Then you did something weird.
Dropped Items disappear all the time.
Dropped items don't disappear normally, unless the cell (which is a chunk of the game world that the player is in) happens to have a reset flag or a wandering NPC decides to snatch your item. Sometimes items can glitch through the terrain causing them to wind up missing too. Regardless, its usually best to just keep your items away from NPCs in a safe indoors container that you know for a fact doesn't respawn (some containers have loot that respawns every 72 hours or so that will delete anything and everything currently in the container). The only safe containers that I can think of right now in FO3 are all containers in designated player homes (unless added by themes). In New Vegas the player home containers are safe for most everything unless its a food item (storing food in your lucky 38 suite will get stolen by companions), The Sink (Old World Blues DLC) is safe for all items, and also that trash can right next to the gun runners doesn't respawn either making it a great place to store things like crafting parts.
I wasn't talking about his 10mm pistol.
That you just get when your dad dies.
I was talking about his laser pistol.
So don't just call it stupid if you don't know what I'm talking about.
Uh, actually no, you weren't. Check the previous comments and your own, not one mention of Col. Autum's Laser Pistol is there.
People don't actually steal things. That's just how people rationally explain items disappearing.
Actually, if an NPC is in combat, it will instinctively pick up a weapon off the ground if it is better than theirs and use it. Same goes for food items (regardless of how much health they have) they will pick up and eat food items left around. This applies to Oblivion, FO3, and NV.
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