5 best shotguns in GTA Online in 2021

When it comes to close-quarter combat, much like in most other shooters, there is nothing quite like a shotgun in GTA Online. It has the power to obliterate enemies to bits and make one heck of a rumble while doing it. The shotgun is the epitome of strength and sheer brutality in GTA Online, and the game does a great job of giving players a wide choice.

If there is one thing players love more than anything else in shooters, it is a reliable gun that can eviscerate enemies in a couple of shots. Shotguns are always an excellent bet for powerful weapons in close range since they tend to have minimal power over longer ranges.

It is imperative to have at least one powerful shotgun in a loadout in GTA Online, as many heists, contact missions, and adversary modes take place indoors. Since indoors can get pretty cagey, having a powerful shotgun will help make matters extremely comfortable in GTA Online.

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Five most useful GTA Online shotguns in 2021

Note: These weapons are ranked at their base versions (without upgrades).

#5 - Sweeper Shotgun

The Sweeper Shotgun might not do a whole lot of damage while on foot, but its relatively large spread makes for a great weapon when on a bike. This makes sense since it was the centerpiece weapon for the Bikers DLC.

The gun itself is slightly above average when on foot, with its damage count being quite underwhelming. It holds ten rounds in its drum magazine, which isn't anything to write home about.

The Sweeper Shotgun is ideal for when the player adopts a spray-n-pray style of shooting in GTA Online, but even then, it is far from the most effective firearm in-game.

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#4 - Pump Shotgun MKII

Combining the Pump Shotgun MKII with different ammo types is the recipe for mass destruction and absolute carnage. It might be pretty standard across the board, with no obvious plus points, yet that is precisely what makes it an extremely balanced weapon.

There might be shotguns faster or more potent than the Pump Shotgun MKII, but none can match its sheer variety of ammo types. While ammo types require a ton of upgrades and money sunk into them, this firearm is one of the better purchases in GTA Online.

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#3 - Heavy Shotgun

The Heavy Shotgun is the epitome of a close-range menace in GTA Online that is as balanced as it gets. With great accuracy, decent spread, and damage count, it is one heck of a machine.

The fire rate makes it one of the better weapons in its class, and the fact that it fires slugs instead of shells gives it a slight edge over its competition. It might take more shots to down enemies with the Heavy Shotgun, but its high fire rate and accuracy allow players to maintain pressure on enemies.

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#2 - Combat Shotgun

The Combat Shotgun is the quintessential shotgun for all types of GTA Online players, both veterans and newbies. It provides a decent spread, a lot of kick, and a decent fire rate, making this weapon one of the most balanced shotguns in the game.

The Combat Shotgun is one of the newer weapons added to GTA Online as part of the Cayo Perico Heist update. It might not have the stopping power and damage count of the more powerful ones in-game, but it makes up for it with its faster rate of fire.

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#1 - Assault Shotgun

The Assault Shotgun is an absolute wrecking machine that can wreak havoc, both indoors and outdoors, in GTA Online. The gun has a decent amount of damage with each round, but what makes it so unique is its increasingly fast fire rate.

The gun can rattle off rounds like no one's business and annihilate everything that stands in its way. The high fire rate combined with its above-average damage count makes it one of the best weapons, period, in GTA Online.

The only drawback is its slightly narrower spread when compared to other shotguns in the game.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's personal views.