From the first entry in the series which was released back in 2000 with Hitman: Codename 47, Agent 47 has always had a vast selection of weapons and gadgets. There are some weapons like the Silverballers that have become as synonymous with the character as Batman’s Batarang. However, there are so many other weapons that are just as effective and fun to use.
The variety of weapons in the series is what makes a sandbox game like Hitman 3 work so well. Using different weapons from a distance can create a completely different dynamic to the experience than if 47 went after his targets at close range. Every method works well and some weapons are better than others, let’s take a look at the best of them.
Updated on December 9th, 2021 by Michael Llewellyn: Even without DLC, updates, and patches, the World of Assassination Trilogy is one of the most replayable video game series ever released. This trend has continued with the most recent title Hitman 3 and its Legacy content that is accessed seamlessly on one title. Hitman 3 has more content planned for 2022 and the Seven Deadly Sins escalation missions have made creative use of the game's expansive maps. With more weapons added over time, this list has been updated to include weapons from the DLC and the Legacy content.
15 Fiber Wire
The Fiber Wire is one of Agent 47’s staple weapons and its usefulness can be a little underrated by some fans when they start unlocking weapons. The wire is easily concealed in missions and is extremely effective at killing targets from behind.
The Fiber Wire is faster than a basic chokehold and if you hold the action button they can quickly drag away their victim to another location to hide the body.
- How to unlock: As one of 47's base weapons, the Fiber Wire doesn't have any special requirements to unlock.
- Other Variants Available: The Quickdraw and the IO Elite s2VP Earphones
14 The Black Almond's Dagger
The Black Almond's Dagger works exactly like any other fatal melee weapon. It makes for a fast kill up close and it can be thrown from range when there is some distance to cover. One could argue that this is covered by many other weapons, but there is a huge catch with this one.
This dagger also has a lethal dose of poison inside of it. With the right sabotage tools in Dartmoor, this addition to the loadout will make the mission a breeze. This kind of utility is invaluable when one doesn't know whether they will be alone with the target or need to dose some of the target's food with poison.
- How to unlock: This weapon can only be unlocked for Legacy Mission owners.
- Requirement: Mastery level 15 in Hitman 2's the Haven's Island mission
13 ICA19 Shortballer
Even with an extensive selection of pistols, the ICA19 Silverballer remains a fan favorite and it's not just due to the sentimentality. It's silenced, which is an obvious upgrade from its unsuppressed counterparts, but the real reason for the love is the increased accuracy. The ICA19 Shortballer possesses the same statistics.
Sometimes Agent 47 is in a place where he can only take out a camera or a target from one angle. And that angle is often not very close. While other pistols need a few tries, the ICA19 Silverballer and Shortballer strike true with an incredible increase in their accuracy.
- How to unlock: The Silverballers can only be unlocked for Legacy Mission owners.
- Requirement: Mastery Level 11 in Paris from the first Hitman. Mark 2 variant obtained at Mastery level 2 in Mumbai.
- Other Variants: The ICA19 Shortballer is obtained at Mastery level 5 in Dartmoor (completing the Baskerville Barney escalation
12 Krugermeier 2-2
The Krugermeier 2-2, along with the Krugermeier 2-2 Silver, is a silenced pistol with less stopping power and accuracy than Agent 47’s trusty Silverballers. However, in the right hands, the Krugermeier 2-2 is one of the best weapons for stealthy gamers.
It fires subsonic rounds that make virtually no sound at all. Agent 47 can shoot out a camera while standing directly next to a guard and, so long as the guard isn't looking, they won't suspect a thing.
- How to unlock: The Krugermeier 2-2 can be obtained by getting a Level 10 Mastery in the Mendoza mission in Hitman 3.
- For Legacy Mission owners: The Krugermeier can also be obtained by achieving a Level 20 Master in Bangkok.
11 The Maximalist Shotgun
The Maximalist Shotgun is a DLC weapon that becomes available after completing the "The Gluttony Gobble" DLC mission in Chongqing. It has incredible stopping power and can fire 6 rounds but has no silenced abilities so it's a weapon for speedrunners that expect to be discovered on their playthrough.
