This topic is simply for ways that you or someone you know may have discovered to secure really good weapons (or armor, or whatever) at realtively low levels. A good example is the way you can score expensive and snazzy-looking black combat armor (and a plasma rifle or three to boot) by letting that suicide bomber take out the Silver Rush. Though best not to do that if you're an EW specialist, as finding ammo might be difficult with the Silver Rush gone.

Here's one that I've discovered, it nets you a great gun, an awesome Unarmed weapon, and even a dose of the karma of your choosing:

You will need:
1 - set of spiked knuckles - purchased from Mr. Holdout or taken off a Freeside thug, or maybe a Fiend.
1 - Stealth Boy - you can find one in Goodsprings school
1 - 12.7mm SMG silencer (about 300 caps, I think Gun Runners sells it but I'm not sure)
Reasonable guns and unarmed skill.

1. Take your spiked knuckles into the Legion camp. They're a holdout weapon, even if your Sneak is low.
2. Find the Legionaire with the 12.7mm SMG in the mess area.
3. Activate your stealth boy.
4. Sneak up on the Legionaire and take him out with a sneak attack critical via your spiked knuckles. If you're properly placed, no one will notice.
5. Take his 12.7mm and silence it. Having spare ammo in that caliber is a good idea, but you'll probably score enough from the body.
6. Sneak over to the (lone) Praetorian guard next to the tent entrance. Take him out with a burst to the head (also a sneak attack critical). Best to save before doing this, the 12.7's accuracy is a bit dodgy.
7. Swipe his ballistic fist, and anything else of his you want.
8. If you wish (and have time), find Antony and pickpocket the teddy bear off him.
9. Go over to where Melody is. Either return the bear (awwww, you're such a sweetie) or destroy it (you rotten little creep).
10. Scored: one devastatingly deadly submachine gun, the most potent Unarmed weapon in the game, and some karma. And if you do it right, your Legion reputation won't be affected (you could even do this if you were supporting Ceasar).

So... what's your trick of choice?

Get some rad-away and a decent automatic and go to Vault 32's armory. I think it's Vault 32.

By the time you get the invitation to The Fort, you should have access to all that from more conventional sources. Besides, if you can get a 12.7mm silencer, you have already reached the Gun Runners, and you can buy the gun itself.

Also, you can do all of that much simpler. Take out the guy who takes away your weapons at the entrance to The Fort (I use a silenced 10mm pistol, but I suppose Spiked Knuckles work), and you can bring anything you want inside on your next visit. A silenced Sniper Rifle (which is easier to obtain than a 12.7mm silencer) can easily take out everyone in The Fort, and you'll have more stuff than you ever needed.

Lots of good weapons can be obtained at low levels with little effort.

1) Sniper rifle: can be obtained for free at the Mole Rat Ranch. Obstacles: a few traps and a hostile Brahmin.

2) Hunting Revolver: Found at Repconn Test Site

3) Trail Carbine: can be stolen from one of the houses in Novac

4) Hunting Shotgun- Can be found for free at Old Nuclear Test Site and at Horowitz Farmstead

5) Minigun- can be obtained from the Nightkin that kills Brahmin cows at Novac

6) Plasma Defenders- quite a few found at REPCONN Test Site

7) Q35 Matter Modulator at REPCONN headquarters

8) Lots of energy weapons up to and including a Plasma Caster can be stolen from the Silver Rush pretty much with impunity. You can pick them up in full view of the people present, carry to a safe place and steal.

Cresent Canyon, south east of Mojave Outpost, has an advanced radiation suit and combat armor, though there are some golden geckos and radiation.

There are two Bright follower corpses along your way to Ranger Station Charlie. One by a billboard with recruit legionaries, the other by a rock near the tunnel entrance with the vipers. They always have a random valuable energy weapon.
Durable Dunn's sacked caravan has two black combat armors.
Possible hunting rifle in the Repconn HQ's lobby. If it's not there, reload the autosave from when you entered the building and the corpses should have different loot.

