The Pistol is a handgun that appears in Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto Advance, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
Description[]
The Pistol appears in every game in the 3D Universe, usually provided at the start of the game as the first weapon the player obtains, or later when the player has run out of ammunition for other firearms. It is a reliable backup weapon, but not one that should be used as a primary, as it is outclassed by many other weapons in damage, fire rate, and overall effectiveness.
Design[]
In the vast majority of 3D Universe titles, the Pistol is modeled after a Colt M1911A1. However, in Liberty City Stories, the Pistol was changed to resemble a Glock 17, while in Vice City Stories, it most closely resembles the Beretta 92F.
In various cutscenes throughout the storylines of GTA San Andreas, a Glock 17-type pistol similar to the one used in Liberty City Stories is used instead of the normal M1911. These cutscenes include The Introduction short film, In the Beginning, Ryder, The Green Sabre (ending cutscene), First Base, Mike Toreno's second cutscene, Home Coming, and End of the Line's ending cutscene.
Performance[]
In Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, the pistol generally has poor stopping power, average accuracy, and a fairly short range. In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the weapon is slightly more effective than its previous iterations, having better accuracy, and in San Andreas, capable of one-headshot kill, making it a reliable backup weapon.
In GTA San Andreas, depending on the weapon skill, some of the weapon's attributes change:
- At 'Poor' (default) weapon skill, the Pistol has similar stats to other renditions, with average accuracy and range, but slower fire rate.
- After reaching the 'Gangster' weapon skill with the Pistol, the weapon slightly improves in accuracy and range (both lock-on and weapon), as well as fire rate.
- After reaching the 'Hitman' weapon skill, Carl Johnson will dual wield them, making them even more effective. Lock-on range also improves slightly and matches with the overall range, and magazine size increases from 17 to 34 rounds.
Variants[]
| Image | Weapon | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 The Silenced 9mm in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. |
Silenced 9mm | A standard Pistol fitted with a silencer. Use of the weapon will not cause NPCs to flee except when the weapon is pointed at them. | Found in various locations in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Can also be obtained from enemies during the mission Madd Dogg's Rhymes. |
Gallery[]
The Glock-style Pistol that is used in some cutscenes of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
HUD Icons[]
Grand Theft Auto III, PlayStation 2 version.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
In-game aiming[]
Locations[]
The Pistol can be purchased at every gun store, as well as being found in various places listed below. All Police Officers carry this Pistol as their standard service weapon and therefore the player can easily gain control of one if they have not yet unlocked any gun stores or are in need of more ammunition. Street criminals or gang members will also use these and even shoot at the player if provoked.
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- Red Light District, Portland – Available to buy from Ammu-Nation for $250 after completion of Pump-Action Pimp or Farewell 'Chunky' Lee Chong.
- Callahan Point, Portland - On the north ledge of the large building next to and south of the Callahan Bridge.
- Behind the Ammu-Nation in Portland only in missions Pump-Action Pimp and Farewell 'Chunky' Lee Chong.
- Near every hideout after collected 10 hidden packages.
- Used by the LCPD, SWAT, FBI and the Military. (they will drop it once they are killed)
- Used by the Triads, Leone Family, Yakuza, Yardies and Southside Hoods.
- Used by Diablos when they are distant from Claude if provoked or after the mission Uzi Rider.
- Used by Colombian Cartels before The Exchange.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City[]
- Used by the VCPD.
- Used by Patrol Invest Group.
- Ocean Beach – On the patio between Pier 1 and Pier 2 for the parking garage at The Piers.
- Ammu-Nation Ocean Beach - Available to buy from start of game for $100.
- Vice Point – On the first floor of the main building under construction at Fairground Point (in Avery's Building).
- Ammu-Nation North Point Mall – Available to buy from start of game for $100.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
Pistol's locations map
General
- Available to buy from Ammu-Nation for $200 after completion of "Doberman".
- Obtainable from most of the gangsters across the state (e.g Ballas, Vagos, GSF, Rifas). Some prostitutes also carry pistols, all drug dealers also carry them, as do most street criminals and some pedestrians.
- Inside the police stations in Pershing Square, Los Santos, Dillimore, Red County and Roca Escalante, Las Venturas. The player incurs an instant 2 star wanted level after picking them up from these locations, unless they have frozen the wanted level via cheats or by enabling a melee weapon.
- Instantly given after the cutscene where a member of Forelli Family orders Carl to show his private invitation in the mission Saint Mark's Bistro.
- Ganton – Corner of a wall in the northwest corner on Grove Street.
- Las Colinas – Beside a wall in an opening between two houses.
- Santa Maria Beach – Beside a lifeguard post.
- Willowfield – In Emmet's after the mission "Nines and AK's".
- Garcia – Near the southern end of a big block with lots of thin paths through it.
- Tierra Robada – Under stone support beam for the railroad track.
- Flint Range – Found inside Helena's barn in her farm as a reward for dating her.
Grand Theft Auto Advance[]
- Can be bought from Ammu-Nation for $250.
- Near every hideout after collected 10 hidden packages.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
- Available at the safehouses upon collecting 10 hidden packages.
- Red Light District, Portland - Available to buy from the Ammu-Nation for $240 after the mission Snuff.
- Used by the Leones, Colombian Cartel, Triads, Sindaccos, Yardies, Forellis, Southside Hoods, Yakuza and LCPD.
- Used by second union boss in the mission Frighteners.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories[]
- Fort Baxter Air Base – Inside the barracks up to the mission "Conduct Unbecoming", the barracks are again available to enter during Over the Top and the pistol is still there.
- Near the other safehouses after bursting 10 Red Balloons.
- Little Havana – Available to buy from Stonewall J's after the mission O, Brothel, Where Art Thou? for $240 (or $180 if Phil's Shooting Range is completed).
- Vice Point – Spawns next to some stairs by the mall.
- Downtown – Next to a statue south of the dirt track.
- Downtown - Available to buy from the Ammu-Nation after the mission Soldier for $240 (or $180, if completed Phil's Shooting Range).
Oversights[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- Sometimes when the player recruits a GSF member who is smoking weed and enters a car, that member may sometimes "shoot" weed when performing a drive-by shooting instead of using his Pistol. This can also happen randomly when a group of GSF members is chased by cops while driving in a car.
Trivia[]
General[]
- In the 3D Universe, with the exception of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the sound effect for the pistol is also used for the Colt Commando and the Assault Rifle in Max Payne and Max Payne 2, respectively, albeit higher in pitch.
GTA Vice City[]
- If a law enforcement officer (be it VCPD, Vice Squad, SWAT, FBI or Military) is wasted then revived by a paramedic, they will automatically equip a pistol if the player climbs on the top of a vehicle while having a wanted level.
GTA San Andreas[]
- NPCs using the pistol have a unique strafing animation while shooting. In addition, they hold a hand to block bullet casings when shooting.
- If CJ recruits unarmed GSF members, they will always automatically receive a Pistol.
See Also[]
- Handguns – General category to all types of handguns.