Hello friends

I've recently been considering picking up Hand Loader for my Cowboy-perk Legion Courier. The motivation comes mostly from last nights first engagement of a NCR Ranger hit squad. Even with 100 Guns and my Brush Gun I wasnt able to perform as well as Id like against them on Hard difficulty with their Ranger Combat and Salvaged (un)Powered Armor. Hand Loader at first sight provides a possible solution as its really the only way to get AP rounds for the Cowboy weapons. Unfortunately Im not over enthusiastic about the perk as the AP rounds for the 357, 44, and 45-70 are the only benefit to this Courier near as I can tell

My questions to you are these: Do you typically take Hand Loader? Why or why not? If so, what other benefits have you noticed that you didnt immedietly notice before?

Bonus question: I have another Courier that uses primarily Energy Weapons so the same question applies to Vigilant Recycler

Lightning Round Bonus Question: Completely unrelated and doesnt warrant its own thread but has anyone else noticed the bug with modding Laser Rifles with the Beam Splitter mod in that it splits the beam into three instead of the listed two? Its a known bug according to the wiki but is there a fix for consoles?

Clarification: I do not have GRA

1. Yes, I along with the Perk that lets me find more ammo. I can take the base rounds, break them down, then make the good rounds. Just to note, with the 45-70 rounds, the slight increased damage on SWC's is not worth the increase in gun degradation over the base rounds so I never make those.

2. Sure, if I was to use Energy, I would use a Perk that allows to buy less ammmo

3. They use the animation from the Tri Beam Laser on the modded laser gun with a splitter. I think there is a mod out there that addresses this, if it is really an issue for you.

1) It wasnt the x1.3 DMG that interested me but the -6 DT. The x3 CND is big, but Im confident that with WRKs I should be okay

3) Its not the animation that bothers me but that the Laser Rifles already modest damage being further split thus reducing its ability to get through armor. I think I may create a separate thread for it though as I have more questions/comments about modding the Laser Rifle which I think is my favorite energy weapon

The animation does not matter, the damage done to your enemy should be the same whether the game is showing you 2 beams of light or 3. Add the Living Anatomy Perk to help see the damage difference between the base and modded laser weapon.