Buying Weapons in Mogadishu

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

Here is a price list for some popular weapons in Mogadishu’s arms market:

Mortars

120 mm – $700 ($55 per mortar bomb)
82 mm – $300 ($25 per bomb)
60 mm – $200 ($18 per bomb)

Anti-aircraft guns (truck mounted)

23 mm – $20,000 ($2.50 per round)

37 mm version also available, but there is currently no ammunition in stock. Other, smaller variants are available for between $4,000 and $5,000, with their rounds quoted at $1 each.

Anti-tank weapons cost $5,000, while a rocket-propelled grenade launcher is quoted at $200, plus $150 per grenade.

Pistols

A new pistol from Yemen is $650, a second-hand one from Russia is $400 and a new American pistol is $700. A new Belgian pistol is $500 and a new Russian one is $1,000. Rounds cost between $1.50 and $3 each.

Rifles

An Indian-made AK-47 costs $140. Better quality versions from North Korea cost $600 and the Russian original costs $400.

Hand-grenades go for $25 each, landmines $100.

Comments

  1. Sconzey says:

    That’s quite a lot more expensive than I was expecting.

  2. Buckethead says:

    I just got my annual bonus. I’ll take an 80 mm mortar and 10 rounds. How do I make out the check?

    Also, what sort of truck comes with the AA gun? Toyota Hilux?

  3. Sconzey says:

    Related. A very young Jeremy Clarkson tries to kill a Toyota Hilux.

  4. Wobbly says:

    I use a Hilux as my farm vehicle. The Brits always want to buy it off me, probably because of that Top Gear episode. It’s an older one like in that video. About the worst that has happened to it has been a couple of dents from me dropping 330-kg (700-lb) hay bales onto the tray wall. It’s a good truck.

  5. Sconzey says:

    Also related. Everyone needs to know about the Toyota War.

  6. Isegoria says:

    Yep, the Toyota Hilux is the AK-47 of trucks.

  7. Sconzey says:

    I think that might even be a discredit to the Hilux — even after the reliability, it’s a pretty good truck.

  8. Isegoria says:

    I believe those prices reflect the cash-only and customer-pickup discounts, Buckethead. You need to bring your own Hilux — and ragtag militia.

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