Red Dead Redemption 2: How to Clean and Customize Weapons

Game Rant

By Sarah Fields

Published Oct 28, 2018

Here's how Red Dead Redemption 2's players can manage weapon degradation and upgrade every facet of their guns while surviving in the frontier of the Old West.

Red Dead Redemption 2 has introduced a variety of mechanics that make its world feel lived-in and dynamic. Among these are certain degradation systems where time and use gradually impacts the way the game works. For example, Red Dead Redemption 2's horses lose stamina when they're dirty, requiring the player to brush them on a regular basis.

Weapons also experience gradual degradation. Firing a weapon will make them dirty, and exposure to water will make them rust. This affects how weapons fire, as well as their recoil and reloading speed. Players must regularly clean their weapons if they want to use them to their full potential. While skipping out on cleanings will negatively impact Arthur Morgan's best weapons, thankfully, keeping them tidy isn't hard at all.

Red Dead Redemption 2 players who need to clean their guns will first have to acquire gun oil, which can be purchased from gunsmiths, located under the accessories tab. Once the gun oil is in the user's inventory, they can begin cleaning their weapon by pulling up the weapon wheel, navigating to the weapon they want to clean, and inspecting it. If the weapon's stats have red bars, that means the weapon needs cleaning. If gun oil is available, the player can press and hold square on the PS4 or X on the Xbox One to clean the weapon.

red dead redemption 2 inspect clean weapon

Players who are interested in upgrading their weapons should stick around at the Gunsmith's. Weapons can be upgraded by choosing the customization option while there. Depending on the type of weapon, players will be given the option to customize the barrel, iron sights, scope, stock, and wrap. Upgrading any of the available options - aside from wraps - will boost the effectiveness of the weapon. Wraps are Red Dead Redemption 2's take on weapon skins and have no impact on the gun's performance.

Players who want to have an easier time of the game's fights should invest in their weapons' improvements first, and aesthetics later. Maintaining weapons and upgrading them regularly will mean the difference between a hard struggle and success in the frontier for Arthur Morgan.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is out now for PS4 and Xbox One.