Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 (2005)

Resident Evil 4 (known as Biohazard 4 in Japan) is the fourth main entry in Capcom's popular series. First released in 2005 for the Nintendo Gamecube, it was later ported to the PS2 with some additional content and weaponry but downgraded graphics, followed by a straight PC port in 2007. A version for the Nintendo Wii with Wiimote motion controls, combining the extras of the PS2 version and the graphical quality of the Gamecube version was also released in 2007, and this was later followed by versions for Apple's iPhone in 2009 and iPad in 2010. In 2011 a high-definition version was released on PSN and XBox Live, followed by the "Ultimate HD Edition" for PC in early 2014. In 2021 Capcom announced a new version of Resident Evil 4 that incorporates a first-person perspective along with virtual reality headset and motion controller support via the Oculus Quest 2. This new version of the game also includes redesigned high-resolution textures.

The main character is Leon Scott Kennedy, previously a rookie cop in Resident Evil 2. Six years after Leon's escape from Raccoon City, he is now a special agent working for the US Government and investigating the disappearance of the President's daughter Ashley Graham in a remote area of Spain. He soon finds out that the local villagers have become mindless monsters called Ganados, who attack any outsiders with vicious intent, and seem to be ruled by a mysterious religious cult called the Los Iluminados who infect people with parasites named "Las Plagas". Leon battles his way across this rural part of Spain as he rescues Ashley and foils the cult leader's schemes.

From the PS2 version onwards, an additional campaign called "Separate Ways" was added, which covers what Leon's sometimes-ally Ada Wong was doing during the events of the story. Another non-canon mini-campaign starring Ada, called Assignment: Ada, is available for all versions. Also introduced is The Mercenaries mode, an arcade mode where the player plays as characters from the game and the Resident Evil universe, each with their own abilities and equipment, and kill enemies in a timed arena to get the highest score possible. The mode, a fleshed out version of the "The Mercenaries - Operation: Mad Jackal" mode from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, would prove to be extremely popular, returning for Resident Evil 5, Resident Evil 6, even spawning its own spin-off game Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. All three side-games are unlocked upon beating the main game once.

A remake of this game in the same vein as other recent installments was released on March 24, 2023.

The following weapons appear in the video game Resident Evil 4:

Overview

Resident Evil 4 uses a third-person over-shoulder view with a toggle for aiming; player characters cannot shoot or reload outside of aim mode, and cannot move while aiming. To facilitate aiming, a red laser sight is fitted to almost every non-scoped weapon in the game, and will enamate a full solid laser beam when aiming; the only version where this is not the case is the Wii version, which has a large circular crosshair in place of the laser beam to compensate for the less precise motion control.

The game has a grid-based inventory system explained as an attache case the player character is conspicuously not carrying; this has a set number of squares into which all weapons, ammunition and other items except treasure and keys must be fitted. Characters can only equip a single weapon at a time, which is switched out from the inventory screen, though equipping a grenade will also allow every other grenade of that type the player has to be thrown.

Weapons can either be found in the game world or bought from the Merchant, a strange hooded man with a ridiculously hammy voice that will exchange priceless treasures for various hardware. Stores also allow weapons to be upgraded; most weapons can have their power, fire rate, reload speed and capacity upgraded in a series of increments that unlock as the campaign progresses; these do not alter the weapons visually, and often result in absurd increases in ammo capacities. Almost every weapon has a high-priced "exclusive" upgrade which will boost a single aspect of its stats significantly. This system does not apply to Ada's campaign; her weapons are at a pre-set level and cannot be further upgraded.

A few weapons also have optional mods which take up additional inventory space; stocks can be attached to the C96 and TMP to remove the simulated hand sway effect and reduce recoil, and several other weapons can equip scopes.

Handguns

"Silver Ghost"

Leon Kennedy's starting weapon is the "Handgun", commonly nicknamed "Silver Ghost", and uses Handgun Ammo (9mm). The pistol is of fictional design, which, according to unsourced reports citing RE4 weapon designer Shigeomi Okamura, was inspired by H&K USP, S&W Sigma, and Ruger P85; the latter makes the most sense, as the Silver Ghost replaced Leon's prior starting handgun, the Ruger KP94, late in the game's development.

The Silver Ghost takes heavy design cues from all three handguns: From the USP it takes the Tactical version's threaded barrel for a sound suppressor, frame, trigger, and slide stop. From the Sigma it borrows its slide, magazine, and magazine well. From the P85 it claims its external hammer, iron sights, and grips with horizontal serrations.

As for its original features: Its slide is stainless steel with vertical slide serrations. Its polymer grip has checkered front and back straps, while the panels are wood framed with polymer inserts (featuring the P85's serrations) and a central medallion on each side. The grips in general strongly resemble the ones featured on Jill's Beretta 92FS "Samurai Edge" from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. It lacks an external safety like a Glock. A red laser sight has been fixed to the frame, with its pressure switch attached to the grip.

In gameplay the Silver Ghost features average power, decent magazine capacity, good firing speed, and rather shaky aim compared to other handguns. When fully upgraded it receives a x5 critical headshot rate, making it much more likely to kill normal Ganados (and also Las Plagas parasites) in one hit.

The name "Silver Ghost" is not used at any point inside Resident Evil 4; it appears to be an unofficial nickname that originated from the January 2006 issue of the ARMS magazine (Japanese: アームズ), a Japanese monthly airsoft enthusiast magazine. The issue was a Resident Evil 4 PS2 release special, and contained an article on a custom airsoft reproduction of Leon's Handgun, alongside a staff-written story about how Leon conceived the pistol with Joseph Kendo, a gun maker from Raccoon City who previously designed the custom "Samurai Edge" handguns for the Raccoon City S.T.A.R.S. This story gave the weapon the name of "Silver Ghost" (which was given by Leon in reference of his current condition of being "a spirit pulled out from [his] body"), which became the common name for the gun.

