Gun Buy:

A gun buy is a round where a team spends credits to purchase rifles or other primary weapons, plus armor and utility, instead of saving or forcing with weaker equipment.

In VALORANT, gun buys usually happen when a team has enough credits to equip most or all players, and they matter because weapon strength, armor, and abilities strongly affect duels and site hits. A full gun buy gives a team a better chance to win a round and avoid giving the enemy a cheap reset. Teams also coordinate gun buys around eco rounds, bonus rounds, and half-time transitions so that credits are distributed efficiently across the lineup.

Example: after winning a pistol round, a team may choose a gun buy on the next round, buying rifles and light armor to convert its economy advantage into a likely second-round win.

Related: Eco Round, Force Buy, Full Buy