Mass Effect 3
68 Achievements
Gunsmith
Upgrade any weapon to level 10.
How to unlock the Gunsmith achievement in Mass Effect 3 - Definitive Guide
For this achievement you need to level one of your weapons up to level 10. When first going through Mass Effect 3, whether you imported a character or not, you can only upgrade a weapon to level 5. To keep upgrading the weapon, you need to import your saved Mass Effect 3 character that has completed the game already. The game will then allow you to upgrade your weapons to level 10.
To upgrade a weapon head down to the Shuttle Bay and look for the Upgrade Terminal. You can also look for the Upgrade benches throughout the levels. Remember, in your first playthrough, you can only upgrade a weapon 5 times.
Thanks to Deception975, You can achieve this without ever playing Single Player. When playing in Coop, you can use the Credits you earn to purchase boxes. Yes they are random, but if you get the same weapon 10 times over, you will pop this achievement. In this method, you do not have to beat the Single Player campaign.
(For some reason I could not level up the M3 Predator past level 7)
During your first playthrough level up the M-8 Avenger to level 5.
Obviously you have to beat the game, import your ME3 character, go through the beginning (You will acquire the M-8 Avenger during the Prologue), after about 30 minutes of game-play, you will be back on the Normandy, go to the Armory, and finish leveling up the M-8 Avenger to 10.
Note: When importing your ME3 character, you will have all the funds available that you had when you beat the game.
I think it is still faster than MP.
Play for 30-45 minutes until you are back at the citadel.
Go to your spectre terminal in the citadel embassies and buy one of the 250,000 credits weapons. e.g. Black Widow.
Go back to the Normandy and go to the shuttle bay weapon bench where you can upgrade this weapon to level 10 (about another 100,000 credits in total).
If you do not have enough credits, you will need to play another mission until you re-find one of the guns you already own, as you will only be able to upgrade them to level 7. I couldn't be bothered to keep playing and had enough credits. Remember you don't have to save after spending the credits!
Simply purchase them on the Normandy.
You will have to begin a new game and import your ME3 character. Find the gun that you purchased upgrades for in New Game+, then you will upgrade it three more ranks automatically (Any gun found on Earth or Mars is the best choice for this.). Once you’re back on the Normandy, head down to the armory and purchase the last two upgrades. Without finding the gun a second time, you will not be able to upgrade it to level 10. The highest that you will be able to purchase is level 7.
Weapon Locations by Mission
Priority: Mars
- M-15 Vindicator Assault Rifle
- M-23 Katana Shotgun
- M-92 Mantis Sniper Rifle
- M-4 Shuriken SMG
- M-11 Wraith Shotgun (Purchased from Spectre Outpost.)
- Black Widow Sniper Rifle (Purchased from Spectre Outpost.)
- M-77 Paladin Pistol (Purchased from Spectre Outpost.)
- M-27 Scimitar Shotgun
- Graal Spike Thrower Shotgun (Can be bought from Cipritine Armory.)
- M-97 Sniper Rifle
- M-5 Phalanx Pistol
- M-13 Raptor Sniper Rifle (Can be bought from Batarian State Arms.)
- Scoprion Pistol
- M-96 Mattock Assault Rifle
- M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun (Can be bought from Batarian State Arms.)
- M-300 Claymore Shotgun
- Phaeston Assault Rifle
- M-9 Tempest SMG
- M-29 Incisor Sniper Rifle (Can be bought from Kassa Fabrications for 7,000 credits.)
- M-76 Revenant Assault Rifle
- M-25 Hornet SMG (Can be purchased from Batarian State Arms.)
- M-358 Talon Pistol
- Geth Pulse Rifle
- Arc Pistol
- Javelin Sniper Rifle
- Geth Plasma Shotgun
- Disciple Shotgun
- M-98 Widow Sniper Rifle
- M-6 Carnifex Pistol (Can also be purchased from Kassa Fabrications.)
- M-99 Saber Assault Rifle
- M-12 Locust SMG (Can also be purchased from Kassa Fabrications.)
