// weapon comparison

Boomstick vs Sandgun

Ranged weapons · pre-hardmode tier

The verdict

With crit factored in, Sandgun puts out 117.0 DPS against 21.8 for Boomstick — about 436% more damage per second. Base hits are Boomstick 14 vs Sandgun 30, so the gap comes as much from attack speed and crit as from raw damage.

Sandgun swings faster at a 16-tick use time versus 40, so it lands on-hit debuffs like ichor, procs set bonuses, and reapplies knockback more often — an edge the flat DPS figure understates.

For crowd control, Boomstick hits with more knockback (5.75 vs 5), keeping enemies at range while you reposition.

Both are Ranged weapons, so the same armor set and class accessories buff either one — you can swap between them without rebuilding your loadout.

Stat-by-stat

computed
StatBoomstickSandgun
Damage1430
Use time40 ticks16 ticks
Crit chance4%4%
Knockback5.755
Defense00
Mana cost00
Shoot speed5.3512
Sells for 40 20

When to use which

open DPS calculator →
Pick Boomstick if…
Pick Sandgun if…
  • You want higher raw damage per hit (30 vs 14).
  • You prefer faster use time (16 ticks vs 40).
  • Pure DPS matters most — Sandgun wins by 95.2 DPS.

Frequently asked

Which deals more DPS: Boomstick or Sandgun? +

Boomstick averages 21.8 DPS with crit. Sandgun averages 117.0 DPS with crit. Sandgun is ahead by 95.2 DPS.

Is Boomstick or Sandgun faster to use? +

Sandgun has the shorter 16-tick use time, so it attacks faster than Boomstick at 40 ticks.

Do Boomstick and Sandgun use the same class build? +

Yes — both are Ranged weapons and share the same armor and accessory bonuses.

Are Boomstick and Sandgun from the same progression tier? +

Yes — both belong to the pre-hardmode tier.