So, you’ve finally moved into Hardmode. The Wall of Flesh is toast, the world is bleeding Hallow and Corruption, and suddenly your trusty Minishark feels like it’s shooting spitballs at a freight train. You need more power. You look at the crafting recipes for the Megashark or the Sandgun and you see it: Terraria illegal gun parts.
The name sounds cool. Edgy, even. But then you see the price.
35 Gold.
For a single crafting ingredient. In the early game, that’s a fortune. It’s the kind of price tag that makes you hover your mouse over the "buy" button while sweating because you also need to reforge your wings. Honestly, the Arms Dealer is a total scam artist, but he’s the only guy in the world with the inventory you need to actually survive the mechanical bosses. You’ve basically got no choice but to pay the tax.
When Does the Arms Dealer Actually Sell Them?
Don't go looking for these at noon. If the sun is up, the Arms Dealer acts like he’s a law-abiding citizen. He won't even mention them. You have to wait until the moon is up. Between 8:30 PM and 4:30 AM in-game time, his inventory shifts, and the Terraria illegal gun parts appear at the bottom of the list.
It’s a bit of a flavor win for Re-Logic, honestly. The idea that he’s selling "black market" goods only under the cover of darkness fits his whole vibe.
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There is one exception to the night-only rule, though. If you’re playing on a "Celebrationmk10" world—which was the special seed added for the game's 10th anniversary—the Arms Dealer is feeling a bit more festive and less cautious. In those specific worlds, he’ll sell you the parts whenever you want, day or night. But for 99% of players on a standard run, you’re stuck waiting for the stars to come out.
What Can You Actually Build With Them?
You aren't buying these just to look at them. They are a core component for three specific weapons, though one of those is widely considered a meme by the community while the other two are absolute staples of a Ranger playthrough.
The Megashark: The King of Mid-Hardmode
This is the big one. Most players buy Terraria illegal gun parts specifically to craft the Megashark. It’s the natural evolution of the Minishark, and for many, it’s the weapon that carries them all the way through Plantera and Golem. To make it, you’re going to need:
- 1 Minishark
- 5 Shark Fins
- 1 Illegal Gun Part
- 20 Souls of Might (which means you have to kill the Destroyer first)
The Megashark is incredible because it has a 50% chance not to consume ammo. When you pair that with a set of Hallowed or Shroomite armor, you’re basically a walking A-10 Warthog. It turns the game into a bullet-hell where you’re the one providing the bullets.
The Sandgun: For the Weirdos
The Sandgun is... strange. It’s available in Pre-Hardmode, which makes it one of the few ways to use Terraria illegal gun parts before the world gets significantly harder. You need the parts, 10 Antlion Mandibles, and 5 Topaz.
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Here’s the thing: it uses Sand as ammo. It does decent damage for the early game, but it leaves blocks of sand everywhere. If you miss your target, you’re literally terraforming your arena into a mess of yellow blocks that you’ll have to dig up later. Most people skip this unless they’re doing a very specific challenge run or just want to mess around with the physics.
The Flamethrower: Post-Skeletron Prime
If you prefer burning things to poking them with lead, the Flamethrower is your go-to. It requires the parts, 20 Souls of Fright (from Skeletron Prime), and some Cursed Flames or Ichor depending on your world type. It’s a solid crowd-control weapon, especially for the Pirate Invasion or the Solar Eclipse, but it lacks the single-target shredding power of the Megashark.
Is the 35 Gold Price Tag Really Fair?
Money in Terraria is a weird thing. By the time you’re farming the Moon Lord, 35 Gold is pocket change. You probably have Platinum coins rotting in a chest somewhere. But in early Hardmode? 35 Gold is a massive investment.
Think about it this way. A single "Illegal Gun Part" costs more than a full suit of Gold armor or almost any other NPC-sold utility item at that stage of the game. It’s a deliberate progress gate. The developers at Re-Logic wanted to make sure that jumping from the Minishark to the Megashark felt like a massive financial and tactical leap.
If you're struggling to scrape the cash together, stop selling your ores. Start farming the Queen Bee. Even in Hardmode, the Queen Bee is a literal ATM. One or two kills and you'll have enough to satisfy the Arms Dealer's greed. Or, if you’re feeling brave, just go farm the cavern layer for a bit; the increased enemy spawn rates in Hardmode mean the gold piles up faster than you’d think.
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Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
One of the biggest mistakes players make is buying the Terraria illegal gun parts too early. I’ve seen people grind for hours in Pre-Hardmode to get the 35 Gold for a Sandgun, only to realize the Sandgun is kind of a pain to use. Unless you are a completionist, save your money.
Wait until you’ve defeated at least one Mechanical Boss.
Another point of confusion is the "Illegal" part of the name. Some players think that carrying these will make NPCs react differently or that it might trigger some kind of event. It won't. There’s no "police" in Terraria. The name is purely flavor. You can carry a backpack full of them right past the Guide and he won't say a word. He’s probably seen worse, honestly. The man lives in a world where you can summon a wall of literal flesh by throwing a voodoo doll in lava. Illegal gun parts are the least of his concerns.
Expert Tips for Using Your New Hardware
Once you’ve sucked it up and bought the parts, and you’ve finally crafted your Megashark, don't just use Musket Balls. That’s a waste of a high-tier weapon.
- Crystal Bullets: These are the gold standard for the Megashark. On impact, they shatter into three shards, each dealing a percentage of the base damage. It’s a DPS monster against large bosses like the Destroyer or Plantera.
- Chlorophyte Bullets: If your aim is garbage (like mine is half the time), these are a lifesaver. They home in on targets. You can literally fire in the general direction of a boss while focusing entirely on dodging, and the bullets will find their mark.
- Endless Musket Pouch: If you’re just clearing out trash mobs, craft the Endless Musket Pouch at a Crystal Ball. It costs 3,996 Musket Balls to make, but it gives you infinite ammo. Since the Megashark already saves ammo, this ensures you never, ever run out during a long exploration trip.
The Terraria illegal gun parts represent a turning point in a Ranger's journey. It’s the transition from "survivalist with a gun" to "walking personification of the military-industrial complex." It’s expensive, it’s annoying to wait for nightfall, and the Arms Dealer is definitely overcharging you, but the moment you start tearing through the jungle with a Megashark, you’ll realize it was worth every copper.
Your Next Steps in Hardmode
- Check your clock. If it’s not 8:30 PM yet, go farm some Shark Fins in the Ocean biome while you wait for the Arms Dealer's stock to rotate.
- Double-check your Soul count. Remember that the Megashark specifically needs Souls of Might from The Destroyer. If you’ve only killed Skeletron Prime or The Twins, you’re not ready to craft the big gun yet.
- Empty your piggy bank. Make sure you have exactly 35 Gold in your inventory before you talk to the Arms Dealer, or he’ll just stare at you while you awkwardly realize you’re 2 Gold short.
- If you're looking to save money, try moving the Arms Dealer and the Nurse into a house together in the Desert. Their happiness will lower his prices, potentially saving you several Gold on those "illegal" parts.