I can equip from pip boy but still cannot get the weapon out.
The only noticeable issue I had during the reunion mission was when I was leaving the facility after killing Kellog. I got into the lift which took a VERY long time to reach the top and somehow Nick Valentine glitched inside the lift but it would not let me complete dialogue with him.
When I got out of the lift he seemed to be walking back to diamond city and was a fair distance away (I could not catch up due to being over encumbered so I walked back to sanctuary, dropped my stuff off and fast travelled to diamond city, spoke to Nick and completed the mission and dialog.
I have loaded all recent previous saves but none seem to enable me to use weapons except on from pretty much release day!!
I reeeaaaallly don't want to have to start from scratch.