The Handgun is a recurring firearm type weapon in most of the Silent Hill series. It has many different forms and names throughout the series. It has a counterpart, not usually seen called the Revolver. Magazine capacity and effectiveness vary from game to game.
Out of all of the firearms, the Handgun's ammunition is the most common to be found, but also the least stopping power. It is useful for enemies that need to be dealt with at medium or long range. The Handgun is generally the first firearm the player receives and it retains its usefulness throughout the game as a quick way to take down weaker enemies from a distance.
Silent Hill[]
Harry's handgun in Silent Hill.
"Handgun received from Cybil. Holds up to 15 rounds."
In Silent Hill, Cybil Bennett gives Harry Mason this Handgun at the Cafe 5to2. It has decent stopping power but begins to lose effect after crossing the bridge. As ammunition is plentiful, it can still be used to kill weaker enemies from a distance.
It should be noted that out of all the handguns in the Silent Hill games, this one has the highest magazine capacity of fifteen rounds of ammunition. Harry can only have 200 bullets stored in his inventory in addition to fifteen bullets in the gun. If Harry collects more, they simply vanish.
The pistol resembles a Smith & Wesson Sigma.
Silent Hill 2[]
James Sunderland's handgun in Silent Hill 2.
"Full clip holds 10 bullets. Light handgun. Not much stopping power, but easy to use."
In Silent Hill 2, James Sunderland finds a Handgun in a shopping cart found in room 301 at Wood Side Apartments. According to the Book of Lost Memories, the handgun being in the shopping cart is a "satire of guns in American society." The weapon can never be picked up unless James has the flashlight. It has a magazine capacity of ten rounds and has decent stopping power. Unlike the first game and despite the in-game description, enemies are easier to subdue with pistol fire, and it maintains high effectiveness throughout the game. If the player explores Silent Hill carefully, it is possible to find over 55 boxes (550 rounds) of ammunition during the game. Unlike the previous game, Silent Hill 2 doesn't have a limit for the amount of ammunition carried in the inventory. In Born from a Wish, Maria uses a revolver instead of a handgun.
It resembles a Beretta 92FS centurion.
Silent Hill 3[]
Heather's handgun in Silent Hill 3.
"Holds 10 rounds of ammunition. Small and not powerful, but easy to use."
In Silent Hill 3, Heather Mason automatically gets a Handgun at the start of the game during her nightmare and at the clothing store in the Central Square Shopping Center. Douglas Cartland can also be seen wielding an identical handgun in a few cutscenes throughout the game. Unlike the previous two handguns, it's empty because Heather used the entire magazine killing a Closer and must be reloaded (luckily, ammunition is nearby). It holds 10 rounds, and use widely varies from enemy to enemy. It seems to have a longer range and much higher accuracy when moving than previous installments, probably because the rifle is absent in this installment. This can be observed in the outside areas of Silent Hill and during the battle against God. Unlike most games in the series, it remains a very reliable firearm throughout the game, due to its versatility, range, and ability to fire while moving. It can also be equipped with a Silencer.
Like Silent Hill 2, it resembles a Beretta 92FS centurion.
Silent Hill 4: The Room[]
Henry Townshend's pistol in Silent Hill 4.
"Easy-to-use handgun, but not much stopping power."
In Silent Hill 4: The Room, Henry Townshend finds the Handgun under the living room desk in Room 302 after returning from the subway world. The pistol holds 10 rounds of either pistol bullets or silver bullets.
- The former are highly effective on all enemies except ghosts, but should be used sparingly due to a lack of ammunition throughout the game.
- The latter instantly render a ghost immobile, but are even rarer than the pistol bullets; only three can be found in the entire game, though only two are worth going after.
It is modeled after a Colt M1911A1.
Silent Hill: Origins[]
Individually named, two handgun-type weapons can be found in Silent Hill: Origins.
Target Pistol[]
Target Pistol.
"A light target pistol. The kind of thing you see on a gun range. It stings more than it bites."
The Target Pistol is found in the West Solarium in Cedar Grove Sanitarium. It is capable of firing up to 6 .22 caliber bullets before needing to reload. It is the first firearm that Travis Grady will pick up. Its ammo is not as scarce as the others and it is the weakest of the weapons. The weapon is good against the enemies in the beginning of the game but will slowly be replaced near the middle by stronger guns.
The Target Pistol appears to be a Colt Woodsman Match Target.
Service Pistol[]
Service Pistol.
"A battered service pistol. This US Army surplus weapon is well used but still as smooth as ever."
