Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas/Weapons

This page is all about what you need to know to fight and kill in San Andreas.

Combat
There is a detailed, though not excessively complicated, set of buttons that need to be pressed to be an effective fighter. Since they vary from platform to platform, the particular buttons are not listed here; instead the actions themselves are listed. See the Controls page to find the buttons associated to the actions for your platform.

Melee
Melee is hand-to-hand combat.

Fistfighting
You can approach a character and initiate a fistfight by pressing the primary attack buttons. Targeting the person makes this more reliable. Keep pressing the primary and secondary attack buttons to make the fight lethal.

Melee weapons
Rather than your fists you can select a melee weapon and beat or slash your opponent with that.

Weapons
Fighting with weapons is obviously safer and more effective than close combat. You can just whip out the weapon and fire away but some maneuvers make weapons fighting easier.

Aiming
To aim or target a weapon at a person, hit the target button on your controller (varies by platform). You will see a circle of green arrows around your target. The firing button is now guaranteed (up to the level of accuracy of the weapon) to hit this target.

As you continue to shoot, punch, slash, or beat your opponent, the arrows change from green to yellow to red. Gray arrows mean the target is dead.

All aimed weapons weapons aim better when CJ is crouching.

Combat Rolls
While crouched, you can do a combat roll, a kind of somersault which can be used to duck into and out of cover. You have to move while hitting a button; see the controls page for more information.

Strafing
Strafing is shooting while moving. You are not able to lock on to a target, but you gain mobility and speed of attack. To strafe, shoot without hitting the aim button; instead, use the aiming controller (perhaps the right thumbstick or mouse) to locate a set of crosshairs on your target.

Reloading
Each weapon has a magazine but you can carry lots and lots of ammunition. The display in the upper right-hand corner of the screen indicates your weapon, and below it two numbers. One is the amount of ammunition you have on hand, and the other is the amount in your current magazine.

There is no reload button per se but choosing a new weapon always results in a full magazine (assuming you have enough ammunition). So a quick cycle back and forth results in reloading.

Learning fighting moves
At each of the gyms in San Andreas (one in each major city) you have the opportunity to learn a set of fighting moves. To do so, enter the marker in the gym and respond affirmatively when asked if you want to learn new moves.

You earn the knowledge by beating the coach in the ring. Use your current fistfighting moves to do so. Then he will teach you the moves.

All of the fighting moves are equally effective, though each has its own style. You have to learn all three sets of moves to earn 100% completion.
 * Los Santos: boxing
 * San Fierro: karate
 * Las Venturas: kickboxing

Weapons skill levels
The more you use a weapon (or sometimes a class of weapons), the better you become at it. After a certain level your skill class increases and you gain extra weapon abilities.

At Gangsta level (usually 20% skill rating) you gain the ability to aim and move at the same time. At Hitman level (100% rating) you get increased range and, in some cases, the ability to dual wield the weapon. You hold one in each hand, doubling power and increasing rate of fire.

There are a few ways to increase your skill at weapons:


 * Go out and kill lots of gangstas/cops/civilians. In other words, normal game play increases your weapons skills.
 * Go to an Ammu-Nation location that has a firing range and take the challenge.  Completing those challenges increases your weapons levels on the weapons used.
 * Find a car and shoot its tire repeatedly. The car will not explode but each shot counts as a succesful hit and thus increases your stats.
 * Find a car, park it in a garage you own, and with the garage door open, shoot at the car until it starts to smoke. Then back up and let the door close.  Approach the garage again and the garage door opens.  The car is as good as new and you can shoot it some more.

Stealth kills
A stealth kill is a quick and undetected kill. You will need to use this tactic in certain missions. You can execute a stealth kill with a knife or with a silenced pistol. See those sections for more information.

List of weapons
These are listed in the order in which they appear in your personal arsenal. Each weapons class takes up a "slot" and picking up another weapon from a slot's class replaces the current weapon in that slot. If you try to pick up a weapon that replaces a weapon you already have, you have to hit a button to confirm the pickup rather than just run over the weapon. See the controls page to find the button for your platform.

