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The vault in Fortnite is one of the most frustrating parts of the battle royale game. Epic Games regularly takes many existing weapons and items and throws them into the vault. This removes them from use in the game, which is annoying for players who like those weapons. The vaulted weapons guide is an ode to those fallen brethren.
In this Fortnite vaulted weapons guide, I will break down every single one of the guns in the vault right now. If you’re looking to find out which of your favorite weapons are currently in the game, this is the place to look. Here are the vaulted weapons, from sniper rifles to assault rifles and everything in between.
Bottom Line Up Front
The Fortnite vault is the secret location that Epic Games uses to hide all of the weapons from across the history of the battle royale game. This digital destination is the home to the guns and other items that are not in the game right now. There are dozens upon dozens of weapons currently sitting in the vault, waiting for the day to return. Some items eventually come back into the game but usually only for an event or season. Other weapons, though, never see the light of day again. There are weapons of every category that sit in the vault right now, and it is likely to continue growing as more seasons come out. Here are all of the vaulted weapons at this time:
- Amban Sniper Rifle
- Assault Rifle
- Automatic Sniper Rifle
- Bandage Bazookas
- Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
- Boom Bow
- Burst Assault Rifle
- Burst SMG
- Charge Shotgun
- Combat Assault Rifle
- Combat Pistol
- Combat Shotgun
- Compact SMG
- Crossbow
- Double Barrel Shotgun
- Dragon’s Breath Shotgun
- Dragon’s Breath Sniper Rifle
- Drum Gun
- Dual Pistols
- First Order Blaster Rifle
- Flare Gun
- Flint-Knock Pistol
- Grabritron
- Grappler
- Grenade Launchers
- Guided Missile
- Heavy Assault Rifle
- Heavy Shotgun
- Hunting Rifle
- Infantry Rifle
- Infinity Blade
- Kingsman
- Kymera Ray Gun
- Lever Action Rifle
- Lever Action Shotgun
- Light Machine Gun
- Lightsaber
- MK-Seven Assault Rifle
- Machine Pistol
- Makeshift Bow
- Makeshift Revolver
- Makeshift Rifle
- Makeshift SMG
- Makeshift Shotgun
- Mechanical Bows
- Minigun
- Plasma Cannon
- Primal Bows
- Primal Pistol
- Primal Rifle
- Primal SMG
- Primal Shotgun
- Propifier
- Pulse Rifle
- Pump Shotgun
- Quad Launcher
- Rail Gun
- Rapid Fire SMG
- Recon Scanner
- Recycler
- Rocket Launcher
- SMG
- Scoped Assault Rifle
- Scoped Revolver
- Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle
- Sideways Minigun
- Sideways Rifle
- Sideways Scythe
- Six Shooter
- Spider-Man Web-Shooters
- Stark Industries Energy Rifle
- Storm Scout Sniper Rifle
- Suppressed Assault Rifle
- Suppressed SMG
- Tactical Assault Rifle
- Tactical SMG
- Tactical Shotgun
- Unstable Bow
- Zapotron
What Is a Vaulted Weapon?
Fortnite introduces new weapons nearly every single season. Epic Games need to release new content each season for players to enjoy. Sometimes this is in the form of a new location to visit on the island. Other times, it is in the form of a new gun that you can use in battle.
Unfortunately, the release of new weapons usually means the departure of older ones. The arsenal in Fortnite should be limited since too many weapons would make it hard to find your favorites and severely break the balance of the game.
As such, it is understandable that vaulted weapons exist. A vaulted weapon means a gun that Epic has taken out of the game and symbolically stuck into the vault. This “vault” is where all of the removed guns and items stay until they possibly get to return.
Some of the vaulted weapons do eventually return to Fortnite later down the road, but there are still some that have never come back from the vault. This could be due to them breaking the meta too much or a better version of the weapon existing.
Frequently, a weapon will return when Epic Games has the chance to fix it or balance it more appropriately. Even special events happen for a short time in the game that will warrant the return of certain weapons. We saw this in the past with events like the bow week and so on.
Fortnite Vaulted Weapons Guide
A vaulted weapon can come from any category in the game. There are assault rifles, pistols, shotguns, and so on in the vault. No gun or category is safe from this fate. Here is the full breakdown of all of the current Fortnite vaulted weapons.
