Red Dead Redemption 2, the sequel to Rockstar's rootin' shootin' cowboy adventure, first released on PS4 and Xbox One back in 2018. Almost two years later and six months after its PC release, Red Dead Redemption 2 is still drawing in new fans.
Whether playing as Arthur Morgan in single-player or taking on other players online, no cowboy is safe without a good weapon at their side. Red Dead Redemption 2 offers a wide variety of period-authentic weaponry, ranging from repeating rifles to molotov cocktails. To help players to survive in the wild west, here's the best and worst that the game has to offer.
S Tier
- Sawed-Off Shotgun: The undisputed king of Red Dead Redemption 2's shotguns, the iconic Sawed-Off brings all the raw, brutal punch in close-quarters combat that any cowboy could need. Able to be dual-wielded for extra killing power, the Sawed-Off Shotgun can fire Buckshot, Incendiary Buckshot, Slug, and Explosive Slug rounds.
- Carcano Rifle: The finest sniper rifle in the game, the Carcano Rifle can be acquired for free during the missions "The Delights of Van Horn" and "Goodbye, Dear Friend," becomng available from all gunsmiths following the latter. The Carcano brings unmatched power and long-range accuracy, along with a surprisingly fast firing rate and reload speed.
- Schofield Revolver: First available after "Blessed are the Meek?," the Schofield Revolver is a high-damage, high-accuracy firearm that favors careful shooting like RDR2's quickdraws rather than spray and pray. While it may be slower to fire and reload than most revolvers, players who use it well will never be disappointed with its killing power.
- Litchfield Repeater: With the highest damage of the game's four repeaters and a large ammo capacity, the Litchfield Repeater is a medium-range workhorse. There's no better weapon for clearing a hectic gunfight, taking out targets one at a time from behind cover.
- Semi-Automatic Pistol: The supremacy of the revolver is coming to an end in Red Dead Redemption 2, and no weapon makes it clearer than the Semi-Automatic Pistol. Despite its terrible damage, the Semi-Auto earns its place in S Tier through the fastest fire-rate in the game, good accuracy, and a quickly-reloaded 8 round clip.
- Pump-Action Shotgun: Available from all gunsmiths after "Pouring Forth Oil," the Lancaster Pump-Action Shotgun is the all-rounder of its class. Boasting a large-ammo capacity and quick reload, the shotgun has the staying power and killing power required to tackle man and beast alike in RDR2.
A Tier
- Springfield Rifle: The first non-scoped, non-repeater rifle on this list, the Springfield is a classic breech-loading single-shot weapon with great punch and accuracy but a very slow firing-rate.
- M1899 Pistol: Another modern side-arm in the vein of the Semi-Automatic Pistol, the M1899 has an excellent fire-rate and capacity, but lacks damage.
- Volcanic Pistol: Available from all gunsmiths after "Eastward Bound", the Volcanic Pistol is in many ways a hybrid sidearm/repeating rifle. Combining the portability of the former with the stopping power and ammo capacity of the latter, the pistol is only let down by its slow firing rate and reload speed.
- Bolt Action Rifle: For those players looking for a middle-ground between the Litchfield Repeater and the Carcano Rifle, look no further than the Bolt-Action. This 5-shot rifle has the ideal combination of range, damage and fire-rate to engage multiple targets at long range.
- Semi-Auto Shotgun: While on paper the Semi-Auto Shotgun is nearly indistinguishable from its Pump-Action cousin, in practice its lower range and damage fail to compensate for its faster fire-rate.
- Lancaster Repeater: Available from all gunsmiths from the start of the game, the Lancaster Repeater is a high-capacity, high fire-rate rifle that nevertheless fails to quite match up to the Litchfield Repeater's killing power.
- Evans Repeater: While not in the game at launch, the Evans Repeater finds a comparable spot to the Lancaster. Compared to the Lancaster it trades raw damage for a better range and a marginally improved reload-speed.
- Dynamite: Dynamite is a fantastic weapon for clearing out groups of enemies, as well as a useful tool in a surprising array of different situations.
B Tier
- Bow: Although it comes with a high skill-cap, the Bow is easily the most effective stealth weapon in the game. With a range of arrows available, the Bow is also highly versatile, and can be used for everything from hunting to blowing people up with dynamite.
- LeMat Revolver: While the LeMat Revolver is broadly on par with the Schofield in terms of most stats, it takes a significant penalty to fire-rate and reload speed in exchange for a single shot of buckshot under the main barrel.
- Mauser Pistol: Available from gunsmiths in Saint Denis and Valentine after the completion of "That's Murfree Country," the Mauser Pistol is a semi-automatic sidearm in the same vein as its faster-firing cousin, the Semi-Automatic Pistol.
- Carbine Repeater: The most versatile of the RDR2's repeating rifles, the Carbine Repeater can be fitted with a variety of mods to improve its performance in different categories. Unfortunately this customization comes at a cost, and this rifle is more of a jack-of-all-trades than a master of one.
- Double-Action Revolver: Another classic cowboy revolver, the Double-Action distinguishes itself by forgoing the need to cock between shots. While this gives it a quick fire-rate that's handy in mounted combat, its relatively low damage can leave it feeling a little lackluster.
- Repeating Shotgun: The last of the game's semi-automatic shotguns, the Lancaster Repeating Shotgun distinguishes itself through a slightly-larger clip size and quick fire-rate. Unfortunately it trades off the stopping power and tight spread of its cousins, making it feel less effective in combat.
C Tier
- Molotov Cocktail/Fire Bottle: While the Fire Bottle may be a showy way to ignite a coach or scare off a dangerous beast, its lack of damage and splash radius make it hard to recommend as a throw-able.
- Cattleman Revolver: As the basic revolver that the player starts the game with, the Cattleman revolver is quickly overtaken in almost all categories by its more-exclusive counterparts.
- Varmint Rifle: While the Varmint Rifle probably deserves to be in a higher tier if used for its specific purpose of hunting small game, in general use its lack of power makes it a poor choice.
- Double-Barreled Shotgun: While the Double-Barreled Shotgun packs a deadly punch at close-range, its tiny range and two-shot capacity leave it wanting in hectic firefights.
- Throwing Knives: A stealth competitor to the Bow, the Throwing Knives simply fail to match up in terms of accuracy and range.
- Rolling Block Rifle: Accuracy is about the one thing that players would expect a sniper rifle to deliver, but bizarrely the Rolling Block Rifle didn't get the memo. With its awkward scope and strange lack of precision, the Rolling Block won't be bringing in many Legendary Bounties.
While it's easy to declare which guns are good and which are bad, in a title like Red Dead Redemption 2 it's important to remember that the most important thing about a weapon is how it fits the player. Some prefer slow-firing, accurate powerhouses, others prefer spray and pray scatter-shots. Ultimately, the best weapon for any player in Red Dead Redemption 2 is the one that suits their play-style the best.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is out now on PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One.