The story was entirely unofficial, and was more or less a short fanfiction, but some elements were apparently official; the in-game weapon's slide is marked with the words "Kendo Custom Shop", meaning that the idea that of the pistol being custom work by Kendo gifted to Leon is likely true. The article was also apparently written based on interviews with Resident Evil weapon designer Shigeomi Okamura (who also designed weapons for Capcom's Devil May Cry and Dino Crisis series), meaning that some elements of the story, maybe even the name itself, possibly came straight out of the weapon designer.

Albert Wesker uses a separate Silver Ghost in The Mercenaries, where it is equipped with a suppressor. The suppressor was initially available for Leon's Silver Ghost which can be found in a room with treasures, but was cut in the final game for unknown reasons. Interestingly, Wesker also uses a silenced Silver Ghost in Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.

Heckler & Koch USP SD with thread protector cap - 9x19mm

Smith & Wesson Sigma - 9x19mm

Ruger P85 - 9x19mm

Leon's custom handgun, the Silver Ghost. Like most of the handguns, it has a pressure switch for the laser sight on the grip.

Four varied images of Leon's Silver Ghost. 3D would be ideal, perhaps IMFDB 2.0!

Entering a small house, Leon readies his Handgun as he approaches a villager tending a fire.

"Freeze!" Leon barely dodges the axe of the now hostile villager then holds him at gunpoint with his Handgun.

Leon aims his Handgun at the villager.

The threat dealt with, Leon reloads his Handgun.

Leon reloads his empty Handgun. Notice the lack of a modeled chamber and magazine lips.

Leon with his Handgun while escorting Ashley.

Leon runs dry in the middle of a fight.

"Hasta Luego" Leon ignites the spilled gasoline around Bitores Mendez the village chief.

Albert Wesker's Handgun equipped with a Knight's Armament suppressor.

VR version

The Handgun in Leon's inventory in Resident Evil 4 VR. The pistol can be seen at the top left of the grid.

Leon inspects his sidearm. The words "9mm Parabellum" can be seen engraved just below the ejection port.

The right side of the pistol. The aforementioned engraving can be seen on this side of the (rather chunky) pistol too.

Ejecting an empty (or less-than-empty, the game doesn't judge) magazine. This also causes the slide to lock backwards, even if the pistol still has a round in the chamber.

Inserting a fresh magazine. The "Silver Ghost" can hold 10 rounds of 9mm by default, but this can be augmented over the course of the game through weapon upgrades.

Tugging on the slide completes the Handgun's reloading sequence.

Alternatively, the player can press the slide release. This is done by pulling the trigger once a new magazine is in position; while worrying from a real-life safety perspective, this was done due to the lack of available buttons on the VR controller for a dedicated "release slide" binding.

Leon lines up a headshot on an approaching Ganado. As with the flatscreen version of the game, laser sights are available on all of RE4VR's weapons. They have been disabled here, however.

Pulling the trigger. Note that the ejected casing does not appear to have a struck primer.

FN Five-seveN

The Punisher is based off of the FN Five-seveN handgun. Though chambered in 5.7x28mm in reality, the in-game version uses regular Handgun Ammo (9mm) although in the VR version it correctly uses 5.7x28mm rounds as can be seen in the magazine model. In game, the weapon has the ability to pierce shields and multiple enemies, an exaggerated gameplay depiction of the real 5.7x28mm's armor penetrating capabilities. Its in-game model features an altered trigger.

This weapon can be purchased from the Merchant or won in a contest after shooting ten of fifteen blue medallions scattered across two areas. If all targets have been shot, the Punisher will have a free upgrade added onto it, making it slightly more powerful than the standard Handgun. When every handgun is upgraded to its maximum, the Punisher is the weakest, but it can penetrate through several enemies. The gun is used by Ada in Assignment Ada and The Mercenaries.

FN Five-seveN - 5.7x28mm

FN Five-seveN "Punisher" handgun with exclusive upgrade.

Other side.

Leon aims the Punisher.

Leon reloads the Punisher.

Leon reloads the empty Punisher.

VR version

The Punisher in Resident Evil 4 VR.

Taking a look at the left side of the futuristic-looking handgun.

Aside from an ejection port, the other side of the Punisher is more of the same.

Dramatically ejecting a magazine from the pistol.

Taking a look at one of the Punisher's magazines. As with the Springfield, the correct ammunition (5.7x28mm in this case) is depicted within, despite the game's claim that the handgun uses 9mm rounds.

Inserting said magazine into the weapon; despite the small size of the Five-seveN's proprietary ammunition, the Punisher only holds 10 rounds by default.

Powerstroking the slide.

Leon aims at an approaching Ganado through the Punisher's iron sights.

Planting a high-powered round right between his eyes.

Mauser C96 "Red 9"

The Mauser C96 "Red 9" appears under its famous nickname. It can be purchased from the Merchant after Chapter 2-2, who also sells an attachable stock that improves its accuracy significantly. It is the most powerful 9mm handgun in-game, and when coupled with its stock, also the most accurate, but it is also the slowest-firing. The original US edition has an Exclusive firepower rating of 5.0, while the PAL edition raises this to 6.5.

Vagrant Spaniard Luis Sera uses this as his primary weapon in the main game.

Mauser C96 "Red 9" Version with shoulder stock and stripper clip - 9x19mm

"Ah, the choice of an avid gun collector. It's a nice gun stranger." The Mauser C96 "Red 9" equipped with its shoulder stock. It has the iconic "9" carved on its grips and a laser sight fitted onto the barrel.

Note the stock has a hinge; in real life it can be used as a holster, though Leon does not appear to know this since it still takes up an additional three inventory slots. It is not particularly clear how this is supposed to make sense, given the gun that fits inside it takes up eight.

Leon aims the Red 9 at Ganados.

Leon reloads the Red 9 using a stripper clip. Note the closed bolt and the ammunition therefore clipping through the model.

Leon reloads the empty Red 9. This time the bolt is open with no clipping going on.

