The best weapons in GTA San Andreas - Handguns, rocket launchers, and more
The streets are dangerous, and even more so when you've got these weapons.
Picking the best weapons in GTA San Andreas is a good idea if you want to stay alive on the streets.
It sounds obvious, but Carl Johnson runs across dozens of weapons during his odyssey, from sex toys to deadly shotguns and more. You can modify most weapons and make them work the way you want, but these are the top picks to look out for.
GTA San Andreas best weapon - The Minigun
GTA San Andreas’ minigun is almost like cheating. A few rounds can destroy vehicles at close range, and, since San Andreas lets you aim weapons in any direction, almost nothing is out of reach. Its damage potential drops further away, but a strong rate of fire balances that out.
Minigun location in GTA San Andreas
You’ll have to wait a bit before getting the minigun, though. It’s on the Kincaid Bridge arch, which you can’t get to until you unlock Las Venturas.
GTA San Andreas best heavy weapon - Heat Seeking Rocket Launcher
This weapon does what the label suggests. It locks onto a target and launches a volley of missiles that pursue and, in almost every case, destroy it. The heat-seeking rocket launcher is particularly handy against air vehicles, as the rockets travel faster when locked onto one of those. The downside is you can’t run with it, and locking onto a target takes a few seconds.
GTA San Andreas Heat Seeking Rocket Launcher location
There’s a few rocket launchers rattling around the city.
- Easter Bay Airport: Near the fuel canisters
- Aldea Malvada: Near an abandoned house
- Tierra Robada: Complete Vertical Bird first, then collect the launcher from Mike’s ranch
GTA San Andreas best thrown weapon - Satchel Charge
The satchel charge is unique to GTA San Andreas, and its unique brand of chaos makes it a worthwhile addition to your arsenal. You can place up to 32 charges at any given time and detonate them remotely. Considering they stick to walls, cars, or, if you’re feeling particularly unpleasant, even people, there’s no end of ways you can use these handy little packs.
GTA San Andreas Satchel Charge location
Once you finish Against All Odds, you can buy satchel charges from Ammu-Nation for $2,000 each. You can also find satchel charges in:
- Montgomery: Near the betting shop
- Avispa Country Club: Behind the main building
- Las Venturas: Behind the Four Dragons Casino after you find all 50 horseshoes
GTA San Andreas best handgun - Desert Eagle
“I want a portable shotgun,” you say, and lucky for you, GTA San Andreas delivers with the Desert Eagle. It’s a handgun with 10 times the power its diminutive size would suggest, and it’s one of the more common weapons as well.
GTA San Andreas Desert Eagle location
The easiest way to get Desert Eagle is completing the Black Project mission and purchasing it from Ammu-Nation for $1,200.
GTA San Andreas best assault rifle - Carbine Rifle (M4 Rifle)
The Carbine Rifle, or M4 in later GTA games, is significantly less powerful in San Andreas than it was in GTA III, but it’s still a mighty force when used right. If you favor a more precise approach to combat, then this is probably your best choice. It’s built for precision, with smaller crosshairs, holds 50 rounds and has less recoil than other rifles.
GTA San Andreas Carbine location
There are a few spots you can grab the Carbine from.
- Los Santos International Airport: Between the striped ramps on the runway
- Las Venturas: On the roof of the Pilgrim district hotel
- Area 69: Behind the staircase leading to the southwestern control tower
GTA San Andreas best melee weapon - Katana
Swinging swords is fun, especially when they’re one of the most versatile melee weapons. It’s nearly as strong as the chainsaw, but unlike with its motorized competition, you can actually run with it and perform decapitations, if that’s your thing. Having one of these on hand is always a good idea in case you run out of ammo or don’t feel like getting more.
GTA San Andreas Katana location
There’s a surprising number of deadly swords just left around the city for anyone to grab.
- Chinatown in San Fierro: Behind the Chinatown safehouse
- El Corona in Los Santos: East of El Corona 24/7, behind a wooden fence
- Pirates in Men’s Pants, Los Venturas: Southern part of the ship in the lagoon
- Hashbury in San Fierro: In the tunnel behind Hippy Shopper
GTA San Andreas best SMG - TEC- 9
The competition between the TEC-9 and and Micro SMG is close, but while you get the Micro earlier in the game, the TEC-9’s superior range and ammo capacity make it a better choice. It’s still fairly rubbish at long range, but you can run with it and perform a Drive By without having to worry about running out of ammo.
GTA San Andreas TEC-9 location
- Ganton in Los Santos: The roof of Sweet’s house. Also in the Johnson house after you spray all 100 gang tags.
- Los Santos International Airport: Under a flyover
- Las Colinas in Los Santos: Behind a wired fence
GTA San Andreas best shotgun - Combat Shotgun (S.P.A.S. 12)
The combat shotgun is slightly less powerful in San Andreas compared to other GTA games, but like the Carbine, it has a few perks to make up for the reduction. The San Andreas combat shotgun has better accuracy and less spread. It unlocks later and isn’t ideal if you’ve already invested in another shotgun, unless you haven’t upgraded that one much.
GTA San Andreas combat shotgun location
You can buy this from Ammu-Nation for $1,000 after completing You’ve Had Your Chips.
GTA San Andreas best gift weapon - The flowers
Sure, you can run around town smacking people with a giant purple willy, but why do that when you can also punch them with flowers? GTA San Andreas’ gift weapons are mostly pointless aside from humor, but the flower bouquet actually has some uses. It’s more powerful than using your fists, and some coding quirk or other lets you blow up gas pumps with the flowers more easily than with any other weapon.
GTA San Andreas flowers location
Flowers are common in San Andreas, but these are a few locations you can get them early on.
- Vinewood cemetery in Los Santos
- East side of Glen Park lake
- Near the vending machine at Idlewood’s Going Gas Station
- Near the chili dog stand in Verona Beach
If you’re looking for less by-the-rules methods of getting ahead in GTA San Andreas, we’ve got dozens of cheats to break the game nearly any way you want. Any king of the streets should have the fastest car as well, but no matter how high you rise, don’t forget to be kind to your girlfriend and keep that relationship healthy.