Flintlock Pistol vs Handgun
The verdict
With crit factored in, Handgun puts out 108.2 DPS against 51.7 for Flintlock Pistol — about 109% more damage per second. Base hits are Flintlock Pistol 13 vs Handgun 26, so the gap comes as much from attack speed and crit as from raw damage.
Handgun swings faster at a 15-tick use time versus 16, so it lands on-hit debuffs like ichor, procs set bonuses, and reapplies knockback more often — an edge the flat DPS figure understates.
Flintlock Pistol also carries the higher base crit chance (6% vs 4%), which scales further with crit-boosting armor and accessories.
For crowd control, Handgun hits with more knockback (3 vs 1), 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| Stat | Flintlock Pistol | Handgun |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 13 | 26 |
| Use time | 16 ticks | 15 ticks |
| Crit chance | 6% | 4% |
| Knockback | 1 | 3 |
| Defense | 0 | 0 |
| Mana cost | 0 | 0 |
| Shoot speed | 6 | 10 |
| Sells for | 1 | — |
When to use which
open DPS calculator →- You're stacking crit-chance gear (+2% over Handgun).
- You want higher raw damage per hit (26 vs 13).
- You prefer faster use time (15 ticks vs 16).
- Pure DPS matters most — Handgun wins by 56.5 DPS.
Frequently asked
Which deals more DPS: Flintlock Pistol or Handgun? +
Flintlock Pistol averages 51.7 DPS with crit. Handgun averages 108.2 DPS with crit. Handgun is ahead by 56.5 DPS.
Is Flintlock Pistol or Handgun faster to use? +
Handgun has the shorter 15-tick use time, so it attacks faster than Flintlock Pistol at 16 ticks.
Do Flintlock Pistol and Handgun use the same class build? +
Yes — both are Ranged weapons and share the same armor and accessory bonuses.
Are Flintlock Pistol and Handgun from the same progression tier? +
Yes — both belong to the pre-hardmode tier.