, it has become a much more viable alternative to the p2020 and Mozambique sidearms.

What are its strengths?

As previously mentioned, this is a fully automatic pistol with a decent rate of fire. Its recoil is minimal, making it easier to consistently hit enemy opponents. The hip-fire accuracy is also very good on this gun, which makes cleaning up opponents after you drain their shields much easier.

Speaking of this, you can apply the Hammerpoint Rounds to the RE-45, which makes it a much better option than using them with the p2020. You can switch to this gun after cracking an enemy’s shields to quickly finish them off.

What are its weaknesses?

Its damage per shot is not very good, and you can only do 12 damage per shot to the body. The overall DPS on this machine pistol is low. If you are looking for a better weapon to use without Hammerpoints, I’d recommend you go for the r99 SMG instead.

Does it have any good cosmetics?

The Pride legendary skin is a beautiful and well-designed cosmetic that gives the gun a gold, silver, and red color palette. The biggest selling point, however, is the gold lion head carved above the handle. You can craft this beautiful skin at any time for 1200 crafting metals by going into the RE-45’s cosmetic menu in-between matches.

1/3

Wingman

Now for our top spot on this list for the best pistols ranked in Apex Legends, we have the Wingman! This is a solid and reliable weapon that has always had a strong place in the Apex meta. Considered one of the most overpowered weapons back in Season 0, it has since become the balanced — but still powerful — sidearm of choice for many players.

What are its strengths?

It offers the highest damage per shot compared to every other pistol in the game. Hitting one shot to the chest will deal 45 points of damage. Being a pistol, you’ll suffer no movement penalty at all when aiming it down sights, making it great for doing enemy fire. It’s the best pistol for longer ranges, as its spread is minimal and it can more easily hit targets that are sitting from farther away.

What are its weaknesses?

The Wingman features strong recoil that can take a bit to get used to. Its rate of fire is also not that great due to it being a revolver. The damage is strong, but not strong enough to make its DPS counteract its fire rate. The magazine compacity on the Wingman is also small, holding only six bullets without an extended heavy mag. Missing shots is also fairly punishing.

Does it have any good cosmetics?

My personal favorite legendary skin for the Wingman is the Lawbringer legendary skin! It’s a gold, black, and red pistol with a wild-west aesthetic. It features a skull with glowing green eyes on the back of the gun, which gives it a very intimidating look. The skin was made to go with Caustic’s Deputy o’ Death legendary skin! That’s is a big bonus for me as I’m a Caustic main.

Join the High Ground

So concludes our article for the best pistols ranked in Apex Legends! Did you agree with our list? Let us know your thoughts down below in the comment section, and be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter as well! We offer regular content on all the latest and greatest games, including more Apex Legends content.

Happy gaming!