Over 30 weapons confirmed, a hard carry cap, and a tactical gear slot that changes how you approach every job. Here's the full breakdown.
01The carry limit: what changed and why it matters
The most important change to GTA 6's weapon system is the carry cap. You can carry a maximum of two rifles and two pistols on your person — that's it. Anything beyond that lives in your vehicle trunk, which you access by opening the boot. This isn't a minor inconvenience: it fundamentally changes how you plan jobs. You can't hedge every situation with a full arsenal. Choosing your two rifle slots before a mission is one of the most consequential decisions in the game. The system is borrowed directly from Red Dead Redemption 2, and like that game, it forces you to commit to a style of play rather than switching weapons reactively mid-fight.
02Confirmed handguns
Several pistols and sidearms have been confirmed across official trailers and screenshots. The Girardi ES9 is a semi-automatic pistol with a Jason-specific variant available in the Ultimate Edition. The Klose K17 is a Glock-style sidearm with a Lucia variant, also Ultimate Edition exclusive. A classic revolver — the Hawk and Little Morgan — appears as an outright Ultimate Edition bonus. Beyond those, a Taser has been confirmed in the tactical gear slot as a non-lethal sidearm option. Handguns are your carry-concealed fallback: they draw fast, can be used without alerting nearby NPCs as quickly, and free up both rifle slots for heavier hardware.
03Confirmed rifles and long guns
The Carbine Rifle is the most frequently spotted weapon across all trailer footage — it appears in robbery scenes, highway shootouts, and police engagements. Expect it to be the workhorse. An AK-47 variant has been shown with wooden furniture options that match a street-gang aesthetic. For snipers, a bolt-action precision rifle and an assault-sniper hybrid have both been confirmed — the latter bridges the gap between a battle rifle and a dedicated long-range platform, useful for dynamic situations where a bolt-action is too slow. A Milkor MGL-style revolving grenade launcher and an RPG round out the heavy-weapon category for vehicle and fortification destruction.
04The gear and equipment category — the real new addition
The weapon wheel in GTA 6 has a third tier beyond Weapons: an Equipment and Gear slot. This is the biggest mechanical addition to the combat system. Confirmed items include: Tracker Jammer (disrupts police GPS tracking, essential at high wanted levels), Zip Ties (restraining hostages — critical for controlled heist scenarios), Loot Bag (for hauling robbery cash — you need to equip it during the job), Trauma Kit (mid-mission health restore beyond regular food items), Binoculars (recon before engaging), USB Drive and Auto Dialer (mission-specific electronic tools), Cut-off Tool (for breaking locks and chains), Flashlight (dark interior navigation), and a Speargun (dedicated underwater combat weapon). The gear slot turns GTA 6 into a more tactical, plannable experience than any previous entry.
05Recommended loadouts
For heists and controlled robberies: Carbine Rifle (primary), shotgun (close quarters), suppressed pistol (silent takedowns), Loot Bag and Zip Ties in gear. For open combat and police chases: Carbine Rifle, Assault Sniper (long range option), high-capacity pistol, Tracker Jammer in gear. For stealth and infiltration: suppressed SMG in one rifle slot, suppressed pistol, melee weapon as backup, Flashlight and Zip Ties in gear. Store your RPG or grenade launcher in the vehicle trunk for situations where an armoured response shows up — there's no point burning a carry slot on it unless you know you'll need it.
06New combat mechanics worth knowing
Beyond the carry system, several mechanical additions change how gunfights play out. NPC reactions to drawn weapons mean you'll trigger panic or police attention by holding a weapon in public — your character auto-holsters in crowded civilian areas, which is a real constraint during missions in busy parts of Vice City. Human shields are confirmed as a new tactical option for police standoffs. Body carrying and looting is in (borrowed from RDR2) — you can move a body out of sight to avoid detection or loot a fallen enemy mid-mission. Under-fire animations are more dynamic, with characters flinching and reacting differently based on incoming fire intensity. Underwater combat with the Speargun is confirmed, meaning aquatic missions aren't just traversal — they're a genuine combat environment.
This guide is built from confirmed Rockstar trailers, screenshots, and reputable pre-release reporting. Any detail marked speculative will be updated with accurate information once GTA 6 ships on November 19, 2026. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.