Best guns, better aim & Bunker research

Build a useful GTA Online loadout, improve weapon control, and track all 51 Bunker research projects.

Checked 15 September 2026GTA V · Online

PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Enhanced, PS4, Xbox One, PC Legacy

Guide details

GTA 6 Up Close · Weapons & combat
Published 14 September 2026

Concept artwork

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Start with a useful loadout

For GTA Online, start with a Special Carbine, Assault Shotgun, AP Pistol and a long-range rifle. Add a Combat MG Mk II and Heavy Sniper Mk II when you have a Weapon Workshop. Keep regular ammunition in your everyday guns while you learn their handling.

These are our role-based recommendations, drawn from the weapon options below. “Best” depends on range, target, ammunition and how comfortably you aim. They are not a measured damage-per-second leaderboard. Fighting other players (PvP) and fighting mission enemies (PvE) can call for different equipment.

If other players keep defeating you quickly, start with the control and survival checks before spending heavily on research.

Which weapons should you use?

Sniper: Heavy Sniper Mk II

Our main long-range upgrade pick. Use regular ammunition for a practical player-fighting setup; its extended magazine holds eight rounds, compared with four in the special magazines. A researched Thermal Scope helps distinguish heat signatures. Explosive ammunition is a specialist option for vehicle fights, with a smaller supply to manage. It does not guarantee a one-shot player kill. Weapon components.

Alternative: Marksman Rifle Mk II. Consider it if you prefer a rifle with a larger magazine and different sight options. Its regular extended magazine holds 16 rounds. Try both handling styles before buying every attachment. Marksman components.

Assault rifle: Special Carbine / Special Carbine Mk II

A practical everyday rifle choice. The standard Special Carbine is a useful starting purchase without the workshop route. With the Mk II version, a grip and muzzle brake are available directly; its regular extended magazine holds 60 rounds. These control upgrades do not require a lucky Bunker unlock. Standard rifle · Mk II components.

Machine gun: Combat MG Mk II

Our sustained-fire pick for longer engagements and groups of mission enemies. Fit a grip and a muzzle brake, then choose ammunition deliberately: the regular extended magazine holds 200 rounds; special magazines hold 80. Research is needed for this gun’s Heavy Barrel, but not its grip or muzzle brakes. Combat MG components.

Shotgun: Assault Shotgun for missions; Pump Shotgun Mk II for a specialist setup

The automatic Assault Shotgun is our straightforward choice for close mission encounters. Its extended magazine holds 32 rounds. The Pump Shotgun Mk II supports researched Explosive Slugs for a specialist close-range option. Explosions near your character can hurt you too; leave room and manage the limited special ammunition. Assault Shotgun · Pump Mk II.

Sidearm: AP Pistol

A useful automatic sidearm with a 36-round extended magazine. Despite its name, the AP Pistol uses ordinary ammunition: it does not equip the Mk II Armor Piercing magazine. For a different style, the six-shot Heavy Revolver Mk II offers special-ammo options, but demands more deliberate shots. AP Pistol · Heavy Revolver Mk II.

SMG: Tactical SMG for driving

Our pick for the drive-by role where the vehicle allows it. It is automatic and has a 60-round extended magazine. Check the Gun Van’s current stock; this guide does not track today’s inventory or location. Rockstar’s introduction · Magazine options.

Heavy weapon and throwable: Homing Launcher + Sticky Bombs

These fill separate vehicle-combat roles: the Homing Launcher offers guided missiles, while Sticky Bombs let you choose when to detonate a placed or thrown charge. Keep an ordinary firearm ready for on-foot fights. Neither is a promise of a hit or a fixed vehicle kill count. Homing Launcher · Sticky Bombs.

Make your gun easier to control

Improve your Shooting stat. GTA Online’s Shooting skill affects accuracy, recoil, reload speed and ammunition capacity. Shooting Range challenges give you a structured way to practise and raise it. Check your character’s stat before assuming your gun is the problem. Online skill reference.
Buy available control attachments. On the Special Carbine Mk II and Combat MG Mk II, grips and muzzle brakes are direct purchases. A scope changes your sight picture; a heavy barrel addresses long-range damage. Neither replaces recoil control. Rockstar’s attachment descriptions.
Practise with one setup. Our suggested drill: use the same target, range and weapon, then change one attachment or aiming setting at a time. If you keep sweeping past targets, try a smaller sensitivity change and repeat. Use controlled bursts when continuous fire pulls your aim away. There is no single sensitivity value that suits every controller or mouse user.

Watch the weapon name. The original Carbine Rifle Mk II’s Heavy Barrel needs research. The later Special Carbine Mk II’s Heavy Barrel is a direct purchase. The Pistol Mk II’s Compensator is itself a research project. “All control attachments require Bunker research” is incorrect.

Why can another player kill you faster?