Amban Sniper Rifle
The Amban sniper rifle is one of the crossover weapons with the Star Wars franchise. Introduced in Chapter 2, Season 5, it is a replicant of The Mandalorian’s weapon of choice. The sniper rifle can work like a standard rifle but with the extra thermal scope feature. In addition, it acts as a melee weapon at close range.
Assault Rifle
The standard assault rifle no longer exists in Fortnite proper. The most basic form of the mid-range killer is currently in the vault with all of its rarities.
Automatic Sniper Rifle
The automatic sniper rifle is one of the best in the category. It is the fastest sniper rifle with the ability to fire one bullet after another. It came out in Season X and was last seen in Chapter 2, Season 8.
Bandage Bazookas
The bandage bazooka is a unique weapon in that you do not use it on enemies. Instead, it is there to heal your teammates while taking up two inventory slots. The bandage bazooka first arrived in Chapter 2, Season 1. It and all of its versions are in the vault.
Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
The bolt-action sniper rifle is one of the two original snipers in Fortnite. However, all of its rarities are currently out of the game.
Boom Bow
The boom bow is a fascinating bow that shoots explosive arrows. They explode upon impact and deal devastating damage to a surrounding area, including structures.
Burst Assault Rifle
The burst assault rifle and its variants that focus on short bursts of multiple bullets at once are no longer in the game.
Burst SMG
The burst SMG has a similar shooting style multiple bullets with each trigger pull. It is not in the game right now.
Charge Shotgun
The charge shotgun has the unique ability to be able to charge up for more powerful attacks. It was originally released in Chapter 2, Season 3, and was last seen in Season 8.
Combat Assault Rifle
The combat assault rifle is a versatile version of the traditional AR. It is stronger and a better rifle, last seen in Chapter 2, Season 2 briefly.
Combat Pistol
The combat pistol is much better than the original, with greater accuracy and a better overall damage range. Unfortunately, it is not in the game, with its last appearance being its debut season of Chapter 2, Season 8.
Combat Shotgun
The combat shotgun has a better damage range than other guns of its class but does worse at close-range. It was released in Chapter 1, Season 9, and was last available in Chapter 2, Season 8.
Compact SMG
The compact SMG takes the idea of a submachine gun to the max with insane speed but terrible accuracy. Its last availability in the game was Chapter 2, Season 3.
Crossbow
The crossbow is the original bow weapon in Fortnite that could attack foes from afar with powerful, slow shots using infinite ammo. It and its other variants, like the dual fiend hunter, have not been seen for a couple of seasons now.
Double Barrel Shotgun
The double-barrel shotgun is a solid but inaccurate shotgun that shoots two bullets. It first arrived in the original Season 5, and last appeared in Chapter, Season 1.
Dragon’s Breath Shotgun
The dragon’s breath shotgun is a beast that shoots a whopping four shots at once. It was only available during Chapter 2, Season 5.
Dragon’s Breath Sniper Rifle
The dragon’s breath sniper rifle was a solid and slow rifle with the ability to set structures on fire. It was last seen in Chapter 3, Season 1.
Drum Gun
The drum gun is one of the most popular Fortnite weapons. It is a fast-firing rifle that is more similar to a minigun. It also likely comes close to the most vaulted and unvalued weapon in Fortnite.
Dual Pistols
The dual pistols allow the player to wield two guns at once and fire them in quick succession. They were last seen in Chapter 2, Season 6.
First Order Blaster Rifle
The Star Wars collaboration with Fortnite brought the ammo-less First Order Blaster Rifle. It was only in the game for a short time in Chapter 2, Season 1.
Flare Gun
The flare gun can catch the attention of everyone around and set some items on fire. It was vaulted in Chapter 3, Season 2.
Flint-Knock Pistol
The flint-knock pistol is a unique handgun that knocks the player and their target back upon firing. It was vaulted after Chapter 2, Season 8.
Grabitron
The Grabitron was a unique weapon that allowed the player to grab onto items and fling them elsewhere. It was seen in Chapter 2, Season 7.
Grappler
The grappler is an item that regularly makes an appearance in Fortnite. It allows the user to shoot at a location and then fling themselves towards that area.
