Sons of the Forest: How to Get A Pistol

This article is part of a directory: Sons of the Forest: Complete Guide | Weapon Locations, Survival Tips, Secrets, & More

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Finding weapons is crucial for surviving in Sons of the Forest, a lively survival horror game with many secrets and enemies to discover. Like the series' first game, players are stranded on a remote island with beaches, caves, and a very active forest. The only other people on the island are hostile cannibals and mutants and, a new feature to the series, two NPC AI companions, Kelvin and Virginia. Players can protect themselves and their companions using weapons found around the island, but they must find them first. While many are hidden in the cave systems, the pistol is one of the few above ground.

Firearms are incredibly effective against the island's inhabitants and will make traveling much safer. The more time spent on the island, the more cannibals appear, so there is no time to lose when finding a good weapon. Players can get the pistol and the correct ammo as soon as they crash-land. This guide goes over where to find the pistol and how to use it in Sons of the Forest.

Pistol Location in Sons of the Forest

The pistol is one of three available firearms. It is found near the northwestern beach a little way offshore, marked on the map with a GPS locator. Depending on where the crash site ends up, finding it could be a short or long trip. There are three possible spawn points - the ocean, the snowy mountains, or the middle of the forest. The forest and the beach put players in a decent spot, but the snowy mountain means a trip down the cliffs and across the forest heading west. The pistol is north of the forest spawn point and south of the beach spawn point.

The beach is the largest one on the island's west side and is close to one of the green pulsating markers on the GPS. There is a river that leads the way directly from the mountain if players follow it downstream. The beach is split by the river leading into the ocean, and the pistol is in a little red blow-up raft off the south shore. Swimming is the only way to get it, so players must have high health and stamina. To swim, walk into the ocean, and eventually, the player character (PC) will start swimming automatically. A word of warning; a large shark is swimming near the raft, so quickly climb inside it once close enough.

A deceased soldier has a GPS locator, some supplies, ammo, and a pistol inside the raft. Once equipped, it can be accessed from the inventory and added to the backpack to pull it out quickly. The next step is to get back to the shore in one piece.

The shark will circle the raft for a while, and players have several options. They can scare it off by shooting at it or avoid it by waiting for it to leave. However, if they don't wait long enough, there is a chance it will give chase and could bite them. They should survive a nibble or two as long as the health bar is up.

How to Use the Pistol

Pistol ammo is picked up by exploring the island and searching crates, bodies, and campsites. All the item locations will respawn after a couple of game days, so it is worth checking back to get the most ammo possible. After getting ammo, load the gun by holding down R and right-click to shoot. Virginia can also wield a weapon if players give her one, and she has unlimited ammo. The pistol also has four attachments, including the following:

Pistol Rail: The pistol rail is close to the pistol spawn point on the same beach in a small alcove near some rocks. There are three crates with food, a tarp, meds, and a backpack with the pistol rail inside. Players can also pick up some ammo from there.
Flashlight Attachment: The flashlight attachment is found inside the cave directly west of the mountain on the body of a deceased worker. The shovel is also located in this cave, and players will need the rope gun and the rebreather to progress inside it successfully to pick up both items. Inside the cave, use the rope gun to zipline down and dive into the pool of water in the other room. Then, keep moving forward and slide down the slope. Head further into the cave, and a tunnel will separate two large areas, and the flashlight attachment is in the second.
Pistol Laser: The pistol laser is inside an underground bunker near the north beach. There is a green pulsating marker just south of the beach, and once there, use the shovel to dig until the hatch door is revealed. Open it and use the ladder to go inside, and the laser is found on a desk in the room down the hall on the left.
Suppressor: The suppressor is found on the southwest side of the forest near a dig site marked with a green pulsating marker. Use the shovel to dig out the hatch door and go inside. The attachment is found on the desk in the room down the corridor.