Unlike other shotguns in Hitman 3, it can be concealed in Agent 47's jacket. However, it can be discovered in a frisk by security.
- How to unlock: The Maximalist Shotgun can be obtained in The Gluttony Gobble Escalation mission as part of the Seven Deadly Sins DLC packs.
- Other Variants: The Maximalist is based on the Sawed-Off Bartoli 12G. This version can be taken from the Bikers in the Berlin mission.
- For Legacy Pack owners: The Sawed-Off Bartoli 12G variant can be acquired by obtaining a Level 13 Mastery in the New York mission.
10 The Golden Dragon
On its own, the Golden Dragon doesn't pop off of the charts. It's a great rifle, undoubtedly, and it comes with a suppressor and piercing rounds. On paper, though, the other two sniper rifles on this list are better in every way.
But this gets a spot because of what isn't on paper. This gun's bullets strike instantaneously. In gamer speak, this is a "hit-scan" weapon, meaning it doesn't matter if the target is moving, so long as the gun is aimed at the target when the trigger is pulled, the shot will land. It's particularly effective against the ever-moving Tamara Vidal when shooting for the sniper assassin challenge in Mendoza.
How to unlock: The Golden Dragon is obtained by completing all three levels of "The Lee Hong Derivation," in Hitman 3
9 The Majestic Sniper Rifle
The Majestic sniper rifle is only obtainable as a reward from "The Pride Profusion" escalation DLC mission. Aside from its visual aesthetics, it has the same stats and perks as The Golden Dragon sniper rifle mentioned above.
However, for those with access to the DLC, the requirements to obtain the rifle are less time-consuming than trying to acquire the Golden Dragon.
- How to unlock: To obtain the Majestic one has to complete The Pride Profusion escalation as part of the Seven Deadly Sin DLC pack.
8 TAC SMG Covert
The ICA SMG Raptor Covert was introduced into Hitman 3 and, popular as that weapon is, there is a better SMG available. The TAC-SMG Covert is suppressed, but it has the advantage of stability, making it to SMGs what the Silverballer is to pistols.
In practice, the accuracy is even better than advertised. While it doesn't have a scope, crosshairs reveal pinpoint accuracy. For those with superior vision, it's every bit as accurate as most sniper rifles, and you will be able to get distant suppressed headshots without having to worry about weapon sway.
- How to unlock: The TAC-SMG Covert is obtained by completing the Escalations - Track 2, Tier 7 challenge in Hitman 3.
- Other Variants: In Hitman and Hitman 2 the original design and the Mark 2 is available when completing the Escalating the Situation challenge.
7 ICA Tactical Shotgun Covert
The ICA Tactical Shotgun Covert is a silenced variant of the shotgun. It has a fast rate of fire and has a lot of accuracy in a tight spot which is perfect for clearing corridors of enemies on the train where it is first found. Being a shotgun, it’s great at close range and capable of taking down enemies with a single shot.
The biggest advantage of the Tactical Shotgun Covert, however, is that it’s a silenced weapon and is the very epitome of deadly silenced.
- How to unlock: The ICA Tactical Shotgun Covert can be obtained by achieving a Level 5 Mastery in the Carpathian Mountains mission in Hitman 3.
6 Kalmer 2 – Tranquilizer
The Kalmer 2 – Tranquilizer is a non-lethal handgun that fires suppressed shots that are capable of putting an NPC to sleep. They are useful weapons that completely negate the need for physically subduing NPCs and targets when used wisely and in the right situations.
The gun itself has a single clip and has two rounds. Despite the limitations in ammo, it's perfect for stealth. By using both clips to pacify a couple of guards, Agent 47 can walk right through and skip a frisk. This will retain their silent assassin rating and won't raise any alarms, even if people see the sleeping bodies and wake the guards up.
