So the basic formula of Heavy, Rifle, Pistol is pretty straightforward but what about things like sub machine guns which are classified as rifles but are also clearly automatic or things like the flamer or gattling laser?

Has someone put together a spreadsheet or resource that shows with perks effect which weapons?

The individual parts determine the class. a sub machine gun isn't an automatic unless is has an automatic receiver.

The automatic submachine gun which is also a rifle doesn't fall under Rifleman perk, because that's only for non-automatic rifles...it comes under Commando/automatic weapons.

It's fairly intuitive if you http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_4_perks.

I haven't checked, so this is mostly hearsay, bu the only weapons that gets to double-dip is AFAIK the missile launcher and the fatman, who gets bonus from both heavy weapons and explosives. Everything else is locked to category.

Semi-automatic is NOT automatic btw.

Minus nothing in the perk destription says one weapon cannot be in two categories at the same time, like gatling gun as an heavy weapon and an automatic weapon.

That's true, but it isn't in both of those categories though.

nope because automatic only applies to rifles.

Any confusion about what weapon is counted under which category is cleared up http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_4_weapons (excluding mods and legendaries).

Example gatling isn't a heavy weapon, it's an energy weapon so would fall under automatic (Commando perk) and not heavy.

Or pistols, Commando affects anything with an automatic receiver except Heavy Weapons.

The gattling laser is definitely a heavy weapon for perks. Laser and Plasma pistols and rifles fall under the same categories as ballistic weapons where anything with an auto receiver is under Commado, pistols are under Gunslinger and non-auto rifles under Rifleman.

It's auto or heavy for perks, has to be one or the other. It's listed as not a heavy weapon.

Broadsided, Missle Launcher, Fatman are the only 3 that get covered by two perks that I'm aware of.

Anything with the explosive rounds (Like the Spray and Pray) get a bonus from the Demolitions/Explosive perk.

Irradiated legendaries get boosted by that nuclear perk that boosts radiation weapons

Question about the legendaries. Is it just the explosive/radiation damage that is boosted, or is it all of the weapon damage since it's now "that type of weapon"?

My current character is a Heavy Weapons build and the Gattling Laser is definitely affected by the Heavy Gunner perk. I do admit that I haven't added anything to Commando with this character so I don't know if it also affects the Gattling Laser. I'll try tonight when I get home to confirm one way or the other.

Just the specific damage. Not the entire gun.

Would be good info. Come back in here and post it.

Doesn't it specifically say in a loading screen tip that machine guns along with shotguns fall under the Rifleman perk?

Yeah I think it does. If you make any rifle automatic it then falls under the Commando/auto perk.

Nope You can Stack Mister Sandman, Gunslinger, and Ninja with any silenced non-automatic pistol.

How do you make a machine gun non-automatic?

Weapon Automatic Reciever--> Commando

Powerful -> Riffleman

Pistol---> Pistol

Auto Pistol-->Commando (read auto)

Heavy Weapon (all really freakin heavy weapons, would have been sure this one would have caused more confusion than the other ones >< )

Yeah but that's sneak damage...you can stack VATS damage too on anything.

See the thing is you can take an Assault Riffle that has an Automatic Reciever and change out its receiver for a semi-auto which then changes its perk class.

Yeah but Mister Sandman and Ninja are not weapon categories. They work with anything, and are not relevant to this discussion (I tried to find a nice way to say it and failed - sorry it's late).

If it's automatic then it's automatic and not "non-automatic". Read the perks!