Leon aims the Red 9 with the shoulder stock attached.

Armed with his trusty Red 9, Luis helps Leon fend off a large army of Ganados inside a cabin.

"Adios, Leon."
Damage Luis too many times during the cabin fight and this happens.

VR version

The Red 9 model in Resident Evil 4 VR.

Springfield Armory XD

The Blacktail is based on the Springfield XD with grips inspired by the FN FNP-9. Though using regular Handgun Ammo (9mm), it appears to be a rather bulkier larger caliber version of the XD rather than 9mm, perhaps a design error. It can be purchased from the Merchant after Leon reaches the castle. Ada uses this as her handgun in the main game and Separate Ways. Leon uses it in The Mercenaries. It has a better handling than the standard handgun. Fully upgraded, it is the second fastest firing and highest capacity handgun in the game, with the Matilda being at number 1. The PAL edition improves its maximum Firepower rating from 3.4 to 4.5.

Springfield Armory XD - 9x19mm

Spingfield Armory XD "Blacktail" handgun. The grip is heavily inspired the FN FNP-9's grips, though is not identical to it.

Ada aiming the Blacktail.

Ada reloading the Blacktail. This shows the grip safety which is so hard to see in other shots.

Ada reloading her empty Blacktail.

Ada with her Blacktail.

Ada playfully points her Blacktail at Leon's back, who then proceeds to school her about the effectiveness of knives in close encounters.

Ada poses with her Blacktail in chapter clear screens.

Ashley isn't the only one equipped with ballistics.

Heckler & Koch VP70M

The Matilda is an H&K VP70M, the same handgun Leon uses as a rookie cop in Resident Evil 2. It is unlocked for purchase from the Merchant after successfully completing the game once on Normal difficulty. It is fitted with its stock, which cannot be removed unlike the Red-9 or the TMP. It fires rapid three-round bursts, much faster than in RE2 and probably the closest a video game VP70 gets to the 2200 RPM burst fire of the real VP70M. Like in RE2 the slide incorrectly locks back upon expending all ammo.

Its exclusive upgrade grants a 100-round magazine: heavily exaggerated from its real life capacity, but with its high ROF even 100 rounds run out quickly. The name Matilda is inspired by the character Mathilda from the movie Léon: The Professional.

Heckler & Koch VP70M - 9x19mm

Leon's service handgun, six years in the future.

The H&K VP70M "Matilda". The burst fire selector is on the stock behind the slide. Note early style grip.

Leon in his R.P.D. uniform, wielding his VP70M "Matilda" once again.

Leon aiming his Matilda.

Leon reloads his Matilda.

"Broken Butterfly"

The Broken Butterfly is a top-break revolver chambered in Magnum Ammo (.45 ACP, misidentified by the developers as a high pressure magnum cartridge). It is a hybrid of the Smith & Wesson Schofield and Colt Single Action Army; the barrel and hinge resemble the Model 3 Schofield, while the frame is nearly identical to the Colt SAA. Despite looking like an old fashioned single action revolver, the gun actually has a double action mechanism, which is convenient for rapid firing at big monsters without that thumb-cocking drivel. The Merchant tells the player about the "joy of reloading": because the ejector rod does not completely push out casings, Leon will dump empties behind his back then throw cartridges into the chambers rather than simply sliding them into position.

It has a loading gate like the SAA which is not necessary given its top-break mechanism, however the gate lid is missing, meaning the cartridge in the chamber aligned with the loading gate is visible. This can mean two things: Either the aligned cartridge can fall entirely out of its chamber while pointing the gun upwards, wasting a good round. Or an expanded fired cartridge can partially fall out and get stuck, which would block the cylinder from turning and jam the gun (both scenarios not happening in the game for obvious reasons).

It can be purchased from the Merchant after Chapter 3–1, but a free one can found in a section of the castle after freeing Ashley in Chapter 4-1. Its capacity can be upgraded up to 12, despite being a six shooter. It has a firepower of 50.0 after purchasing its exclusive upgrade.

Smith & Wesson Schofield Model 3 with blued finish - .45 Schofield

Colt Single Action Army - .45 Long Colt

The Broken Butterfly newly acquired. It always has a different finish than the one in the attache case.

The Broken Butterfly as it appears in the attache case. The description is a clear reference to Dirty Harry and his .44 Magnum.

Leon engages in a standoff with the minigun-wielding J.J. Ganado. Note the exposed cartridge face in the loading gate.

Leon performs a daring (and stylish) reload sequence in front of Salazar. First he pivots the barrel, causing the extractor star to partially eject the casings.

He tips the revolver over his shoulder, letting gravity remove the empty cartridges from the cylinder. Note their case length, which is far longer than the stubby .45 ACP which the gun is supposed to be chambered in.

He energetically throws three fresh rounds inside the chambers. Note the cartridge in Leon's left hand sporting a spitzer-type bullet that the .45 ACP isn't typically known for.

Then finally he flicks the cylinder shut, styling on the enemy in front of him.

Leon wielding the Broken Butterfly. Note the wood grips, which doesn't appear on either the acquisition or attache case images of the gun.

Colt M1911

The Killer7 is a modified Colt M1911 that may be purchased from the Merchant after Leon reaches the Island in Chapter 5-1, and uses Magnum Ammo (.45 ACP). Its model is a reference to the AMT Hardballer in The Terminator, with a similar large custom laser mounted on top of the slide. It is the only weapon that has no exclusive ability when fully upgraded. The name of the weapon is a reference to fellow Capcom game Killer7, in which the character KAEDE Smith uses a similarly modified 1911.

Colt M1911 - .45 ACP

The AMT Hardballer from The Terminator (1984) which inspired RE4's Killer7

The logo of Capcom's Killer7 is engraved on the slide.

Note the Killer7's primitive laser sight, straight from the 1980s.

The Killer7's sight in action.

Reloading the Killer7.

Reloading the empty Killer7.

