Explosive Shotgun Slugs (GRA)
⚪ Last updated 2015⚠️ Install Order · 6 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
Preview

🔍 Analysis
- 👍 4.7% endorsement rate — high engagement, a strong quality signal
- 🏆 #9 of 21 Ammo mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Update: v1. 1 should eliminate the bug with regular 12-gauge ammo not doing damage. Tested and working on my system. If you still have this problem, there's a conflict somewhere in your load order.
This mod adds a recipe for 12-gauge explosive shotgun slugs to the game if you have the Mad Bomber perk from Gun Runners' Arsenal and 65 Repair skill. The slugs do less damage on impact but, of course, they explode. I just used the Explosive . 50 MG projectile, so they have the same blast radius and explosive damage as those rounds.
The new ammo is on the leveled item list, and I've had them used against me by Legion assassination squads, so beware the wrath of Caesar!
It always bugged me how the . 50 MG got explosive rounds but shotguns didn't when a shotgun is a much better delivery system for explosive slugs. In fact, handloaders have been filling the hollow base of Foster slugs with hot glue to make them more accurate for years, and even major ammo manufacturers have started to figure that out recently. I see no reason someone couldn't fill the slug with plastique and rig up some sort of impact-detonation system with a primer.
BALANCE: Because explosives and shotguns are both so ineffective in FNV to begin with, this mod wasn't nearly as overpowered as I expected it to be. That said, it does make shotguns much more powerful. It's tons of fun in the sawed-off shotgun, but using this with a riot shotgun or even a hunting shotgun miiiiiiiiiight feel OP to some players. I play exclusively on Very Hard difficulty with A World of Pain, Dangerous Wasteland, and Increased Wasteland Spawns all enabled to make the game much more challenging than usual.
REQUIREMENTS: FNV and Gun Runners' Arsenal.
VERSIONS: For gameplay purposes, I made two versions. One uses a stick of dynamite to make 4 explosive slugs at a time, because there's a lot of that around, while the other, more realistic one uses a block of C4 to make batches of 20 slugs (you also get a scrap electronics back).
COMPATIBILITY: It's compatible with all mods that don't modify the 12-gauge ammo list, and probably with some that do. It works fine with AWOP, DW, and IWS as mentioned above, and with Weapon Mods Expanded (WMX).
Adds a crafting recipe for 12-gauge explosive shotgun slugs, requiring the Gun Runners' Arsenal DLC. A compact utility mod for Fallout: New Vegas players who want explosive ammo without console commands. 200 endorsements and 4,225 downloads show steady community use since 2015.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Community-tested with 200 endorsements and 4,225 downloads — solid for a niche ammo mod.
- Fills a gap: lets you craft explosive slugs instead of relying on rare drops or console commands.
- Simple and lightweight — no bloat, just adds a recipe.
⚠️ Cons
- Requires the GRA DLC, so base-game-only players are locked out.
- No documentation on where the recipe appears or how to unlock it — you'll have to hunt for it.
- Last updated in 2015 — might conflict with mods that overhaul crafting or ammo, though core game is stable.
For Fallout: New Vegas players who love explosive builds and want a reliable way to craft explosive shotgun slugs. Perfect for survival runs where ammo is scarce. Skip if you don't have GRA or prefer gameplay overhauls.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Make sure you have the Gun Runners' Arsenal DLC installed and activated before loading this mod.
- Check your crafting menu at a workbench — the recipe should appear under Ammo, but if not, verify the mod is enabled in your load order.
- If you use a mod manager, install this as a simple archive; no special load order needed, but keep it above any crafting overhaul mods.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- New Vegas Mods
- Author
- WalkerDrum
- Version
- 1.1
- Downloads
- 4,225
- Endorsements
- 200
- Category
- Ammo
- Created
- 4/10/2015
- Updated
- 4/16/2015
🔧 How to Install New Vegas Mods
Download from Nexus.
📖 Full step-by-step install guide for New Vegas →
Visit the official mod page for specific installation instructions for this mod.
🎮 Need cheat codes or console commands? Check ur gaming wiki for New Vegas commands, item IDs, and more.
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