Resident Evil 5/Items and weapons

Throughout Resident Evil 5, you can find and upgrade weapons. Most can be found in weapon crates in certain levels, while others are only sold in the store. The first weapon of each type, when fully upgraded, unlocks a secret weapon. Each gun has different stats listed in their descriptions. When you upgrade a weapon's capacity it is reloaded to max for free. This can make it quite profitable to end a level with an empty gun then upgrade its capacity.

Handguns
Handguns are your most generally useful weapons. They are accurate and reliable at most ranges. They excel at precision shots (heads, arms, legs) to open up melee prompts. Handgun ammo is also the most plentiful so using one allows you to conserve other ammo types.

M92F
A basic handgun that you receive at the start of the game. For players who are only planning 1 playthrough, you could very well keep it the whole game. If you plan on numerous playthroughs, better handguns are recommended. Upgrading this to max is required to unlock the M93R.
 * Price: ₦2,000
 * Availability: Start of game

H&K P8
Packing a slightly harder punch and trading critical for piercing; this is not much of an upgrade. There isn't much reason to buy or upgrade this beyond achievements.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Buy Menu, end of Chapter 2-3

SIG P226
This handgun has the highest damage per bullet, but sacrifices all other stats. In terms of damage per second, it is actually 2nd to the M93R, but much cheaper. Its highest damage per bullet and cheaper cost vs the M93R make it a solid choice, even on professional difficulty.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Buy Menu, end of Chapter 4-2

M93R
For those seeking the absolute best handgun; the M93R has the highest damage per second despite not having the highest damage per bullet. It achieves this by having a 1-3 round burst fire. It is however the most expensive and consumes the most ammo.
 * Price: ₦30,000
 * Availability: Buy Menu, after fully upgrading M92F

Shotguns
Shotguns are powerful weapons that can hit entire groups of enemies. They are best used when cornered or charging to close distance. They will knock most enemies away or down to the ground. Melee prompts open against knocked down enemies, common after shotgun blasts.

Ithaca M37
The most basic shotgun and found early in the game. Like the first handgun, it lacks damage but has a critical bonus. It can get the job done but there are better options. Upgrading this to max is required to unlock the Hydra.
 * Price: ₦2,000
 * Availability: Chapter 1-2

M3
This is the hardest hitting shotgun but sacrifices all other stats. If you value close range power, as opposed to extended range, this is the best shotgun.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Chapter 3-3

Jail Breaker
This shotgun sacrifices most of its damage for a longer range. Being the weakest shotgun, and actually doing less damage than several handguns; it's hard to justify. It also comes far too late in the campaign. Most players probably won't care about this weapon.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Chapter 6-1

Hydra
Another extended range shotgun, but much better than the Jail Breaker. Still, its cost is probably hard to justify vs upgrading other weapons to use for longer ranges.
 * Price: ₦30,000
 * Availability: Buy Menu, after fully upgrading Ithaca M37

Machine Guns
Machine guns have the lowest damage per bullet, but come with an automatic rapid fire which produces high damage per second. Their recoil however limits their effective range and they burn ammo quickly. Due to the low damage per bullet, consider using these guns to fire at emblems and treasures on walls.

VZ61
The first machine gun in the game and definitely the most lacking. The damage per bullet is pitiful, and the critical bonus won't help much. Upgrading this to max is required to unlock the Gatling Gun.
 * Price: ₦2,000
 * Availability: Chapter 1-1

H&K MP5
While better than the VZ61, this is still a weak weapon. With no unlock attached to it, there isn't much reason to upgrade it.
 * Price: ₦2,000
 * Availability: Chapter 2-1

AK-74
This is the hardest hitting machine gun, uncontested for damage per bullet, but sacrifices other stats to obtain it.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Chapter 5-1

SIG 556
This machine gun trades raw damage for a better balance of stats.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Chapter 5-2

Rifles
Many players may be surprised to find out that rifles are incredibly useful in Resident Evil 5. Plenty of levels have plenty of enemies far away which can be sniped before they can become a threat. At medium ranges, you can still get enough time to snipe an enemy before they reach you. Enemies which stay at ranged, such as those shooting crossbows, are prime targets. Some emblems are also positioned so far away that hitting them without a rifle is difficult. If you really don't like using a rifle, consider giving one to the computer partner. The computer is a crack shot with these weapons.

