You're sweating. Every creak in the floorboards of the Baker mansion feels like a death sentence. Your handgun is out of ammo, your health is in the red, and you just found a "Broken Handgun" in the trailer outside. It looks like junk. Honestly, most players just toss it into the item box and forget about it. That is a massive mistake. If you can find a Resident Evil 7 repair kit, that paperweight becomes one of the best weapons in the game.
There are only two of these things in the entire game. Just two.
If you waste one on the wrong weapon or miss them entirely, you’re basically playing the game on a self-imposed "hard mode" without even realizing it. Ethan Winters isn't a soldier; he's just a guy looking for his wife, and he needs every mechanical advantage he can get. The repair kit is that advantage. It’s the difference between plinking away at a Molded with a pea-shooter and actually putting them down for good.
Where the Hell Are They?
Most people walk right past the first one. It’s hidden in plain sight, which is the most Resident Evil thing ever. Once you get out of the main house and reach the Yard—the area with the trailer—you need to look under the porch of the main house.
Specifically, look between the two sets of stairs leading up to the porch. There’s a piece of corrugated metal covering a hole. Rip that sucker off. Crawl in. You’ll find a box. Break it. Inside is your first Resident Evil 7 repair kit. It’s tucked away so well that unless you’re hugging the walls like a paranoid freak, you’ll never see it.
The second one is much later and requires a bit more legwork. You’ll need to have the Treasure Photo that shows a mannequin head on a shelf. This photo is found in the Greenhouse area (Marguerite’s playground). Once you have the photo, head to the Testing Area—Lucas Baker’s "Saw" inspired funhouse. In the corner of a room filled with tripwire bombs and crates, you’ll see that exact mannequin head. Interact with it. Presto, your second kit.
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It's funny, really. The game rewards you for being a pack-rat and a photographer. If you don't pick up that photo, you can't interact with the mannequin to get the kit. It's a classic Capcom gatekeeping move.
The Big Debate: M19 vs. M21
Now, what do you actually do with these things? You have two broken weapons: the M19 Handgun and the M21 Shotgun.
The M19 is found early, right in the guest house. Then you find it again in the trailer. It only holds 7 rounds. That sounds bad, right? Wrong. The M19 has a higher base damage and better "stopping power" than the standard G17 handgun you’ve been using. If you use a Resident Evil 7 repair kit on the M19, you’re getting a weapon that can pop heads much more reliably.
Then there’s the M21.
You find the broken shotgun in Grandma’s room. To get the functional M1901 shotgun earlier in the game, you usually swap it for this broken one on the statue. But if you use the Model Shotgun (the wooden one) to swap back, you can keep the broken M21. Repairing the M21 gives you a double-barrel beast. It only holds two shells. It’s annoying to reload. But the damage? It’s astronomical. It’s arguably the most powerful close-range tool in Ethan’s arsenal, excluding the Magnum.
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Which one should you pick first?
Honestly, it depends on your playstyle. If you’re a crack shot who hits every headshot, the M19 handgun is a dream. It makes the mid-game much smoother. But if you’re terrified and find yourself getting cornered by the Molded, the M21 shotgun is your best friend. It’s a "get out of jail free" card. Most seasoned players suggest repairing the shotgun first because, let's face it, the Baker family doesn't give you much breathing room.
The Hidden Mechanics of Repairing
Something people don't often talk about is how the repair kit affects your inventory management. Resident Evil 7 is a game about slots. Every item matters. By repairing a weapon, you aren't just getting a better gun; you're often making a decision to retire an inferior one.
Once you repair the M19, there is almost zero reason to keep the G17. Stash it. Forget it exists. The same goes for the M21 vs. the M1901. While the M1901 holds more shells (4 vs 2), the raw stopping power of the M21 means you spend less time dancing around enemies.
There's also a weird bit of nuance with the "Enhanced Handgun Ammo." If you use the repaired M19 with Enhanced Ammo, you are basically carrying a mini-Magnum. It’s a boss-killer. On Madhouse difficulty, this isn't just a "nice to have" strategy; it's practically mandatory.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
One of the biggest blunders is using a kit on a weapon and then realizing you don't have the ammo to support it.
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- Don't repair the M21 if you’ve been wasting your shotgun shells on crates.
- Don't bother looking for the second kit if you haven't found the Greenhouse treasure photo; it won't spawn.
- Remember that the repair kit is a "consumable" in the sense that once it's used, it's gone. You can't "un-repair" a gun to get the kit back.
I've seen people get frustrated because they think they can find more kits later. You can't. If you use both on handguns (though you can't, since there's only one broken handgun), you'd be out of luck for the shotgun. The game forces you to prioritize. It’s a survival horror staple.
Strategy for Madhouse Difficulty
If you’re brave enough to tackle Madhouse, the Resident Evil 7 repair kit locations don't change, but their importance skyrockets. Enemies are faster. They have more health. In this mode, the M21 Shotgun isn't a luxury; it's a necessity for the Jack Baker fights.
In Madhouse, I always recommend saving the first kit for the M19 handgun immediately after leaving the house. You need that extra punch for the molded in the basement. The second kit should go to the M21 the second you get the wooden model shotgun to swap it out.
Final Steps for Your Playthrough
To make the most of your gear, follow this specific order of operations. First, grab the kit from under the porch as soon as you step into the Yard. It’s the easiest one to get and provides an immediate power boost. Second, make sure you thoroughly search the Greenhouse for the treasure photo—if you miss it, you lose the second kit forever.
Once you have both kits and both weapons, focus on your ammo crafting. Use your Chem Fluid to create Enhanced Handgun ammo for your repaired M19. This combo allows you to take down standard enemies with one or two well-placed shots, saving your precious shotgun shells for the inevitable encounters with the Baker family. Keep the M21 as your emergency backup for when things get messy in close quarters. Taking these steps ensures you aren't just surviving the nightmare, but actually dominating it.
Always remember: in Resident Evil 7, the environment is your biggest enemy, but it's also your only source of salvation. Look under the stairs. Check the photos. Repair your steel. It's the only way Ethan is getting out of Louisiana in one piece.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Immediate Action: Head to the Yard and look under the main house porch (between the stairs) to grab the first repair kit.
- Weapon Choice: Repair the M19 Handgun immediately to replace your starting pistol; it has significantly higher stopping power.
- Greenhouse Priority: Ensure you pick up the "Mannequin" treasure photo in the Greenhouse area to unlock the ability to find the second kit in the Testing Area.
- Final Upgrade: Use the second kit on the M21 Shotgun after swapping it with the wooden model shotgun to maximize your boss-fight damage.