Leon holding his Killer7.

Smith & Wesson Model 500

The Smith & Wesson Model 500 appears as the "Handcannon"; equipped with a fictional laser sight, a six chambered cylinder (the real thing has only five chambers), and checkered grips taken from Barry Burton's Silver Serpent. It is one of the earliest depictions of the S&W Model 500 in visual media.

This extremely powerful weapon can be unlocked free of charge when the player gets a five-star rank with all characters on all stages in Mercenary Mode. It uses its own unique ammunition (.50 caliber), which are dropped at random by enemies while the gun is in the inventory, and can also be sold at a high price. The first reload animation has Leon loading four rounds manually, which changes to a speed loader reload when the player upgrades its reload speed to max level.

When fully upgraded, the Handcannon acquires infinite ammunition and the second highest damage of any weapon in the game at 99.9, far exceeding the Broken Butterfly and Killer7.

Smith & Wesson Model 500 - .500 S&W Magnum

Inventory preview of a fully-upgraded S&W Model 500 "Handcannon". The bulky thing under the barrel is its laser sight. It also seems to lack a cylinder release.

Other side.

Equipping the Handcannon in the inventory has Leon resting the revolver on his shoulder, which is a reference to Dan Smith from Capcom's Killer7 game who also strikes the same pose with his magnum revolver. It should be noted that the gun points to the left edge of the screen by default orientation in the attache case, rather than right like other firearms.

While trekking through one of the Spanish cult's absurdly huge and complex castles, Leon brandishes a Handcannon. Y'know, to be safe.

Leon aiming the Handcannon, showing off the laser sight.

Leon expertly handling the gun's massive recoil so the barrel doesn't crack his skull. Fun fact: The Handcannon actually behaves like a miniature shotgun than an actual magnum. Shooting at water reveals four tightly-clumped points of impact instead of just one.

With nothing better to do, Leon reloads his unlimited-ammo Handcannon, first by dramatically swinging out the cylinder and dumping everything onto the ground, ejector rod be damned.

Then whipping out a speedloader loaded with what looks to be spitzer-pointed rifle rounds. Note the 6-round cylinder, while the real Model 500 is only available with a 5-round cylinder. When reloading the upgraded Handcannon, Leon uses a 6-round speed loader. Otherwise he would toss loose rounds into the cylinder like he does with the Broken Butterfly.

"Stranger! Haha! What d'you need that for? Goin' huntin' an elephant?"

Shotguns

Remington 870

The first shotgun that Leon gets is a Remington 870, more specifically the Express Combo model with its smoothbore barrel installed. May be obtained in one of three ways: on Easy difficulty, the weapon comes in Leon's inventory when the game starts; on Normal or higher difficulties, Leon can find it for free on the second floor of a house in the Ganado Village; alternatively, the player can purchase this weapon from the Merchant from the very beginning. Not an outstanding weapon, nonetheless when fully upgraded its range exceeds that of any shotgun, enabling it to kill enemies normally out of shotgun range.

Ada uses her own unique version in Separate Ways; it has a stainless steel barrel, a pistol grip, and a foregrip attached to its fore-end. Its damage is average for a shotgun.

Remington 870 Express Combo - 12 gauge

Remington 870. Easily the lowest detail weapon model in the game.

Other side.

The loaded Shotgun which the previous owner foolishly left hanging on his wall for intruders to use. Come across this shotgun as Ada in Separate Ways and she will comment that she should leave this for Leon.

Leon aiming the Shotgun at Dr. Salvador. This mini-boss is easily the first death of many new RE4 players as he will instantly decapitate Leon once his chainsaw connects.

Having staved off decapitation, Leon reloads the Shotgun. All shotguns in RE4 are always loaded with two shells then pumped during the reload animations, no matter their magazine capacity or if only a single shot was fired. Note the shell clipping with his index finger.

Remington 870 with TacStar front and rear pistol grips - 12 gauge. Similar to Ada's shotgun.

Ada's 870. Another very low detail model, like the standard pump action.

Ada aims her 870; lacking a stock, it is held at the hip like the TMP.

Ada reloads her shotgun.

VR version

The Remington 870 Express Combo in Resident Evil 4 VR.

Holding the shotgun at an arm's length in an attempt to cram the entire gun into frame; this is mostly successful.

Leon takes a closer look at the 870's ejection port.

Inspecting one of the shotgun's shells. The top of each is absent of any crimping and marked with a black star.

Shoving said shell into the Remington 870. This (somehow) instantly fills up the magazine tube, regardless of how many shells the shotgun has pre-reload.

Reloading the shotgun again, this time proving a good view of the impressively-modeled magazine tube. It even correctly tracks if there's a shell in the tube, displaying a red follower if there isn't. As with the handguns, grabbing a magic instant-reload shell causes the pump of the 870 to lock itself back in anticipation.

Taking aim at a group of Ganados.

Ejecting a spent (yet apparently unfired) shell as carnage ensues.

Custom Benelli M3 Super 90

This stainless-steel shotgun is a custom Benelli M3 with elements from the Benelli M4 added to it, notably the collapsible stock and the top rail on the receiver. Called the Riot Gun, it is identical to Richard Aiken's Assault Shotgun from the Resident Evil 2002 Remake except for the lack of the S.T.A.R.S emblem on the receiver.

Despite the fact that many prefer the tighter spread of the Riot Gun over the Striker's wide-shot, it is rarely used once the Striker becomes available due to its compact design, despite the fact that the Riot Gun has clearly been intentionally modified with the M4 collapsing stock.

The weapon may be purchased from the Merchant from Chapter 3-1 onwards. It is also used by Leon in The Mercenaries.

Airsoft Benelli M3 Super 90 produced by CYMA

Benelli M4 with stainless steel finish - 12 gauge

The Benelli M3/M4 Hybrid "Riot Gun".

Riot Gun.

Leon aims his Riot Gun at unchristian Los Iluminados monks. Despite the presence of a pistol grip, Leon insists on holding it like the standard 870 shotgun.