Several things can change the outcome, even if both players own the same weapon:

Hits and exposure. Headshots, missed shots, range and time spent standing in the open matter. Practise aiming and moving between cover instead of measuring a gun only by its menu bars.
Health and armor. Maximum health grows as a GTA Online character ranks up through rank 100. Refill before comparing yourself with an opponent. Health reference.
Helmet choice. Bulletproof helmets offer protection against some headshots. That does not make them invulnerable, and a cosmetic helmet should not be assumed to provide the same protection. Helmet reference.
Temporary boosts. Rockstar describes Brucie’s Bull Shark Testosterone as doubling damage dealt and halving damage received. An active boost can make a fight unequal; it is separate from a weapon upgrade. Rockstar’s service description.
Recovery between exchanges. Carry snacks and body armor. Open the weapon wheel and use its on-screen snack and armor prompts when available. Quick recovery instructions.

From one death, you cannot reliably tell whether the cause was equipment, aim, health or a boost. Compare repeat encounters under similar conditions. This guide does not diagnose another player as cheating or promise a universal number of shots to kill.

How to get Mk II upgrades

Conversion, research and installation are separate steps. A documented workshop route is: own a Bunker → buy a Mobile Operations Center with a Weapon Workshop (or the combined Weapon & Vehicle Workshop) → use the workbench to convert an eligible weapon → buy its available components. If you already have another Weapon Workshop, check its workbench before buying another property or service vehicle. Gunrunning workshop requirements.

There are 12 Mk II weapon conversions: Pistol, SNS Pistol, Heavy Revolver, SMG, Assault Rifle, Carbine Rifle, Special Carbine, Bullpup Rifle, Combat MG, Pump Shotgun, Marksman Rifle and Heavy Sniper. A conversion does not automatically grant every researched attachment. Original six · Doomsday additions.

At the Bunker laptop, assign staff to Research or both Manufacturing and Research, and keep supplies available. Research projects unlock in random order. Fast-tracking advances the current project; it does not let you select Explosive Rounds next. An unlock then makes its compatible upgrade available to purchase. You can also call Agent 14 for a mission that boosts research progress. Business activities can be run in private sessions. Research system · Agent 14 and private sessions.

Which research unlocks matter first?

Treat this as a shopping priority after an unlock, not an order you can choose at the laptop:

Heavy Barrel for a compatible gun you actually use, especially Combat MG Mk II or Heavy Sniper Mk II for longer-range work. It improves long-range damage, not your aiming skill.
Heavy Sniper Mk II Thermal Scope if you want help spotting heat signatures. This changes visibility rather than bullet damage.
Explosive Rounds if you want Heavy Sniper explosive ammunition or Pump Shotgun Explosive Slugs. Keep the reduced supply and specialist use in mind.
Other special ammunition when you have a clear target and a spare weapon for that role. Read the choices below before replacing a large regular magazine.
Vehicle equipment you own and will use. Original Oppressor missiles and Weaponized Tampa armament help those vehicles; they do not improve your carried rifle. Weapon and vehicle liveries are cosmetic.

The full inventory is cross-checked against an original 51-project recording and the research catalogue.

What does each ammunition type do?

Keep regular ammo as your default until you need a specific effect. Special ammunition has restricted carrying capacity and is replenished through a Weapon Workshop. A special magazine can replace a much larger ordinary magazine.

Tracer: makes the projectile’s path visible. It is not a damage upgrade.
Incendiary: can set targets alight; behavior varies by weapon. The Pump Mk II uses the separate Dragon’s Breath label.
Hollow Point: intended for unarmored targets on compatible weapons. The Pump’s Flechette option serves the unarmored-target role.
Armor Piercing: intended to penetrate body armor on compatible weapons. The Pump uses Steel Buckshot. This is not a blanket promise to defeat every helmet in one hit.
Full Metal Jacket (FMJ): intended for vehicle damage and bullet-resistant glass. It is not the default choice for more damage against every on-foot player.
Explosive: Heavy Sniper Mk II explosive ammunition and Pump Shotgun Mk II Explosive Slugs detonate on impact. Different guns have different effects and limits.

Check the selected weapon’s magazine menu: every Mk II gun does not accept every ammo type. Rockstar’s ammo definitions · Pump-specific options.

All 51 Bunker research projects

There are 18 weapon projects, 19 vehicle-equipment projects, one Ballistic Equipment project and 13 cosmetic projects in this directory. A livery set counts as one project, even when it contains several appearances. Tick items as you unlock them in-game.

Browse all 51 projects & track unlocks

Manual checklist, saved in this browser. Match it to your Bunker laptop; it does not connect to your GTA account.

Search research

Project type

Show only projects I have not unlocked

51 of 51 projects shown · … unlocked

Reset checklist

This clears your manually saved ticks in this browser.

A plan for your next session

Our suggested order: restock health supplies → pick one main gun → buy its available grip and muzzle brake → practise at the Shooting Range → add a close-range and a long-range option → check which useful research you already unlocked.

For your first improvement pass, try Special Carbine Mk II + grip + muzzle brake + regular extended magazine. Add Combat MG Mk II for sustained fire and Heavy Sniper Mk II for long-range work as your workshop budget allows. This gives you a clear setup to learn before spending on every specialist round or cosmetic.

