I was checking the game manual for a way to dismiss a companion when your PC is away from a settlement you can send them to when I ran into this.

Whatever you do DO NOT DISCARD YOUR COMPANION'S ORIGINAL WEAPON because these have LIMITLESS AMMO. Any new weapon you give your companion will eventually run out of ammo. If you give them a new weapon, leave the original in their inventory. They'll either switch to using the one you gave them or continue using the original.

Nice feature to have if you're rolling with Preston IMO.

The companion's original weapons don't show up in their inventory at all. They only use them if they A. haven't picked up something they like better and B. you've not assigned them another weapon.

I'd rather them use the weapons and ammo I gave them then the default weak weapons and ammo they might have. I just usually give them a weapon that requires ammo I don't use myself. That way neither of us run out of ammo.

Just to reclarify, you do not need to keep your companion's default weapons. This is because your companions keep and use their default weapons at all times. You do not see these default weapon ever in their inventory. They will switch from their default weapons when you directly equip a new weapon and the appropriate ammo for them. Or they will loot a weapon and ammo and use it if it's better than their default weapon. Also, don't give them explosives because they will use those very frequently, unless you want them to.

TL;DR Don't worry about default weapons. It's impossible to screw up.

I would avoid giving a companion a fully automatic weapon.

I don't care about their damage output... they are meat shields and carrying repositories.. They can get themselves detected while I remain in stealth.. they occasionally do get in the way though.

phew I was worried there for a second. one of my companions picked up a gun on his own and I definitely didn't see his default weapon in his inventory. I was scared I accidentally took it away from him or something lol.

yup gave my companion a minigun and 2000the ammo for it in pne fight scene he completly ran out of ammo! never again is it possible to mod a companions gun someway?

....or an AoE weapon (like a Missile Launcher or, god forbid, a Fatman).

Yeah, Cait and her grenades/molotovs are bad enough!

Companions can seem slightly insane, initially. They seem to like jumping into your line of fire, blocking you from leaving radiation zones, and blithely engaging in combat against overwhelming foes.

It's almost like they think they're immortal.

Perhaps, because they are.

You think you are tough, suited up in your power armor, with all your perks, weapons, medicines and so on? Piper can take a fatman nuke to the face and it only knocks her out for a short while - she does not have any weapons because she has never really needed them.

Your companions are indestructible tanks. If you want to use them properly, you should be using them to distract your opponents. This can be opening combat, or this can be to hold them off while you run away. Tell them to stay, or go - they are not actually Machiavellian sadistic psychopaths - they just do not understand your delicate fragility.

You might cringe in sympathy, for the damage they seem to take, but do not worry - it's just a flesh wound.

Cait's default is a double-barrel shotgun which isn't that weak really. It still hurts pretty badly. Preston also has a Laser Musket. 4-cranker I think too. But he has to reload after every shot though...

Nick though... His default is a Pipe Pistol...

No. You can't take them from them, so you can't modify them.

...Or has anyone tried giving them weapon mods, maybe they apply them themselves? They do occasionally use the workbenches, though that is probably just random idle behavior.

Is strongs default a super sledge? Shortly after I blessed him with my presence, I took his stupid pipe rifle he had and gave him a minigun and 500 rounds..that didn't last long, then I realized it's only their default weapon that is infinite...now all he does is melee everyone..did I mess that up?