Fists
One slot is taken up by your fists, which you always have.

Brass knuckles
These augment your fists, making your punches more powerful.

Melee Weapons
These kill with blunt force or laceration, and are useful when you're feeling brutal or want a reasonably quiet kill. These aren't for sale but you can find them around.

Katana
An Japanese sword.

Knife
The knife is an ordinary melee weapon but has a special attack mode. If you target an unaware opponent (for example approaching them from behind) and attack you should slit the target's throat, killing them instantly.

Golf club
Attacking with the golf club should bring back good Vice City memories.

Nightstick
You can pick up one of these if a policeman "accidentally" dies near you.

Chainsaw
As a melee weapon, the chainsaw is unique in that it "locks" characters in place and does enough damage that it is usually a one hit kill.

Pistol
The basic pistol is modeled on a 9mm. Dual wielded at Hitman level.

Silenced 9mm
The silenced pistol differs from the 9mm pistol in that, when fired, it seemingly has less effect on CJ's Wanted Level than other weapons. In stealth missions the silenced pistol allows silent kills at a distance, although players should be sure to use headshot kills. Failure to kill a target with a headshot can result in return fire, causing a higher alert level in the mission.

Desert Eagle
The Desert Eagle or "Deagle" is a powerful pistol that kills with one shot.

Shotguns

 * "What, like guns that fire shot?" -- Barry, Lock, Stock and two Smoking Barrels

Shotguns are deadly at close range. However, they don't hold many shells at once, so you need to reload often.

Shotgun
Basic shotgun.

Sawn-off shotgun
Dual-wielded at Hitman level.

Combat shotgun
The SPAS-12 is an automatic shotgun with 7-shell chamber.

Submachine guns
These are guns with automatic fire but pistol grip.

Micro-SMG
Appears to be based on an Uzi. A Balla favorite.

The Tec-9 and the Micro-SMG are classified as machine pistols for your weapons statistics. Each is dual-wielded at hitman level.

SMG
The versatile SMG is useful in a drive-by, and when CJ is in a crouching position the SMG's range and accuracy are comparable to the assault rifles. It resembles the MP5 in real life. Because it's too large to hold in one hand, it cannot be dual wielded.

Assault Rifles
Assault rifles have automatic firing and heavier ammunition than the submachine guns.

AK-47
An old Red Army standard. Ballas and Vagos tend to carry these a lot. They're very effective.

M4
The western world's answer to the AK-47. It has a longer range and a higher capacity magazine than the AK.

Rifles
Rifles are used for long-distance hits. After each shot there is a delay for reloading.

Country Rifle
Your basic rifle.

Sniper Rifle
The sniper rifle has a first-person mode with zoom associated with it. Using this you can kill from a very long way away.

Heavy Weapons
These are some of the most powerful weapons in the game. Unfortunately, they aren't available for purchase at Ammu-Nation. They're around if you know where to look.

Rocket Launcher
The RPG can destroy virtually all vehicles in the game with a decent shot, handy for causing mayhem or getting a police helicopter off your back. It can also be used as a more accurate substitute for grenades or molotov cocktails.

Heat-seeking Rocket Launcher
The Heat Seeking Rocket Launcher is practically the same as the RPG except that when aimed it also shows a targeting symbol. This is usually placed on the vehicle roughly in the centre of the aimed view. When the launcher is fired the rocket will then hone in on the target. This is not all that useful on land vehicles but is the best way of bringing down aircraft and helicopters.

Flame Thrower
The flamethrower is, in many ways, a great weapon as it is the only practical area-effect weapon in the game and causes a great deal of chaos by setting pedestrians and passing vehicle on fire. Since any area it touches continues to burn for a while after, it also effectively allows you to stop people moving through an area. The weapon has two major weaknesses: firstly since it creates a burning area wherever it is fired it is only possible to move backwards when using the flamethrower; secondly it is difficult to control what will be affected by the flamethrower and using it on a busy street is likely to rapidly increase your wanted level and make you a target for pedestrians.

