The CE plasma pistol is the best weapon in the game and probably the entire series.
>Perfectly accurate, shoots as fast as you can click
>Shitload of ammo per gun, is dropped like candy so you're never without one
>Normal fire wrecks shields, stunlocks non-flood unshielded enemies, and ruins sentinels.
>Gold elites eat an overcharge and then get meleed or die to more normal shots
>Regular shots reliably pop the limbs off combat forms, obviously worse than the shotgun but usable
This thing is given to trash enemies but is absolutely incredible, I love the plasma pistol.