The five best shotguns in Fortnite

Shotguns are a weapon option in Fortnite that can deal incredible damage at close range and benefit from situations where players are forced close together. Luckily, shrinking the Eye of the Storm towards the end of a Battle Royale match gives shotguns a very important use, with most rounds being decided by your shotgun aim. Some shotguns perform better than others in these high-stakes situations.

1. The dub

An Exotic twist on the Double Barrel Shotgun, the Dub utilizes some unique mechanics that can make it both a situational utility and a weapon. Although statistically identical to the Legendary variant of the Double Barrel Shotgun, The Dub has a recoil effect that acts on both the user and the target when fired. While this doesn’t sound like much on paper, applying this knockback in close quarters and late game situations can be the deciding factor in who wins and who loses.

When the Eye of the Storm closes, The Dub’s knockback can force a player back into the Storm, dealing additional damage on top of his incredibly high damage at close range. The dub can also deal fall damage if its blast is used to knock targets off tall buildings and structures. Firing the dub allows you to negate the recoil applied to yourself, crouching to protect yourself while your opponents descend to their undoing.

That’s not to say that self-applied recoil isn’t an advantage of the weapon. Shooting behind you with The Dub lets you move forward, and shooting down lets you super jump your way up. You can use these mechanics to pick a fight with another player before they get a chance to build around themselves.

2. Pump gun

The Pump Shotgun is considered by many to be the “old reliable” weapon of choice when it comes to winning the later stages of Fortnite Battle Royale. A precise blast at close range from the pump can average between 90 and 130 damage per shot, with damage capped at 185 on a point-blank shot by the Legendary variant. With it, even the most heavily armored opponents can be quickly knocked out in just two or three shots.

3. Two-shot shotgun

Semi-auto in its firing style while moderately similar to the Pump Shotgun in its damage output, the Two-Shot Shotgun fires two of its loaded shells with a single click. At close range and in a perfect world where all bullets from both shots hit without the target darting out of the way, a double shot of the Two-Shot will deal over 140 damage.

This damage is more theoretical than realistic, as getting 100% accuracy on both shots against an experienced player is much easier said than done. Also keep in mind that the Two-Shot’s faster rate of fire increases the time you spend reloading during a fight. These minimal drawbacks rank it just below the all-purpose consistency of the pump shotgun.

4. Premium shotgun

The Prime Shotgun is a pump-action shotgun that deals 50% more damage on the first shot of a magazine alone. While a normal shot from the Prime would average between 75 and 95 damage at close range, an accurate first shot can deal over 110 damage.

Related: Where to find the Prime Shotgun in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 3?

Although gimmicky in its special effect, the Prime Shotgun can be effective for starting fights where accuracy of the first shot is critical. A massive 140-damage flesh shot at close range to start a fight could upset and intimidate your opponent into playing cautiously, giving you the freedom to play as aggressively as possible. Additionally, an accurate first shot from the Prime shotgun can be paired with another weapon that could potentially be another first shot from another Prime.

5. Heavy shotgun

This new revision of an older semi-automatic shotgun fires a single, long-range, accurate bullet instead of the expected shot spread. Capable of consistently dealing over 100 damage per shot at medium range, the Heavy Shotgun increases its effectiveness due to its 1.75 headshot damage multiplier. This makes the Heavy Shotgun one of the few weapons in its class that rewards accuracy with faster kills.

You may be wondering why this shotgun ranks so low among its contemporaries. This is largely due to their use case, as shotguns mostly rely on slicing through close-quarters combat with ease – an area where the Heavy Shotgun’s need for accuracy struggles. While base damage for a shotgun can be impressive at range, other weapon types, like sniper rifles, are far more effective at dealing damage at long range.