Grand Theft Auto V is a super fun game. But anyone who has played Grand Theft Auto V will know that it's definitely not easy to finish matches or go up against other players if you don't have the best weapons.
More weapons are unlocked as you rank up through the game, which can be done by gaining XP in jobs. But, as any Grand Theft Auto V player will know, not all weapons are created equal, and we definitely don't want to waste any of our hard-earned money on a weapon that isn't great, so here are a few of the most powerful weapons available in GTA V.
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Updated on April 29, 2021 by Scoot Allan: Fans are still patiently waiting for the long-awaited announcement from Rockstar Studios that Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development, though nothing has been officially confirmed yet. Thankfully the single-player campaign of GTA V is incredibly replayable and the ongoing success of Grand Theft Auto Online has allowed players to stay immersed within the world with new stories, characters, heists, and of course, weapons. While there were some interesting new weapons added for players online, the campaign is still filled with some incredibly powerful weapons to explore while we wait for GTA VI that we'll take a further look at today.
15 The Trustworthy Micro SMG Can Also Be Used While Driving
The Micro SMG is a submachine gun that has been in the Grand Theft Auto series for several games now and is definitely a popular game for people to carry with them. With the extended magazine purchased, the Micro SMG can hold 30 rounds, which is a step up from the 16 rounds that it can hold when it's initially purchased.
Even though the Micro SMG has one of the lowest magazine capacities when the player first picks it up, the fact that the extended magazine doubles make it a lot easier to manage without having to worry about constantly reloading. This is the only SMG available for use while driving, making it a pretty good choice for when you're on the go.
14 The Marksman Rifle Has An Incredibly High Rate Of Fire And Low Recoil
While the damage of the Vom Feuer Marksman Rifle doesn't hold up to some of the other rifles in GTA V, the incredibly high rate of fire and light recoil more than makeup for the need to put a few extra bullets in your target to take them out.
The Marksman Rifle is available fairly early in the game at Ammu-Nation for only $15, 750, and Red Dead Online introduced the upgraded Marksman Rifle Mk II that upped the damage to further improve the ranking of the weapon.
13 The Compact Grenade Launcher's Quick Reload Makes It Very Valuable
The Compact Grenade Launcher is a weapon in Grand Theft Auto Online that was added as part of the game's Bikers update. Even though this weapon only holds a single grenade, meaning that it has to be reloaded after every single shot, it actually reloads really quickly. That means that it's not going to take too long between shots, and this weapon is powerful enough to take out more intense enemies like armored cars.
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The Compact Grenade Launcher may not be the weapon for every job that you're going to be on when you hit the streets of Los Santos, but the fact that it's powerful enough to take out vehicles or large groups of enemies in a single shot makes it a good choice for many tasks.
12 The Heavy Revolver Mk II Is Powerful, Fast And Can Shoot Different Ammunition
The Heavy Revolver Mk II is a weapon that was introduced into Grand Theft Auto Online as part of the Doomsday Heist update. This weapon will set the player back a total of $99,000 as a conversion at the Weapon Workshop, but it's definitely well worth the slightly hefty price tag.
This weapon does more damage than the regular Heavy Revolver and it's able to shoot faster than that one as well, meaning that it's definitely a step up from the Heavy Revolver. Another bonus for this weapon is the fact that it's able to use several different types of ammo like incendiary rounds, tracer rounds, and hollow-point rounds, just to name just a few.
11 The Advanced Rifle Does Some Of The Most Damage Per Shot Of Any Rifle
The Advanced Rifle is a weapon that has a pretty low price considering how powerful this weapon is. When purchased in GTA V, this weapon will set the player back $3,500 while playing online, and this means that this weapon will cost the player $14,250. Like other weapons, this Advanced Rifle has several different upgrades that can be purchased to make it even handier.
The Advanced Rifle is among the weapons that do the most damage per shot in the assault rifle class. While that's pretty impressive, the fact that this weapon doesn't have a higher accuracy rating is what stopped this weapon from being placed a little higher up on this list.
10 The Assault Shotgun Is Full-Auto Mayhem Known As The Street Sweeper
There is something inherently powerful about using a shotgun in GTA V that has nothing to do with stats or price. Sometimes, it can just be the most effective tool for the job when plowing through gang members and FIB agents alike.
While not quite as viscerally satisfying as the pump shotgun, the Vom Feuer Assault Shotgun is an automatic version of the powerful weapon with a high fire rate and a stellar design. It is also known as the Street Sweeper for reasons that will be made clear fairly quickly after a player equips this weapon.
9 The Special Carbine Is Heavily Upgradeable And Has High Damage And Accuracy
The Special Carbine is a weapon that is available in GTA V and Grand Theft Auto Online for $14,750 at Ammu-Nation. This assault rifle has several upgrades that can be purchased like extended magazines and a scope to make it an even better choice for many jobs.