Grenade Launchers
The various grenade launchers, like The Big Chill and shockwave grenade launcher, are all in the vault. Each of them allowed the player to fire grenades one after another from a far distance.
Guided Missile
The guided-missile rocket launcher allowed the player to choose the path of each rocket manually. It left in Chapter 1, Season 7 for good.
Heavy Assault Rifle
The heavy assault rifle packed a lot of power into an AR. It sacrificed some speed for this, though. It was vaulted after Chapter 2, Season 7.
Heavy Shotgun
The heavy shotgun was a much more accurate and stronger version of the gun. So far, it was only available in Chapter 3, Season 1.
Hunting Rifle
The hunting rifle is a marksman rifle with no scope but can fire deadly shots at long range.
Infantry Rifle
The infantry rifle is like the hunting rifle in being a long-range weapon with powerful shots but no scope.
Infinity Blade
The infinity blade was the first dedicated melee weapon in Fortnite. However, it was too overpowered and was removed soon after its introduction in Chapter 1, Season 7.
Kingsman
The Kingsman was a versatile umbrella weapon that appeared only in Chapter 2, Season 2.
Kymera Ray Gun
The Kymera Ray Gun was an SMG with no ammo and a continuous stream of deadly energy. It was only available in Chapter 2, Season 7.
Lever Action Rifle
The lever-action rifle is one of the classic sniper rifles. It is slow to fire and reload but can decimate enemies with ease. We last saw it in Chapter 2, Season 5.
Lever Action Shotgun
The lever-action shotgun is a standard up close and personal weapon that is slow to fire. Its last availability was Chapter 2, Season 8.
Light Machine Gun
The light machine gun is one of the fastest mid-range weapons in Fortnite history. Unfortunately, it last appeared in Chapter 2, Season 4.
Lightsaber
The lightsaber is the Jedi weapon of choice, and it appeared in the Star Wars crossover with Fortnite in Chapter 2, Season 1.
MK-Seven Assault Rifle
The MK-Seven assault rifle is one of the favorites in its category with a unique scope. Its debut and last formal appearance were in Chapter 3, Season 1.
Machine Pistol
The machine pistol is more similar to an SMG than anything else. We last saw it in the game in Chapter 3, Season 1.
Makeshift Bow
The makeshift bow was only in Chapter 2, Season 6. It was a cruddy bow that players could craft to make a better version.
Makeshift Revolver
The makeshift revolver was only in Chapter 2, Season 6 as well. It was the base pistol for players to customize.
Makeshift Rifle
The makeshift rifle was also another gun that was only in Chapter 2, Season 6. Players could customize this assault rifle to their liking.
Makeshift SMG
The makeshift SMG was a customizable submachine gun in Chapter 2, Season 6. You could make it into several different versions.
Makeshift Shotgun
The makeshift shotgun was the close-range base weapon in Chapter 2, Season 6. Players had two paths to take the shotgun in during that season.
Mechanical Bows
The mechanical bows were the traditional ones that you could make in Chapter 2, Season 6. There were several variants, including explosive and fire ones.
Minigun
The minigun was one of the fastest firing weapons in Fortnite, though it required a slight charge to use. It left after Chapter 2, Season 5.
Plasma Cannon
The plasma cannon is a weapon that players need to charge for using in battle. After charging, shooting this weapon off will send out a ball of energy that is slow but destructive. It was only in the alien-themed season of Chapter 2, Season 7.
Primal Bows
The primal bow is one of the two main options for the makeshift bow. It is a faster but wilder one that is not as accurate at times. There are several primal options beyond the base one, like a primal flame bow that can set items on fire. Unfortunately, the primal bows were only available in the Primal season of Chapter 2, Season 6.
Primal Pistol
The primal pistol was an option for the makeshift pistol, only in Chapter 2, Season 6. This version of the handgun could fire faster but be unwieldy at times. This made it great for players who wanted a faster gun and could handle this pistol.
Primal Rifle
The primal rifle was the Chapter 2, Season 6 customizable version of the assault rifle. Like the others in its class, it was faster at firing at the cost of its recoil. If you could handle it, though, this gun was a pretty solid option for players.
Primal SMG
On the submachine gun side, there was the primal SMG. The makeshift SMG could be customized into the primal SMG if players wanted to. With this gun version, you could fire insanely fast for an SMG but at the cost of control. Unsurprisingly, the primal SMG was only available in Chapter 2, Season 6.
