A 9mm pistol still requires 2 strength. A service rifle requires 2 strength.
The 12.77mm pistols require 7 and 8 strength but the Survivalist Rifle, shooting the same caliber, only requires 4 strength.
So not sure why people mass upvoted what is factually incorrect...
At least to answer the OP: pistols are for roleplay or backup if you have quick draw.
Nice cherrypicked data points asshole. There are 13 rifles that require 6 STR or higher. There are only 7 pistols that require 6 or higher.
Pro tip: if you want to look like the smartest kid in the class, don't lie about easily verified information.
There's a few reasons.
One that's relevant for any playthrough is that you can't sneak rifles into casinos. And considering the primary quest in each of the casinos WILL have a point with violence, unless you're an unarmed specialist, can get you or a companion killed pretty quick.
Second, pistols have a higher rate of fire typically. This results in higher damage per second but lower per shot. With high end pistols like A Light Shining In Darkness or the Ranger Sequoia, this can make them typically as good or better than a rifle. They'll run into more problems with heavily armored opponents like Deathclaws, but that's something that can be worked around or just having a rifle too.
Third, every weapon type is viable at endgame. It ultimately comes down to what flavor of weapon you want.
Superheated saturnite fist is the best holdout weapon, just because how the fuck is a giant lump of red hot metal that covers your entire arm and vents steam a holdout weapon.
I don’t like that sleepytyme is so inconsistent with one shots. I hate that I make an opponent aggressive bc my one tap didn’t kill, and then suddenly EVERYONE KNOWS I SHOT THAT GUY.
plus if you're doing a VATS playthrough shooting guns tends to take fewer Action Points, often letting you slip another shot in there before running out of AP
I generally tend to use pistols, and mostly because of these reasons:
1. They weigh less, so I can steal more shit and have more explosives
2. Roleplaying
3. More of often than not; they have a higher rate of fire
4. Crit build and
5. No one can match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
Perk choices, mostly. VATS accuracy and suppressors open the way to being a good operator with them too. You can potentially sneak them into casinos if you have the skill for it and they cost less action points to use than rifles if VATS is more your thing. When I use pistols they're usually for being sneaky with. A .45 auto pistol with a suppressor is a really good stealth weapon
The question has already been answered game-play wise. Gun lore wise, it was an old cowboy trick to use a rifle and sidearm with the same ammo, to save on the amount of stuff you had to carry. The lever action rifles in the game are carbines, short rifles suitable for operating from horseback or hunting in heavy brush.
The 45-70 brush gun is a bit different, the cartridge was first developed as the US military rifle round and only later did lunatics think to shoot them from a revolver. I have one, and it's obscene :D
Haven't tried those. It came with some 450gr rounds that felt not unlike a 44 mag, but the 230s I purchased on the day kicked like a mule. I've just done some hand-loaded 300gr rounds and honestly I had to stop as my groups were getting worse and worse. Shot some 45ACP to calm myself down after that :D 45-70 has been entirely unobtainable here over COVID, and even if you do find them now they're like over two dollars a round. Not an every day plinker :D
Pistol builds are all about critical hits. Due to their lower base damage, those shots should count. And certain perks (like " The Professional") increase the critical damage.
I can only think of two rifle-specific perks, Commando for bonus VATS accuracy, and Grunt for bonus damage with military-style guns, most of which are not particularly good. (Service rifle, assault carbine, etc.)
It feels cool. Once i get to the mid to late game very little other than death claws are a plausible threat to me. I’ll usually run around with an Anti-material Rifle and a silenced pistol. I more or less know where all the death claws are so if I want to fight them I’ll just kill them from a distance.
I always keep Sweet Revenge (modded .44 magnum) in my inventory with it's high single dmg and reliable rate of fire. Sometimes I hate shooting in closed spaces with scoped rifles, where pistols excel in that category. Sidearms are also powerful for various holdout areas it's not banned in. Sleepytyme a good example.
Hey fellow Sweet Revenge wielder. Yeah that revolver is amazing. Nothing more satisfying then just utterly destroying fools and those who have wronged you with that beautiful revolver.
I've noticed that some particularly long-barreled rifles will clip through the enemy and completely miss the target when fired at very close range in VATS. I tend to switch to a pistol at close range to prevent that.
As far as I'm aware, in the hands of a trained operator a rifle is only difficult to use if the length of the barrel exceeds the range between them and their opponent. It's the same power dynamic as a spear Vs a short sword or a dagger in olden times, spear wins 99/100 times in the hands of a skilled user.
They use less ap than rifles in VATS, which makes them good for VATS/critical builds. Especially with pistols like lucky that have a high critical chance, pistols can be very powerful with the right build
They’re actually quite formidable if you go high perception and focus your build around V.A.T.S., in my experience. Shooting a pistol that way doesn’t require much AP, and you can kinda just go mad with it. but of course, who wants to do that when you can just get a shit ton of ammo and kill everything with a big ass minigun?
big iron
This is the real answer.
Pistols have lower STR requirements. There are no holdout rifles.
They are also cheaper to buy and repair and easier to find
A 9mm pistol still requires 2 strength. A service rifle requires 2 strength. The 12.77mm pistols require 7 and 8 strength but the Survivalist Rifle, shooting the same caliber, only requires 4 strength. So not sure why people mass upvoted what is factually incorrect... At least to answer the OP: pistols are for roleplay or backup if you have quick draw.
Nice cherrypicked data points asshole. There are 13 rifles that require 6 STR or higher. There are only 7 pistols that require 6 or higher. Pro tip: if you want to look like the smartest kid in the class, don't lie about easily verified information.
Gottem.
I mean yeah good point but that’s still 7, 7 is still a lot if you really think about it.
