Pistols may not always look like the flashiest guns in Borderlands 4, but don’t be fooled — many of the strongest endgame weapons fall into this category. From crit-stacking Jakobs revolvers to Tediore throwables that turn into homing rockets, pistols cover nearly every combat style a Vault Hunter could need.
Here are 10 of the very best Legendary pistols you can farm in Borderlands 4, along with where to get them.
1. San Saba Songbird
- How to Get: Dropped by Rocken Roller in the Trinket Crevass, Ruined Sumplands, Carcadia Burn.
- Effect (Dueling Pistol): Swapping weapons grants +100% damage for 5 seconds. This stacks infinitely if you keep swapping.
This six-shooter is the crown jewel of pistols in Borderlands 4. With proper swapping, players can stack absurd amounts of bonus damage, enough to one-shot bosses. It requires some setup but is unmatched for high-risk, high-reward playstyles.
2. Phantom Flame
- How to Get: Farmed from Pango & Bango at the Tendercage Drill Site in Lopside, Carcadia Burn.
- Effect (Midday): While zoomed in, locks onto enemies. Firing releases the entire magazine at once.
The Phantom Flame is a Jakobs masterpiece. Its fast fire rate and quick reload already make it a reliable sidearm, but Midday turns it into a boss shredder. Lock on, unload the whole mag instantly, and watch your target’s health evaporate.
3. Ruby’s Grasp
- How to Get: Dropped by Vile Lictor in the Umbral Foundry, Windspear. Available after the “His Vile Sanctum” mission.
- Effect (Grasp): Reloading throws 4 homing copies of the pistol that explode on impact.
Tediore’s reload-as-a-grenade gimmick reaches new heights here. Ruby’s Grasp essentially gives you four homing rockets with every reload. It’s a perfect balance of high fire rate and explosive utility—though it will chew through your ammo reserves if you’re not careful.
4. Seventh Sense
- How to Get: Farmed from Vile Ted & the Experiments in Dominion, Terminus District. Available after the “Below the Surface” side mission.
- Effect (Proprioception): Hitting enemies spawns floating orbs that home in on targets when you reload.
Seventh Sense thrives in DPS builds. Its fast reload and orb-spawning mechanic mean every fight turns into a fireworks display of homing explosives. Perfect for squishy enemies and even bosses when paired with Jakobs’ natural crit scaling.
5. Queen’s Rest
- How to Get: Dropped by Queen Callis at the Moon-Called Throne, Fallen Crown, Carcadia Burn. Available after “Her Flaming Vision” main mission.
- Effect (Royal Armory): Fires high-speed rounds, each with a 30% chance to spawn a homing sticky explosive.
Torgue fans will love Queen’s Rest. It’s essentially a handheld rocket launcher disguised as a pistol. Every shot hits hard, and the chance to spawn homing stickies makes sustained fire even more devastating.
6. King’s Gambit
- How to Get: Also dropped by Vile Prototype at Lictor’s Black Site, Windspear, after “Dark Subject.”
- Effect (Holy Hell): Reloading throws the pistol, creating an orb that ricochets bullets at nearby enemies.
On its own, King’s Gambit is stylish but situational. Paired with a high-rate-of-fire weapon, however, it transforms into a ricochet engine. Launch the orb, then spray with an SMG or AR to create a storm of bouncing bullets that clears rooms without precise aim.
7. Rangefinder
- How to Get: Dropped by Vile Prototype at Lictor’s Black Site, Windspear, Terminus Range. (Unlocked after “Dark Subject” main mission).
- Effect (Precision): Fires in a unique burst cycle—3 shots, then 2, then 1—with damage stacking across the burst sequence.
The Rangefinder rewards players who lean into elemental builds. Each stacked burst amplifies elemental procs, making it one of the best pistols for chaining status effects. In boss fights or mobbing, those stacked multipliers can push your damage output far beyond a standard pistol’s limits.
8. Bully
- How to Get: Farmed from the Core Observer in the Blacklime Bunker, The Howl, Fadefields.
- Effect (Defense Protocol): Aiming activates a Gun Shield and summons an attack drone every 14 seconds.
Bully doubles as both offense and defense. The drone adds free DPS while the shield keeps you safe, making it ideal for tougher encounters. Since it can roll in multiple elemental types, it slots easily into any build.
9. Noisy Cricket
- Drop Source: Sidney Pointylegs, The Prospects Drill Site (Hungering Plain, Fadefields)
- Special Perk: Silence — small in size but deceptively powerful, with heavy recoil.
An Easter egg inspired by Men in Black, the Noisy Cricket is both hilarious and effective. It’s not the strongest DPS option, but its novelty and surprising punch make it one of the most memorable pistols you can farm.
10. Lucky Clover
- Drop Source: Horace, Hungering Plain (Fadefields)
- Special Perk: Kismet — on reload, fires two homing rockets.
Lucky Clover is built for players who love consistent splash damage. Every reload sends out free rockets, making it excellent for mobbing. When combined with ammo regeneration builds, it becomes a reliable workhorse sidearm.
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Whether you want to rain explosions, summon drones, or stack infinite crit buffs, pistols in Borderlands 4 are far from sidearms — they’re centerpiece weapons. If you’re only farming a handful, start with San Saba Songbird for sheer power and Phantom Flame for boss DPS, then branch out depending on your build.
With the right Legendary pistol, every Vault Hunter can feel unstoppable. Play Now!