Primal Shotgun
The last in the primal category is the primal shotgun. With the makeshift shotgun, players could customize this weapon using animal bones material. They found a shotgun that was decently fast compared to its slower than usual brethren. It was vaulted after Chapter 2, Season 6 alongside the other primal items.
Propifier
The propifier is one of the most fascinating Fortnite weapons to date. With this one, it was not about using on enemies at all. Instead, the weapon was for use on the player holding it. With the propifier, players could transform themselves into a prop item. There were numerous appearances that they could take on to hide temporarily and surprise enemies. Unfortunately, this unique weapon was only in Chapter 2, Season 7.
Pulse Rifle
The pulse rifle is a dual purpose weapon of sorts. Unlike other assault rifles, it has two main functions. You can aim down the sights with it, and it will be relatively slow but accurate. Fire from the hip, though, will it be faster but not be as powerful. It and its exotic variant were only available in Chapter 2, Season 7.
Pump Shotgun
The pump shotgun is one of the original shotguns in Fortnite. It is your basic one, requiring a pump between shots. This means it fires pretty slowly but can decimate foes in a single shot or two. The pump shotgun gets unvaulted quite often but was last seen (unintentionally) in Chapter 3, Season 1.
Quad Launcher
The quad launcher is a rocket launcher with a twist. It has four main rockets that it can fire in a single magazine. This means that the player is able to shoot off four rockets in a row nonstop without having to reload, which helps with the slow nature of other launchers. But the quad launcher spends most of its time in the vault, last being available in Chapter 1, Season 9.
Rail Gun
If you can use it properly, the rail gun is a beast of a weapon. The rail gun requires the player to charge it up for a short period before firing it off. A massive red laser fires from the weapon, destroying anything in its path. It is mainly meant for destroying vehicles. The rail gun was only in Chapter 2, Seasons 7 and 8.
Rapid Fire SMG
The rapid fire SMG is one of the fastest weapons in the history of Fortnite. While not too accurate, there is almost nothing that can match the fire rate of this gun. This also means that it is one of the kings of the close-range scenario. The rapid fire SMG last appeared in Fortnite battle royale in Chapter 2, Season 8.
Recon Scanner
The recon scanner has the appearance of a grenade launcher but functions quite differently. You can shoot off its rounds and damage players and structures, but the damage stat is unbelievably low. Instead, the main purpose for using this weapon is to mark enemies. For around 15 seconds, the recon scanner will reveal enemies nearby. It was vaulted after appearing in Chapter 2, Seasons 7 and 8.
Recycler
The recycler was a weapon used to recycle the items around you. It could suck up the items and materials that are around you. It was great for destroying items, but it was useful for being a powerful weapon. Unfortunately, it only appeared in Chapter 2, Season 6. It is high time for its unvaulting in the future.
Rocket Launcher
The original rocket launcher is one of the most iconic weapons in Fortnite. It is a strong explosive weapon that launches rockets at a rather slow speed. It is great for destroying forts or sending players flying out of the storm riding on the rockets. The rocket launcher and all of its versions have been in the vault since a momentary appearance in Chapter 3, Season 1.
SMG
Surprisingly, the original SMG and its different rarities are not in Fortnite right now. All of the different versions, from the common to the legendary, are out right now. The most basic form of the fast but short-range submachine gun was last seen in Fortnite in Chapter 2, Season 8.
Scoped Assault Rifle
The scoped assault rifle is one of the favorites in its category. It is generally the same as a basic assault rifle but the main difference is that it adds scope. Like a sniper rifle can, you can aim down the sights with it. While it has been a staple in Fortnite since the beginning of the game, its last appearance was in Chapter 2, Season 4.
Scoped Revolver
The scoped revolver has the same idea as the AR, taking the standard revolver and adding a nice scope. This makes the revolver a more accurate weapon for longer ranges. This is great since a revolver is one of the most effective pistols that a player can use in combat. The scoped revolver was last seen in Chapter 1, Season 9. However, its Night Hawk version is currently available.
Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle
The semi-automatic sniper rifle is regarded by many, including myself, as one of the better sniper rifles within Fortnite. It takes the long-range rifle and makes it slightly faster than some of the other variants. This particular rifle has not been seen in the game, unfortunately, since Chapter 1, Season 9.
