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The Lancaster Repeater is the strongest all-around pick for most Story Mode fights, but there is no official Rockstar top-ten ranking. This editorial list weighs combat usefulness across roles, class performance, and when a weapon becomes available. A gun that excels at one range or job may be a better choice for that situation than an all-purpose weapon.
How this Story Mode ranking works
This is a practical editorial ranking, not an official Rockstar list. It prioritizes broad combat utility while accounting for a weapon’s role, reported performance, and story availability. Relevant comparisons include damage, range, fire rate, reload, accuracy, and condition—the dimensions used in GameSpot’s weapon gallery. The available sources do not provide comparable figures for every gun below, so the order is a reasoned selection rather than a numerical scorecard.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Brand New Factory Sealed | $23.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Red Dead Redemption 2 (XBox One) | $25.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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X1 RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 | $26.24 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Red Dead Redemption - PlayStation 4 | $24.39 | Buy on Amazon |
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The recommendations are for Story Mode. Red Dead Online has separate availability and rank restrictions; an Online ranking should not be treated as a Story Mode recommendation. The RDR2.org weapon guide treats the modes separately.
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Lancaster Repeater — best all-around repeater
The Lancaster’s balanced combination of fire rate, range, accuracy, and ammunition flexibility makes it a dependable choice across many encounters. RDR2.org calls it the best repeater available in Story Mode, even though its listed damage is lower than some repeaters. That guide reports damage of 2.2/4, fire rate of 2.4/4, range of 2.6/4, and accuracy of 3/4; those are the guide’s values, not an official Rockstar stat table. It also notes that special ammunition can increase damage.
#1 Best Overall
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According to the same guide, you can buy the Lancaster from any Gunsmith after “An American Pastoral” in Chapter 2. If you want one repeater to carry through varied fights, its balance is the reason to choose it over a weapon that is stronger in only one dimension. RDR2.org’s Lancaster guide has its weapon-specific details.
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Bow — best for quiet, deliberate approaches
The bow fills a different role from a repeater or rifle: it suits a careful approach when you do not want every encounter to become an open gunfight. Its place here reflects role utility, not a claim that it outperforms firearms in a direct firefight. Choose it when stealth and a controlled shot matter more than sustained fire.
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Springfield Rifle — best for a deliberate long-range shot
A rifle is the more suitable choice when you have time to aim at a distant target rather than trade rapid shots at close range. The Springfield earns a place for that focused role; it is not an all-purpose substitute for a repeater in fast, close combat.
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Red Dead Redemption 2 (XBox One)- From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption
- The deepest and most complex world Rockstar Games has ever created. 4K Ultra HD not available on Xbox One or Xbox One S consoles
- Covers a huge range of 19th century American landscapes
- Play as Arthur Morgan, lead enforcer in the notorious Van der Linde gang
- Interact with every character in the world with more than just your gun
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Schofield Revolver — best dependable sidearm choice
A revolver is useful when a long gun is impractical or a fight moves into close quarters. The Schofield is a strong general-purpose sidearm pick for players who want a capable revolver without treating a pistol’s faster handling as the only priority.
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Pump-Action Shotgun — best for close-range stopping power
At short distance, a shotgun’s role is immediate impact rather than precision at range. The Pump-Action belongs on a loadout for close encounters, but its usefulness falls sharply when targets are far away. Special or Ultimate Edition owners can collect it free from a Gunsmith after completing Chapter 1; that bonus does not apply to standard-edition owners. Rockstar Support describes the qualifying-edition bonus weapons here.
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Rolling Block Rifle — best for a powerful, carefully placed shot
When a target is distant and you can take time to line up a shot, a purpose-built rifle is more appropriate than a close-range weapon. The Rolling Block is a specialist choice: prioritize it for deliberate shots, not for encounters where rapid follow-up fire is essential.
Rank #3
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Volcanic Pistol — best hard-hitting pistol option
The Volcanic suits players who want a sidearm chosen for impact rather than a fast string of shots. It is available as a free bonus from a Gunsmith after Chapter 1 only for qualifying Special or Ultimate Edition owners; standard-edition players should not expect the free edition bonus.
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Double-Action Revolver — best for a faster-firing revolver role
This revolver is worth considering when handling speed matters more to your sidearm choice than maximizing each shot’s impact. Its role is distinct from the Schofield’s dependable general-purpose appeal, so choose based on how you want your sidearm to behave in a close fight.
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Sawed-Off Shotgun — best compact close-range backup
The Sawed-Off provides a close-range option in a compact sidearm slot, making it useful when you want a shotgun-like answer without switching to a full-length long gun. It is a specialist backup, not a replacement for a rifle or repeater at distance.
Rank #4
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Lancaster Varmint Rifle — best for small-game use
The Varmint Rifle has a narrower job than the other combat-oriented picks: it is intended for small game, where using a heavier weapon is not the right tool. Its Story Mode value is specialization rather than broad combat performance. Qualifying Special or Ultimate Edition owners can collect the Lancaster Varmint Rifle free from a Gunsmith after Chapter 1, as with the other named edition-bonus weapons.
Which gun should you use?
- For a versatile long gun: Choose the Lancaster Repeater for its balance across common combat situations.
- For a close fight: Take a shotgun, such as the Pump-Action, and avoid relying on it at long range.
- For a distant, deliberate shot: Use a rifle suited to aiming rather than rapid exchanges.
- For a quieter approach: Use the bow when avoiding an open firefight is the priority.
- For a small-game task: Carry the Varmint Rifle instead of treating every weapon as a combat pick.
When can you get the free edition-bonus weapons?
Rockstar Support says owners of qualifying Special or Ultimate Editions can pick up the Volcanic Pistol, Pump-Action Shotgun, and Lancaster Varmint Rifle free at any Gunsmith after completing Chapter 1 in Story Mode. The wording is edition-specific; players with the standard edition should not assume these weapons are free. Rockstar’s edition-content support page provides the relevant qualification.
Rockstar’s store distinguishes Story Mode and Red Dead Online offerings and notes that the Ultimate Edition provides access to additional weapons in both modes. That general statement does not turn the three free Gunsmith pickups into a standard-edition benefit. See the Rockstar store page for the edition overview.
Is the official companion guide still available?
Rockstar Support says the Red Dead Redemption 2 Official Companion App was no longer offered in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store as of August 19, 2025. People who previously purchased the Complete Official Guide within the app can still access it there. That announcement does not establish whether a printed guide is currently available. Details are on Rockstar Support’s app update page.
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