Pistol

Pistol is a basic handgun in Grand Theft Auto V, serving as a dependable sidearm in both Story Mode and GTA Online. It occupies the conventional pistol role: compact, immediately available in the weapon set, and practical when a larger primary weapon is inconvenient or unavailable.

The weapon is defined less by a special gimmick than by its dependable general-purpose role. It gives the player a firearm that can be drawn for ordinary encounters, close engagements, and situations where conserving a primary weapon is useful. Its familiar handling also makes it a reference point for understanding GTA V’s broader pistol category, rather than a specialist choice built around unusual ammunition, a unique firing system, or a mission-specific effect.

In Story Mode, the Pistol belongs to the standard progression of firearms and functions as a conventional sidearm alongside the protagonists’ wider weapon selections. In GTA Online, the same base weapon exists within a larger and more regularly expanded arsenal. The two modes should still be treated separately for acquisition, pricing, unlock conditions, and any later weapon-system changes; an Online feature or availability statement should not automatically be applied to Story Mode.

The Pistol differs from nearby alternatives through its balance of accessibility and ordinary sidearm handling. Submachine guns are the more natural choice when sustained automatic fire is the priority, while heavier pistols and other specialized handguns may offer a different tradeoff in handling or role. The Pistol therefore matters as a baseline option: it is suited to players who want a straightforward handgun rather than a weapon whose value depends on a special attachment, a variant-specific mechanic, or a narrow tactical situation.

GTA Online also includes the separate Pistol Mk II form, which should not be treated as merely a renamed entry for the base weapon. Its conversion and equipment options belong to the Mk II weapon system and require their own mode-specific availability and upgrade context. This page’s central subject remains the base Pistol, with the Mk II form serving as an important comparison when deciding whether a conventional sidearm is sufficient or whether the expanded weapon-workshop system is relevant.

Damage, fire rate, accuracy and range are GTA V's own 0–100 stat scales; magazine is the real figure. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

1. 01Story Mode: The standard Pistol is available as an ordinary early-game firearm rather than as a unique mission or boss reward. It is supplied through the protagonists’ starting weapon access and can also be obtained from any Ammu-Nation once that store is available; select the Pistol in the handgun section and purchase it if it is not already in the weapon wheel.
2. 02GTA Online: Visit any Ammu-Nation after entering Freemode and buy the Pistol from the handgun section. It is a standard launch weapon with no DLC, Gun Van rotation, Weapon Workshop conversion, or research requirement, so the normal Ammu-Nation route is available without completing a special mission or collecting a drop.

The Pistol is a semi-automatic sidearm in Grand Theft Auto V. Its defining handling trait is direct trigger control: each trigger press produces a separate shot rather than a burst or automatic stream. That makes it easier to place deliberate shots than to sustain suppressive fire, while also making missed shots more costly than with a weapon that covers the same area with continuous fire. Its role is broadly consistent across Story Mode and GTA Online, although the surrounding weapon systems and available upgrades differ between those modes.