Minigun
The Minigun or chain gun is effectively a monster machine gun with a huge rate of fire. It needs to be "spun" up by being aimed. It is probably the best weapon for dealing with large numbers of spawned enemies, such as cops at Wanted Level 5 and gang members in Turf War.

Thrown Weapons
Because these weapons are lobbed rather than fired, aiming them is rather difficult. The angle of inclination of your throw is what determines how far they travel before they explode. They also spread damage across a wide area, so if you're not careful you can harm yourself. When used right, however, they can kill quickly and effectively.

Hand grenade
The hand grenade can be useful, if expensive. You throw them and they explode. You might try it to initiate gang or turf wars and it can also be used to dissuade pursuing rival gang members before resorting to side- or long-arms.

Molotov Cocktails
Throw the Molotov and it starts a fire. A good throw can have devastating consequences, causing a chain reaction of exploding vehicles.

The Molotov becomes quite handy once you've completed the Firefighter mission to become fireproof. You can kill a half dozen assailants (like gang members in a turf war in close proximity) instantly, without fear of having it backfire. Be careful though, because vehicles set on fire will explode a few seconds later, and being fireproof doesn't mean you're immune to the concussive force of an explosion.

Satchel Explosives
This is a two-stage weapon. You throw one and it sticks to the first surface it hits. So you can attach them to walls. You can lay multiple charges before exploding them. To detonate, cycle though your weapons until you see the remote control, then fire. Make sure you're far enough away! Besides blowing up vehicles and walls, this weapon's good for setting booby traps for oncoming gangstas.

Tear gas canisters
These give off a gas which renders opponents temporarily ineffective. CJ is immune to it.

Tools
These aren't really weapons, although one can be used as one. They are operated by being selected through the weapons list, however.

Spray can
This is usually used to cover up gang tags but can be used like mace. You can spray it in an opponent's eyes to temporarily incapacitate them.

Camera
Taking someone's picture is probably not going to kill or debilitate them in any way.

Gifts
These are usally given to your girlfriends, but some of them can be used as weapons, with various degrees of effectiveness. You have to look around for them.


 * Flowers
 * Dildo
 * Vibrator

Body Armor
Body armor isn't carried, it's worn. It serves as added protection against bullets and explosions. It drains like health each time you are hit.

Body armor can be purchased at Ammu-Nation, but there is usually a spawn point near major save areas.

Completing the Vigilante mission increases the effectiveness of body armor by 50%.

Getting Weapons
At the beginning of the game weapons can be hard to come by since money is tight. But there are a couple of ways:


 * Kill people. Some civilians carry knives or pistols.  The drug dealers are armed (and flush with cash) as well.  Cops carry pistols and nightsticks.  Of course it can be hard to kill someone who has a gun with your bare hands!  You might want to work out and build up your muscles, find some brass knuckles, and learn fighting moves.
 * From time to time in the game non-player characters will give you weapons to help you complete a mission.

Ammu-Nation
Once you have cash you can buy your weapons legitimately, at Ammu-Nation. You can find these locations on the map. The interface for buying weapons there is self-explanatory and just like that for buying fast food.

As mentioned above, some Ammu-Nations have a firing range where you can take the weapons challenge. Winning these increase your weapons skills and are required for 100% completion.

Spawn points
Some weapons are hidden at certain locations on the map. You can collect them, then a few (6?) hours later you can collect them again. This can lead to large stockpiles of weapons so be on the lookout!

You can find them through diligence, or check out the 708145 weapons map.

Mission rewards
Completing some missions will unlock weapons spawn points.


 * Completing Nines and AK's unlocks a pistol, which you can find on the map at the "Emmet" (gun) icon
 * Completing the Tags collection mission unlocks a set of weapons in CJ's mom's kitchen
 * Completing the Photo Ops collection mission unlocks a set of weapons at the garage in Doherty
 * Completing the Horseshoes collection mission unlocks a set of weapons at the Four Dragons Casino
 * Completing the Vertical Bird mission unlocks a set of heavy weapons at Mike Toreno's ranch
 * Dating Helena Wankstein unlocks a set of weapons at her barn