Technically wouldn't Alex be the best shooter

Only if you were good at aiming.. so yeah, for me he was, but the old games used auto aim, so it's not a fair comparison.

Why would Alex be the best?

That was something that was rather annoying. I miss the ability to carry as many weapons as I like.

The limited weapons of Downpour might have been a response to "Origins", which featured Travis packing up to six guns, plus assorted knives, scalpels, cleavers, katanas, sledgehammers, billy clubs, toasters, televisions, not to mention ammo and healing items. Travis would have needed his truck to haul around all that stuff.

I agree, I didn't like the way Downpour's weapons were so fragile. Some items, like chairs or cheap cutlery, should have broken quickly. But a pickaxe (a took designed for puncturing rock as opposed to soft squishy monsters) should have been sturdy enough to see him through a good part of the game.