THE DETAILS BEHIND THE DETAILS

Sources & updates

Source-checked 15 September 2026. Recommendations are editorial choices based on the listed weapon options and rules. No new damage testing was performed.

GTAV Title Update 1.40
Rockstar Games · Gunrunning Business paragraph: bunker laptop, resupply, sales and staff; Mobile Operations Center workshops; research-gated Mk II modifications and ammunition
Checked 14 September 2026
Update 1.61: The Criminal Enterprises
Rockstar Games · Quality of Life: private-session access; Bunker: Agent 14 research; Nightclub: Yohan goods missions; Executive Office: staff sourcing
Checked 14 September 2026
Getting Started in Gunrunning Research
Rockstar Games · Staff-management bullet and final supplies paragraph only; obsolete public-session restriction is superseded by Update 1.61
Checked 14 September 2026
Prototype93D: all 51 Bunker research items
Prototype93D · Original recording, 17 May 2020. Creator chapter inventory 00:04–13:35; weapon examples at 08:28–11:53 and cosmetic sets at 11:59–13:35. Current catalogue cross-check; not a current damage test.
Checked 15 September 2026
Bunker research project catalogue
GTA Wiki contributors · Description and Upgrades: 51 projects, random order, purchase after unlocking. Cross-checked against the original chapter inventory. No timing, mission reward or fast-track cost claims.
Checked 15 September 2026
GTA Online Shooting skill
GTA Wiki contributors · Shooting subsection: accuracy, recoil, reload, capacity and Shooting Range challenges. No measured percentage or skill-grinding exploit.
Checked 15 September 2026
GTA Online rank and maximum health
GTA Wiki contributors · GTA V / GTA Online paragraph: maximum health increases through rank 100. Numerical health tables and regeneration claims excluded.
Checked 15 September 2026
GTA Online bulletproof helmets
GTA Wiki contributors · Opening description: some protection against otherwise lethal headshots. No universal shots-to-kill or claim that all helmets work.
Checked 15 September 2026
Rockstar: Brucie and Bull Shark Testosterone
Rockstar Games · Brucie service effect only. Historical promotional pricing and event dates excluded.
Checked 15 September 2026
GTAV game manual: aiming, cover and Shooting
Rockstar Games / Xbox game manual · Features → Player Stats → Shooting; on-foot aiming/cover. Online applicability checked separately; no Story special ability advice.
Checked 15 September 2026
Rockstar: Tactical SMG
Rockstar Games · Tactical SMG: fully automatic, drive-by capable, Gun Van. Announcement does not establish today’s rotating stock.
Checked 15 September 2026
Heavy Sniper Mk II — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Customization: conversion, 8-round regular extended clip versus 4-round special clips, scopes, brakes and research-gated Heavy Barrel. HUD bars and one-shot thresholds excluded.
Checked 15 September 2026
Marksman Rifle Mk II — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Customization: 16-round regular extended clip, sight options and conversion. No exact time-to-kill comparison.
Checked 15 September 2026
Combat MG Mk II — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Customization: 200-round regular extended clip versus 80-round special clips, grip, direct-purchase muzzle brakes, research Heavy Barrel and conversion.
Checked 15 September 2026
Special Carbine Mk II — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Customization: 60-round regular clip versus 20-round special clips, grip, brakes, direct-purchase Heavy Barrel and conversion. Do not generalize the Heavy Barrel research requirement to this later weapon.
Checked 15 September 2026
Special Carbine — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · GTA Online acquisition and customization: standard weapon, grip and extended magazine; Mk II workshop not needed for standard version.
Checked 15 September 2026
Assault Shotgun — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · GTA Online: fully automatic, 32-round extended clip and grip; rank 37 purchase / rank 38 magazine / rank 39 grip. Story prices excluded.
Checked 15 September 2026
Pump Shotgun Mk II — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Customization: conversion, eight shells, Explosive Slugs require research, direct-purchase Muzzle Brake. Other shotgun ammo effects use their own labels.
Checked 15 September 2026
AP Pistol — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · GTA Online: automatic sidearm, rank 33 purchase, rank 34 36-round magazine; standard ammo. No assumption that its name grants Mk II Armor Piercing rounds.
Checked 15 September 2026
Tactical SMG — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Gun Van rotating stock, 60-round extended clip and drive-by capability. Current location, stock and discounts excluded.
Checked 15 September 2026
Heavy Revolver Mk II — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Customization: six rounds, Compensator and optional special ammunition. No reload glitch or guaranteed one-hit claim.
Checked 15 September 2026
Homing Launcher — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Weapon description: guided launcher for vehicles; Ammu-Nation acquisition. No universal vehicle kill count.
Checked 15 September 2026
Sticky Bomb — components and access
GTABase — in-game weapon catalogue · Description: throwable adhesive explosive with remote detonation. No universal kill count or vehicle damage ranking.
Checked 15 September 2026
Rockstar: six more Mk II conversions
Rockstar Games · New Content: six Mk II additions. Weapon changes: Heavy Sniper explosive damage to players/NPCs reduced; no current one-shot thresholds inferred. Historical Avenger property requirement excluded.
Checked 15 September 2026

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