SMG

The SMG is Grand Theft Auto V’s compact automatic submachine gun: a mobile close-to-mid-range weapon built for sustained fire rather than rifle-distance precision. It appears in both Story Mode and GTA Online, with the latter also offering the separate SMG Mk II progression path.

The SMG occupies the practical middle ground between GTA V’s machine pistols and assault rifles. It is more substantial and controllable for general combat than the smallest automatic sidearms, while remaining easier to carry and use in confined spaces than a rifle. Its identity is therefore less about a single special effect than about dependable automatic fire from a compact platform.

Its handling makes it useful when the player needs to move, react quickly, or fight around vehicles and buildings. The weapon can maintain pressure on nearby targets without committing the player to the slower, more deliberate handling associated with precision-focused firearms. At longer distances, however, its compact close-combat role makes careful aim and burst control more important than simply holding the trigger.

The base SMG belongs to both the Story Mode and GTA Online weapon rosters, but the surrounding progression is not identical between those modes. Story Mode presents the ordinary weapon without Online’s broader workshop and research ecosystem. In GTA Online, the base SMG is also the starting point for the SMG Mk II family, whose conversion and selectable modifications should be treated as a separate progression state rather than as part of the unmodified weapon.

This page exists to distinguish that base weapon from nearby alternatives such as the Micro SMG, Assault SMG, and SMG Mk II. The Micro SMG is the more compact machine-pistol option, while the Assault SMG and Mk II represent different handling or progression choices within the same general firearm space. For players who want a versatile automatic weapon that remains practical during mobile, close-range encounters, the SMG is a straightforward general-purpose choice; players prioritising reach, precision, or specialised modifications may have stronger reasons to choose another member of the roster.

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: complete The Jewel Store Job. After the mission, visit any Ammu-Nation in Los Santos or Blaine County and purchase the SMG from the available weapon selection.
2. 02GTA Online: reach Rank 14, then visit an Ammu-Nation and purchase the SMG. The weapon is a standard store purchase rather than a mission reward or random drop.

The SMG is a fully automatic firearm built for close- to medium-range engagements. Its handling favours keeping the trigger down while tracking moving targets, but sustained fire is less controlled than short bursts, especially when the target is outside the weapon’s practical range. It is also a practical choice when mobility matters more than precision, since its compact role complements fast repositioning and vehicle-based combat where the game permits the weapon to be used.

Story Mode and GTA Online share the SMG’s basic automatic behaviour, but Online adds the separate SMG Mk II conversion and its associated workshop modifications. Those additions should not be treated as properties of the unconverted Story Mode weapon. The base SMG’s ammunition and handling remain distinct from the Mk II’s optional magazine, sight and special-ammunition systems.

• The Jewel Store JobThe Story Mode mission associated with the SMG's availability and early use.
• Ammu-NationSells the SMG in Story Mode and GTA Online, subject to each mode's availability rules.