# Changing weapon sounds in FiveM

> How FiveM weapon sounds work: the Audio field in weapons.meta, borrowing another gun's sound, streaming custom audio banks and keeping packs small.

Source: https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-addon-weapon-sounds · FAM Tools · published 2026-09-11 · updated 2026-09-11 · about 10 min

**Short answer.** Every weapon names its audio in `weapons.meta` with `<Audio>AUDIO_ITEM_…</Audio>`. The simple way to change a sound is to point an add-on weapon at another weapon’s existing audio item. Fully custom sounds need audio wave packs (`.awc`) plus audio game and sound data (`.rel`), streamed with `AUDIO_WAVEPACK`, `AUDIO_GAMEDATA` and `AUDIO_SOUNDDATA` data files. Players can also install client-side sound packs, which `sv_pureLevel 1` still allows.

## Key points

- Sound is chosen by the `<Audio>` field in `weapons.meta`.
- Reusing a vanilla audio item is a one-line change.
- Custom sounds = `.awc` wave packs + `.rel` audio data + `data_file` lines.
- `sv_pureLevel 1` allows audio mods; level 2 blocks them.
- Only use sounds you have the rights to.

A weapon’s sound is not stored in its model or textures. It comes from GTA’s audio system, and the weapon points to it with one line in `weapons.meta`. That makes the easy change very easy — and a fully custom gunshot a real audio project.

## Where the sound comes from

*weapons.meta — excerpt*

```xml
<Item type="CWeaponInfo">
  <Name>WEAPON_MYPISTOL</Name>
  <Model>w_pi_mypistol</Model>
  <Audio>AUDIO_ITEM_PISTOL</Audio>
  ...
</Item>
```

The `Audio` item bundles the shot, the tail (echo), reload and handling sounds. An add-on weapon copied from the pistol sounds like the pistol until you change this line. The rest of the file is explained in [weapons.meta explained](https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-weapons-meta-explained).

## The easy way: borrow another weapon’s sound

Open the vanilla `weapons.meta` (in CodeWalker or OpenIV) and copy the `Audio` value of the weapon whose sound you want — a heavier pistol, a rifle, a suppressed-style SMG. Put it into your add-on weapon’s entry and restart the resource. No audio files are streamed, so it costs nothing.

> **Match the weapon class** — Borrow audio from a weapon of the same type. A pistol with a shotgun’s audio item may play odd reload or handling sounds because the animations expect different audio events.

## The hard way: custom audio

A truly new gunshot needs the same pieces the game uses: wave packs (`.awc`) holding the audio, plus audio data (`.rel` files) that define the sounds and the weapon audio item referencing them. Recent CodeWalker builds can convert `.awc` and `.rel` files to and from XML, which is how most custom packs are made.

*fxmanifest.lua — streaming custom audio*

```lua
fx_version 'cerulean'
game 'gta5'

files {
    'audio/mypistol_game.dat151.rel',
    'audio/mypistol_sounds.dat54.rel',
    'audio/wavepack/dlc_mypistol/*.awc',
}

data_file 'AUDIO_GAMEDATA' 'audio/mypistol_game.dat'
data_file 'AUDIO_SOUNDDATA' 'audio/mypistol_sounds.dat'
data_file 'AUDIO_WAVEPACK' 'audio/wavepack/dlc_mypistol'
```

Note the `data_file` paths omit the `151.rel`/`54.rel` suffix — the game adds it. Then set the weapon’s `<Audio>` to the audio item defined in your game data.

> **Size and rights** — Every streamed `.awc` is downloaded by every player. Keep sounds short and mono where possible, and only use recordings you made or licensed.

## Client-side sound packs and sv_pure

Many players install gunshot sound mods in their own GTA files. With `sv_pureLevel 1` the server blocks modified client files except audio and known graphics mods, so those packs still work; `sv_pureLevel 2` blocks all modified files, including audio. Server-streamed sounds work on every level. Before adding your own, it is worth checking what the game already answers to — [the sound list](https://fam-tools.com/free-tools/sound-list) carries 2,202 names.

## Questions

### How do I change a weapon’s sound in FiveM?

Change the `<Audio>` value in the weapon’s `weapons.meta` entry to another weapon’s audio item, or stream custom audio and point to its item.

### Why does my add-on gun sound like the pistol?

Its `weapons.meta` was copied from the pistol and still uses the pistol’s audio item.

### Can I add completely new gun sounds?

Yes, with streamed `.awc` wave packs and `.rel` audio data declared as `AUDIO_WAVEPACK`, `AUDIO_GAMEDATA` and `AUDIO_SOUNDDATA` data files.

### Does sv_pureLevel block gun sound mods?

Level 1 allows audio mods; level 2 blocks all modified client files.

## Related

- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-weapons-meta-explained
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-weaponanimations-meta
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/add-custom-weapons-to-fivem
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-weapon-pack-performance