The Old Fashioned – Not So Old Anymore

Recently, some old year one guns have gotten a lovely little rework; weapons like Uriel’s Gift, Hawthorne’s Field-Forged Shotgun, and, in today’s spotlight, the Old Fashioned.

The Old Fashioned is a 140 RPM Hand Cannon, rolling with perks like demolitionist, feeding frenzy, explosive payload, and kill clip. And, perhaps most important of all, it makes me feel like a damn cowboy. The recoil is chunky, and your guardian has to snap the whole gun in half to jam in another fistful of bullets. Despite this, the gun feels hefty, making blowing away enemies immensely satisfying.

PVE

Like I said, a damn cowboy. While not ideal for ad clearing, a good roll of this weapon carves nicely through red bars and can chew through yellows efficiently. The recoil is definitely meaty, but the impact makes it feel justified. Headshots come easily, especially with weaker enemies, and it is a fun shoot overall. I felt encouraged to hip fire, with the impact being able to topple enemies with simple body shots. Combined with kill clip, groups can be herded and powerful enemies dispatched with precision hits. However, there are just so many other options for your primary slot. If you are a hand-cannon connoisseur or just looking for a cowboy cosplay, grab an Old Fashioned.

PVP

Hand Cannons traditionally have had a huge meta presence in PvP, but the Old Fashioned feels oddly off balance. Don’t get me wrong, it functions well with kill clip, but I often felt like I was a bullet short of a kill, usually due to the recoil. On average, I could get away with a three or four tap. Combining it with a sniper, shotgun, or even an auto rifle can help it out, but the Old Fashioned just feels… okay. Again, there are a lot of other guns out there that have set the meta, and Old Fashioned feels middling.

Our Take

At the end of the day, the Old Fashioned is a cool looking gun with viable perks. I found myself using this primary just because it felt fun rather than worrying about spreadsheets of damage numbers. The impact is consistent, and the only qualm I have is that I cannot seem to find a decent shader to clean off the rust. If you are a top-tier Destiny god, maybe this gun does not fit into your build. But if this town ain’t big enough for both you and that Fallen Dreg, pick up an Old Fashioned today.

Image Source: Destiny Wiki