Destiny 2 Best Hand Cannons - Tier List (2023)

Unlike other types of weapons in Destiny 2, you do not have to calculate the amount of possible DPS hand cannons can do. As a rule, 1-2 precise hits in the crit zone are enough to deal with regular enemies.

With a 20% damage buff against minor and orange bar enemies, most hand cannons can kill almost all red bar enemies with just one hit. That is why we have decided to create a list of the best hand cannons Destiny 2 that you can currently get.

Hand Cannon Types and What You Need to Use

Like any other weapon type, hand cannons have their own varieties that differ in damage, initial firing range, as well as fire rate.

There are a total of 3 categories and they can all be divided into a Destiny 2 hand cannon tier list for PvE:

1. Adaptive Frame Hand Cannons (140 RPM). They offer the best balance between damage, range, and recoil. This type is the most popular in PvE, allowing players to clear enemy groups quickly.
   If you have difficulty using this type of hand cannon, we recommend focusing on perks that increase stability;
2. Precision Frame Hand Cannons (180 RPM). They rightfully take second place, being the most optimal alternative for players who use a gamepad. The low recoil compensates for the fact that in some cases, instead of 1 shot, you will need to make 2 hits to destroy a target.
   The 20% damage buff we mentioned earlier probably matters most exactly for this type of hand cannon;
3. Aggressive Frame Hand Cannons (120 RPM). They have the highest damage but also the highest recoil. Due to the low RPM, it is not the most desired option for PvE content since there are faster alternatives that can also kill red bar enemies with one shot. Due to its decent range of fire, it is more likely to suit PvP.
   For PvE, we strongly recommend paying attention to Adaptive and Precision Frames. Throughout the long history of the game, they have been the top choice for completing many difficult PvE activities. After they have received the damage buff, they have become even more competitive with SMGs and Auto Rifles.

Best Legendary Hand Cannons in PvE

Moving on to the list of hand cannons that you should definitely farm, it should be noted that The Palindrome, Austringer, and Vulpecula did not make it to this top list since you cannot farm them at the moment. However, they still remain decent options for PvE content.

Eyasluna

Due to the need to farm the final boss in Grasp of Avarice, this hand cannon is quite difficult to get when playing solo. However, it is worth every minute and attempt spent.

It boasts a perfect firing range, an excellent perk set that allows you to synergize this weapon with the stasis subclass, as well as average recoil - all of this makes Eyasluna one of the best legendary hand cannons Destiny 2 currently available.

If you are a fan of the Headstone perk or simply play in the stasis subclass a lot, then we recommend farming for the Eyasluna God Roll when the Grasp of Avarice dungeon is in rotation.

Zaouli’s Bane

Most weapons from the King's Fall raid are quite controversial, but this statement definitely does not apply to this hand cannon.

Thanks to its unique combination of perks that synergize perfectly with Solar 3.0, excellent firing rate, and the fact you can craft it, one can say that Zaouli's Bane is the best hand cannon Destiny 2 2023 among its legendary analogs.

If you want to use Adept Mods instead of Enhanced Perks, you can also try your luck in obtaining the Harrowed Zaouli's Bane from the Master King's Fall difficulty.

If you have no team to farm this raid hand cannon, you can use our service to obtain the Zaouli’s Bane God Roll and other raid weapons at the lowest price.

Timelost Fatebringer

Over its entire existence, Timelost Fatebringer has remained one of the top hand cannons Destiny 2.

There are many reasons for this, including its great perks for PvE content and the ability to obtain its God Roll just by completing the master challenge on the Templar Encounter in Vault of Glass.

If you have not found a good hand cannon yet and have no time to farm for Zaouli's Bane or Eyasluna God Rolls, then Timelost Fatebringer could be a great alternative for you in many activities.

Trust

In the Lightfall expansion, this hand cannon gained a number of new perks and an increased power cap, making it playable.

Currently, it is the best hand cannon Destiny 2 Lightfall with 180 RPM. Due to its low recoil, it can be an excellent option for players on PS4/5 and Xbox.

If you are a fan of the solar subclass, then we strongly recommend getting this weapon with the Incandescent perk. If you need a more versatile alternative, then the Explosive Payload perk will do the job.

Unfortunately, it can only be obtained through gambit engram focusing during Season of the Deep. Currently, it remains a random reward from gambit matches.

Round Robin

Possibly the best 120 RPM hand cannon for PvE. This is due to the fact that all the drawbacks of Aggressive Frame can be eliminated with the Keep Away perk, which increases reload speed, range, and accuracy when no combatants are around.

Do not forget that with every kill in the crit zone, you will spawn a hatchling if you manage to get a roll with the corresponding Hatchling perk.

Although this weapon is extremely difficult to handle due to its high recoil, we still recommend that you pay attention to it and give it a chance.

