Red Dead Online is a world where respect, money, and loot comes at the end of the barrel of the gun. To survive and reap the rewards of the cutthroat world of the Wild West, you’ll have to be well armed. You’ll also want to spend your money wisely. We’ve put together an in-depth guide to every weapon available in Red Dead Online, so you can know exactly what you’re getting into before you fork over your hard-earned cash. For this guide, we’ll be looking at rifles, the all-purpose firearms that make up the bulk of your arsenal.

Complete Guide to Red Dead Redemption 2

The Complete Red Dead Online Rifle Guide

Note: We’ve based our number rankings for damage and fire rate in this guide out of a possible score of 10.

Carbine Repeater

Rank Unlocked: 1

Cost: $90.00

Capacity: 7

Damage Per Shot: 6

Fire Rate: 5

Description: The Carbine Repeater is your starter long gun, unlocked from the start of the game. It’s decent, but nothing to really write home about. It’ll usually take a few body shots to drop an enemy, so you’ll want to go for headshots whenever possible to make quick work of your opponents. Where it really excels is with its blistering reload speed. It works on an unusual mechanism where new magazine is inserted on the back of the stock, allowing you to keep shooting and shooting with almost no pauses.

Lancaster Repeater

Rank Unlocked: 12

Cost: $243.00

Capacity: 14

Damage Per Shot: 6

Fire Rate: 6

Description: A favorite of cowboys, lawmen, and everyone in between, the Lancaster is a dependable piece of equipment. It’s exceptionally accurate for a repeater, allowing you to easily pick off targets at longer ranges. As soon as possible, we recommend upgrading from the Carbine to the much more well-rounded Lancaster.

Litchfield Repeater

Rank Unlocked: 18

Cost: $348.00

Capacity: 16

Damage Per Shot: 7

Fire Rate: 5

Description: The Litchfield is a fearsome weapon, boasting a huge 16 round capacity and massive per-shot damage, almost on par with a few of the games more powerful bolt-actions and snipers. This raw power is balanced by a slower fire-rate, meaning the Litchfield is well suited to players who like to be a little more deliberate with their shots.

Springfield Rifle

Rank Unlocked: 38

Cost: $156.00

Capacity: 1

Damage Per Shot: 8

Fire Rate: 3

Description: The venerable Springfield was formerly the standard issue rifle for the U.S. Army, but it’s starting to show its age. Despite its devastating power, the weapon can only chamber a single shot. After firing, you’ll need to load a new round and prime the weapon again to keep shooting. It certainly isn’t suited for rapid fire, but doesn’t quite have the range and accuracy of a full-fledged sniper rifle. We recommend adding a mid or short range scope and using the Springfield as a sort of close-range sniper to get the most out of this weapon.

Bolt Action Rifle

Rank Unlocked: 7

Cost: $216.00

Capacity: 5

Damage Per Shot: 7

Fire Rate: 4

Description: It becomes quickly apparent when using the Bolt Action why it eventually replaced the Springfield. Though it does sacrifice some damage, the higher magazine capacity and quicker firing speed more than make up for it. It’s also a very versatile gun, excelling at everything from mid-range shootouts to longer range encounters. You’ll still want to keep an eye on your rounds though, as the reload process can be a bit slow.

Rolling Block Rifle

Rank Unlocked: 13

Cost: $411.00

Capacity: 1

Damage Per Shot: 9

Fire Rate: 3

Description: A cross between a musket and a sniper rifle, nothing beats the Rolling Block when it comes to raw power. Unfortunately, like its little brother, the Springfield, it can only hold a single round. You’ll have to fully reload the weapon after every shot, so the Rolling Block is really only suited to long ranges. You won’t be doing any quick scoping with this sniper rifle. That said, if you spot an enemy from a distance, they’ll be on the ground before they even know what hit them.

Carcano Rifle

Rank Unlocked: 50

Cost: $456.00

Capacity: 6

Damage Per Shot: 8

Fire Rate: 4

Description: An Italian military issue rifle, the Carcano is infamously known as the rifle that would eventually be used to assassinate JFK. It operates exactly like the Bolt Action, but with a higher capacity and damage. If you find yourself frustrated with the Rolling Block’s slow reloads, you might prefer the Carcano. It’s capacity and firing speed also make the Carcano much better suited to shootouts at closer ranges.

Varmint Rifle

Rank Unlocked: 8

Cost: $72.00

Capacity: 14

Damage Per Shot: 4

Fire Rate: 7

Description: If there were such a thing as a Wild West submachine gun, it’d be the Varmint Rifle. Its low caliber rounds are designed for small game hunting, and therefore don’t do much damage. It’s the only pump action rifle, though, which means it has a blistering fire rate. Coupled with the high capacity, and you can spray your enemies with a barrage of fire in short order. It may not be your first choice, but the Varmint Rifle can be a nifty little weapon to use in a pinch.

Whether you value power, accuracy, or speed, there’s a rifle for every situation and preference. Experiment with a few different options so you get the sense of what works best for you, because there’s no tool more indispensable than your trusty rifle.

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