This page provides a rundown of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater weapons and equipment and includes a complete description, strategies for use, and location when applicable. Locations are tied to the normal difficulty mode. Note that this section contains game spoilers in regards to how and when to use particular weapons and items.

AK-47

Description: A Soviet-made assault rifle. Reliable, durable, and highly precise. Uses 7.62 x 39 ammunition. Magazine size is 30 rounds. Equip in first person view and use the L1 button to aim from the shoulder. Open the window and press the triangle button to switch between semi-auto and full-auto fire.

Uses: Find this weapon in the abandoned factory in Rassvet during the Operation Snake Eater mission. Excellent assault rifle for combat against larger numbers, such as against Ocelot’s guards that surround Rassvet. It’s a loud weapon without a suppressor so certainly avoid using when you’re trying to remain undetected.

Book

Description: A picture book for "gentlemen". Full of stunning photos of young, female models.

Uses: Toss a book on a ground to distract a nearby guard. Once you’ve distracted a guard, you can sneak up on him for a close-quarters combat move or just slip past the guard undetected. Try using it on Raikov when you’re getting the jump on him in the east wing locker room.

Chaff Grenade

Description: An electronics jamming grenade developed by the Soviet Union. Upon detonation, scatters a large quantity of metal fragments into the air, jamming radio signals and rendering electronic devices inoperative.

Uses: Toss them to jam radios if guards are attempting to contact headquarters for reinforcements. Also use chaff grenades to disrupt Shagohod’s missile attack.

Cigar Gas Spray

Description: A sleeping gas pistol shaped like a cigarette. The gas it sprays puts enemies to sleep.

Uses: An excellent way to immobilize guards while you’re in the scientist or officer disguise. Don’t use the cig gas spray if there are other guards watching!

Claymore

Description: An American-made anti-personnel directional mine. Modified by Soviet technicians to automatically detonate when it detects a moving object within the trigger areas to its front and rear.

Uses: Place on the ground in an enemy’s path.

Fork

Description: Uses for eating. Can be used in place of the survival knife. Plants and animals nabbed using the fork can be eaten on the spot.

Uses: You’ll acquire the fork after you are captured in the Grozny Grad Torture Room. Use the fork to kill animals to instantly eat them. You may also need to use the fork like a knife in close-quarters combat.

Grenade

Description: A Soviet-made blast fragmentation grenade. Deals damage to enemies with both the blast and the ensuing shrapnel.

Uses: Toss at a group of enemies to cause big damage to multiple foes. Obviously not a stealth weapon.

Knock-Out Handkerchief

Description: A handkerchief soaked in anesthetic. Can be used to put enemies to sleep after grabbing them with CQC.

Uses: Grab an enemy using close-quarters combat and put them to sleep with the anesthetic in the handkerchief.

M1911A1

Description: A .45 gauge automatic pistol that boasts high reliability and massive stopping power. Magazine size is 7 rounds. Open the window and press the circle button to attach/detach a suppressor.

Uses: A handy stealth weapon because of its suppressor (and you don’t want to use Mk22 ammunition). However, unlike the Mk22, this weapon isn’t a tranquilizer. Shooting enemies in the head will kill them, though certainly silently when the suppressor is attached.

M37

Description: An American-made shotgun. The stock and barrel have been sawed off to reduce the weight. Carries four 12-gauge shells.

Uses: A powerful close-range weapon. If enemies surround your position, blow them back with the M37. Fire the shotgun at the legs of enemies using riot shields. Acquire the M37 during your first trip into Rassvet and within the abandoned factory.

M63

Description: An American-made system weapon. Belt-fed light machine gun version. Uses 5.56mm x 45 ammunition. Magazine size is 100 rounds.

Uses: Burly machine gun that’s best used in the end game chase sequences to hold off pursuing guards--unless of course you just want to shoot your way through the game. If you don’t mind clearing a room while making a lot of noise, try the M63. Find the M63 behind some crates in the shack in Svyatogornyj East.

Mk22

Description: A modified special ops version of the Mk22, a suppressor-equipped tranquilizer gun being developed by the Navy. Because it uses a slide lock mechanism for added suppression capability, it can only be fired once before reloading.

Uses: The Mk22 is a non-lethal, stealth weapon. If you’re trying not to kill guards, use the Mk22 and aim for the head. Keep the suppressor attached against guards so you don’t raise alerts. The suppressor deteriorates over time so don’t waste shots. The Mk22 will also be used against bosses if you’re trying to get their special uniforms. Detach the suppressor during the boss battles. Use the tranquilizer against snakes and certain fish so you can capture them.

Mosin Nagant

Description: A tranquilizer sniper rifle and The End’s weapon of choice. Adapted by The End from the M1891/30, a bolt-action sniper rifle used by the Soviet military during World War II. Uses special 7.62mm x 54R tranquilizer rounds. Magazine size is 5 rounds.

