One of the appeals of Rockstar Games' ongoing hit Red Dead Redemption 2 is the various weapons available in the game, and some of the customization options that can turn them into overpowered game-changers to make your next playthrough of the main game way too easy.
Red Dead Online's weapon upgrades work a bit different and can cost a bit more than players from the main game might be used to, so not all of these customizable options will be available across all game modes, but some of the weapons we've highlighted remain great choices for any solid playthrough or if you're looking to cause a little mayhem in RDO.
10 GUNSMITH
First of all, we have to stress how important it can be to stop off at a Gunsmith in any major town and customize your weapons. Not only can you deck your weapon out in solid gold with silver inlay stencils to really flex out in the wild west, but there are quite a few small improvements that can be made to every non-unique weapon in the game.
Almost every gun's accuracy can be improved through rifling and added scopes, and even things like leather wraps may seem unnecessary at first, but they actually slow down weapon degradation quite a bit, keeping your weapon clean and at it's most effective.
9 CRAFTED AMMO
While it may take some time in-game to acquire ingredients and the required pamphlets needed to craft some of the overpowered ammo available, it is definitely worth it to not only experiment with different ammo types but to also increase any of your weapon's damage potential.
Players can always create split-point bullets to get higher accuracy and experience boosts, but crafting deadlier ammo like incendiary shells or explosive pistol rounds can clear a dusty street full of Lemoyne Raiders surprisingly quickly or set some rampaging Murphee Brood members to smolder for a while.
8 SCHOFIELD REVOLVER
With so many weapons to choose from it can be hard to find the right one suited for your play style, especially if you haven't had a chance to play around with each weapon during your playthrough. One of the most consistently deadly and accurate weapons in the game is also one that's easy to grab early on, the Schofield Revolver.
The Schofield's high damage, rate of fire, accuracy, and quick reload make it one of the best pistols/revolvers in the game and players can find a few versions of this weapon as well, like Calloway's Revolver from the "The Noblest of Men, and a Woman" side mission, or Otis Miller's Revolver which can be found in the epilogue of the game.
7 DUAL WIELD
The ability to dual-wield certain weapons in the game can make trying to escape from a town swarming with police almost too easy with the right selection of weapons. As we previously mentioned, the Schofield Revolver is a handy weapon to keep equipped, and its made even deadlier when dual-wielding a couple of Schofields.
Running around with a pair of Sawed-Off Shotgun's can also make quick and gory work of anyone with the guts to try and rob you while traveling at night, or you can just scare off other players by pulling out cannons with some dual-wielded Volcanic Pistols.
6 LANCASTER REPEATER
The Lancaster Repeater can be found fairly early on in Red Dead Redemption 2 and it quickly became one of our favorites. With 14 rounds and one of the fastest fire rates for any repeater or rifle, players can take out a whole gang in one round of Dead-Eye without a single reload.
There may be a bit of a debate over whether the much higher damage of the Litchfield Repeater makes it the better option, but the high fire rate of the Lancaster makes it the most reliable weapon in the game for those with a good headshot.
5 HOMING TOMAHAWK
Weapons can also be modded by crafting to greatly increase their deadliness on the battlefield, and it usually just requires the purchase of a pamphlet from one of the Fences around the map, though the Homing Tomahawk Pamphlet can be found in the Flattened Cabin by Moonstone Pond.
The Homing Tomahawk can be crafted using a regular Tomahawk and an Owl Feather, and while its description highlights its use for hunting, the increased accuracy makes for a fun and deadly weapon to rampage with, just remember to pick them up from the corpses afterward.
4 SEMI-AUTO SHOTGUN
The Semi-Auto Shotgun is our favorite weapon in the game and can be incredibly overpowered, especially after a little customization at the Gunsmith or equipped with rafted ammo. The Semi-Auto Shotgun can tear through a gang of enemies in no time at all, whether you're rolling through Dead-Eye rounds or firing from the hip.
While the Pump-Action Shotgun is another worthy rampage weapon that can reign down a lot of damage when needed, the Semi-Auto fires just a bit quicker and features a better rate of fire when shooting from the hip, which can make all the difference when caught in a shoot-out at close-quarters.
3 DYNAMITE ARROW
Another great weapon customization is available with the right ingredients and a little time spent crafting at the fire while camping, and that is the Dynamite Arrow. While it sounds like an obvious choice for a fun weapon, the Dynamite Arrow is actually useful in a lot of situations.
You'll need an Arrow, Dynamite, and a Flight Feather (plucked from a bird killed while flying) to craft the Dynamite Arrow, which can blow things up from a distance, easily open safes, stop stagecoaches, and even fish if you're not the most patient player.
2 CARCANO RIFLE
There are quite a few impressive sniper rifles players can pick over the course of the game, but our favorite is the Carcano Rifle, which unfortunately isn't available until a bit later in the game. The Rolling Block Rifle or Rare Rolling Block Rifle are both impressive sniper weapons as well, but the Carcano edges them out in a few key areas.
The Carcano has high damage, incredible accuracy and long-range, but where it really shines is the quickfire rate when compared to the other sniper weapons in the game, as well as very fast reload due to the rifle using a clip. It may take a bit of time to unlock but the Carcano is the perfect choice for those looking to take the high ground.
1 THUNDERHAWK
Of course, as soon as Red Dead Redemption 2 hit PC there were a number mods released that allowed players to customize their gameplay with some interesting features, such as changing the length of a day in the game, giving the cinematics a complete photorealistic reshade or even introducing dangerous new weapons.
One of the most eye-catching new mods is the Thunderhawk which allows players to call down the lightning like Thor, though instead of his enchanted hammer gamers can use a lighting-infused Tomahawk that strikes whatever it hits with lightning, producing a very satisfying crack of thunder as well.