In anyFar Crygame, a player’s trip to a fictional version of any country isn’t complete without their trusty travel tools. That doesn’t mean backpacks, toiletries, or beef jerky — but strong and capable guns. That’s all the players need before they enter Hope County, Montana, inFar Cry 5; since even the clergymen are packing heat in this perilous region.
Hope County’s local dialects range from English to lead bullets with a hint of C4 explosions in the accent. That’s how players need to communicate inFar Cry 5. In order to speak with the locals, players will need the best tools for the job. So if players want to saypew peworkaboomin place of “hello,” these weapons should make conversations flow smoothly and emphatically.
Updated on July 31, 2025, by Nathan Halsey:Far Cry 5 received three mainline DLCs over the course of its lifespan, with Lost on Mars in particular adding a plethora of new guns. The weapons from this space-fairing DLC definitely shake up the sandbox, and are unapologetically overpowered. Even though these weapons were designed to blast away alien spiders on Mars, they can in fact be used in Hope County, and therefore deserve spots on this list. While many of these weapons mop up the competition, it should be noted that they are definitely not suited for stealth, and can make the game much more difficult in certain missions because of how just how destructive they are.
The attributes and stats displayed for each weapon assume the default form of each, without upgrades or customizations.
6/10
5/10
4/10
Handling
7/10
Handguns tend to be overlooked in first-person shooters, which is a shame since there are quite a few advantages to using them. The 1911 is incredibly stable, and at short or medium range, it is extremely accurate. The 1911reloads faster than nearly every weaponin the game, which helps offset its low ammo capacity.
There are a huge number of attachments for 1911. The most important is the suppressor. A 1911 with an attached suppressor is arguably the third-best stealth weapon inFar Cry 5. It is quieter than submachine guns and rifles with suppressors, and its accuracy at medium range is often better than submachine guns.
1/10
9/10
One of the best melee weapons inFar Cry 5is the Brass Knuckles. This upgrade to the player’s fist has a fast attack rate and is one of the quietest weapons players can use. The damage increase of the Brass Knuckles over bare fists is insane. With Brass Knuckles, it’s possible toone-hit some enemieswith a headshot.
There isn’t much customization with Brass Knuckles, only color. Thesecannot be unequippedeither, so any challenge that requires using fists only should be done before purchasing Brass Knuckles.
The Slingshot doesn’t have any glaring negatives – it is pretty decent in all categories, but not spectacular in any either. This weapon can fire arrows almost as well as the Recurve Bow, but it can alsofire rocks as well – the rock ammo is infinite. The rocks aren’t that bad either as a headshot can kill weaker enemies. It might not be as flashy as an automatic rifle, but it’s still one of thebest weapons inFar Cry 5.
This weapon is alsouseful for distracting enemiesby shooting a rock near them. Of course, the Slingshot is a silent weapon – making it a great choice when trying to remain unseen. This can be obtained aftercompleting the “Testy Festy” mission.
Submachine gun
8/10
The AR-C is one of the first assault rifles most players will find inFar Cry 5. There are better assault rifles in terms of damage, but there are several reasons to hang onto the AR-C. In terms of the rate of fire, the AR-C is king among assault rifles. It also hasbetter handling and better accuracy than the AK-47.
Muzzle drift is a bit of a problem with the AR-C, although this can be countered with attachments, or aiming a bit lower than normal. The fast fire rate will empty magazines in no time. This necessitates the need for extended magazines. The AR-C has numerous skins from which to choose as well.
2/10
The SBS is a standard double-barreled shotgun. This gives it a slow rate of fire, but it has enough damage per shot to make close encounters a brief affair. Pinpoint accuracy isn’t required, one shot is usually enough, and itsrange is surprisingly good, at least for a shotgun.
The accuracy and handling of the SBS can be improved with attachments. Believe it or not, adding a Reflex Sight or Red Dot Sight helps with aiming. The Enhanced Ranger scope might seem like overkill on a shotgun, but it works; and again, the range of the SBS is quite far.
10/10
While a bit trickier to pull off shots than, say, the RAT4’s guided rockets, this tried-and-true RPG does the job just fine when trying to wipe out aircraft or larger targets. It boasts an absurd amount of sheer power and its rockets can soar to seemingly endless distances. It’s a great way to plow through obstacles and generally wreak havoc while claiming more territory.
It also holds the potential to be upgraded with a scope and a variety of sleek skins, which, given its bulky nature, go a long way aesthetically. As an interesting side note — a glitchy version of this weapon can be found at the Lamb of God Church in Holland Valley, which sports a classic design.
Players can gain access to this bulky sniper by way of the Hours of Darkness expansion, and it’s certainly a standout feature of this content. The weapon proves a good entry-level sniper with its semi-automatic fire, decent handling, and overall solid design.
It’s not particularly customizable, but this isn’t a huge deal as it’s more than capable on its own. The weapon excels in both accuracy and range, making it a well-rounded sniper for medium distances. It’s a great choice for players who prefer to vary their tactics, as it’s quite versatile.
Players wanting a reliably good semi-automatic rifle will want to purchase the MS16. The 15-round magazine provides just enough for a fight, but a 20-round extended mag is available. The MS16 isaccurate, quick-firing, and powerful. It’s also loud. This is not a stealth weapon unless a suppressor is attached.
This weapon is a one-shot kill with fewer enemies. Stronger enemies and aggressive animals (like wolves) will take several shots. A decent scope, like the Enhanced Ranger or Tactical Scope, turns the MS16 into a semi-auto sniper rifle. At middle-to-close range, it’s easier to aim without a scope.
The even more potentsignature version of this weapon, the Trooper,can also be purchased. It offers many of the same stats and feel of its default variant, but with a bit more solid handling which is better suited for close-quarters combat.
3/10
The M60 has been a reliable part of the U.S. arsenal for decades and hasbeen one ofFar Cry 5’s bestweapons since the “Hours of Darkness” DLC expansion. This is the slowest-firing machine gun in the game. However, the rate of fire isn’t as important with machine guns. All machine guns have a high rate of fire — damage, handling, and range are more important.
This weapondoes more damage than the other two machine gunsand is equal in terms of range and handling. The M60 is incredibly customizable too.
The SA-50 is a .50 caliber semi-automatic sniper rifle, and definitely one of the best weapons inFar Cry 5.Being semi-automatic allows players to get off a second shot quickerin case the first shot misses. The SA-50 is better than the MBP .50 in every category except accuracy, and in that category, it’s only one worse.
The SA-50 can be fitted with a silencer if players wish to be stealthy, but they can engage at such long range with the SA-50 that stealth isn’t that important.This rifle kills weaker enemies with one shot; stronger enemies require a headshot for a one-shot kill.
