Get your first gun in Rob Run from Looty Bay loot or the Black Market through Lenny or your base laptop.
Start with the route you can use now, then choose an upgrade that fixes a specific weakness: a small magazine, a slow firing rate, or low damage per shot. Having enough cash does not automatically unlock every weapon. Before spending your earnings, compare the exact weapon mark, its purchase conditions, and what you could lose on your next run.
How to get your first gun
Choose between city loot and the Black Market
City looting lets you get armed without paying for a weapon. The November 4 launch update added starter-weapon spawn points around Looty Bay, making this a practical starting option when money is tight.
Buying gives you a specific purchase to inspect. Lenny provides access to the Black Market, and owning a base adds another access point through its laptop. You do not need to establish a base before checking Lenny's weapons.
| Acquisition method | Where to start | When to use it | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find a gun as loot | Looty Bay | You want a weapon without a purchase cost | Random loot does not promise a particular model |
| Buy through Lenny | Lenny's Black Market access | You want to inspect a listed weapon before spending | Stock, price, and unlock requirements determine your options |
| Buy from your base | Your base laptop | You already have a base and want market access there | The laptop is another purchase route, not a blanket weapon unlock |
For a purchase, check the full weapon name and mark, read the displayed price, and inspect any eligibility conditions before paying. A base value shown in a comparison is not a guaranteed vendor price.
Browse Lenny's weapon stock
Do you receive a free replacement pistol?
The developer considered giving players a pistol after every death, then chose to reduce the basic pistol's price and increase starter-weapon spawns instead.
Where to look for better weapons
Check locked goods in Shipments
If the gun you want is locked, inspect its progression requirement before saving more money. Some goods require your base to be in a settlement of a certain level. Others depend on accumulated jail time.
Use this sequence to identify your next step:
- Press H to open Shipments.
- Alternatively, open it through the side menu while in the desert, Lenny's Motel, or Looty Bay.
- Select the item you want and read its unlock conditions.
- Compare those conditions with your current progression before planning the purchase.
Treat eligibility and affordability as separate checks. More cash will not satisfy a settlement-level requirement, and access to the market does not mean every listed item is ready to buy.
Check your home territory before moving
Your home territory's level can affect the criminal contacts and goods available to you. A move can therefore change your equipment options, but it should solve a requirement you have actually identified.
Inspect the desired item first. Renting a plot, placing your base in a higher-level settlement, and owning an entire settlement are different progression decisions. Do not buy property on the assumption that it unlocks every firearm.
Compare a new weapon with your current one
Start with an affordable replacement
The table below compares several early purchase candidates. Prices are in-game base values, so use the current purchase screen to make the final spending decision. RPM means rounds per minute.
| Weapon | Type | Damage per shot | Fire rate | Magazine | Base value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DP-9 Mk1 | Pistol | 18 | 333 RPM | 14 | $300 |
| MC-10 Mk1 | SMG | 12 | 667 RPM | 20 | $3,500 |
| CB45 Mk1 | SMG | 14 | 545 RPM | 25 | $3,780 |
| KL-545 Mk1 | Assault rifle | 15 | 600 RPM | 30 | $6,000 |
DP-9 Mk1 is a sensible first purchase because it has the lowest base value in this comparison. Its full-damage distance is 20 meters, with damage falling off beyond that point. Keep that limitation in mind if your starting pistol feels inadequate during more distant encounters.
The MC-10 and CB45 illustrate a familiar trade-off in action games: firing faster versus hitting harder with each bullet. The CB45 also carries more rounds per magazine. Choose between those benefits instead of treating either SMG as an improvement in every stat.
The KL-545 offers a larger magazine than either of those Mk1 SMGs, but it also requires a bigger purchase. Compare that extra capacity with what you can afford to replace after a failed run.
Check the DP-9 before buying
A starter gun also has a robbery use beyond dealing damage. Keeping staff at gunpoint prevents them from raising the alarm, so replacing a cheap pistol is not automatically necessary for that task.
Choose later upgrades for a specific strength
More expensive weapons offer very different benefits. These examples cover a larger SMG magazine, faster firing, harder pistol hits, and sustained fire.
| Weapon | Main reason to consider it | Damage per shot | Fire rate | Magazine | Base value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDW90 Mk1 | Large SMG magazine | 13 | 857 RPM | 50 | $30,800 |
| Vulture 50 Mk1 | High pistol damage per shot | 36 | 240 RPM | 7 | $50,000 |
| AP Scalar Mk3 | Very high firing rate | 14 | 1,000 RPM | 45 | $115,000 |
| LM 249 Mk2 | Sustained fire between reloads | 18 | 706 RPM | 200 | $209,600 |
Check the mark as carefully as the model name. AP Scalar Mk1 and Mk2 each hold 25 rounds; Mk3 increases capacity without increasing damage per shot or firing rate. A higher mark should not be read as an automatic damage upgrade.
The Vulture 50 demands a different comparison from an SMG. Its harder individual hits come with a small magazine and slower firing rate. The LM 249 Mk2 has a much larger ammunition capacity, but its 5-second reload creates a substantial interruption once that magazine runs dry.
Can police duty provide better weapons?
Improving your badge unlocks better equipment.
Department gear follows separate progression
You can enlist at the Looty Bay Police Station when recruitment slots are open. Joining provides standard equipment and a patrol vehicle, making police duty another way to receive gear if you want that role.
Server age also affects access: fresh-server patrol cops initially have pistols, with better equipment becoming available as the server ages.
Do not treat a police loadout as proof that the same weapon should already be available for your personal purchases. Department equipment and Black Market progression are separate systems.
Avoid losing an early weapon upgrade
Check the loss rule before taking a risk
The cost of an upgrade includes the possibility of replacing it. Your role, location, and the outcome of an encounter determine what you keep.
| Situation | Equipment or loot outcome |
|---|---|
| Criminal dies in Looty Bay | Inventory is lost |
| Civilian dies in the city | Equipped gear and bag contents are retained |
| Police officer dies | Department-issued equipment is lost; personal equipment is retained |
| Player dies in the desert | All loot is lost |
| Player surrenders to police | Bag contents are confiscated; equipped gear is retained |
| Police accept a bribe | All loot is retained |
For an early upgrade, set a replacement budget before heading into a dangerous job. If losing the new gun would leave you unable to buy another workable weapon, keep using the cheaper option until your earnings can support the risk.
Choose the cheapest available weapon that solves your current problem, then upgrade again when a clear limitation appears. Inspect the exact mark, confirm its unlock conditions, and compare the purchase price with what you can afford to lose.