Sideways Minigun
The Sideways minigun is a take on the minigun that is meant for use in the Sideways Zones. It is a fast and fluid weapon that mows down foes. All the player has to do is charge it up for a couple seconds and they can unleash a swarm of bullets. This minigun version was only available in Chapter 2, Season 8.
Sideways Rifle
The Sideways rifle was only Chapter 2, Season 8. This assault rifle was one that players could either craft or find in the Sideway Zones in that cube monster season. While not too special, it was great for taking out the cube monsters.
Sideways Scythe
The Sideways Scythe is a unique melee weapon. It has several options for using in battle, such as slicing at enemies, slamming down on them, and more. It was only in Chapter 2, Season 8, like the other Sideways weapons.
Six Shooter
The marksman six-shooter is a pistol that is pretty much a revolver but with some flexibility. It has two modes: hip fire for quick and deadly shots or aiming down the sights for more accurate and less powerful hits. It was last seen in Chapter 3, Season 1.
Spider-Man Web-Shooters
The Spider-Man web shooters are not weapons in the traditional sense, but are movement-based items. These web shooters let the player shoot out web to attach to a surface and allow them to swing around. They were only in Chapter 3, Season 1.
Stark Industries Energy Rifle
The Stark Industries energy rifle was the precursor to the pulse rifle, though I think it is a little bit better. It is versatile and fast in hip fire but slow when aiming down the sights. It was only in Chapter 2, Season 4.
Storm Scout Sniper Rifle
The storm scout sniper rifle’s original version is not available in the game. This unique sniper rifle can shoot from afar and sees the next storm circle when aiming down the sights. It was only available in Chapter 1, Season 9.
Suppressed Assault Rifle
The suppressed assault rifle is a standard AR with the same general stats. The only change is that it is suppressed to make little sound and does not show up on the radar. It was vaulted after Chapter 2, Season 8.
Suppressed SMG
The suppressed SMG is the regular SMG but with suppression on it so that it can be stealthy. We last saw this gun in Chapter 2, Season 7.
Tactical Assault Rifle
The tactical assault rifle is an improved AR with better mag and headshot. It was vaulted after Chapter 2, Season 5.
Tactical SMG
The tactical SMG is a slower but longer-ranged SMG with excellent handling capabilities. It last appeared in the game in Chapter 2, Season 4.
Tactical Shotgun
The tactical shotgun is the classic fully automatic close-range killer. Despite its long history since the beginning of Fortnite, it has not been seen since Chapter 2, Season 7.
Unstable Bow
The unstable bow is a unique bow that changes its function with each shot. It could be a flame bow for one moment and a stink bow in the next. It was only in Chapter 2, Season 6.
Zapotron
The zapotron is the infamous charging energy sniper rifle. It was only available in the game for less than an hour before the first season of Fortnite. It has only appeared since then in cameo moments but has not been playable anywhere, including in the backend files of the game.
FAQs
Question: How do you get vaulted weapons in Fortnite?
Answer: When it comes to battle royale game modes, there is no way to acquire vaulted weapons. You will simply have to wait until they return at some point in the future. Outside of battle royale, though, you can use some vaulted weapons in Creative mode.
Question: When will the vaulted weapons come back in Fortnite?
Answer: This will vary from weapon to weapon. Some guns will never come back to Fortnite. Others will come back either for an event or a full season. Typically, Epic Games gives several seasons or even an entire chapter’s worth of time before bringing a gun back.
Question: How do you get all the vaulted weapons in Creative?
Answer: It is impossible to get all vaulted weapons in Creative. Unfortunately, just because something is in the vault does not mean it is in Creative. Epic Games picks and chooses which vaulted weapons can be accessed in Creative. But most of them are available there at least.
Conclusion
If some of your favorites are there, the Fortnite vault is sad to look at. It is always a pain to see the drum gun and bows within the vault. At the very least, the bows should be a permanent part of the Fortnite experience at this point.
If you want to know how to use the bow, you’re in the right place with my Fortnite bow guide. I teach you how to use the various bows in this guide and the different types of them. They are fantastic weapons that will, hopefully, return shortly for at least an entire season. That guide can help you prepare for that.