Leon reloads his Riot Gun.

VR version

In Resident Evil 4 VR, the Riot Gun model has been changed. This version was based on the Remington 870 with an M4S90 stock and an M3S90 handguard.

Cyma CM353LM

The Riot Gun in Resident Evil 4 VR. Note trigger group and receiver.

Cobray Street Sweeper / Armsel Protecta Hybrid

A hybrid of a SWD/Cobray Street Sweeper and Armsel Protecta may be purchased from the Merchant, and is called the Striker, which was the original variant of the weapon series. The weapon model lacks the rear lever and the wind-up key of the Street Sweeper, but it also lacks the Armsel Protecta's shell deflector. Functionally, the weapon has the semi-automatic firing of the Street Sweeper and the automatic shell ejection of the Armsel Protecta (which is animated in a bizarre way; the spent shell ejects itself after a short delay instead of immediately when the weapon is fired as it should be).

Being semi-automatic, the Striker fires much faster than the other pump-action shotguns, though Leon has an exaggerated recoil animation after every shot, meaning that there is still a delay between shots. The reload animation has Leon always putting two shells into the gun then giving the (visually absent) wind-up key a crank. When upgraded to max level, the Striker's capacity expands to a whopping 100 rounds. Leon aims and fires the Striker from the hip like Ada's shotgun, despite a foldout stock being clearly present.

SWD/Cobray Street Sweeper with short barrel and top folding stock - 12 gauge

Armsel Protecta - 12 gauge

The "Striker" shotgun.

Note the lack of a shell deflector.

Note the lack of a winding key on the drum.

Leon aims the Striker.

Leon reloads the Striker.

VR version

The Striker model with a G36V export optical sight by default in Resident Evil 4 VR.

Submachine Guns

Steyr TMP

The Steyr TMP, simply called the TMP in-game, may be purchased from the Merchant after the player's first encounter with him. A stock may also be purchased to improve accuracy and reduce recoil. Ada also uses the TMP in her cutscenes and campaign, as well as in The Mercenaries mode. The TMP uses its own custom 9mm Ammo, not shared with the handguns.

Steyr TMP - 9x19mm Parabellum

Inventory preview of the Steyr TMP, showing off an alarmingly-poor use of an apostrophe.

Leon bringing his newfangled TMP to church for a good baptizing.

Aiming with the unmodified TMP shows just why its accuracy is so horrid: Leon and Ada will fire the TMP from the hip if used without the stock, thereby sending shots all over the place and the poor posture makes aiming it very wobbly and awkward.

Having destroyed one of the Merchant's 15 blue medallions as part of a dare, Leon inserts a new mag into his TMP.

Ada hoses down Saddler with her TMP. Note that the laser sight integrated with the foregrip replaces the standard slanted TMP foregrip.

The TMP firing and ejecting casings. Apparently the "custom" aspect of the TMP's 9mm ammo consists of a non-standard protruding rim at the base of the case; normal 9x19mm ammunition is rimless, as rimmed ammunition is notoriously tricky to make feed reliably from magazines.

Ada admires her handiwork. Good view of the TMP. Also notice Ada's good trigger discipline.

Steyr TMP with stock and M68 Aimpoint sight - 9x19mm Parabellum

The TMP with its optional stock; this stock is based on Steyr's factory option for the TMP, though the profile is somewhat altered.

Leon posing with the modified TMP.

Only with its proprietary stock fitted, will the player characters actually shoulder the thing when firing, making shot grouping a wee bit more consistent at long ranges as well as reducing shaking and sway when trying to line up a shot. Bringing the gun higher up can also make a difference, as railings or tables can sometimes foil a shot from the hip, especially in a game where one can't move their character while aiming.

Reloading the modded TMP.

VR version

The TMP model in Resident Evil 4 VR.

Brügger & Thomet MP9

Chapter 5-3 boss Jack Krauser wields a customized TMP based on the Brügger & Thomet MP9. It is modified with a B&T MP9 folding stock, an RIS attached extended muzzle-end fitted with a different vertical-grip, and a PEQ laser sight. In The Mercenaries minigame, HUNK carries this modified TMP as his weapon. HUNK also uses it in Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles instead of his MP5A3 from RE2.

Brügger & Thomet MP9 - 9x19mm

Krauser's customized TMP, it has MP9 features, an RIS attached extended muzzle-end fitted with a straight vertical-grip and a PEQ laser sight.

Krauser aiming his custom TMP at Leon. Note the strangely enlarged front end.

Krauser firing his TMP. Note the RIS rail on the side.

HUNK with the custom TMP.

M1A1 Thompson

The Thompson submachine gun appears in the game under one of its many famous historical nicknames, the Chicago Typewriter. In the main campaign this weapon is unlocked for Leon by completing the Separate Ways side-story. In Separate Ways the Thompson is unlocked for Ada by finishing the non-canon Assignment Ada (On the GameCube Assignment Ada unlocks the gun for Leon). It may purchased from the Merchant for either 1 million (Leon) or 3 million pesetas (Ada). It comes with unlimited ammo and high damage.

The Chicago Typewriter appears as the M1A1 Thompson from WWII when using Leon's Normal and R.P.D. costumes, and can be redundantly reloaded with 30 round stick magazines. When donning Leon's Mafia costume or playing as Ada in Separate Ways, a second model of the M1A1 Thompson appears: it uses 50 round drum magazines and its handguard is replaced with the slanted foregrip found on the 1921/1928 Thompson variants (the M1A1 receiver is incapable of accepting drum mags in real life without modifications). Both Typewriters incorrectly fire from a closed bolt instead of an open bolt.

M1A1 Thompson - .45 ACP

1921 Thompson - .45 ACP

The Chicago Typewriter. I believe the technical term is "overkill."

The Chicago Typewriter "Mafia Edition". Note M1A1 receiver, however its been modified to look like the Tommy Guns from the Roaring 20s, albeit without the Cutts compensator.