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This weapon has a higher damage per shot rating than many weapons in its class and it has a pretty high accuracy rating, meaning that those shots are definitely going to land in the enemies even if you're trying to take them down while on the run, though it doesn't have the best range.
8 The Sticky Bomb Is Perfect For Taking Out Moving Targets Safely
Sticky bombs are an explosive featured in GTA V and Grand Theft Auto Online that cost $400 and $600 per Sticky Bomb, respectively. Although these are slightly on the pricier side and it may seem more worth it to sink that money into weapon upgrades and ammo, the Sticky Bomb is still a really powerful and solid choice.
The main advantage of these over other explosives is the fact that they can be tossed onto their target and the player can get far enough away to not get hurt before they hit that detonator. Because they can be stuck onto the side of any vehicle, these are popular for use on moving targets or while on the go.
7 The Homing Launcher Is A Shoulder-Fired Surface-To-Air Homing Missile
There are many different ways to take out vehicles while playing through the various missions of Grand Theft Auto V. However, the Hawk & Little Homing Launcher is definitely the best weapon to use, despite its reduced damage compared to the regular rocket launcher.
The Homing Launcher has the increased benefit of being able to target vehicles both in the air or on the ground. Furthermore, it has an incredible range that outdoes every other rocket or missile on the game that can even chase down fighter jets.
6 The Railgun Is A Deadly Experimental Military Weapon With Zero Room For Error
The experimental Railgun is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, although it was initially only available to those with the Enhanced Version of GTA V. It uses an electromagnetic propulsion system to fire metal rounds faster than the speed of sound.
This delivers an incredibly powerful kinetic impact that can tear apart vehicles, though it has a very low area of effect, meaning you can easily waste your shot by firing through an open window of a vehicle. it also makes it hard to use on moving human targets, though incredibly effective when scoring a hit.
5 Combat MG Mk II Has A High Ammo Capacity And Deadly Rate Of Fire
The Combat MG Mk II is a weapon that appears in Grand Theft Auto Online as part of the Gunrunning update and costs $119,000 as a conversion in the Weapon Workshop. This weapon has a capacity of 100 rounds, or 200 if the extended magazine is purchased, which is slightly reduced if you load it up with specialized ammo.
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This weapon is particularly powerful against enemies and vehicles alike and can fire really quickly, meaning that you definitely don't have to worry about anyone getting away or taking you out first. This weapon can use various different types of specialized ammo, including tracer rounds, incendiary rounds, and armor-piercing rounds to name a few.
4 The Minigun Is A Fan-Favorite Handheld Gatling Gun That Devastates Vehicles
Players first get the chance to wield the incredibly powerful minigun during a story mission. The high fire rate from the six-barreled Gatling-style gun demonstrated how devastating the weapon could be when upgraded with the full ammo count.
The minigun has appeared in a number of games in the franchise and continues to be a fan-favorite weapon. It can take out enemies and vehicles alike due to its overpowered rate of fire, though it isn't always the most practical in high-speed situations.
3 The Heavy Sniper Mk II With Explosive Rounds Is Brutally Deadly At Long Range
The Heavy Sniper Mk II is a sniper rifle in Grand Theft Auto Online that costs $165,375 as a conversion at the Weapon Workshop. On its own, this weapon is already a fairly powerful one that does quite a bit of damage against enemies at a long-range.
But to make this weapon extra powerful, players should upgrade it to use its special explosive ammo in order to add that much more power behind each shot. The only downside to using specialized ammo is that the capacity is lowered to only four rounds. But, with this weapon, that won't be a problem.
2 The Pump Shotgun MKII With Explosive Rounds Doesn't Really Miss Anything
The Pump Shotgun Mk II is a shotgun that was added in the Doomsday Heist update of Grand Theft Auto Online. It costs $82,500 in the Weapon Workshop as a conversion and is a more powerful version of the default shotgun. This weapon is a pretty reliable, powerful weapon on its own, but there's a way to make it an even better choice against many enemies.
When loaded up with the explosive rounds, the Pump Shotgun Mk II's already powerful shots become even more devastating against most enemies. Along with the explosive slugs, this weapon is capable of using several different kinds of specialized ammo, making it a pretty solid choice.
1 The AP Pistol Is One Of The Most Solid And Reliable Weapons In The Game
The AP Pistol is a weapon that is available in GTA V and Grand Theft Auto Online. This weapon is unlocked either after finishing the Three's Company mission in GTA V or after reaching rank 33 in Grand Theft Auto Online and costs $1,000 or $5,000, respectively.
The AP Pistol has a high level of accuracy, powerful shots, and shoots very quickly, meaning that this weapon is definitely the best choice for shooting while driving. Even if you're not in the car, the AP Pistol is a reliable weapon and definitely one of the most popular for many players.