- How to unlock: The Kalmer 2 - Tranquilizer gun can be obtained by achieving a Level 5 Mastery in the Mendoza mission in Hitman 3.
- For Legacy Mission owners: the Kalmer 2 can be unlocked in Hitman 2 by completing the mission known as Nightcall. It can be found in the Panic Room.
5 White Sieger 300 Or Sieger 300 Ghost
These two sniper rifles are variants of the Sieger 300 series. While there are a few differences between all of these rifles, these two represent a full upgrade from their predecessors. Having one for achieving the sniper assassin challenge in Dubai makes the accomplishment much easier.
They upgrade the range of the zoom to a multiplier of four (currently the best in the game) and they are also subsonic, meaning they can be fired with people nearby and the shot will go unnoticed. They also have an unlisted perk; along with the Hackl Leviathan Sniper Rifle Covert, they have the most damage in the game, delivering a fatal blow from a hit to any place on the body and killing enemies with helmets in a single headshot.
- How to unlock: The Sieger 300 Ghost can be obtained by completing the "The Proloff Parable" escalation mission in Hitman 3 - you only need to beat part one to get the item for the loadout.
- For Legacy Mission owners: it is obtained by completing the "A House Built on the Sand" Escalation in Marrakesh.
4 Custom 5mm DTI
The Custom 5mm DTI doesn’t have much stopping power when it comes to body shots but like any gun, it’s still lethal when aiming for the head. What makes this little gun so useful is that it’s undetectable when Agent 47 has it on his person so he can get past security even he's been patted down.
Agent 47 won't want it in open combat as it only has five bullets and can't be reloaded, but for taking out a few cameras or placing a couple of tactical shots in populated, high-security areas, there is no better weapon in the game.
- How to unlock: The Custom 5mm DTI can be obtained by achieving a Level 7 Mastery in Hitman 3's Berlin mission.
3 Hackl Levithan Sniper Rifle Covert
The Hackl Levithan Sniper Rifle Covert is a high-tier sniper rifle that was introduced in Hitman 3. It’s one of the best long-range weapons in the game and is only rivaled by the Sieger 300 Ghost. However, it has a better range and its strengths lie in its five weapon perks which is the most in the game so far.
The sniper rifle has the Extended Scope and Marksman perks which means it has four levels of zoom and the ability to slow time for accuracy. In addition to having great range and accuracy, it’s silenced thanks to its Suppressor and Subsonic Perks.
- How to unlock: The Hackl Leviathan Sniper Rifle Covert can be obtained by achieving a Mastery Level 20 in the Chongqing mission in Hitman 3.
- Other Location: Alternatively, it can be found on the laundromat rooftop in Hitman 3's Chongquing mission. Use this rifle to get the sniper assassin challenge on this map.
2 Sieker 1
The Sieker 1 is a non-lethal pistol that fires one dart containing an emetic poison. There are two total darts that come with the pistol. When a target has been affected by this emetic poison it will send them running for the nearest bathroom. This eliminates the need to force a target to eat to make them sick.
This will not only make them easy prey but it can clear a path on the map allowing 47 access to previously guarded areas. Just like the Kalmer 2, the Sieker 1 is silenced, making it one of the most perfect stealth weapons in the game. It's not as flashy or as deadly as other weapons on this list but its beauty is in its simplicity. The drawback of course is that it's only available for Legacy Mission owners.
- How to unlock: This weapon can only be unlocked for Legacy Mission owners. Hitman 2 Legacy Mission owners will need to achieve a Mastery Level 10 on Haven's Island in the "Last Resort" mission.
1 The Serpent’s Tongue
For those that don't want to work through the Legacy Missions to obtain the Sieker 1, then Hitman 3's Serpent's Tongue is a solid alternative. However, it's still only available via the "Lust Assignation" Escalation DLC pack.
Visually, it looks like a novelty crossbow but it's a silent weapon that is perfect if you want to complete missions silently without a loss of life.
- How to unlock: The Serpent's Tongue is obtained by completing the Lust Assignation as part of the Seven Deadly Sins DLC.