Blazing away, not really at anything.

Reloading is not necessary, but hey. Leon rocks in a new magazine, then tilts the Typewriter sideways to pull the bolt.

Mafia Leon firing away with his Chicago Typewriter with the 1921 style foregrip and drum magazine.

Instead of replacing the drum when "reloading", Mafia Leon will readjust his hat. "Reload" four times and the Raccoon City Gangster will toss his hat in the air then catch it while striking a stylish pose, just like in them old time Hollywood movies.

Sniper Rifles

Springfield M1903A4

A Springfield M1903A4 rifle can be purchased from the Merchant. It uses Rifle Ammo (.223), which implies that the Springfield has been converted from .30-06 Springfield to .223 Remington. A higher magnification scope can be bought for the rifle, increasing its accuracy at long range, and it could also be fitted with the Infrared Scope found on the island to help with defeating Regenerators and Iron Maidens. When fully upgraded, the bolt action Springfield's damage greatly exceeds that of its semi-auto counterpart: in the original NTSC editions it increases to 18.0, while in the PAL version and later releases it is raised to a rather absurd 30.0, and rivals the power of the Magnums.

Springfield M1903A4 - .30-06

Inventory preview of the Springfield M1903A4 rifle, here with its default M84 scope.

Again, now with its aftermarket scope.

Leon posing with the Springfield inside the Merchant's cliffside cache.

Aiming with the unmodified Springfield.

Scope view. Good luck seeing anything at all with this in the dark.

Leon loads his 7-shot Springfield with what looks to be a 9-round stripper clip. He's also forcibly jamming in the clip diagonally (since the scope is obstructing the port), which isn't going to work since stripper clip guides for the Springfield are aligned directly vertical with the chamber.

Leon holds his now-modified Springfield.

View of the more powerful scope. The illuminated dot works wonders for aiming at night or in low-light areas, which are to say about 80% of the visitable locations.

VR version

The Springfield returns, this time in glorious virtual reality.

Leon takes a look at the vintage rifle. Its wooden furniture is surprisingly pristine. Perhaps the Merchant dabbles in gun restoration?

Reloading the rifle. As opposed to the original game's stripper clips, the VR version of the bolt-action uses detachable box magazines, which gladly launch themselves from the weapon when the "reload" button is pressed (not to mention the auto-opening bolt).

Inspecting one of the Springfield's magazines and the black-tipped rounds they contain; interestingly, these do actually appear to be .30-06 Springfield rounds as opposed to the .223 Remington rounds that serve as ammunition pickups.

Cramming a 5-round magazine into the rifle.

Closing the bolt to finish off the reloading process. Note that the bolt clips straight through the topmost round in the magazine on its way forward.

Aiming down the Springfield's scope at an unbothered Ganado. Unfortunately, RE4VR does not feature picture-in-picture scopes.

Feelings? Look mate, you know who has a lot of feelings? Blokes who bludgeon their wives to death with a golf trophy.

Heckler & Koch SL8

A Semi-Auto Heckler & Koch SL8 may be purchased by Leon from the Merchant, and also uses Rifle Ammo. The weapon uses a G36V export optical sight by default. Being a semi-auto it fires significantly faster. Like the bolt-action rifle, a separate custom scope can bought and attached, as well as the Infrared scope found on the Island. This gun is used by Ada in Separate Ways, Assignment Ada, and The Mercenaries. It is also used by Wesker in The Mercenaries.

Heckler and Koch SL8 - .223/5.56x45mm

Heckler & Koch G36V (formerly G36E) with export optical sight - 5.56x45mm

The H&K SL8

Other side.

Leon carries the SL8 Semi-Auto Rifle.

SL8 scope view.

SL8 upgraded scope. Note how it replaces the original G36V carry handle with scope.

Leon carries the Semi-Auto Rifle with the custom scope and mounting base attached.

The SL8 Semi Auto Rifle with the infrared scope attached.

The Semi-Auto Rifle with the infrared scope.

Infrared scope view, exposing the parasites on the Iron Maiden. Shooting them all will kill the monster for good.

VR version

The SL8 model in Resident Evil 4 VR.

Machine Guns

Modified Gatling Gun

At the end of sequence of Leon chasing a Los Iluminados priest in the Castle, the villain jumps on what appears to be an antique Gatling Gun with its hand crank and vertical magazine removed, and instead rigged up to the drive system and feed unit of an M134 Minigun. Later on the island, the same gun emplacements appear, used by enemy mercenaries.

British M1865 Gatling Gun at the Royal Artillery Museum - .58 Rimfire / .50-70

The priest readies his modified Gatling gun at the Castle.

A Ganado checks if his Gatling gun is in working order.

Note that this gun seems to have been visually based on a deactivated museum weapon that has plugs screwed into the ends of the barrels.

Close up of a Ganado firing his Gatling Gun.

Good view of the Gatling Guns's shape.

The Gatling gun firing.

Hand Held M134 Minigun

The Big Afro-Spaniard Ganado J.J. enemy wields a Hand Held M134 Minigun.

Airsoft handheld M134 Minigun with 'Chainsaw grip' to handle the recoil force. This variant was seen in Terminator 2: Judgement Day. This is an airsoft version which retains the half-circle attachment point for the M60 foregrip from Predator; the real T2 minigun did not have this - (fake) 7.62x51mm NATO

J.J. makes his entrance with his Minigun.

The huge dark-skinned Ganado with anger management issues fires a long burst.

The muzzle flash effect seemingly implies that the Minigun is simultaneously firing two barrels, which is impossible in reality.

After giving J.J. a hard earned rest, Leon inspects his Minigun.

GE M134 Minigun

Mike, the helicopter pilot who provides close air support to Leon during the endgame, has twin remote controlled GE M134 Miniguns mounted on the hull of his bird.

