Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots/Weapons

As in previous Metal Gear games, all equipment is procure-on-sight, meaning that you must find your weapons in the field, but ammo acquisition has changed in this installment. You no longer have to find certain types of bullets for one weapon, for example, 5.56mm rounds will work for any weapon that fires 5.56mm rounds. You can also buy weapons and ammo from Drebin's Shop, but you can find almost every weapon Drebin has for sale in the field, so save your Points for Custom Parts and Ammunition. Also, if you kill or knock out a PMC Soldier and pick up his weapon and it is ID Locked, you will not be able to use it until you launder it to Drebin, so keep that in mind!

Customizing
An interesting feature in MGS4 is the ability to Customize your weapons however you like. But, be sure the parts you want to buy are the parts you are actually going to use. For example, you don't need to buy a Silencer for your weapon if you are planning on using it to kill the enemy when they have spotted you, you don't need to buy a Laser Sight for your weapon if the weapon is a Sniper Rifle. Certain attachments onto your weapons are not necessary, such as the Flashlight (you have the Solid Eye, which has night vision). The point is, spend your Drebin Points wisely.

Acquisition
You can acquire many weapons and custom parts in the field, even those sold by Drebin. Here's a list of where to find these weapons.

Middle East
Note: The weapons listed here are those found without ID Locks found in the Middle Eastern chapter.

Weapon: Stun Knife

Category: Melee

Location: Equipped at beginning of Middle Eastern Chapter

Weapon: AK-102

Category: Assault Rifle

Location: Found near pile of crates at beginning of Middle Eastern Chapter

Weapon: Petrol Bomb

Category: Incendiary/Thrown

Location: Sometimes dropped by Militia during body shakedown

Weapon: Operator

Category: Handgun

Location: Given to Snake by MK. II

Weapon: Mk. I

Category: Tranq. Gun

Location: Given to Snake by MK. II

Weapon: M4

Category: Assault Rifle

Location: Given to Snake by Drebin

Weapon: RPG-7

Category: Rocket Launcher

Location: Found near entrance to Militia Safehouse

Weapon: HK21E

Category: Machine Gun

Location: Near the Militia Safehouse exit, two Militiamen will be talking about gun laundering, one of them is holding this weapon. Use the Solid Eye to identify him, and use your Tranq. Gun to knock him out when they walk away to obtain the weapon.

Weapon: Sleep Gas Mine

Category: Mine

Location: Advent Palace, either crawl over the mine to obtain it or use the MK.II to disarm and obtain it

Weapon: Sleep Gas Satchel

Category: Remote Mine

Location: Advent Palace, behind the bar

Weapon: Claymore

Category: Mine

Location: Advent Palace, either crawl over the mine to obtain it or use the MK.II to disarm and obtain it

Note: The following weapons are those found with ID Locks in the Middle Eastern chapter, and is not a complete list as of yet.

Weapon: Mk. 17

Category: Assault Rifle

Location: Carried by almost all PMC Soldiers

Weapon: M14EBR

Category: Sniper Rifle

Location: Inside a building housing multiple PMC Snipers in Urban Ruins area

Weapon: Frag Grenade

Category: Explosive/Thrown

Location: Sometimes dropped by PMC Soldiers during body shakedown

Weapon: White Phosphorus Grenade

Category: Incendiary/Thrown

Location: Inside a room with two dead PMC Soldiers in Militia Safehouse

Weapon: Stun Grenade

Category: Non-Lethal/Thrown

Location: Sometimes dropped by PMC Soldiers during body shakedowns

Weapon: Smoke Grenade

Category: Non-Lethal/Thrown

Location: Sometimes dropped by PMC Soldiers during body shakedowns

Weapon: GSR

Category: Handgun

Location: Inside a room with two dead PMC Soldiers in Militia Safehouse

South America
Note: This is a list of weapons found in South America without ID Locks, and is not a complete list as of yet.

Weapon: G3A3

Category: Assault Rifle

Location: Carried by almost all Rebel Guerrilla Fighters

Weapon: SVD

Category: Sniper Rifle

Location: Found in a barn at beginning of SA Chapter

Weapon: Twin Barrel

Category: Shotgun

Location: If you take out the two PMC Soldiers standing watch over the Rebels at the beginning of the SA Chapter, they will get up and unlock the door of a building they are using as an armory, and you will find it on the floor

Tips
Well, now that you know the basics, here are a few tips to help you with weapons in the game.
 * Make sure you can hit your target: Don't just fire blindly a the target, get a bead on it, then fire!
 * Know your weapons: Make sure you know how your weapons fire and how to use them to the best of their abilities.
 * Grenades are your friend: Throw grenades to get enemies out from behind cover and to take out large clusters of enemies without wasting ammo.