The Gauss Minigun in Fallout 76 is a formidable heavy gun that can significantly enhance your combat experience, especially when equipped with the right mods. This article will guide you through the best mods to use for the Gauss Minigun, focusing on maximizing damage output and optimizing performance for various combat scenarios.

Understanding the Gauss Minigun
Before diving into mods, it's essential to understand the base stats of the Gauss Minigun:
Level: 45 / 50
Damage: 41 / 49
Area Damage: 15%
Blast Radius: Inner: 100, Outer: 125
Ammo: 2mm EC · Ultracite
Magazine Size: 500
Fire Rate: 91
Range: 204
Accuracy: 36
AP Cost: 30
Weight: 18
Crafting the Gauss Minigun
To craft the Gauss Minigun, you'll need to acquire its plan from vendors like Mortimer in The Crater Core or Minerva, a traveling vendor. Once you have the plan, you can craft it using the following resources:
Aluminium: 18
Circuitry: 6
Legendary Module: 2
Screw: 15
Silver: 4
Spring: 6
Steel: 15
Best Mods for the Gauss Minigun
Barrel Mods
Penta Barrel: This mod increases the rate of fire but reduces damage and accuracy. It's ideal for close-quarters combat where rapid fire is more beneficial than precision.
Tri Barrel: Offers a better rate of fire and durability compared to the standard barrel, though at the cost of range and accuracy. It's a good choice for situations where you need sustained firepower without needing long-range precision.
Standard Barrel: Maintains standard effects without any significant bonuses or penalties. It's a balanced choice if you prefer to keep the original stats.
Fusion Coil Mods
Tesla Coil Capacitor: Adds electrical damage, improves reload speed, and increases ammo capacity. This mod is highly recommended for maximizing damage output and efficiency.
Tesla Coil Dynamo: Similar to the Tesla Coil Capacitor, it adds electrical damage and superior ammo capacity, making it another strong option for enhancing the Gauss Minigun's capabilities.
Prime Capacitor: Offers superior damage and bonus damage to Scorchbeasts and Scorched enemies. It's ideal for specific encounters where these enemies are prevalent.
Acquiring and enhancing the Gauss Minigun in Fallout 76 requires a significant investment of time and resources, including accumulating enough Fallout 76 caps to purchase necessary materials from vendors. Properly modded, the Gauss Minigun becomes an indispensable asset for tackling challenging missions and opponents, offering a substantial boost to your combat capabilities in the post-apocalyptic world of Appalachia.
Sights Mods
Gunner Sights: Provides +1 magnification, +10% aim speed, and +15% sighted accuracy. This mod is useful if you want to improve your aim and accuracy slightly.
Legendary Effects
The Gauss Minigun can be crafted with a one, two, or three-star legendary effect. Some of the most powerful effects include:
Two Shot: Fires an additional projectile with a 25% faster fire rate and reduces the weapon's weight by 90%. This effect significantly enhances the weapon's damage output and mobility.
Explosive: Bullets explode for additional damage, making it highly effective against clusters of enemies.
The Gauss Minigun in Fallout 76 is a powerful tool that can be further enhanced with the right mods. The Penta Barrel and Tesla Coil Capacitor are currently considered the meta for maximizing damage output, especially in close-quarters combat. However, the choice of mods ultimately depends on your playstyle and the specific combat scenarios you encounter. Whether you're facing off against hordes of enemies or taking down tough bosses, the Gauss Minigun can be a game-changer with the right setup.