S75
The first rifle is also the hardest hitting. On top of that, it has an amazing capacity which can somehow hold more bullets than its ammo box. The downside is that it isn't automatic. The rate of fire is slow and you will drop out of scope between every shot. It is a fantastic weapon for the computer partner. Upgrading this to max is required to unlock the Long Bow.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Chapter 2-1

Dragunov SVD
For those who don't like the bolt action rifle; this is found soon after. It is automatic but inferior on damage, capacity, and shakes horribly in the scope. The trade probably isn't worth it and there's no unlock attached to it.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Chapter 2-2

H&K PSG-1
While having the worst damage per bullet; this rifle is automatic, doesn't shake, and has a super scope. Out of the two automatic rifles, this would be the one to take, but it really late in the campaign.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Chapter 5-3

Magnums
Incredibly powerful but with rare ammo, these weapons are best saved for the most difficult enemies or bosses. Using them for regular enemies is generally a waste of the precious ammo. Remember to upgrade the capacity while the gun is empty to get free bullets!

S&W M29
The first magnum already hits hard and carries a nice amount of bullets. If you want an even bigger one; upgrading this to max unlocks the M500.
 * Price: ₦4,000
 * Availability: Chapter 3-1

Lightning Hawk
This magnum trades raw damage for other stats which you probably don't care about on a magnum. It's another weapon most players will just want to skip.
 * Price: ₦5,000
 * Availability: Chapter 5-3

S&W M500
Practically a cannon, this magnum will end any enemy quickly, even on the hardest difficulty. The limitation of magnum ammo however might make it less ideal than other specials.
 * Price: ₦30,000
 * Availability: Buy Menu, after fully upgrading S&W M29

Grenades

 * Hand Grenade - Explodes a few seconds after being thrown, damaging all enemies nearby. Frag out!
 * Incendiary Grenade - Explodes on impact, releasing a short burst of flames that will set nearby enemies on fire.
 * Flash Grenade - Explodes on impact, creating a bright flash that stuns enemies and kills certain ones instantly.

Proximity Bomb
An explosive device that is planted in the ground and explodes when an enemy gets nearby.

Grenade Launcher
The grenade launcher can fire six different types of ammunition: explosive, acidic, nitrogen, flame, flash and electric. While explosive comes with the gun, each ammo type can also be found or purchased independently. This weapon has no infinite ammo unlockable.

Rocket Launcher
A single shot rocket launcher. The weapon is discarded after firing. Buying this is generally a waste as it's easy to farm the rocket on a certain level.

Knife
The combat knife is generally only useful for breaking open jars, boxes, or barrels without wasting bullets. It is horribly ineffective for combat in this game.

Stun Rod
The stun rod is similar to your combat knife, but far more effective. It stuns enemies when hit which prevents counter attacks. It does however have to be bought and carried in one of your inventory slots. Consider giving one to the computer partner as it swings at enemies sometimes.

Gatling Gun

 * Unlocked by: fully upgrade the VZ61 machine gun.
 * Price: ₦50,000.
 * Damage: 450.
 * Can be used by: Chris.

This is exclusive to Chris and has infinite ammo. If it is in his inventory, Chris carries a huge bullet crate which obstructs your view but also blocks enemy projectiles from behind. It has a horrible accuracy and recoil but infinite ammo. It will fire for as long as you hold down the trigger or until something makes you stop. No enemy will last long in front of this monster. Makes for a great weapon on the computer partner if you don't want to use it yourself.

Long Bow

 * Unlocked by: fully upgrading the S75 rifle.
 * Price: ₦50,000.
 * Damage: 1500.
 * Can be used by: Sheva.

This is exclusive to Sheva and has infinite ammo. It shoots arrows which hit surprisingly hard but travel in an arc. This means you have to aim up if you want to hit enemies far away. It also has no laser pointer. This might make most players avoid using it but in that case consider giving it to the computer partner. It has no trouble aiming this weapon.

Healing Items
Most healing items will heal both players, but only if your partner is close by. If not, it will only heal the user.

Herbs

 * Green - Heals 25% health.
 * Green + Green - Heals 60% health.
 * Green + Red - Heals 100% health.

First Aid Spray
A can of first aid spray will completely heal, similar to a Green + Red herb.

Eggs
All healing types of Eggs can be dropped by chickens when you chase them, or snakes if you kill one. In order to get the achievement, you have to have all four types of egg in your inventory at once.

The White, Brown and Golden eggs are healing items, but unlike herbs and first aid sprays they will only heal the person who uses them.


 * White Egg - Heals the same as a green herb.
 * Brown Egg - Heals the same as a green + green herb.
 * Golden Egg - Heals the same as a green + red herb.

The 4th egg is the rotten egg. It does not heal. It instead functions like an acid grenade. It drops randomly from enemies starting at chapter 4.