Last updated: February 10, 2025

How to Fix Unable to Buy Certain Weapons in Counter-Strike 1.6

Are you unable to buy certain weapons in Counter-Strike 1.6, even when you have enough money? This issue can be frustrating, especially during competitive matches. In this guide, we’ll explore the reasons why weapons may be unavailable for purchase and provide solutions to fix the problem in both Steam and Non-Steam versions of CS 1.6.

Why Can’t You Buy Certain Weapons in CS 1.6?

If you cannot purchase specific weapons in CS 1.6, there are several possible causes:

• Game Mode Restrictions – Some weapons may be disabled in certain game modes (e.g., competitive servers).
• Buy Menu Errors – Incorrect key bindings or an outdated buy menu configuration.
• Server Restrictions – Some servers disable certain weapons through server settings.
• Insufficient Funds – You may not have enough in-game money, or your game may have a bug affecting your balance.
• Corrupted or Modified Game Files – Custom scripts or a broken game installation may prevent certain purchases.

Let’s go step by step to fix the problem and restore your ability to buy weapons.

How to Fix Unable to Buy Certain Weapons in CS 1.6

Check Buy Menu Key Bindings

Sometimes, incorrect key bindings can prevent you from opening the buy menu properly. To reset your buy keys:

1. Open CS 1.6 and go to Options > Keyboard.
2. Find the “Buy Menu” key (default is B) and ensure it is set correctly.
3. Click Apply, restart the game, and try purchasing weapons again.

If the buy key is still not working, you can manually rebind it:

• Open the console (~) and type:
  bind “b” “buymenu”

This will reset the B key to open the buy menu.

Ensure You Are in a Buy Zone

In Counter-Strike 1.6, you can only purchase weapons in a buy zone (spawn area) at the start of each round. If you are outside the buy zone or the round has progressed too far, you won’t be able to buy.

Try moving back to the spawn area and attempting to buy again. If the issue persists, proceed to the next steps.

Verify Money and Buy Time Settings

If you have enough money but still cannot buy, the server might have buy time restrictions.

1. Open the console and type:
   mp_buytime
   • This command displays the remaining buy time (default is 90 seconds).
   • If it shows 0, you won’t be able to buy weapons.
2. If you are playing offline, increase buy time with this command:
   mp_buytime 1.5 (this sets buy time to 90 seconds).

If you’re playing on a public server, the admin may have restricted buy time, and you won’t be able to change it.

Check Server-Side Weapon Restrictions

Some servers ban or restrict certain weapons (e.g., AWP, Auto-Snipers). To check if a weapon is disabled:

1. Open the console and type:
   mp_restrict_awp (for AWP)
   mp_restrict_g3sg1 (for auto-snipers)
2. If the value is 1, the weapon is restricted.

If you are playing on your own private server, you can enable restricted weapons by typing:

• mp_restrict_awp 0 (allows AWP purchases).
• mp_restrict_g3sg1 0 (allows auto-snipers).

If you’re playing on a public server, you cannot change these settings unless you are the server admin.

Remove Custom Buy Scripts

If you have installed custom scripts or config files, they might interfere with weapon purchases.

1. Go to your CS 1.6 installation folder.
2. Open the cstrike folder and locate config.cfg.
3. Open config.cfg with Notepad and search for lines starting with bind “b” or bind “f1”, f2, etc.
4. If you see custom scripts related to weapon buying, remove them and save the file.
5. Restart the game and try purchasing weapons again.

If you suspect your config.cfg is corrupted, you can delete it, and CS 1.6 will generate a new default file.

Verify Game Files (Steam Version)

If you are using the Steam version of CS 1.6 and weapons are missing, verifying game files can fix the issue:

1. Open Steam and go to Library.
2. Right-click on Counter-Strike 1.6 and select Properties.
3. Go to Local Files and click Verify Integrity of Game Files.
4. Wait for Steam to check and repair any missing or corrupted files.

If you’re using the non-steam version, downloading a clean installation from the direct link https://csdownload.net/cstrike may resolve the problem.

Reinstall CS 1.6 (Last Resort)

If none of the above solutions work, your game files may be corrupted beyond repair. Reinstalling Counter-Strike 1.6 can help:

1. Uninstall CS 1.6 completely.
2. Delete the cstrike and valve folders (to remove any leftover files).
3. Download a clean version from CSDownload.net (Non-Steam) or reinstall via Steam.

After reinstalling, check if the weapon purchase issue is resolved.

If you’re unable to buy certain weapons in CS 1.6, follow these steps:

✔ Reset your buy menu key bindings to ensure they work properly.
✔ Move to the buy zone at the start of the round.
✔ Check buy time and money settings to ensure purchases are allowed.
✔ Verify server-side restrictions that might block certain weapons.
✔ Remove custom scripts or corrupted config files.
✔ Verify game files (Steam) or reinstall CS 1.6 (Non-Steam) if the problem persists.