GTA 5 weapon model names: the w_ files behind every gun

#Weapon names versus model names

The link between them is the Model field in the weapon's weapons.meta entry. That is also why a weapon skin is a model or texture replacement, never a change to the weapon name: you keep WEAPON_CARBINERIFLE and swap what w_ar_carbinerifle looks like. Making a weapon skin walks through that side.

#What the prefixes mean

Newer DLC weapons do not always follow the pattern. The Military Rifle's model is w_ar_bullpuprifleh4, the Combat Shotgun's is w_sg_pumpshotgunh4, the Machine Pistol's is w_sb_compactsmg and the Service Carbine's is w_ar_carbinerifle_reh. Some names in the game data are written in mixed case (W_PI_PISTOL, W_SB_PDW); model hashes are case-insensitive, and files are conventionally stored in lower case.

#Pistols and SMGs

The AP Pistol, a frequent skin request, is w_pi_appistol; replacing that model and its texture dictionary is what an "AP pistol skin" resource does.

#Rifles, shotguns and heavy weapons

The Compact Rifle is a good example of why a lookup beats guessing: its model is w_ar_assaultrifle_smg. For the full weapon list with hashes, see the weapon names and hashes list.

#Melee and throwables

The tear gas grenade and the BZ gas grenade share w_ex_grenadesmoke, so replacing that model changes both.

#Magazines, attachments and finishes

A weapon on screen is often several models at once. The game object list includes, for the standard pistol alone, w_pi_pistol, w_pi_pistol_mag1, w_pi_pistol_mag2, w_pi_pistol_luxe and luxe magazine variants.

• Magazines. _mag1 is the standard magazine and _mag2 the extended one. If your skin changes the gun but the magazine keeps the vanilla texture, you replaced the body and forgot the magazines.
• Attachments use w_at_ models: w_at_pi_supp and w_at_pi_supp_2 are pistol suppressors, w_at_ar_supp the rifle suppressor, w_at_ar_flsh and w_at_pi_flsh flashlights, and scopes from w_at_scope_small to w_at_scope_max.
• Luxury finishes (_luxe) are separate models used by the Yusuf Amir finish components.
• Mk II camos are separate models too, such as w_pi_pistolmk2_camo1 to camo10, plus slide camos. MK II camos explains how they apply.

In code, GetWeaponComponentTypeModel(componentHash) gives you the model for a component, which is what you need to load before attaching it to a displayed weapon.

#Which files a skin replaces

Model names matter most when you are reskinning a vanilla gun, because a replacement is nothing more than a file with exactly the right name in a resource's stream folder. For the AP Pistol, a complete replace looks like this:

ap_pistol_skin/
  fxmanifest.lua
  stream/
    w_pi_appistol.ydr
    w_pi_appistol.ytd
    w_pi_appistol_mag1.ydr
    w_pi_appistol_mag2.ydr

Whether you need the .ydr, the .ytd or both depends on the change. A pure recolour usually only needs the texture dictionary; a new shape needs the model. Magazines and attachments often read their textures from the weapon's dictionary, so check what textures they reference before deciding they need their own file. .ydr vs .ytd explains which file holds what.

Two rules save hours:

• Exact names only. w_pi_appistol.ydr replaces the AP Pistol; w_pi_ap_pistol.ydr replaces nothing and is silently ignored.
• One resource per model. If two resources stream the same file name, one wins and the other does nothing. That is the most common reason a new skin "does not work" on a server that already has a weapon pack.

Replacing a vanilla model changes the weapon for every player. If you want the new look as a separate weapon, you need an add-on with its own model name, covered in replace vs add-on weapons.

#Naming models for add-on weapons

Add-on weapons need model names that do not exist in the base game, and following the vanilla pattern keeps a server readable. A few conventions that pack authors converge on:

• Keep the prefix. An add-on rifle called w_ar_m4a1 tells anyone reading the files what it is, and sorts next to the vanilla rifles in a file browser.
• Match everything to the model name. The .ydr, the .ytd, the archetype's modelName and txdName, and the Model field in weapons.meta should all use the same name. Mismatches are the classic cause of invisible or untextured add-on weapons.
• Namespace your packs. A short tag, such as w_ar_xyz_m4a1, avoids collisions with another creator's w_ar_m4a1 on the same server.
• Name magazines the vanilla way. _mag1 and _mag2 make it obvious which component uses which model when you write weaponcomponents.meta.

Because GetWeapontypeModel reads the Model field, scripts that show weapons as props, such as gun store displays or back-slung rifles, pick up correctly named add-on models with no extra configuration.

#Spawning weapon props in FiveM

Weapon models are ordinary models as far as props go, which makes them useful for gun store displays, evidence tables and back-slung weapons.

local function spawnWeaponProp(weaponName, coords, heading)
    local model = GetWeapontypeModel(joaat(weaponName))
    if model == 0 then return end

    RequestModel(model)
    while not HasModelLoaded(model) do Wait(0) end

    local obj = CreateObject(model, coords.x, coords.y, coords.z, false, false, false)
    SetEntityHeading(obj, heading)
    FreezeEntityPosition(obj, true)
    SetModelAsNoLongerNeeded(model)
    return obj
end

local display = spawnWeaponProp('WEAPON_CARBINERIFLE', vec3(22.0, -1105.5, 29.9), 160.0)

There is also CreateWeaponObject(weaponHash, ammoCount, x, y, z, bCreateDefaultComponents, scale, customModelHash), which builds a proper weapon object and can include default components. The native reference notes that such objects cannot be attached to a ped, so use CreateObject for anything that goes on a player, and CreateWeaponObject for a static display that should look fully kitted out. To add an attachment to a display weapon created that way, load the component's model and call GiveWeaponComponentToWeaponObject(object, componentHash).

#Finding model names yourself

• In code: GetWeapontypeModel(joaat('WEAPON_X')) returns the hash of the model; compare it with joaat('w_...') to confirm a guess.
• In the game files: open the weapon's weapons.meta entry and read the Model field, then find the .ydr of the same name with CodeWalker or OpenIV; see OpenIV vs CodeWalker vs Sollumz.
• Object browsers: online object databases list every w_ model with a preview, which helps when you need a magazine or attachment name.
• For add-on weapons: the Model field and the archetype's modelName in the pack's own meta files are the only source of truth, since those models do not exist in the base game.