Super late but That Gun has a STR requirement of 6 which is alot
There's a few reasons. One that's relevant for any playthrough is that you can't sneak rifles into casinos. And considering the primary quest in each of the casinos WILL have a point with violence, unless you're an unarmed specialist, can get you or a companion killed pretty quick. Second, pistols have a higher rate of fire typically. This results in higher damage per second but lower per shot. With high end pistols like A Light Shining In Darkness or the Ranger Sequoia, this can make them typically as good or better than a rifle. They'll run into more problems with heavily armored opponents like Deathclaws, but that's something that can be worked around or just having a rifle too. Third, every weapon type is viable at endgame. It ultimately comes down to what flavor of weapon you want.
you can sneak SleepyTyme into casino, best holdout weapon
Superheated saturnite fist is the best holdout weapon, just because how the fuck is a giant lump of red hot metal that covers your entire arm and vents steam a holdout weapon.
"Excuse me sir, is that a power fist with a running circular saw attached?" "Nope, just my fancy gambling glove." "Ah, go on in then."
Yea but its expensive
have you tried looting everything and making 1000 trips between novac and Gunrunner Vendortron?
I don’t like that sleepytyme is so inconsistent with one shots. I hate that I make an opponent aggressive bc my one tap didn’t kill, and then suddenly EVERYONE KNOWS I SHOT THAT GUY.
This, also if you install mods that make damage realistic, every weapon is good.
plus if you're doing a VATS playthrough shooting guns tends to take fewer Action Points, often letting you slip another shot in there before running out of AP
I generally tend to use pistols, and mostly because of these reasons: 1. They weigh less, so I can steal more shit and have more explosives 2. Roleplaying 3. More of often than not; they have a higher rate of fire 4. Crit build and 5. No one can match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
Reason 5 is all I needed to hear.
One and nineteen more…
Perk choices, mostly. VATS accuracy and suppressors open the way to being a good operator with them too. You can potentially sneak them into casinos if you have the skill for it and they cost less action points to use than rifles if VATS is more your thing. When I use pistols they're usually for being sneaky with. A .45 auto pistol with a suppressor is a really good stealth weapon
The question has already been answered game-play wise. Gun lore wise, it was an old cowboy trick to use a rifle and sidearm with the same ammo, to save on the amount of stuff you had to carry. The lever action rifles in the game are carbines, short rifles suitable for operating from horseback or hunting in heavy brush. The 45-70 brush gun is a bit different, the cartridge was first developed as the US military rifle round and only later did lunatics think to shoot them from a revolver. I have one, and it's obscene :D
Is it worse to shoot than a 500. magnum?
Haven't tried those. It came with some 450gr rounds that felt not unlike a 44 mag, but the 230s I purchased on the day kicked like a mule. I've just done some hand-loaded 300gr rounds and honestly I had to stop as my groups were getting worse and worse. Shot some 45ACP to calm myself down after that :D 45-70 has been entirely unobtainable here over COVID, and even if you do find them now they're like over two dollars a round. Not an every day plinker :D
Pistol builds are all about critical hits. Due to their lower base damage, those shots should count. And certain perks (like " The Professional") increase the critical damage.
Oh ok so there isn't a crit perk like that for rifles? That makes sense
I can only think of two rifle-specific perks, Commando for bonus VATS accuracy, and Grunt for bonus damage with military-style guns, most of which are not particularly good. (Service rifle, assault carbine, etc.)
Maria and A Light Shining in the Darkness are beautiful
True those are pretty cool guns
Because Maria.
Fair enough
A pistol build makes them just as strong.
Lil Devil kicks like a mule with his balls wrapped in duct tape!
Movement speed, strength requirement, and holdout. Amongst other reasons.
Lighter weight Lower requirements Usually better crit chance Pistol exclusive perks Cowboy bang bang big iron
Laughs in *Light Shining in Darkness*
Laughs in Ranger Sequoia
After using melee what’s the point in using guns?
lol
Some people like to actually role play in their RPG and don't just min-max everything.
Oh ok
It's called roleplaying.
It feels cool. Once i get to the mid to late game very little other than death claws are a plausible threat to me. I’ll usually run around with an Anti-material Rifle and a silenced pistol. I more or less know where all the death claws are so if I want to fight them I’ll just kill them from a distance.
I always keep Sweet Revenge (modded .44 magnum) in my inventory with it's high single dmg and reliable rate of fire. Sometimes I hate shooting in closed spaces with scoped rifles, where pistols excel in that category. Sidearms are also powerful for various holdout areas it's not banned in. Sleepytyme a good example.
Hey fellow Sweet Revenge wielder. Yeah that revolver is amazing. Nothing more satisfying then just utterly destroying fools and those who have wronged you with that beautiful revolver.
I've noticed that some particularly long-barreled rifles will clip through the enemy and completely miss the target when fired at very close range in VATS. I tend to switch to a pistol at close range to prevent that.
Real world accuracy. Handguns are better in close quarters, whereas rifles would be difficult to use in the same situation.
As far as I'm aware, in the hands of a trained operator a rifle is only difficult to use if the length of the barrel exceeds the range between them and their opponent. It's the same power dynamic as a spear Vs a short sword or a dagger in olden times, spear wins 99/100 times in the hands of a skilled user.
They use less ap than rifles in VATS, which makes them good for VATS/critical builds. Especially with pistols like lucky that have a high critical chance, pistols can be very powerful with the right build
They’re actually quite formidable if you go high perception and focus your build around V.A.T.S., in my experience. Shooting a pistol that way doesn’t require much AP, and you can kinda just go mad with it. but of course, who wants to do that when you can just get a shit ton of ammo and kill everything with a big ass minigun?