Uses: Acquire the mosin nagant by defeating The End using only the Mk22 (reducing The End’s stamina to zero). It’s essentially a non-lethal sniper rifle--extremely useful if you’re trying not to kill any guards. You can also use the mosin against bosses when trying to recover their special uniforms (by reducing their stamina to zero).

RPG-7

Description: A state-of-the-art Soviet portable anti-tank rocket launcher. The rocket-propelled grenade warheads are loaded with HEAT, a plastic explosive. Press the L1 button to use the scope.

Uses: Create an explosive ruckus with the rocket launcher. Best used during the end game when fighting the Shagohod and fleeing guards riding motorcycles. Find the RPG-7 inside the armory at the Krasnogorje Mountainside.

Scorpion

Description: A Czechoslovakian-made submachine gun. Uses 32ACP ammunition. Magazine size is 20 rounds. Equipped with a laser pointer. Open the window and press the triangle button to switch between semi-auto and full-auto fire.

Uses: It’s a submachine gun equipped with a laser sight and a decent weapon to clear out several guards at close-range. You’ll also find it useful against the pursuing guards in the end game chase sequences, though not as much as the M63. Find the scorpion in the downstairs supply room of the weapons lab east wing. You’ll need Raikov’s disguise to get inside.

Single Action Army

Description: A .45 caliber, six-shot revolver. Equip in first-person view and press the L1 button to aim precisely. Can also use the right analog stick to do tricks.

Uses: Bullets can ricochet off of walls. Plus you can perform some gun tricks using the right analog stick! Unlock the Single Action Army revolver by selecting the gun on the right when faced against Ocelot in the game’s final cut scene.

Smoke Grenade

Description: A Soviet-made smoke grenade. Upon detonation, releases a cloud of white smoke, blocking the enemy’s field of vision.

Uses: Toss a smoke grenade to blind enemy units, which can create the diversion necessary to sneak past the guards, sneak up to the guards and disable them, or even shoot them from long-range.

Stun Grenade

Description: A flash-bang type grenade developed by the Soviet Union. Upon detonation, produces an intense flash of light and a loud bang, disorienting and even knocking out human targets in the area of effect.

Uses: Toss a stun grenade near enemy guards to knock them out. You can also use the stun grenade to distract enemies as you retreat or sneak past them.

Survival Knife

Description: A large-bladed knife for field operations. Can be used to defeat enemies without making a sound.

Uses: Kill animals to gather food, cut plants for medicine, and use as a close-quarters combat weapon to disable guards.

SVD

Description: A Soviet-made automatic sniper rifle known for its high precision. Uses 7.62mm x 54 rimmed cartridges. Magazine size is 10 rounds. Press the L1 button to use the scope. Press the triangle button to change the magnification ratio on the scope.

Uses: When you don’t want to get close! Assault guards from long-range with the sniper rifle. It’s a loud weapon, though, so other guards will be alerted to your presence. Find the sniper rifle early on by exploring the eastern fork within Dremuchij North. Find another inside the armory at Ponizovje West.

The Patriot

Description: An assault pistol developed for The Boss. Uses 5.56mm x 45 ammunition. The feeder mechanism inside the drum magazine forms an "infinity" shape.

Uses: Unlock the Patriot by defeating The Boss (completing the game). Start a new game on that completed game save and you will start with The Patriot in your inventory. Use the Patriot to mow down enemy guards if you aren’t concerned with stealth.

TNT

Description: Trinitrotoluene. A military-grade explosive equipped with a remote-controlled detonator. Press the square button to plant the bomb, then press the circle button while equipping TNT to detonate the planted bomb.

Uses: Destroy enemy shacks that contain ammunition, food, and medical supplies--after you’ve hoarded their supplies of course. When you destroy a structure containing food, the enemies in the area become hungry, essentially drained of stamina so they’re less perceptive. Also, you can toss rotten food in their direction and they’ll eat it (since they’re starving!) and be poisoned.

Torch

Description: A torch made from white birch soaked in turpentine. Press the circle button to swing it around as a weapon. Press the square button to light/extinguish the torch.

Uses: Light the torch for illumination or to even light up a guard. Stick a guard up with a lit torch. Locate the torch inside the Chyornaya Peschera Cave Branch.

White Phosphorous Grenade

Description: A Soviet-made incendiary grenade. The intense flames created by the white phosphorous inside cause all living beings in the area of effect to suffer severe burns.

Uses: Toss a white phosphorous grenade into a group of guards to cause heavy burn damage.

XM16E1

Description: A state-of-the-art assault rifle currently being field-tested by the U.S. Army. Uses small caliber, high muzzle velocity 5.56 x 45 ammunition. Magazine size is 20 rounds. Features several modifications geared toward jungle combat. Open the window and press the circle button to attach/detach a suppressor; press the triangle button to switch between semi-auto, full-auto, and 3-shot burst fire.

Uses: An assault rifle with a suppressor so it can be used in stealth. Aim for a head shot to disable a guard in a single hit. Unlike the Mk22, the XM16E1 kills the guard. Find it in the alcove below the rope bridge the first time you cross or later inside the armory at Graniny Gorki Lab Exterior: Inside Walls.