If you’re playing Resident Evil 4 Remake right now, you’re probably having a blast blasting through enemies. In the first couple of chapters, the SG-09 R handgun is your best friend. The starting gun has a good amount of ammo for it lying around and proves easy to use in a pinch. But how would you like to get arguably the best handgun in the game? You can not only get the Red9 handgun early, but also for free.
A Lakeside Visit in Resident Evil 4
In Chapter 4, Leon will have the task of heading to the lake to retrieve a key to the church. Baby Eagle won’t save herself, after all. But you can’t just hop in the lake and swim to the key. No, no, no. Del Lago, the biggest salamander in the history of salamanders, lives there. In fact, Resident Evil 4 Remake includes the cutscene from the original where the amped-up amphibian will swallow you whole if you shoot the water.
So instead of becoming amphibian food, use the boat. The boat needs fuel, which you can get from the nearby fish farm. Unfortunately, the fish farm is crawling with fish–no, sorry, the fish farm is crawling with villagers. Blast through them to get to the back corner and pick up the fuel in the tiny shack. If it helps, use the upper walkway to race back to the lake.
Once back at the lake, it’s time to get in the boat and battle Del Lago. My personal favorite boss battle in the game returns gloriously in the remake. Leon has to throw harpoons at Del Lago while avoiding debris. Once Del Lago turns around, throw a harpoon right in its mouth. After a literal handful of throws like this, the giant salamander will go down.
The Treasure of the Sunken Shipwreck
From there, Leon can freely explore the lake. Notice the shipwreck in the dead center. Take the boat for a spin to the side of the wreck that Leon can board. Climb aboard the shipwreck and open the crates in the cabin for some goodies. However, head to the bow of the waterlogged watercraft to find a chest there. Open it, and the Red9 handgun is yours.
If you miss this section, you can still purchase the Red9 handgun from the Merchant in Chapter 5. But if you’re still on Chapter 4, you might as well get a free gun. By now, you likely have the W-780 shotgun from the village and the Bolt Thrower from the merchant. Those are great backup weapons for early in the game, but now you have something better than the SG-09 R for your primary handgun. The Red9 has a decent amount of firepower and you can acquire the stock for it from the Merchant after the house fight in Chapter 5. Fully upgraded, the Red9 can easily take you through the end of the game.