General Electric M134 - 7.62x51mm NATO

"Now that's what I call backup." Mike's Bell UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" bristling with GE M134 Miniguns and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. During gameplay, he hoses down enemies with the miniguns, then uses the missiles to destroy machine gun nests.

The left Minigun of Mike's helicopter at rest.

The left Minigun firing.

The right Minigun firing.

Mike swipes the Ganado scumbags clean with his Miniguns.

Launchers

RPG-7

The RPG-7 serves as the rocket launcher of the game. The standard single-shot Rocket Launcher may be purchased any time from the Merchant, and a free one can be found in the Castle. The Special Rocket Launcher with red rocket is provided by Ada Wong during the final boss fight to finish off the boss (though they can be killed without using the Special Rocket Launcher, in which case the player can keep the launcher and sell it for extra money on New Game +). The Infinite Rocket Launcher is available for purchase from the Merchant upon completion of the game once. Obviously, the rocket launchers are capable of dealing heavy damage to any creature, often killing bosses with one shot when aimed at their weak spots.

Some Ganados such as Saddler's Army Men are also armed with RPG-7 rocket launchers.

RPG-7V1 with PGO-7 scope - 40mm

You can read RPG-7 on the side of the rocket. Note the scope.

Special Rocket Launcher, loaded with red anti-boss warhead.

Leon fires the Special Rocket Launcher, with the warhead deploying its stabilizing fins mid-flight.

FWOOSH! Leon unleashes his Infinite Launcher.

A Ganado soldier aims his RPG-7 rocket launcher. Note the lack of a scope.

VR version

The RPG-7 in Resident Evil 4 VR.

Heavy Weaponry

Cannon

In the Castle, Leon fires a giant cannon to destroy a gate so he can proceed.

Naval cannon - 18th century

The cannon was left loaded, so Leon doesn't have to ram in ammunition, wads, and place a gunpowder charge inside the breech. He then fires the cannon without igniting the touch hole.

Full view of the cannon.

M61 Vulcan

In Separate Ways Ada Wong finds a M61 Vulcan Rotary Cannon which can be used against the gun batteries of a small warship manned by Los Iluminados soldiers.

GE M61 Vulcan Cannon - 20x102mm

Ada finds a M61 Vulcan mounted on an artillery base, which requires a computer chip to operate.

Flak Artillery

Aside from the Rotary Cannon, Ada can also use an artillery piece to destroy the warship's guns (needs identification).

Ada and the artillery piece. It also requires a chip to use.

Warship Artillery

The Los Iluminados have a warship at their disposal, which seems to have been converted from a commercial vessel. It is armed with weaponry similar to those found on a US Navy destroyer, though the gun positions are nonsensical for a fighting ship. Ada needs to destroy these armaments to proceed as they deal extreme damage to her.

Anti-Aircraft Gun

Phalanx Block 1A CIWS - 20x102mm

Four barreled Anti-aircraft gun based on the Phalanx CIWS.

Naval Gun

5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun - 127x835mmR

Destroyer gun based on the 5-inch/54 caliber Mark 45 gun.

Torpedo Launcher

Quadruple torpedo tubes for launching anti-ship torpedoes. They are not used in the game (obviously they can't hit Ada).

Unusable Guns

Smith & Wesson Model 2

An image of a Smith & Wesson Model 2 revolver can be seen on the door of the Merchant's shooting range, found throughout the game.

Smith & Wesson Model 2 .32 Short

The Smith & Wesson image is marked with #1.

Flintlock Pistol

An image of a Flintlock Pistol can also be seen on the door of the Merchant's shooting range.

British Heavy Dragoon Pistol - .62 caliber

The Flintlock Pistol image is marked with #2.

Colt 1851 Navy

What appears to be a Colt 1851 Navy revolver can be seen on a painting in the castle. The picture itself is based on 'King Charles I At The Hunt' by Anthony Van Dyck, which makes it out of time.

Colt 1851 Navy London Model - .36 caliber.

The man in the painting with his 1851 Navy.

Remington 700 BDL

In a cutscene, one of Ganados with the village chief Bitores Mendez uses what appears to be a Remington 700 BDL rifle modified to fire tranquilizer darts to knock out Ada Wong.

Remington Model 700 (1970s Production) - .308 Winchester

Rifle at the left.

Merchant Displays

The Merchant has a few weapons on display that can not be purchased. These include a Steyr SPP (or a TMP missing its fore-grip), a low-detail Heckler & Koch SL8, and a few Ruger KP94 handguns.

Steyr SPP with 30-round magazine - 9x19mm

A Steyr SPP (or TMP missing its fore-grip) at the Merchant's shop.

Ruger P94 - .40 S&W

Low resolution handguns of some sort at the Merchant's shop. These are seemingly a low-poly version of the cut Ruger KP94 model, albeit with a new texture featuring wooden grips and a peculiar ventilated slide; this model also appears on the wall of the Merchant's shooting range.

Ruger KP94 handguns can be seen in all special weapon unlock screens. Note the M1A1 Thompson and Steyr SPP submachine guns.

Heckler & Koch SL8-4 - 5.56x45mm. This variant is not imported into the US due to its double stack magazine well, which allows it to use flush fitting 10 round magazines.

Low-detail H&K SL8-4 with a pistol grip and standard iron sights in place of the rail.

Other

Bowgun

In Separate Ways, Ada Wong can buy a Bowgun from the Merchant that shoots crossbow bolts tipped with explosive broadheads. It deals roughly the same damage as a hand grenade.

The Bowgun in the attache case.

Ada loads up another quarrel after blasting J.J. in the face.

Harpoon Gun

Leon uses thrown harpoons during the "Del Lago" boss fight; in the VR version, these harpoons are replaced by a custom harpoon gun. The harpoon gun appears to be based on some combination of a pump-action and single-barreled break-action shotgun, as it features a non-functional magazine tube, an exposed hammer, and an extra spur on the trigger guard (which serves as the lever for opening the action on some break-action shotguns, such as the IZh-18).