Season of the Deep Updated Hand Cannons

Thanks to many leaks, it can be said with certainty that many old weapons will receive new perk combinations and become playable again.

In this top list, we would like to discuss two hand cannons, which will also receive updates to their perk list and may be of interest to you.

Nation of Beasts

At the moment, we do not know for sure what new perks this hand cannon will have. The only thing that can be said is that Nation of Beasts will receive a Crafting Pattern and a special origin trait.

We sincerely believe that the new perks will allow it to synergize well with the arc subclass, as well as take a good position among the top PvE hand cannons.

Spare Rations

This is a truly legendary hand cannon, getting a god roll of which was comparable to winning the lottery. At the moment, there is no exact information on how it will be obtained and whether it will have access to the same top perk combinations such as Rapid Hit + Kill Clip / Rangefinder.

In any case, we hope that in the new season, a god roll will be received by slightly more than 10 people in the entire game.

Best Exotic Hand Cannons in PvE

For most players, it may sound strange that the Exotic Weapon Slot should be taken with a hand cannon. However, we strongly recommend considering and testing the following Destiny 2 Exotic hand cannons from the list below.

Eriana’s Vow

This is the only special hand cannon weapon currently available in the game. Due to its high damage and ability to penetrate barrier shields, many consider it to be the best exotic hand cannon Destiny 2.

With the 20% damage buff, this weapon will most likely one-shot every orange bar enemy in activities like Nightfall and raids. Having the catalyst, the weapon also receives an increased magazine size of 9 rounds and the Auto-Loading Holster perk, which mitigates its slow reload speed.

It is worth noting that this weapon deals massive damage only if you shoot in the crit zone. If you make a body shot or simply miss, it is better to reload to get the damage buff again.

Sunshot

If with other hand cannons you can kill 1 enemy with 1 shot, with Sunshot you can kill 15. Each target you destroy explodes and ignites all nearby enemies. If targets near the explosion or ignition effect were destroyed, they also explode and ignite all foes near them. As you can see, this chain of explosions can continue infinitely.

Due to its unique ability to clear crowds of enemies with one shot and its synergy with Solar 3.0, Sunshot takes its place as the best Destiny 2 best hand cannon 2023 and will be extremely useful for many players in PvE.

Lumina

This hand cannon is often overlooked by many players, but it is an excellent support weapon for dungeons and raids. The main feature of this weapon is the ability to buff your allies' damage by 35%, which is 10% more than the buff received in Well of Radiance.

The buff lasts for 10 seconds, and you can refresh it by shooting from the hip again with Noble Rounds. Additionally, when you hit an ally with Noble Rounds, they will also be healed.

If you enjoy playing the support role in your team, or you do not mind taking your exotic slot with a primary weapon, then Lumina could be the best PvE hand cannon in Destiny 2 for many activities.

Malfeasance

This is one of the powerful, if not the most powerful, hand cannon for DPS against large targets. This is due to the main perk of this weapon called Explosive Shadow, which makes all bullets that hit a target explode after 5 hits, dealing impressive damage.

Considering the unstoppable champion stunning buff, it can be paired perfectly with Lucky Pants – Hunter’s Exotic Legs to deal high damage to champions.

Although the 20% damage buff to all hand cannons does not apply to bosses, mini-bosses, and champions, we still recommend taking a look at this weapon if you like its design and the main mechanics of its exotic perk.

If you are having trouble completing this or any other exotic quest, including a specific stage, our service can help you quickly obtain any Exotic Weapon at the lowest price.

Conclusion

It can be confidently said that a significant damage buff has returned many hand cannons to the list of interesting and playable weapons.

Despite the high demand for accuracy, this type of weapon can now give you the opportunity to kill many of your enemies with 1-2 shots, making playing with them justifiably risky.

We hope that our Destiny hand cannon guide has been helpful to you and that you have found a suitable hand cannon for yourself.

F.A.Q.

What is the best hand cannon in Destiny 2 for PvE?

To be honest, it is quite difficult to single out a particular hand cannon from the list. However, we think that Fatebringer will suit practically everyone, as well as its Timelost version.

What is the highest-impact hand cannon in Destiny 2?

Due to the use of special ammo, Eriana's Vow deals the highest damage per shot. As for primary hand cannons, Malfeasance deals the highest DPS.

What is the best legendary hand cannon in Destiny 2 Lightfall?

If we talk about the hand cannons that were updated or added in Lightfall, it would be Trust. But if we talk about the most powerful legendary hand cannon that you can use right now, it is Zaouli's Bane.

What is the easiest hand cannon to use in Destiny 2?

One can highlight a whole sub-type with Precision Frame or with hand cannons that have a fire rate of 180 RPM. For example, you can use Malfeasance, Trust, and Vulpecula.