5 best weapons from the entire GTA series, ranked

Weapons are one of the most important aspects of the GTA series, as combat takes center stage in almost every mission. Rockstar has introduced a variety of weapons over the years, the majority of which are based on real-life armaments. Some are far more useful than others and have quickly become fan favorites.

So, here's a list of some of the most enjoyable weapons in the Grand Theft Auto games, ranked by how good they are.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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5 most memorable weapons from the GTA games

5) Silenced 9mm - GTA San Andreas

The Silenced Pistol in GTA San Andreas was the first stealth-based weapon introduced in the series. It's a regular pistol equipped with a suppressor, which means that NPCs won't get alerted and start running when it's fired. This comes in handy when players don't want the cops on their tail.

Until San Andreas, stealth wasn't an option in the Grand Theft Auto games, which is why this weapon is so unique. What's odd about this pistol is that it's designed like a Colt 1911 but functions like a Glock 17. This is also the case with the regular pistol, sometimes replaced with a Glock 17 model during cutscenes.

The name suggests that it fires 9mm rounds instead of the .45 ACP used by 1911, and it also has 17 rounds per magazine, like a Glock 17.

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4) Katana - GTA Vice City

GTA Vice City has a large collection of melee weapons, and the Katana is one of them. What makes this weapon unique is that it's as powerful as the Chainsaw but as light as a Knife. Players can decapitate NPCs with a single slice of the Katana.

It's also much faster compared to the cumbersome Chainsaw, and its long blade means that it has a good reach. As such, it's much harder for NPCs to land a hit on the player when they're rapidly swinging the Katana.

The Katana has subsequently been introduced in every 3D Universe game since then, but it's nowhere as useful as it is in Vice City.

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3) Railgun - GTA 5

The Railgun is the only futuristic weapon in GTA 5, and it can be useful in a variety of situations. It can take down any vehicle in a single shot, but the player has to be accurate as it doesn't fire explosive rounds. Similarly, it can take down enemies with a single shot, although it's not ideal against NPCs.

The Railgun is best used against helicopters, as it's much faster than any of the explosive weapons. While the Homing Launcher will always hit a vehicle once it has locked on to it, its projectiles are much slower. Players may also miss their target with an RPG, especially if it's a moving vehicle.

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2) Heat-Seeking Rocket Launcher - GTA San Andreas

The Heat-Seeking Rocket Launcher in San Andreas is a shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system based on the 9K32 Strela-2. It can lock on to any vehicle and destroy it in a single shot, but the lock-on takes around three to five seconds.

It can also be used like a regular RPG, but the projectile will explode if it doesn't find a target after 100-200 meters. This weapon has a wide range of applications in the game, but it's especially effective against vehicles. The speed of the projectile increases when the player locks on to an aircraft.

The Heat-Seeking Rocket Launcher is a heavy weapon, so CJ won't run, crouch, or jump while holding it.

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1) Assault Shotgun - GTA 5

The Assault Shotgun is an automatic shotgun that looks like a UTS-15 but works like an AA-12. It's absolutely devastating in combat as it combines the high damage output of a shotgun with the rapid-firing capability of an assault rifle.

The Assault Shotgun also does higher damage per pellet when compared to a regular shotgun. It's highly customizable, and the best upgrade is The Extended Clip, which increases the number of rounds to 32.

This weapon can be made much more accurate with the Grip attachment, making it useful at medium ranges.