RDR2 weapons by category: revolvers, pistols, repeaters, rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, the bow, throwables and melee weapons. Gunsmith prices, the chapter each gun unlocks in, unique weapons and arrow recipes.
How weapons work in Red Dead Redemption 2
Weapons in RDR2 are about upkeep as much as stats. Guns get dirty and wear down, so you need to oil them yourself or have the Gunsmith clean them. Sidearms (revolvers, pistols and the sawed-off) sit in a holster, and you can carry one in each hand, while long arms — rifles, shotguns, the bow — Arthur takes from his horse.
You buy and customize weapons at the Gunsmith: ammo, scopes, new barrels, engraving and finishes. Part of the stock unlocks only after certain story missions, and some pistols, such as the Semi-Automatic Pistol and the Mauser Pistol, are sold only in the big towns — Saint Denis and Valentine.
Weapon cheats also work in Story Mode, but while a cheat is active the game does not save and achievements are disabled. The phrases and the fine print are on the RDR2 cheats page.
RDR2 firearms: prices and unlocks
Names are in English, as in the game. Prices and chapters were cross-checked between the GameRevolution guide and the Red Dead Wiki on Fandom; the table lists only what the two agree on. Prices are base prices without upgrades.
| Weapon | Category | Gunsmith price | When available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattleman Revolver | Revolver | $50 | from the start of the game |
| Double-Action Revolver | Revolver | $65 | Chapter 2, after A Strange Kindness |
| Schofield Revolver | Revolver | $84 | Chapter 2, after Blessed are the Meek? |
| Volcanic Pistol | Pistol | $150 | on sale from the start |
| Semi-Automatic Pistol | Pistol | $210 | Chapter 4, after The Joys of Civilization (Saint Denis and Valentine gunsmiths) |
| Mauser Pistol | Pistol | $250 | Chapter 5, after That's Murfree Country (Saint Denis and Valentine gunsmiths) |
| Carbine Repeater | Repeater | $90 | given in Chapter 1 (Old Friends) |
| Lancaster Repeater | Repeater | $135 | given in Chapter 2 (An American Pastoral Scene) |
| Litchfield Repeater | Repeater | $145 | given in Chapter 6 (Goodbye, Dear Friend) |
| Varmint Rifle | Rifle | $72 | on sale from the start |
| Springfield Rifle | Rifle | $120 | on sale from the start |
| Bolt Action Rifle | Rifle | $180 | given in Chapter 3 (Preaching Forgiveness as He Went) |
| Sawed-Off Shotgun | Shotgun | $85 | given in Chapter 1 (Enter, Pursued by a Memory) |
| Double-Barreled Shotgun | Shotgun | $95 | on sale from the start |
| Pump-Action Shotgun | Shotgun | $148 | Chapter 2, after Pouring Forth Oil |
| Semi-Auto Shotgun | Shotgun | $225 | Chapter 4, after A Fine Night of Debauchery |
| Repeating Shotgun | Shotgun | $185 | Chapter 6, after Visiting Hours |
| Rolling Block Rifle | Sniper rifle | — | Chapter 2, after Pouring Forth Oil |
| Carcano Rifle | Sniper rifle | — | Chapter 6, after Goodbye, Dear Friend |
For the Rolling Block Rifle and Carcano Rifle sniper rifles, the sources give the unlock window but no matching price, so we leave it out. The Evans Repeater and the M1899 Pistol were not in the game at the console launch: they came with later versions.
