diff --git a/doc/040_cvarlist.md b/doc/040_cvarlist.md
index 6467ff32..818a8ef8 100644
--- a/doc/040_cvarlist.md
+++ b/doc/040_cvarlist.md
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ it's `+set busywait 0` (setting the `busywait` cvar) and `-portable`
 * **r_gunfov**: The weapons are rendered with a custom field of view,
   independently of the global **fov**, so they are not distorted at high
   FOVs.  A value of `75` should look identical to the old code at `fov
-  90`, it defaults to `80` because that looks a bit better.
+  90`, it defaults to `80` because that looks a bit better. Set to `-1`
+  for the same value as `fov`.
 
 * **horplus**: If set to 1 (the default) the horplus algorithm is used
   to calculate an optimal horizontal and vertical field of view,
@@ -281,6 +282,12 @@ it's `+set busywait 0` (setting the `busywait` cvar) and `-portable`
 * **gl3_particle_square**: If set to `1`, particles are rendered as
   squares, like in the old software renderer or Quake 1. Default is `0`.
 
+## Graphics (Software only)
+
+* **sw_gunzposition**: Z offset for the gun. In the original code this
+  was always `0`, which will draw the gun too near to the player if a
+  custom gun field of few is used. Defaults to `8`, which is more or
+  less optimal for the default gun field of view of 80.
 
 ## cvar operations
 
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/gl1/gl1_mesh.c b/src/client/refresh/gl1/gl1_mesh.c
index 65e902a6..91069521 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/gl1/gl1_mesh.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/gl1/gl1_mesh.c
@@ -664,22 +664,34 @@ R_DrawAliasModel(entity_t *e)
 
 	if (currententity->flags & RF_WEAPONMODEL)
 	{
-		extern void R_MYgluPerspective(GLdouble fovy, GLdouble aspect,
-				GLdouble zNear, GLdouble zFar);
+		extern void R_MYgluPerspective(GLdouble fovy, GLdouble aspect, GLdouble zNear, GLdouble zFar);
 
 		glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION);
 		glPushMatrix();
 		glLoadIdentity();
-		if (gl_lefthand->value == 1.0F)
-			glScalef(-1, 1, 1);
 
-		R_MYgluPerspective(r_gunfov->value, // render weapon with a different FOV so it's not distorted at high view FOV
-				(float)r_newrefdef.width / r_newrefdef.height,
-				4, 4096);
+		if (gl_lefthand->value == 1.0F)
+		{
+			glScalef(-1, 1, 1);
+		}
+
+		float dist = (r_farsee->value == 0) ? 4096.0f : 8192.0f;
+
+		if (r_gunfov->value < 0)
+		{
+			R_MYgluPerspective(r_newrefdef.fov_y, (float)r_newrefdef.width / r_newrefdef.height, 4, dist);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			R_MYgluPerspective(r_gunfov->value, (float)r_newrefdef.width / r_newrefdef.height, 4, dist);
+		}
+
 		glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
 
 		if (gl_lefthand->value == 1.0F)
+		{
 			glCullFace(GL_BACK);
+		}
 	}
 
 	glPushMatrix();
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/gl3/gl3_mesh.c b/src/client/refresh/gl3/gl3_mesh.c
index 0fc1653a..8b60f776 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/gl3/gl3_mesh.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/gl3/gl3_mesh.c
@@ -816,7 +816,15 @@ GL3_DrawAliasModel(entity_t *entity)
 		// render weapon with a different FOV (r_gunfov) so it's not distorted at high view FOV
 		float screenaspect = (float)gl3_newrefdef.width / gl3_newrefdef.height;
 		float dist = (r_farsee->value == 0) ? 4096.0f : 8192.0f;
-		gl3state.uni3DData.transProjMat4 = GL3_MYgluPerspective(r_gunfov->value, screenaspect, 4, dist);
+
+		if (r_gunfov->value < 0)
+		{
+			gl3state.uni3DData.transProjMat4 = GL3_MYgluPerspective(gl3_newrefdef.fov_y, screenaspect, 4, dist);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			gl3state.uni3DData.transProjMat4 = GL3_MYgluPerspective(r_gunfov->value, screenaspect, 4, dist);
+		}
 
 		if(gl_lefthand->value == 1.0F)
 		{
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/soft/header/local.h b/src/client/refresh/soft/header/local.h
index 8265cf85..b5c114fb 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/soft/header/local.h
+++ b/src/client/refresh/soft/header/local.h
@@ -419,6 +419,7 @@ extern cvar_t	*sw_mipscale;
 extern cvar_t	*sw_stipplealpha;
 extern cvar_t	*sw_surfcacheoverride;
 extern cvar_t	*sw_waterwarp;
+extern cvar_t	*sw_gunzposition;
 
 extern cvar_t	*r_fullbright;
 extern cvar_t	*r_lefthand;
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_alias.c b/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_alias.c
index 5c411066..67a9ba1d 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_alias.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_alias.c
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ R_AliasSetUpTransform(const entity_t *currententity)
 	{
 		viewmatrix[0][3] = 0;
 		viewmatrix[1][3] = 0;
-		viewmatrix[2][3] = 8;
+		viewmatrix[2][3] = sw_gunzposition->value;
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -723,9 +723,12 @@ R_AliasDrawModel(entity_t *currententity, const model_t *currentmodel)
 			return;
 		}
 
-		float gunfov = 2 * tan((float)r_gunfov->value / 360 * M_PI);
-		aliasxscale = ((float)r_refdef.vrect.width / gunfov) * r_aliasuvscale;
-		aliasyscale = aliasxscale;
+		if (r_gunfov->value >= 0)
+		{
+			float gunfov = 2 * tan((float)r_gunfov->value / 360 * M_PI);
+			aliasxscale = ((float)r_refdef.vrect.width / gunfov) * r_aliasuvscale;
+			aliasyscale = aliasxscale;
+		}
 
 		if ( r_lefthand->value == 1.0F )
 			aliasxscale = -aliasxscale;
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_main.c b/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_main.c
index 77fd7777..cf6c6e96 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_main.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_main.c
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ static cvar_t	*sw_overbrightbits;
 cvar_t	*sw_custom_particles;
 cvar_t	*sw_texture_filtering;
 cvar_t	*sw_retexturing;
+cvar_t	*sw_gunzposition;
 static cvar_t	*sw_partialrefresh;
 
 cvar_t	*r_drawworld;
@@ -372,6 +373,7 @@ R_RegisterVariables (void)
 	sw_custom_particles = ri.Cvar_Get("sw_custom_particles", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 	sw_texture_filtering = ri.Cvar_Get("sw_texture_filtering", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 	sw_retexturing = ri.Cvar_Get("sw_retexturing", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
+	sw_gunzposition = ri.Cvar_Get("sw_gunzposition", "8", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 
 	// On MacOS texture is cleaned up after render and code have to copy a whole
 	// screen to texture, other platforms save previous texture content and can be