8 Weapons You Should Get As Soon As Possible

There are dozens of different weapons of the west that players can collect throughout Red Dead Redemption, but you don’t have to go too far for some of the best RDR1 weapons. In fact, there is a fair bit of overlap when it comes to the best weapons in Red Dead Redemption and the best weapons you can get early in RDR1.

Almost all of these best early-game weapons Red Dead Redemption players can collect are found before the middle of the game, though you may have to go out of your way to get some of these early. Save up your Dollars, complete stranger missions and prerequisite story missions, and get some of these best early weapons in Red Dead Redemption soon after starting the game.

8 Volcanic Pistol

High Power Pistol, Right At The Start

The Volcanic Pistol is a straight upgrade from the default Cattleman’s Revolver with higher Power, Range, and Ammo Capacity. It has a slightly slower Rate of Fire, and a slightly slower Reload Speed, but because it’s so easy to get almost immediately after starting the game and has generally higher stats, it’s a no-brainer upgrade to pick up as soon as you can to make Red Dead Redemption a little bit easier.

To get the Volcanic Pistol, Red Dead Redemption players must either purchase it from the Gunsmith in Armadillo, or clear out the Twin Rocks hideout to get it from loot on enemy bodies or from a Chest in the area.

7 Lasso

Boost Income & Tame Horses Early

The Lasso is not necessarily a weapon that you’ll use in combat, but it’s a good idea to unlock it as early as possible to gain access to the variety of benefits it brings. It won’t kill enemies, but that’s exactly the point – with a Lasso, you can subdue and tie up enemies to bring them in Alive for higher Bounty rewards, and can be used to lasso wild Horses to hold htem still and Break them.

To get the Lasso, Red Dead Redemption players must complete the main story mission Wild Horses, Tamed Passions.

6 Winchester Repeater

A Strict Upgrade Over The Default Repeater

The Winchester Repeater is a strong early game weapon in Red Dead Redemption that’s essentially a pure upgrade from the starting repeater. This gun has higher Power, Range, RoF, and Ammo Capacity than the default Repeater Carbine, and you can get it very early. It works well while in Dead Eye mode, too, despite its relatively lower Rate of Fire.

To get the Winchester Repeater, Red Dead Redemption players can either purchase it from the Gunsmith in Armadillo for $350, or acquire it for free during the main story mission Spare The Rod, Spoil The Bandit.

5 Double-Barreled Shotgun

The First Shotgun You Can Acquire

The Double-Barreled Shotgun is one of the first Shotguns you can acquire in Red Dead Redemption, but it’s far from the worst. In fact, of all Shotguns, this one has the best aim – the spread of this weapon is lower than other Shotguns, though it can only hold two shells at once.

To get the Double-Barreled Shotgun, Red Dead Redemption players must purchase it from the Gunsmith in Armadillo for $300.

4 Buffalo Rifle

Extremely High Power, Single-Shot Rifle

The Buffalo Rifle is among the strongest guns in Red Dead Redemption, but it has one fatal flaw. With a single bullet it will kill even the largest animals in the game, but you only get one bullet. It’s accurate, it has good range, and of course extremely high damage – but the reload time means you need to be very careful with your shots, and have a backup weapon if things get hairy.

To get the Buffalo Rifle, Red Dead Redemption players must complete any of the Master Hunter challenges up to Rank 5. After reaching this requirement, you can purchase the Buffalo Rifle from any Gunsmith for $450.

3 Dynamite

Explosive Damage – But Watch Out

Dynamite is an extremely powerful Thrown weapon in Red Dead Redemption if you can make sure to avoid being hit by the explosion. It will kill almost any enemy in the game in one blast, but you have to make sure to time and aim it correctly. Use this when combat begins, then switch to a more reliable Gun, or use it against enemies who are grouped up – just be careful.

To get Dynamite, Red Dead Redemption players can find it in a Dynamite Camp random event, or purchase it from any Gunsmith after completing the main story mission Mexican Caesar. You can also find it in the Nosalida Gang hideout, which is home to the Reyes’ Rebels gang.

2 Fire Bottle

Cover An Area In Flames

Like Dynamite, the Fire Bottle is a Thrown weapon that allows John Marston to quickly deal with lots of enemies at once. With proper aim, you can blanket an area with fire, preventing enemies from moving into the inferno, and burning any enemy unlucky enough to get caught in the blast. It can also set stagecoaches and enemies on fire, destroying or dealing damage to them over time.

To get a Fire Bottle, Red Dead Redemption players must complete either the “Civilization, At Any Price” or “The Demon Drink” story missions. It can be found on a body in the former, and will be given to John Marston in the latter.

1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

The Best Early To Mid-Game Pistol

The Semi-Automatic Pistol is one of the best weapon you can get early in Red Dead Redemption because of how affordable it is, compared to other guns, and how strong it is in combat. This Pistol fires faster than any other without sacrificing much Power, and is a significant upgrade over the basic Cattleman’s Pistol, though you can only get it in Mexico without using Cheats.

To get the Semi-Automatic Pistol, Red Dead Redemption players must purchase it from the Gunsmith in Escalera for $300. You can also acquire this for free by clearing out the Fort Mercer hideout and looking for a chest that contains it.