I don't know much about the game so I could be wrong BUT I think I'd rather 30 different well thought out weapons rather than just database weapons with little or no visual difference.
Actually each modification Has a different visual style.
ie accuracy mods mean a longer barrel, more ammo can mean different types of magazine or just extended ones, then there are the different loading mechanisms and ammo types, and the elemental effects (fire acid, electric and explosve) are noted by coloured parts.
They reckon after a short time you should be able to tell the rough stats of a weapon from it;s look. also before you pick it up there's a quick comparison chart that pops up so you can compare it to your current weapon. Also theres a small colour system to denote how rare and powerfull the weapons are.
The pistol that fires shotgun shells and the sniper rifle with a revolver cylinder looks pretty sweet.
but there weapons are limited down in variation by having different "manufactures" each with it's own rules, ie one used very expensive wood (there's no wood on the planet) for stocks etc along with hand built parets for slower firing powerful and fairly heavy weapons. while another used light weight plastics, less accuracy but an incredible rate of fire.,
On top of that there are quite a few weapons that the devs made them selves..