Leon inspects the harpoon gun.

Taking a closer look at the right side of the receiver inside the dark void that is the "Resident Evil home theater" (where the player watches the game's cutscenes). Markings indicate that the weapon was manufactured by the "New Boston Whaling Co."

Aiming the harpoon gun at the water.

Shoving a new harpoon into the weapon. The gun's exposed hammer remains untouched, although this does not prevent the weapon from firing.

Krauser's Drones

During the buildup to Krauser's boss fight, several robotic drones will approach Leon and either shoot with machine guns or self destruct.

Note the little machine gun on the drone, it even has a tiny ammo belt.

Mine Thrower

Leon can purchase a Mine Thrower from the Merchant. It fires explosive mine darts that stick to any surface, be it the ground or an enemy. The darts detonate after a few seconds, dealing heavy damage to anything near them. The Mine Thrower feeds from a detachable box magazine, but despite this it has to be "broken open" like a derringer to reload. Once fully upgraded, the Mine Thrower darts have a larger radius and become heat-seeking, just like the Mine Thrower from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis.

"Not only will you need cash, but you'll need guts to buy that weapon." The Mine Thrower in the attache case.

Leon aims the Mine Thrower.

Leon reloads the Mine Thrower.

Explosives

Custom Grenades

There are three types of custom hand grenades found in RE4: Fragmentation grenades deal wide area explosive damage, Flashbangs stun all enemies in range and also have an added effect of instantly killing exposed Las Plagas parasites, and finally Incendiary grenades burn all targets in a small area. Weirdly, the pins are not pulled when throwing them.

Hand Grenade painted olive drab.

Flashbang in blue. It doesn't have cutout holes in its body, which in real life are required for the flash and sound of the grenade to escape.

Incendiary Grenade in red.

Krauser faces Leon in a deadly knife fight with several grenades strapped to his belt. They seem to resemble the M67 grenade due to their rounded shape. During the buildup to his boss fight, he will toss a flashbang whenever Leon deals enough damage, then disappear.

VR version

Mk.I Illuminating Hand Grenade, for comparison

Transported to the world of VR, Leon takes a closer look at one of his frag grenades. The grenade's markings identify it as a Vietnam-era Mk.I Illumination Grenade, despite the shape and function of the two grenades having almost nothing in common.

Tossing the grenade to his other hand allows Leon to read the rest of its markings.

Unlike in the original game, the grenades in RE4VR have pullable pins.

Removing said pin causes the top of the fuze to pop up and begin flashing red, signifying that you really shouldn't hold on to it for too long after this point.

Tossing the 'nade at an approaching horde of enemies. Note that the grenade leaves a red tracer.

Leon proves to the Ganados that this isn't just an illuminating grenade.

M67 Grenade

M67 Hand Grenades can be found in one of the Merchant's shops. They can't be bought and used.

M67 fragmentation grenade with "jungle clip".

A stockpile of seriously low resolution M67 Grenades (missing their pins and levers, and painted silver for some reason), machine gun belts, and artillery shells. Upon inspection Leon ponders just where did the Merchant get all these munitions.

Dynamite

Certain Ganados carry and throw sticks of dynamite at their enemies. Because of their reckless usage of explosives, they often get themselves or their own comrades killed, which the player can exploit. Their dynamite can also be shot in their hand or in mid-air, which provides even more options. In the mines, Leon must use dynamite to blow up a huge rock blocking the way.

A suicidal Ganado approaches Leon with a lit stick of dynamite. If Leon gets grabbed by a dynamite-wielding enemy he must shake him off, or else it will result in instant death as the explosive blows both of them up.

TNT

There are several traps scattered across the game consisting of bundles of TNT lashed together connected to two detonators with a tripwire running across two walls. During Krauser's final boss fight, several charges of TNT are rigged to blow inside the fort Leon and Krauser are fighting in.

Leon encounters a TNT tripwire trap. Its chest high so its rather easy to spot.

TNT charges on the fort walls, giving the player a limited amount of time to defeat Krauser before they go boom.

Molotov Cocktail

During the first village encounter, Leon can climb a tall tower and be safe from enemy melee attacks. However the villagers will toss Molotov Cocktails at his position instead to flush him out.

Original Finnish Molotov cocktail.

Hiding in the village tower isn't exactly safe, as this thrown Molotov implies.

Ammunition images

Handgun Ammo representing 9x19mm Parabellum. Though the box is marked with "30 pistol cartridges", the player will be hard pressed to find one with more than 20 in the game. The lettering on the side also states the rounds are "Hi-Shok JHP" or Jacketed Hollow Points, which may explain their ability to occasionally explode enemies heads.

Magnum Ammo. Though the description may lead one to believe that the in-game magnum ammo is .45 Winchester Magnum, the side of the ammo box indicates that it's actually .45 ACP, a non-magnum cartridge in reality. This is probably a modeling mistake of the devs since in the Resident Evil Outbreak games (which released before RE4) .45 ACP is correctly classified as a standard handgun caliber, albeit more powerful than 9mm.

Handcannon Ammo likely representing .500 S&W Magnum rounds. The devs clearly forgot to add the 0 to ".50 Caliber", so its mistakenly shown as ".5 Caliber".

TMP Ammo. Note that the ammo box explicitly refers to itself as 9mm Parabellum, though it may be similar to the Israeli "black tip" 9mm rounds that are designated for usage in sub-machine guns. Hence the the incompatibility of TMP rounds for handguns and vice-versa.

Shotgun Shells. The ammo box calls the ammo 12 gauge sabot slugs, although you can't fire a sabot slug from a smoothbore shotgun, they have a wide spread anyway. "Hybred" appears to be a misspelling of Hybrid.

Rifle Ammo representing .223 Remington.

Mine Thrower ammo consisting of explosive mine darts.

Ammo pickup icon for the Bowgun's explosive bolts. Note the arrowheads which resemble modern hunting broadheads for compound bows and crossbows.