FAM Tools
Sign in
Scriptingintermediate9 min readupdated 11 Sept 2026

Building an ammo and weapon HUD

The short answer

Read the weapon with GetSelectedPedWeapon(ped), rounds in the clip with GetAmmoInClip(ped, weapon) (it returns a success flag and the count), total rounds with GetAmmoInPedWeapon(ped, weapon) and clip size with GetMaxAmmoInClip. Hide GTA’s own counter with DisplayAmmoThisFrame(false) (or HUD component 2), poll a few times per second while armed, and send the UI a message only when a value changes. With ox_inventory, ox_inventory:currentWeapon tells you when the weapon changes.

A clean ammo counter — weapon name, rounds in the clip, rounds left — is one of the most requested HUD elements. The data comes from a few natives; the craft is in updating the UI only when something changes, so the HUD costs nothing while you are just holding a gun.

Building an ammo and weapon HUD — illustrated with a FiveM-compatible minimap render

#Reading ammo

client.lua
local last = {}

CreateThread(function()
    while true do
        local ped = PlayerPedId()
        local weapon = GetSelectedPedWeapon(ped)
        local armed = weapon ~= `WEAPON_UNARMED` and IsPedArmed(ped, 4)

        if armed then
            local _, clip = GetAmmoInClip(ped, weapon)
            local total = GetAmmoInPedWeapon(ped, weapon)
            local size = GetMaxAmmoInClip(ped, weapon, true)
            if weapon ~= last.weapon or clip ~= last.clip or total ~= last.total then
                last = { weapon = weapon, clip = clip, total = total }
                SendNUIMessage({ action = 'ammo', clip = clip, reserve = total - clip, size = size })
            end
            Wait(150)
        else
            if last.weapon then
                last = {}
                SendNUIMessage({ action = 'ammo', hide = true })
            end
            Wait(500)
        end
    end
end)

GetAmmoInPedWeapon includes the rounds in the clip, so reserve = total − clip. Performance habits: NUI performance.

#Hiding GTA’s counter

client.lua
CreateThread(function()
    while true do
        local sleep = 500
        if IsPedArmed(PlayerPedId(), 4) then
            sleep = 0
            DisplayAmmoThisFrame(false)
            HideHudComponentThisFrame(2) -- weapon icon
        end
        Wait(sleep)
    end
end)

#Weapon names

Use your inventory’s label (ox_inventory item label) or the game label from the weapon’s HumanNameHash with GetLabelText — see weapon display names.

#With ox_inventory

client.lua
AddEventHandler('ox_inventory:currentWeapon', function(weapon)
    if weapon then
        SendNUIMessage({ action = 'weapon', label = weapon.label, serial = weapon.metadata.serial })
    else
        SendNUIMessage({ action = 'weapon', hide = true })
    end
end)

ox_inventory keeps ammo in item metadata and sets it on the ped when a weapon is equipped, so the natives above still report the live numbers.

Share this guideXRedditFacebook

Questions

How do I get the ammo in the current clip?
local ok, clip = GetAmmoInClip(ped, weaponHash) — the second return value is the count.
How do I hide GTA’s ammo counter?
Call DisplayAmmoThisFrame(false) every frame while armed (and hide HUD component 2 for the weapon icon).
How often should the ammo HUD update?
Poll a few times per second while armed and send UI messages only when values change.
Does this work with ox_inventory?
Yes; combine the natives with the ox_inventory:currentWeapon event for weapon changes.

Ready to pick a map?

Twelve themes on three base map styles, $8 each, instant download.

Relevant to what you just read

The tool for this

Twenty theme pairs for ox_lib and ox_inventory From $15, built in the browser, exported as a drop-in resource.

Look it up while you work

The reference tables this guide leans on, free and without an account.

  • All 860 ped model namesEvery model GetHashKey resolves, with its hash and how many clothing components and props it carries.