The Chinese Assault Rifle is a great weapon. Pretty good accuracy, large clip size, and the ability to unload a full clip quickly.

What’s better than the Chinese Assault Rifle? The Xuanlong Assault Rifle – the unique, named version of the Chinese Assault Rifle in Fallout 3.

This rifle can be a bit tough to obtain if you don’t know what you’re doing. In order to get it, you must complete a sidequest that contains a puzzle. To make matters worse, one mistake in the puzzle and you’ll have lost your chance to get the item for good.

To obtain the Xuanlong Assault Rifle, you’ll need to go to the Museum of Technology in the downtown area. Inside, you can complete a puzzle through a series of computer terminals. If you successfully complete the puzzle, you’ll be told to meet up at the Jury Street Metro Station – and you’ll find Prime’s dead body there with the Rifle.

Important Note: You can’t take a shortcut and just go to the Jury Street Metro Station. If you haven’t completed the side quest, Prime’s body (and the rifle) won’t be there.

Quick Walkthrough – Finding the Xuanlong Assault Rifle

Here’s the down and dirty version of the walkthrough.

Find your way to the Museum of Technology in the downtown area. In the first room, you’ll see a computer terminal with an option titled “#000.” Use it and you’ll learn that a guy, Prime, left some clues around the Museum about a stash of items.

There are three terminals scattered around the Museum that you need to find. The first is that one that you used to get the clue. Each one will have an option with a # (#001, #002, or #003) and you need to respond with the correct number to complete the puzzle.

The trick is that your response must be a prime number. You remember what those are, right? Think back to math class.

The other tough part is finding the three terminals – because there are a lot of terminals in the building. If you’re too lazy to find them yourself, check out the detailed walkthrough and the screenshots below.

Once you find the three computer terminals and enter the right responses, you’ll be told where a stash of items is inside the museum. More importantly, Prime will tell you to meet him at the Jury Street Metro Station (west of Vault 101) – and his dead body will be there with the Xuanlong Assault Rifle.

Important Note: If you try to solve the puzzle on  your own, be sure to save it before you start. If you mess up any of the responses, you’ll fail the quest and you’ll never be able to get the Xuanlong Assault Rifle.

Detailed Walkthrough – Finding the Xuanlong Assault Rifle

I managed to solve this quest on my first run through the game, but it involved a lot of wandering around aimlessly and a lot of re-loading when I got wrong answers. If you want to avoid that, here’s is a very detailed guide to completing the side quest. At the end of this page, you’ll also find a lot of screenshots that document exactly how to go through the museum and solve the puzzle.

First, head to the Museum of Technology. It’s in the Mall in the Downtown area,  about four squares from the bottom of the map and two squares from the right.

When you enter the museum, there is a computer terminal against the far wall. First, kill the Super Mutants in the room, and then interact with the computer.

Use the last option, “#000.” Prime tells you that he has left clues throughout the museum to help you find a stash of goods inside the museum.

The same computer terminal will now have an option, “#001.” Use it. You should see four numbers that you can pick from. You want to pick the prime number. For this terminal, choose #019. The terminal should now say “#001 Confirmed.”

Next, go upstairs. Go through the Vault Tour, and at the other side you should find a double door that leads into the West Wing of the museum (another local zone).

As soon as you enter the West Wing, ahead and to your left are two computer terminals against the wall. Interact with the terminal on the right and select the option titled “#002.” Again, you want to respond with the prime number (this time #053), and again you’ll see “#002″ confirmed.

In the next room, you should see a giant rocket. Follow the stairs all the way to the ground floor, and on the wall opposite the stairs you’ll see another computer terminal. This one should have the option titled “#003″ and you should respond “#113.”

After you respond correctly, you’ll see a new option labeled “Get Passcode.” Choose that, and you’ll get a message from Prime telling you where to go. You can now go find the secret stash of loot inside the museum, but more importantly you can go to the Jury Street Metro Station and pick up your Assault Rifle!

Backtrack out of the Museum of Technology, and head to the Metro Station. If you haven’t discovered it yet, go to Vault 101 and head due west. There should be a marker on your map from completing the quest (Jiggs’ Loot) in the museum. It’s about two squares to the west of Vault 101.

Outside the Metro Station is a diner. Walk inside, and you should find Prime’s body on a table behind the counter. Walk up, loot away, and enjoy your Xuanlong Assault Rifle!

It’s a huge upgrade over the regular Chinese Assault Rifle, with a larger ammo capacity and higher damage. Definitely a great gun to hold onto if you like Small Guns.

Illustrated Walkthrough – Finding the Xuanlong Assault Rifle

In case you’re having trouble finding some of the locations mentioned above, here’s a completely illustrated version of the walkthrough.

Enjoy the weapon!