Bastard Gun

Lore & Background

The Bastard Gun is a child of desperation, born from the cruel scarcity of pre-war firearms in the Moscow Metro. Its design is brutally crude—a welded barrel shroud that looks like it was beaten into shape on a train rail, a stock scavenged from a broken rifle that never quite fits the shoulder, and a magazine that wobbles as if it might fall out mid-burst. Yet this ugly contraption serves a vital role in the hands of those who cannot afford or find a more reliable weapon. The gun earns its name honestly: it is temperamental, prone to seizing up or overheating after a few dozen rounds, demanding constant maintenance and a steady, knowing hand to keep it chattering through a firefight.

In Their Own Story

In the dim tunnels of Exhibition station, a young Ranger named Pavel watched an old mechanic named Grigori coax a Bastard Gun to life from a heap of rust and wire. 'She'll spit lead like a demon,' Grigori rasped, handing it over, 'but only if you treat her right. Tap the magazine hard when she chokes, and never push her past twenty rounds without letting her breathe.' Pavel took the weapon, its rough-hewn grip warm in his palm. Later that night, as a horde of nosalises surged through a shattered tunnel, the Bastard Gun chattered in his hands—jamming twice, the first time with a sickening click that made his heart stop, the second as a claw raked his arm—but each time, a sharp slap to the receiver brought it snarling back to life, saving his skin by a whisper.

Reader's Guide

It excels in close-quarters combat due to its high rate of fire, which can quickly shred mutants or unarmored humans. However, its accuracy degrades rapidly with sustained fire, and the weapon is prone to jamming, especially when dirty or low on durability. Players should use short bursts to manage recoil and overheating, and always carry a cleaning kit to maintain reliability. The Bastard Gun is less effective at range, where its spread makes it nearly useless. It is best paired with a scoped rifle or shotgun for versatility. Ammunition for the Bastard Gun is common, as it uses the same 5.45x39mm rounds as the Kalash, but the gun's poor condition means it consumes ammo faster than more efficient weapons. In Metro: Last Light, the Bastard Gun returns with similar characteristics, though it can be upgraded with a longer barrel or a suppressor to improve performance. Overall, the Bastard Gun is a weapon of desperation—unreliable but deadly when it works.

Did You Know?

• The Bastard Gun is known for its high rate of fire, which can quickly shred mutants or unarmored humans in close-quarters combat.
• It is prone to jamming, especially when dirty or low on durability, requiring players to carry a cleaning kit.
• The weapon uses the same 5.45x39mm rounds as the Kalash, making ammunition common but consumption high due to its poor condition.
• In Metro: Last Light, the Bastard Gun can be upgraded with a longer barrel or a suppressor to improve performance.