Unique weapons: where to find them
Unique guns have special finishes, but the Gunsmith cannot customize them. The main rule is not to miss them: some can be picked up only once.
| Weapon | Where to get it |
|---|---|
| Flaco's Revolver, Granger's Revolver, Calloway's Revolver, Midnight's Pistol | trophies from the legendary gunslingers side story: loot them from the body right away, you cannot get them back later |
| Algernon's Revolver | reward for the Duchesses and Other Animals side quest (from Chapter 4) |
| Otis Miller's Revolver | a box in Cholla Springs at the end of a treasure hunt; available in the Epilogue |
| Micah's Revolver | at the top of Mount Hagen after the Epilogue finale |
| Rare Shotgun | from the hermit in a cabin north of Annesburg |
| Rare Rolling Block Rifle | from the sniper in Magicians for Sport (Chapter 3); easy to miss |
| Antler Knife, Civil War Knife, Wide-Blade Knife, Viking Hatchet and others | finds in the open world |
All story missions by chapter are on the RDR2 missions page, and the locations are in the RDR2 map section.
The bow and arrows
The Bow is the only bow in Story Mode. Arthur gets it automatically at the very start of the game. It is silent, and you can often pick regular arrows back up.
There are several arrow types, and some of them are crafted:
- Improved Arrow — a regular arrow plus a Flight Feather; flies faster and hits harder, good for big game.
- Dynamite Arrow — an arrow, a Flight Feather and dynamite; explodes on impact. The recipe unlocks with a pamphlet, and these arrows are no good for hunting: they ruin the pelt.
- Small Game Arrow, Poison Arrow, Fire Arrow — for small game, poison and setting fires; some of these recipes also need pamphlets.
For hunting small animals without spoiling the pelt, the Varmint Rifle works too. More on hunting and horses is on the RDR2 horses page.
Throwables and melee weapons
Throwables are sold by the Fence, and some are handed out by the story:
- Throwing Knife — throwing knives, available from early missions; improved and poison variants can be crafted.
- Tomahawk — on sale from Chapter 2.
- Dynamite — dynamite.
- Fire Bottle — incendiary bottles.
- Lasso — available from the start; used to hogtie people and catch horses.
Melee: the Hunting Knife is there from the start, the Machete, Hatchet and Cleaver can be bought from Chapter 5, and rare knives and hatchets are scattered around the world — the Antler Knife on a bear's body, the Civil War Knife at Fort Brennand, the Jawbone Knife as the reward for all the dinosaur bones.
Red Dead Online weapons
Red Dead Online got its own models in updates. For example, the Navy Revolver is sold at the Gunsmith in the online mode and is absent from the story campaign. Some bonuses are tied to GTA Online: tasks with the Stone Hatchet and the Double-Action Revolver in GTA Online unlock the matching items in RDR2. Cheats do not work in Red Dead Online, and third-party programs lead to a ban.
RDR2 weapons FAQ
Where do you buy weapons in RDR2?
From the Gunsmith in towns. The widest choice is in Saint Denis and Valentine: only there can you buy the Semi-Automatic Pistol and the Mauser Pistol.
How do you make dynamite arrows in RDR2?
You need a regular arrow, a Flight Feather and dynamite, and the recipe itself unlocks with a pamphlet. The arrow explodes on impact, so it is not suited to hunting.
How do you make improved arrows?
A regular arrow plus a Flight Feather. These arrows fly faster and hit harder — handy for big game.
Is the Navy Revolver in RDR2 Story Mode?
No, the Navy Revolver is sold only in Red Dead Online.
Which unique guns are easy to miss?
The legendary gunslinger trophies (Flaco's, Granger's and Calloway's Revolver, Midnight's Pistol) and the Rare Rolling Block Rifle from Magicians for Sport: you have to pick them up right away.
How do you get every weapon at once?
With weapon cheats. They work only in Story Mode and block achievements and saving. The phrases are on the RDR2 cheats page.
Sources
- Official: Rockstar Games, Rockstar Newswire, Rockstar Support, Take-Two Interactive
- Databases and guides: Red Dead Wiki, RDR2.org, GTABase, PowerPyx
- Press: GamesRadar, PC Gamer, IGN, VGC, Game Informer
Every fact is checked against official sources or at least two independent ones; player-sourced data is labelled in the text. Images are official Rockstar Games material. GTA Top is not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.