The Service Pistol is a medium caliber US Army surplus gun found in the Director's Office in the Artaud Theater. It is capable of firing up to eight 9mm bullets before needing to reload. It is the third firearm Travis will acquire. It is stronger than the Target Pistol and can take down some enemies with ease. However, its ammo is less abundant than some other weapons.
It resembles a Colt M1911A1 but is apparently chambered for 9mm ammunition rather than .45 ACP.
Silent Hill: The Arcade[]
The Arcade pistol.
In Silent Hill: The Arcade, the stock Handgun has 10 bullets per magazine. In the actual game, the model is very similar to the one used in Silent Hill 3.
The model bears a strong resemblance to the SP Heckler & Koch USP chambered to use 9x19 Parabellum rounds.
Silent Hill: Homecoming[]
Individually named, two handgun-type weapons can be found in Silent Hill: Homecoming;
Mk 23 Handgun[]
Mk 23 Handgun.
"The 9mm pistol Curtis Ackers gave me. It's in good condition and easy to use."
Alex Shepherd receives the Mk 23 Handgun in a trade with Curtis Ackers, remarking that "a soldier's gotta have a gun". It has a magazine capacity of nine rounds (five on Hard difficulty) and Alex can carry 18 (or 10) rounds in reserve. If any more ammunition is found, it cannot be picked up, forcing players to consider how they use their ammunition. Damage can vary with certain creatures, so players should aim to score headshots if possible. Despite the description given by Alex in the weapon inventory, the Mk 23 Handgun uses ammunition from boxes labeled ".45 Auto".
It resembles a Taurus PT92. Appearance aside, the gun shares the namesake and ammunition type (though not the appearance) of a real life handgun manufactured by Heckler and Koch.
Chrome Hammer Pistol[]
The Chrome Hammer Pistol.
"Has increased damage and holds more ammunition over the regular pistol."
A superior counterpart can be found, known as the Chrome Hammer Pistol. It has better stopping power than the Mk 23 Handgun and has a higher magazine capacity. This allows the player twelve rounds (seven on Hard difficulty) per magazine with 24 (or 14) in reserve. It can be obtained once the player has access to the Fire Axe and Rose Heights Cemetery. It is found in a boarded up mausoleum right next to a Save Point. Oddly enough, even if the player obtains the Chrome Hammer, Alex will still use the Mk 23 Handgun in cutscenes.
It resembles a heavily customized Colt M1911 with chrome plating, a flared magazine well, and a muzzle brake.
Silent Hill: Downpour[]
In Silent Hill: Downpour, Murphy Pendleton can come across 3 different types of pistols.
Colt[]
The colt in Downpour.
"A small handgun."
The Colt holds 7 rounds and has medium stopping power over a decent range. It is the weakest of the three handguns, but has the most ammo to be found.
It's based on the The Colt Defender although it has an extended barrel, slide, and frame. Anne Marie Cunningham carries the exact same model.
Golden Gun[]
"Just like in the movie."
The Golden Gun in Downpour.
Finishing the "Cinéma Vérité" sidequest rewards the player with the Golden Gun, a gold-plated version of the Colt, with considerably more powerful stats. It is the strongest of the three handguns. However, a major setback is the fact that Murphy can not collect ammo from normal Handguns, meaning that he will find a little less ammo.
.45 Pistol[]
Colt 45 in Downpour.
By using a special code (353479) in a green locker, the player can also obtain a slightly more powerful version of the Pistol, which resembles a Desert Eagle. However, it uses the same ammo as the Colt and Golden Gun.
Silent Hill: Book of Memories[]
"A small, standard-issue firearm with limited ammo capacity."
Unlike the previous games, Book of Memories offers a revolver rather than a pistol. The handgun has a capacity of 12 rounds. The player can buy the handgun from Howard's Shop for 670 MR.
It is most likely based on a High Standard .22 revolver.
Trivia[]
Sara refusing to use a gun.
- In Silent Hill: Origins, if Travis Grady tries to finish an enemy with a handgun equipped, he will stand and shoot them one time instead of stomping on them. If the player tries to shoot a downed enemy in normal gameplay, the enemy will not die and will need to be shot a couple more times. This happens with all the other firearms as well.
- In the HD Collection, if the player fires a single bullet with the handgun, they may hear the sound of multiple casings hitting the ground. This is proven to be a porting bug and will not interfere with gameplay.
- Sara Linwood seems to the only known character in the Silent Hill series who has rejected using a handgun. Sara claims she "hates" them.
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