C-4 Plastic Explosive

C-4 plastic explosive is a weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.

Gameplay
A powerful explosive weapon that can be placed on the ground like proximity mines, but will not detonate when enemies are near. A detonator must be used to set them off. If multiple C-4 charges are dropped, they will all go off simultaneously when the detonator is activated.

Reverse-pickpocketing plastic explosives will arm them prematurely. If detonated while hidden and staying hidden afterward, the Courier won't face consequences. Even if the target is dead, the C-4 will still be present on their corpse and can be detonated again. Non-player characters witnessing C-4 being placed may make remarks such as "I can see what you're doing!" but they will not take action. However, if the victim is hit when throwing down the charge or if the target wasn't successfully killed with the initial blast, they will turn hostile to the Courier.

It is possible to trigger a C-4 charge without a detonator by shooting it. As long as the Courier remains hidden, non-player characters will not turn hostile. As an improved holdout weapon, it can be brought into weapon-free areas such as casinos with a Sneak skill of 50.

Locations

 * One is carried by the gambler who attempts to bomb the Silver Rush during the Birds of a Feather quest (he does not carry a detonator).
 * It can be bought from Mick at Mick & Ralph's in Freeside if a Speech check is passed.
 * Four can be found at Mick & Ralph's.
 * Three can be found in the Black Mountain storage room as part of Tabitha's treasure hunt
 * Three can be found within the Vault 34 armory.
 * Several can be found in an explosive crate in the caves under Camp Guardian.
 * Can be bought from the arms merchant at the 188 Trading Post.
 * Cliff Briscoe in the Dino Bite gift shop in Novac may have them in his shop inventory.
 * One can be found within Dead Wind Cavern.
 * Four can be found inside Vault 19. One is hiding under the couch in the northeast corner of the southwest room on the living quarters floor, which is in the blue quarters section. To get past the door, talk to Philip Lem and he will hand over a passkey if his quest has been accepted. Another is in between the filing cabinets behind the desk in the doctor's office. The third is between the two vending machines in the cafeteria, around the left side of the Nuka-Cola vending machine. The last C-4 is located just outside the locked underground entrance to the overseer's office, between the door and the debris pile.
 * Can be bought from Chet in the Goodsprings General Store.
 * There is a chance of getting C-4 from explosives boxes in the Ruby Hill Mine.
 * Two can be found with a detonator in a footlocker at an NCR roadblock where the Courier can begin the quest Back in Your Own Backyard, east of the toxic dump site.
 * Three can be found with a detonator in a briefcase in the Lucky 38 cocktail lounge with a Hard (75 Lockpick required) lock.
 * One can be found at the Morning Star Cavern.
 * Can be occasionally bought from the Gun Runners.
 * Can be bought from Johnson Nash in Primm.
 * Can be bought from Lacey in the Mojave Outpost barracks.
 * Can be bought from Miguel in Miguel's Pawn Shop.
 * Two total can be found in two floating, wooden explosive crates on the east shore of the Colorado River near a small, unmarked cave with four lakelurks guarding three egg clutches. The small cave is south of the Hoover Dam. It is further south than the large cove just below the dam, round the next major bend in the river.
 * Six can be found in the top level of the Silver Peak Mine in explosives crates, just outside the fence's door, behind which is a Remnants power armor helmet.
 * Three can be found in Nopah cave, just south of Poseidon gas station.
 * Two can be found on a super mutant master near a pile of cazador eggs southwest of Ranger Station Foxtrot.
 * Occasionally found on Legionary assassins.
 * Three can be found in the Sierra Madre. Enter the police station via the west doorway. Turn north at Dog's cell to enter a short hallway & face west. Enter the first door on the right. In this room in an Average locked locker leaning in the northwest corner of the room.
 * One can be found in Zion Canyon. It's located in Two Skies cave adjacent to a reloading bench, and next to a computer terminal.

Bugs
Some versions of the game have a freezing glitch when C-4 is equipped in Vault 22. This can make completing the quest There Stands the Grass a little harder.