Rob Silver Rush is the far easiest one for EW characters.

QUOTE: A silenced Sniper Rifle (which is easier to obtain than a 12.7mm silencer) can easily take out everyone in The Fort, and you'll have more stuff than you ever needed.

If you're a competent sniper, which I most assuredly am not. I like Unarmed because it's hard to miss. Both the kills in my previously mentioned method can be done in VATS, so even a clumsy oaf like me can execute them.

Another good weapon that's easy to score is the Cram Opener. Just find Little Buster by the Old Mormon Fort and loot it off his corpse. If you can't get a Blallistic Fist, it may well be the next best thing.

I actually only found one Combat Armor at Durable Dan's, but it's the black kind worn by the Van Graffs, easily the coolest-looking outfit in the game. The gray is also cool, and you can get a matching helmet, but there's no way to score it for free.

A free sniper rifle is in one of the tents at Camp McCarin, the tent with the bunks. That will get you going, onced fixed. I have not found much around Goodsprings. That stash in the rock with the peace symbol is very disappointing. Beat up combat armor and a beat-up service rifle would be nice.

Vault 34 ... but you need science of 100 to get into the goodies or 80 with a magazine.

Goodspring cave will have a Brightfollower with a EW.

You don't need to be a competent sniper when aiming through a powerful scope at someone's head wihle standing right behind them.

There are two ways you can get the reinforeced combat armor without paiying, 1 you can find one inside the truck in devils troath,
2, The mercenary who also has the special gaus rifle wears one. they both can be obtained at the start of the game by just running there.

Hardly easy to get. Little Buster only appears dead there after Three Card Bounty.

- Enter Strip
- Go to the Tops
- Start Talent Pool
- Get Mysterious Magnum
- Oh my god you got the Mysterious Magnum at lvl 10.

Well, you do need to take on a few mercenaries, which might be a fairly tough fight at low level.

Or you go and find the passwords for the computers ^_^

And you have to fight through all those ghouls and centaurs to get to the Devil's Throat. Still, free Reinforced Combat Armor is worth the risk, and a good follower will reduce it further. Thanks, Flyingpancake.

There's a free Hunting Rifle on the ground beside the train in Boulder City. No risk.

Before I leave Goodsprings, I get a shovel, a few antidotes and a bunch of stimpacks. Head up the road that's on the NNW side of Goodsprings, run (don't walk) all the way around to Chance's grave, loot the grave and run (don't walk) all the way back to Goodsprings.

I can usually get Chance's Knife around level 3. Super easy to repair and it does significant damage for a melee weapon (DPS 91.3).

P.S. Beware of cazadors.

If you take that route and battle the Vipers at Bonnie Springs, you can get Love and Hate (unique spiked knuckles) and a Trail Carbine.

thats why i took the one in the devil's troth, run in there avoid the centaurs and don't forget the special minigun.

Sneak around Gomorrah, kill all the Thugs, and loot. All the sawed-off shotguns, 10MM SMG's, and .44 Magnums you'll ever need. Or, when you're done, sell them all.

Just found the CZ-57, and yes it's awesome!

You want to massacre a town, try Nelson... only about five Legionaries in the place, and they're so far apart that you can take them one at a time. If you're a good Sneak, you can get mostly sneak attack criticals. No Stealth Boy or silencer required. And you get to put ol' Ranger Milo in his place.

And yes, one of the Legionaries also has a 10mm SMG, which is my favorite present for Boone.

lvl 12+ best recommended

How about 'This Machine' given by Contreras in McCarran?
The quest is quite easy, even at very low levels and by siding with him,
you have one more open shop were to sell junk and extra weapons.

It's easier to turn him into Lt. Boyd. Get the data on him and hand it over. She gives you the rifle. No fuss or playing errand boy. I did this my second play through because I have a glitch where I can't buy or sell to him. It always freezes. I could do his quest, but not trade.