Weapon Compendium#
Red Dead Redemption 2 has a huge arsenal, but most per-weapon “damage charts” circulating online have no reliable source. This page collects only the verified total counts, the category system, and how unique weapons are acquired; specific damage numbers are never filled in on this site.
Total Weapon Count: Multiple Figures#
| Source | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GameTime (gouhuo.qq.com) | 51 | the gouhuo.qq.com count |
| TapTap | 59 | the taptap.cn count |
| Third-party community wiki | 60+ | the wiki.7e.ink count |
| Safe phrasing | 50–60 | sources draw different boundaries for melee and unique weapons |
The differences between the three counts come from statistical boundaries — whether melee and unique weapons are included. 100% completion requires finding 48 weapons through open-world exploration (purchases excluded), a number unaffected by the counting disputes and the only target line when collecting weapons.
Weapon Category System#
In-game weapons are organized into broad categories, with each category’s role and typical use below (qualitative):
| Category | Role |
|---|---|
| Revolvers | mid-range main sidearms, balanced between fire rate and power |
| Pistols | semi-automatic and auto-loading directions, larger capacity |
| Repeating rifles | mid-range sustained fire, balancing capacity and rate |
| Rifles | single-shot high power, for long-range precision and big-game hunting |
| Shotguns | close-range area damage |
| Bows | stealth and hunting specialist, silent kills |
| Thrown weapons | throwing knives, fire bottles, dynamite, and other thrown types |
| Melee weapons | knives and blades for close quarters |
Each weapon has its own stat panel in the in-game compendium (damage, range, fire rate, etc.) — the in-game display is authoritative; this page transcribes no per-weapon numbers.
Ammo Types#
| Ammo | Mechanical direction |
|---|---|
| Regular | the workhorse ammo for everyday combat and hunting, bought directly at gunsmiths |
| Split Point | special ammo that pairs with Dead Eye play; obtained through crafting and similar routes |
| High Velocity | special ammo emphasizing speed and penetration |
The specific recipes and effect values of special ammo are not individually verified; the full ammo list is governed by the in-game gunsmith and inventory. For acquisition and crafting chains, see the Crafting Guide; for combat selection logic, see the Combat System.
Gun Maintenance (Gun Oil)#
Weapon condition affects real performance: long neglect degrades accuracy and reliability. The maintenance tool is gun oil — keep it on you at all times and clean your main weapons after major battles. The game has no precise panel for condition tiers or decay rates, so this site fills in no numbers; the mechanics are explained in the Combat System.
Weapon Customization#
The Gunsmith offers weapon customization:
| Direction | Notes |
|---|---|
| Barrel | affects handling and feel |
| Sights / scopes | affects aiming performance; scopes serve long range |
| Stock | affects grip and recoil control |
| Finish | metal and wood styling parts |
Specific prices and per-part effect values are unverified, so no numbers here; customization is one of the “money-only” upgrade routes, alongside horse stable upgrades — see the Crafting Guide.
Unique Weapons: Verified Acquisition Methods#
Unique weapons never sit on store shelves; they bind only to specific story or exploration events. This table lists only verified entries:
| Unique weapon | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Flaco’s Revolver | defeat legendary gunslinger Flaco Hernandez |
| Granger’s Revolver | defeat legendary gunslinger Emmet Granger |
| Algernon’s Revolver | scattered across side-exploration points |
| Micah’s Revolver | after the epilogue’s final mission “American Venom”, collect it on top of Mount Hagen |
| Unique dagger | looted at the end of the Saint Denis vampire event chain |
The duels with the two legendary gunslingers are covered in Bosses and High-Difficulty Duels, and the vampire chain’s trigger conditions in Hidden Secrets. Other unique weapons circulating in the community are not individually verified and are not included.
Tying Into 100% Completion#
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| Collection goal | find 48 weapons through open-world exploration |
| Not counted | store-bought weapons don’t count as “found through exploration” |
| Progress check | the pause menu’s progress page lists what’s missing |
| Related achievement | Best in the West — 100% completion, see the Achievements Guide |
When filling gaps, trust the progress page’s missing list; duel rewards and event weapons are the easily missed categories, and handling related nodes on the spot during the main story saves the most backtracking. Endgame weapon checks are arranged in Endgame Content.
Weapons, Challenges, and Achievements#
The Weapons Expert challenge category requires kills with a varied set of weapons and hangs directly on how broad your arsenal use is; the Sharpshooter category tests long-range and precision shooting. All challenges total 9 categories × 10 ranks = 90, and none are missable — the full category table is in Challenges. On the achievement side, Gold Rush requires 70 mission gold medals in total, with combat missions the main farming target — see Missions.
Why This Page Has No Damage Numbers#
The “damage 3/6” and “damage multiplier 1.2x”-style tables circulating for each weapon are almost all player estimates; the official side has never published precise weapon stat data. Among third-party sources, gamersky.com maintains a damage-data compendium — if you need per-weapon numbers for reference, consult that source directly and use it with attribution. This site’s principle: better to write less than to write fake numbers. A weapon’s real feel is decided by weapon condition, ammo type, and Dead Eye mastery — test it in game.
FAQ#
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many weapons are in the game? | 51 to 60+ depending on the source (different counting scopes); the safe phrasing is 50–60 |
| How many for 100% completion? | 48 found through open-world exploration, purchases excluded |
| Can unique weapons be bought? | No; they bind only to specific story or exploration events |
| How do I get Micah’s Revolver? | After the epilogue’s final mission American Venom, collect it on top of Mount Hagen |
| How do I get special ammo? | Split Point and similar special ammo tie into the crafting system — see the Crafting Guide |
| What if my weapon gets dirty? | Maintain it with gun oil; long neglect degrades it — see the Combat System |
Not Catalogued#
The following are not catalogued in this batch: a complete per-weapon list, per-weapon damage/fire-rate/accuracy panels, a per-part price table for customization, complete special-ammo recipes and effect values, and other community-circulated unique weapon locations. The official side has published no precise figures for these, and this site doesn’t fill tables from memory; weapon details defer to the in-game compendium and the gunsmith’s stock. After later batches verify them, this page will complete the weapon lists by category.