The Best Rifle And Repeater In Red Dead Redemption

Key Takeaways

• Rifles & repeaters are versatile in
  RDR
  , offering precision & balance in power, speed, & range.
• Rifles are ideal for single-shot kills, while repeaters are better for sustained shooting.
• The Henry Repeater is the best repeater, offering high damage & a distinctive lever-action mechanism.

Rifles and repeaters are some of the most versatile weapons in Red Dead Redemption, both offering great precision and accuracy in combat and hunting scenarios. Many players consider them to be the best ranged weaponry available in the game, with the ability to balance power, speed, and range.

While rifles are better used for deliberate shots, often resulting in single-shot kills, repeaters are great for sustained and repeated shooting, as the name suggests. Rifles are great for hunting and long-range take-downs of enemies, whereas repeaters can be used in ambushes, against multiple enemies, and for shooting while on horseback. Overall, repeaters are perhaps the most versatile gun in Red Dead Redemption, with rifles a close second. This list details which rifles and repeaters are the best, as well as where to grab them.

10 Repeater Carbine

Reliable Early Game Repeater

• Power: Moderate
• Range: Moderate
• Rate of Fire: Moderate
• Reload Speed: Slow

The Repeater Carbine is the first of its kind that players receive in Red Dead Redemption, and is known for its reliability in the early game, especially for targets that players don’t mean to kill. This makes the weapon extremely useful for bounty hunting and catching small animals. However, the Repeater Carbine is rendered relatively useless once players unlock some of the better repeaters in the game, such as the Winchester.

Players receive this gun in the second mission of the game, ‘New Friends, Old Problems’, where it is given to them by Bonnie MacFarlane.

9 Evans Repeater

High Damage But Inaccurate

• Power: Moderate
• Range: High
• Rate of Fire: Moderate
• Reload Speed: Low

This weapon is certainly useful, and is by no means the worst in the game. It deals high damage and has an extremely high ammunition capacity, but it has poor accuracy and takes a long time to reload, making it harder to use from long range, in sniping scenarios, or against tough enemies.

Players can purchase the Evans Repeater from the gunsmith in Blackwater for $1000, with discounts available for those on high honor runs.

8 Buffalo Rifle

Lethal But Inconvenient

• Power: Very High
• Range: High
• Rate of Fire: Low
• Reload Speed: High

The Buffalo Rifle is the strongest rifle in the game, even stronger than the Exploding Rifle, making it lethal in one shot to most targets. Players love this rifle for hunting, especially taking out larger animals like bears and bison, but its slow fire rate and low ammunition capacity make it extremely unhelpful in most combat scenarios. Some have noted how fun this weapon is, particularly on low honor runs, for causing maximum damage when not considering the consequences.

This rifle is available pretty early in the game, and is can be purchased from any gunsmith after the first few missions are completed.

7 Explosive Rifle

Exclusive To Liars And Cheats DLC

• Power: High
• Range: Medium
• Rate of Fire: Low
• Reload Speed: Medium

This unique weapon is only available with the Liars and Cheats DLC. Extremely expensive, the weapon can only be purchased in Blackwater for $10,000, a price which varies depending on the player’s honor.

The Explosive Rifle is a fun weapon to have on hand, with little precision but lots of sheer destructive power. One shot can kill multiple targets with ease, making it great for intense situations, but almost entirely impractical. Ammunition for this rifle is rare, and the explosive quality renders it almost useless if players wish to keep some people alive.

6 Winchester Repeater

A Dependable Early Game Repeater

• Power: Moderate
• Range: High
• Rate of Fire: Moderate
• Reload Speed: Slow

This early game repeater is reliable, but not particularly special or stand-out in any category. For medium-range combat, it is a dependable weapon of choice for fans, especially with its quick reload speed.

To purchase the Winchester Repeater, players should go to the Gunsmith in Armadillo. Alternatively, players can find it for free during the mission ‘Spare the Rod, Spoil the Bandit’, or as a reward from the sheriff (if he is left alive) after completing the Tumbleweed hideout.

5 Springfield Rifle

Perfect For Stealth And Sniping

• Power: High
• Range: High
• Rate of Fire: Low
• Reload Speed: Low

The Springfield Rifle is known for its precision, above all else. However, the slow rate of fire and reload speed make it an ineffective gun for active combat. Instead, it is the preferred weapon for slow hunting and sniping scenarios which don’t require many bullets.

There are lots of ways to get the Springfield Rifle during the game. It’s available during several early missions, including ‘We Shall Be Together In Paradise’, ‘The Assault on Fort Mercer’, and ‘Man is Born Unto Trouble’. Alternatively, it can be purchased from the gunsmith at Thieve’s Landing, with a discount for players on low honor runs, or found for free after completing the Gaptooth Breach hideout.

4 Bolt Action Rifle

Great Accuracy And Damage

• Power: High
• Range: High
• Rate of Fire: Low
• Reload Speed: High

One of the most versatile rifles available in Red Dead Redemption, the Bolt Action Rifle offers excellent accuracy and a satisfying amount of damage. That said, it is limited by its slow rate of fire, which makes it unhelpful in close-range scenarios and high-stakes situations like shootouts.

Players can purchase the Bolt Action Rifle in Escalera for $750, or for half that price on high honor runs. In Escalera, the Bolt Action Rifle is available very early in the game. Alternatively, players can find it next to the cannon in the fortieth mission, ‘The Gates of El Presidio’.

3 Henry Repeater

Best Repeater In The Game

• Power: High
• Range: High
• Rate of Fire: Moderate
• Reload Speed: Low

The Henry Repeater is easily the best repeater of the four available in the game. Primarily, it is the most powerful and offers by far the highest damage. It also has a reasonable ammunition capacity, topped only by the Evans Repeater. In particular, players comment on the way this repeater feels, with a distinctive lever-action mechanism that immerses the player in the game.

Unlike some other guns, which can be purchased from different locations across the map, the Henry repeater can only be obtained once players have completed the gang hideout at Nosalida.

2 Rolling Block Rifle

Excellent Except For Limited Ammunition

• Power: High
• Range: Very High
• Rate of Fire: Low
• Reload Speed: Medium

Fans of Red Dead Redemption often comment that the Rolling Block Rifle is one of the best-looking guns in the game, and one of the most powerful too. The sole issue with the Rolling Block is its severely limited ammunition capacity. With just one ammo slot, players are best not to use this in close combat.

The Rolling Block Rifle can be obtained from a few different missions in the game. First, it is available during ‘Empty Promises’, wherein the player is approached by Vincente de Santa. Later in the game, players might receive it from Luisa Fortuna’s mission ‘Must a Saviour Die?’, where it can be found at the top of the fort.

1 Carcano Rifle

A Fan Favorite Rifle

• Power: High
• Range: Very High
• Rate of Fire: Low
• Reload Speed: Medium

This is undoubtedly the best rifle in the game. The Carcano Rifle is a fan favorite with unbeatable long-range accuracy and reliability. It also offers faster reload speeds compared with other rifles in the game, giving it an edge in ambushes and against multiple enemies. The Carcano is also great for hitting moving targets because of the speed of its bullets, making it ideal for hunting larger animals.

The Carcano is available from the Gunsmith in the city of Blackwater, the cost of which is variable depending on honor ratings, with high honor players offered a large discount.