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How to get every weapon in Resident Evil 7

Unlike the last few games in the series, Resident Evil 7 is a horror game first and an action game second. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry about your arsenal — on the contrary, surviving the Baker estate requires mastery over all the game’s weapons. To master them, though, you’ll have to find them first. Some of them are acquired naturally and are found in plain sight, while others are tucked away in areas you might not expect.

This guide will help you get your hands on every single weapon in Resident Evil 7 (in as close to linear order as possible). You’ll need them.

Recommended reading:

Ax

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The ax is the first weapon you get in Resident Evil 7, and you’ll immediately use it to fend off a very angry opponent. Unfortunately, you’ll lose it after the game’s prologue, and there’s currently no known way to get it back. Still, it will serve you well during the preliminary sections of the game. 

M19 handgun

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You’ll get the M19 handgun during Resident Evil 7’s prologue in the Guest House, in a room near the attic. It’s located on a table, after your initial encounter with Mia. The weapon is taken from you shortly afterward, but it’s possible to get the gun back later. Use a repair kit on the broken handgun you get in the trailer in the yard, and you’re back in business. The first accessible repair kit is under the main house’s porch, across from the trailer, behind a metal sheet you can pry off.  

Pocket knife

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The main knife you’ll use throughout Resident Evil 7 to open crates and fend off enemies in desperate times when you’re out of ammo is given to you as part of the story after the dinner scene in the main house.

G17 handgun

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This less-powerful handgun is on the ground in the garage as soon as the Jack boss fight begins. Pick it up right after Jack kills Officer Anderson. 

M37 shotgun

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The M37 shotgun is the first weapon you could potentially miss as you explore the Baker estate. Once you have access to the main house’s basement (the “processing area”), look around until you find the Scorpion Key. Take that up to the rec room on the house’s second floor and use it to enter Grandma’s room (watch out for Jack, who at this point is probably patrolling this area). Take the broken shotgun from there and swap it with the shotgun being held by the statue in the main hall (the M37). With the M37 in your inventory and the broken shotgun in the statue’s hands, you’ll be free to exit the room and continue.

Chainsaw

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The chainsaw is a powerful melee weapon that’s unfortunately available for only one fight: The second encounter with Jack. Pick it up from the corpse once he grabs his giant scissors. Unfortunately, there’s currently no known way to get it outside that fight.

44 MAG

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The magnum is accessible as soon as you escape the Bakers’ main house and enter the trailer in the yard, provided you’ve collected enough antique coins. It takes nine to unlock the 44, though it’s arguably not worth it since ammo is so scarce throughout the game. If you are going to use it, better to grab the stabilizer and/or steroids first and grab the magnum later in the game.

Burner

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The burner is a great tool for taking out the swarms and other bugs in the Old House. You’ll have to assemble it from parts found throughout Marguerite’s territory: The Burner Grip is found outside of The Old House, close to the save point. It’s located in a trash can by some crates. The Burner Nozzle is found outside as well, in a small shack to the right of the large hornet’s nest. If you exit through the kitchen, this small room is on the right, across some wooden planks. Combine them to create the burner.

Grenade launcher

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The grenade launcher is accessible as soon as you find the Crow Key in the Old House outhouse. Take it back to the Main House to unlock the door in the observation room (the room with the stuffed deer on the second floor). The grenade launcher’s in there, but use it wisely, as ammo is scarce.

M21 shotgun

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The M21 shotgun is more powerful than the M37, although it fires fewer shells before needing to be reloaded. Nevertheless, it’s worth using, and you can actually get it pretty early. Once you get outside the house, you can grab the repair kit under the porch and use it on the broken shotgun found in Grandma’s room. If you used the broken shotgun to weigh down the statue in the main hall in order to grab the M37, you can go swap them out again. And if you used the first repair kit on the broken handgun, don’t worry — there’s another one. Grab the treasure photo (the one that shows the mannequin head) in the storage room off the master bedroom on the second floor, then locate the head in the first part of Lucas’ testing area.

M19 handgun

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The process of acquiring the M19 handgun is similar to getting the M21 shotgun in that it requires the repair kit. This time, use the repair kit on the broken pistol in the trailer to get your hands on the M19.

MPM handgun

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The MPM is the handgun you find in a drawer in the first save room after you arrive on the tanker. At that point, it’s your only weapon, so use it well.

P19 machine gun

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You’ll use the machine gun for the first time during the flashback tape you play on the tanker as part of the story. Later, you can get it again when you find the Captain’s Cabin Locker Key in the locked side of the bunk room after getting the corrosive as part of the story. It’s on the table in the Crew’s Room on the second floor. Take the key back up to the Captain’s Cabin on the fourth floor, and use it to unlock the cabinet.

Survival knife

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Like the machine gun, you’ll use the survival knife first in the tanker flashback, but it’s easy to find it again on the second floor just outside the elevator, sticking out of an overturned table. You’ll need to climb down the elevator shaft from above to come out of the broken exit below to find the knife. 

Sticky bombs

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Sticky bombs are one of Resident Evil 7’s most useful and incredible destruction tanker tools. You can do some serious damage with these, and they’re everywhere, so they are easy to find. We suggest collecting as many as possible. We’ve found that there are plenty of them in the Control Room tanker section, located on the fourth floor.

Crowbar

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Many gaming fanatics may not get the opportunity to see the single fight that uses the crowbar weapon. Whether or not a player obtains a crowbar depends on their gaming decisions once they’ve gone through around 75% of the game. A surefire way to get your crowbar is to select Zoe rather than Mia while you’re fighting in the boss battle. We promise it’s worth it in the end.

Albert-01R

The Albert-01R is the most lethal handgun ever created. Die-hard fanatics will immediately acknowledge that the name is a Resident Evil reference to the particular series involving a villain named Albert Wesker. You’ll get an upgraded edition of this gun once you’re actively engaged in the final boss battle, acquiring a somewhat simpler version. The next level up for an O1R has three bullets in the chamber and offers players the ability to shoot through storage boxes during playthroughs.

Circular saw

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There’s no messing around when it comes to the circular saw. This is a deadly brawl weapon designed to kill. If you want it, you’ll have to work for it. Try your hand at completing the entire game within four short hours. Good luck.

Michael Rougeau
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Mike Rougeau is a journalist and writer who lives in Los Angeles with his girlfriend and two dogs. He specializes in video…
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