- Particle Rifle
- M-37 Falcon Assault Rifle
SP: In the shuttle bay of the Normandy, there is a weapon upgrades station. Here, you can upgrade any of your weapons for a price. As you purchase upgrades, the cost starts getting higher. The first upgrade choice will be level 2 for each weapon you own and you can get up to level 5 in a single playthrough. To get it to 10, you have to start a New Game+ and find the weapon a second time. This will unlock the final upgrades, allowing you to purchase up to level 10.
MP: Buy the recruit packs consistently and you will have a level 10 weapon fairly quickly. This is probably the quicker/easier of the two options of unlocking this achievement. I got three upgrades for the Mantis sniper rifle in my first five purchases.
Upgrading weapons can be done in the Normandy’s armory. The console on the left has the weapon upgrades for purchase. Each gun that you pick up upgraded versions for purchase. Of course, the costs go up as you upgrade and increase by 1000 to 2500 credits per level. Each gun starts at level 1, but you can only upgrade to level 5 on your first playthrough.
You will have to begin a new game and import your ME3 character. Find the gun that you purchased upgrades for in New Game+, then you will upgrade it three more ranks automatically (Any gun found on Mars is the best choice for this.). Once you’re back on the Normandy, head down to the armory and purchase the last two upgrades. Without finding the gun a second time, you will not be able to upgrade it to level 10. The highest that you will be able to purchase is level 7.
You can also upgrade a weapon to level 10 online as well. This isn't ideal, although it may be essentially faster since you don't have to play through the game once. The weapons that you get in packs from the online store are given at random though.
Weapon Locations by Mission
Priority: Mars
- M-15 Vindicator Assault Rifle
- M-23 Katana Shotgun
- M-92 Mantis Sniper Rifle
- M-4 Shuriken SMG
Priority: The Citadel I
- M-11 Wraith Shotgun (Purchased from Spectre Outpost.)
- Black Widow Sniper Rifle (Purchased from Spectre Outpost.)
- M-77 Paladin Pistol (Purchased from Spectre Outpost.)
Priority: Palaven
- M-27 Scimitar Shotgun
- Graal Spike Thrower Shotgun (Can be bought from Cipritine Armory.)
- M-97 Sniper Rifle
- M-5 Phalanx Pistol
Priority: Sur'Kesh
- M-13 Raptor Sniper Rifle (Can be bought from Batarian State Arms.)
- Scoprion Pistol
Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation
- M-96 Mattock Assault Rifle
- M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun (Can be bought from Batarian State Arms.)
Attican Traverse: Krogan Team
- M-300 Claymore Shotgun
Tuchanka: Turian Platoon
- Phaeston Assault Rifle
- M-9 Tempest SMG
Tuchanka: Bomb
- M-29 Incisor Sniper Rifle (Can be bought from Kassa Fabrications for 7,000 credits.)
Priority: The Citadel II
- M-76 Revenant Assault Rifle
- M-25 Hornet SMG (Can be purchased from Batarian State Arms.)
- M-358 Talon Pistol
Priority: Geth Dreadnought
- Geth Pulse Rifle
- Arc Pistol
Rannoch: Admiral Koris
- Javelin Sniper Rifle
Priority: Rannoch
- Geth Plasma Shotgun
Kallini: Ardat-Yakshi Monastery
- Disciple Shotgun
Priority: Thessia
- M-98 Widow Sniper Rifle
Arrae: Ex-Cerberus Scientists
- M-6 Carnifex Pistol (Can also be purchased from Kassa Fabrications.)
Priority: Horizon
- M-99 Saber Assault Rifle
- M-12 Locust SMG (Can also be purchased from Kassa Fabrications.)
Priority: Eden Prime
- Particle Rifle
Priority: Cerberus Headquarters
- M-37 Falcon Assault Rifle
Upgrades above the fifth level will only open on the second playthrough.
You can also get it in multiplayer by buying beginner's sets for 5k, there you very often come across upgrades for starting weapons.