The shotgun is a staple of the Resident Evil series and of survival horror games in general. Resident Evil Village is no exception to this rule. Shotguns are excellent tools for crowd control as they can send weaker enemies flying, but they are also invaluable tools for dealing large amounts of damage to bosses.
The weapons of Village can be upgraded by spending Lei at any of The Duke's many merchant stations, and he also sells attachments for certain weapons to increase their performance further. Certain attachments and weapons are not sold at all, and can only be found by thoroughly exploring the village and its offshoots. This guide will give players all the information that they need on the game's shotguns, their upgrades and their attachments.
M1897
The M1897 is one of the first weapons acquired in the game. A Lycan horde begins to attack after you have entered the small house with the radio. When the coast is (somewhat) clear, leave the house and walk through the now destroyed fence. A house with two Lycans on the roof is up ahead, go up the stairs into the house and find the M1897 on a table in the kitchen. It is possible to miss this weapon in the commotion of the attack, so if you do it will be available for purchase from The Duke for 24000 Lei. The shotgun will still be inside the house on the kitchen table, but by the time you return to that area, you will likely have a better option.
The M1897 is a good starting weapon. It deals tremendous damage up close as all shotguns should, but has a poor fire rate and range. At the start of the game, this weapon will prove to be your bread and butter as you alternate between the LEMI handgun and the M1897. The weapon has a single attachment, a Hair Trigger, which can be purchased from The Duke for 8000 Lei. The Hair Trigger will increase the rate of fire for the weapon, helping to mitigate its weaknesses.
In order to fully upgrade the M1897 it will cost you 80000 Lei, a tall order for an early game weapon. This status as an early game weapon is the biggest weakness of the M1897. Unlike previous games such as Resident Evil 5, weapons do not gain unique upgrades to differentiate themselves from one another, only attachments. What this means is that the M1897's low stats and single attachment make it worse than the later shotguns in every conceivable way.
Use the M1897 as much as needed at the start of the game, but unless you particularly enjoy using the weapon, it is ill-advised to invest any of your hard-earned Lei into upgrading it. A replacement for the M1897 is obtained relatively quickly in the game, so you won't be waiting long.
W870 TAC
The W870 is obtained shortly after completing the terrifying House Beneviento and obtaining the second flask. When making your way back to the village, head right to the small building. After defeating the Moroaică that spawn there, enter the building and find the W870 within a case. If you miss the weapon or decide to sell it to The Duke at some point, it can be purchased from him for 68000 Lei.
The W870 is superior to the M1897 right off the bat. Each of its stats with the exception of its ammo capacity is an upgrade over the base M1897. When acquiring the W870, it is recommended to sell the M1897 to The Duke to free inventory space and earn a little Lei back. Unlike the M1897, this shotgun has two attachments available. The first is the Improved Gunstock, which is sold by The Duke for 22000 Lei and reduces the gun's recoil. The second is a Foregrip that can be found in a hidden cave after defeating Moreau and obtaining the crank. Use the crank to lower the drawbridge on the Lone Road towards the Ceremony Site and head south, where you will arrive at a small cave that contains Mutamycete. A case inside houses the Foregrip, which increases the weapon's rate of fire.
Fully upgrading the W870 will set you back 314000 Lei, which is no doubt very expensive. Here you can make a choice, either invest in the W870 as your main shotgun for the remainder of your playthrough or wait until you can purchase the SYG-12. Waiting for the SYG-12 will leave you without an upgraded shotgun for battling Moreau, making your way through the mines and taking on the gauntlet that is the Stronghold, so choose wisely.
If you do invest in the W870, it will prove a sturdy and reliable weapon for your playthrough. Its stronger damage and wider spread than the M1897 will provide a welcome upgrade, especially as the game starts to throw more powerful creatures in your way such as Vârcolac or the two Uriaș Drac.
SYG-12
The SYG-12 is only available for purchase from The Duke when locating him in Heisenberg's Factory. The SYG-12 is for sale but is incredibly costly at 180000 Lei, but this is due to the formidable strength of the weapon. The weapon's default strength is only a few points weaker than the W870's maximum potential when fully upgraded.
The SYG-12 has three attachments available, two of which are only acquired by purchasing them from The Duke during New Game+. The Red Dot Sight provides an increase in both firepower and rate of fire for 42000 Lei. When investing in the SYG-12, this attachment is invaluable due to its increase in the rate of fire, the area that the SYG-12 struggles most. The second attachment is the Long Barrel, only available in New Game+, which also increases the weapon's damage output at the cost of 64000 Lei. Finally, the Drum Magazine increases the ammo capacity immensely, sold by The Duke for 88000 Lei in New Game+.
Fully upgrading this weapon will cost you a staggering 1017000 Lei. Combining this with the initial asking price for the weapon and the three attachments, the complete SYG-12 will cost you a grand total of 1391000. The shotgun is incredibly costly, and the fact that two of its attachments are locked behind New Game+ may make the W870 a more attractive option for your initial playthrough.
The weapon is incredibly powerful and has a colossal maximum ammo capacity but falters in its rate of fire, actually being the slowest of the category despite being the only non-pump action shotgun. Regardless of whether you choose to utilize the W870 in your first playthrough, when playing New Game+, prioritizing the SYG-12 is an excellent choice. Once it is fully upgraded, it is one of the most effective weapons in the game.