The latest Borderlands 4 update has completely shaken up the weapon meta. Massive buffs, crucial nerfs, and a few bug fixes have redefined what counts as the most powerful gear in the game right now. From crit-heavy knives to elemental explosions, every Vault Hunter now has a reason to revisit their loadout. Whether you’re farming bosses or mobbing through endgame areas, these are the 10 best highest damage guns you should be using right now in BL4.
Before diving in, if you’re looking to gear up fast, you can buy BL4 Items safely from trusted sources to save time farming. Having access to endgame-ready weapons helps test these setups right away without grinding endlessly.
A long-time fan favorite, Rainbow Vomit has re-entered the spotlight thanks to bug fixes and new synergies. Previously hampered by projectile speed issues linked to gun handling stats, this weapon now performs flawlessly. It mixes three elemental types per shot, applying multiple status effects simultaneously — ideal for builds that stack elemental or status bonuses. Pairing it with the Jacob’s Spread Launcher Underbarrel unlocks staggering hybrid damage potential, combining AoE splash and elemental versatility.
The Hot Slugger shotgun remains a monster for mobbing. Its single-pellet, single-shot design eliminates the usual shotgun range limitations. The gun also synergizes well with reload-based damage bonuses — Aman's reload shock damage effect, for instance, can be active almost permanently. With its ability to benefit from flat ammo regen effects like those from the Super Soldier Shield, Hot Slugger feels infinite in sustained combat. Each kill grants up to 90% bonus stacking damage, turning it into one of the best crowd-clearing weapons in Borderlands 4.
If fire rate is your playstyle, Aegon’s Dream is your new best friend. The recent patch boosted its base damage by 35%, making this high-fire-rate hybrid even deadlier. It alternates between incendiary and cryo shots, applying two elemental statuses at once. The real trick? Equipping it with the Torgue Sticky Magazine modifier. When used, each shot sticks and then explodes upon reloading, doubling hit counts and scaling damage further for any multi-hit build. Add a Jacob’s Crit Ricochet mod on top, and you have a devastating DPS machine perfect for both mobbing and mid-range boss fights.
Another sleeper that broke into the top 10 post-patch is Rowan’s Charge. Its fire rate was doubled, recoil reduced, and its 20% base crit chance now feels even more impactful since the crit knife nerf. Every bullet has a one-in-five chance to crit, refunding ammo on critical hits. While not infinite, it provides remarkable uptime on sustained fire. For crit builds, this gun now sits among the best non-ordinance-based sources of consistent crit damage in the game.
The Complex Root sniper rifle shines when paired with an Atlas Tracker. Normally, its scattered bonus projectiles are hard to control, but the tracker changes everything — redirecting all secondary shots toward your target. This converts what used to be a chaotic sniper into a precise, multi-hit boss killer. The synergy makes it particularly lethal in single-target fights, where every secondary projectile contributes massive bonus damage. If you can farm a version with both the Atlas Tracker and ideal parts, you’ll possess one of the highest burst-damage setups in BL4.
Boosted by an incredible 40% base damage increase and a doubled legendary effect (now up to 200% damage), Bug Bear is now a beast. It thrives in low-ammo-count setups — particularly with Rafa’s infinite ammo triggers — letting you maintain peak damage scaling longer than almost any other gun. The patch cemented its place as one of the most rewarding weapons for ammo efficiency builds, making it perfect for players who value precision and pacing over brute spam.
One of the strangest and most flexible weapons ever added, BOD counts as every gun type at once: pistol, SMG, shotgun, assault rifle, and sniper rifle. This lets it benefit from every weapon-specific enhancement and class mod bonus simultaneously. The multiplicative stacking of weapon-type damage buffs leads to absurd scaling — especially when combined with sniper or shotgun crit modifiers. Whether you play Vex with the Undead Eye mod or just want to amplify overlapping bonuses, BOD’s versatility makes it a must-have for creative high-damage builds.
The TK’s Wave shotgun now dominates the leaderboard for short-range burst. With the Atlas Tracker Underbarrel and Torgue Sticky Ammo combo, this weapon eliminates its main weakness — awkward projectile spread. The tracker ensures every pellet connects, while the stickies build up explosive power for massive reload detonations. Stack enough shots, trigger the reload, and you’ll watch health bars melt instantly. It’s particularly devastating when combined with Atlas enhancement bonuses, allowing for record-breaking single-shot bursts.
Even after a significant nerf, the Jacob’s Crit Knife remains one of the strongest tools in Borderlands 4. Once granting 100% crit chance, it now sets the target’s crit chance to 30% — still game-breaking for most builds. Despite the cap, it’s the best ordinance slot for builds that prioritize gun damage over grenade output. The simple fact is, 30% guaranteed crits on demand is still unparalleled for amplifying your weapon DPS, particularly with guns like Rowan’s Charge or Aegon’s Dream.
At the top spot, we have a bugged — but undeniably powerful — setup: Vladof SMGs with the Bullet Hose enhancement. When swapping repeatedly between the underbarrel and primary modes while holding fire, the enhancement effect applies multiple times. Each application adds more bonus projectile chances until your damage literally scales into infinity. The result is a torrent of bullets with dozens of projectiles per shot. Until this is patched out, this interaction technically defines the absolute ceiling of BL4 damage potential.
Borderlands 4’s weapon sandbox is in its most exciting state yet. With new buffs, rebalanced critical mechanics, and some lingering bugs, these ten weapons represent the pinnacle of endgame power. Whether you prefer elemental stacking, infinite fire rate, or precision crits, there’s something on this list to fit your playstyle.
And if you don’t feel like waiting on RNG, you can always pick up powerful BL4 Items or even Borderlands 4 money from reliable platforms to jump straight into the action. It’s the easiest way to test meta setups and experience the game’s top-tier damage potential instantly.
As always, Vault Hunters — experiment, mix up your builds, and don’t be afraid to test weird combinations. Borderlands 4 continues to reward creativity as much as it rewards pure firepower.
