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Red Dead Redemption 2: The Ultimate Sidearm Showdown – Crafting the Deadliest Combo

The best sidearm combo in Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) boils down to this: a Schofield Revolver in your primary hand and a Volcanic Pistol in your off-hand. This combination provides a potent blend of accuracy, firepower, and reload speed, making it deadly in a wide range of encounters. The Schofield offers excellent accuracy and a good firing rate, essential for quickly eliminating targets at medium range. The Volcanic Pistol, with its superior damage output, acts as your close-quarters powerhouse, ensuring swift kills when enemies get too close. Mastering this duo will significantly enhance your survivability and lethality in the Wild West.

Understanding the RDR2 Sidearm Arsenal

Before diving into the specifics, it’s crucial to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the various pistols and revolvers RDR2 offers. Each weapon boasts a unique set of stats, influencing its effectiveness in different combat scenarios. Factors like damage, accuracy, rate of fire, reload speed, and range all play critical roles in determining a weapon’s overall utility. Furthermore, your playstyle preference also matters greatly.

Revolvers: The Classic Gunslinger’s Choice

Revolvers generally offer a good balance of power and accuracy, making them versatile weapons for a variety of situations. Some of the notable revolvers include:

Cattleman Revolver: Your starting revolver, a decent all-rounder but quickly outclassed by others.
Schofield Revolver: Considered by many to be the best all-around revolver, boasting good accuracy and a reasonable firing rate. As the original article excerpt said: “The best revolver in all of the story mode is, without a doubt, the Schofield Revolver.“
Double-Action Revolver: High rate of fire, but sacrifices accuracy and damage.
LeMat Revolver: A unique revolver with nine chambers and a secondary shotgun barrel, offering incredible versatility at close range.
Navy Revolver: Only available in Red Dead Online, this is widely regarded as one of the best revolvers available, excelling in accuracy and power, though with a slower reload time.

Pistols: Speed and Capacity

Pistols tend to prioritize rate of fire and reload speed over raw stopping power. This makes them ideal for quickly dispatching multiple enemies in close quarters. Key pistols include:

Volcanic Pistol: High damage output, making it almost function like a pocket shotgun. It’s slow but packs a punch. “A lever-action handgun, the Volcanic Pistol deals the most damage of any sold revolver, although it suffers from a medium rate of fire, but boasts an improved ammo capacity.”
Semi-Automatic Pistol: Excellent rate of fire and reload speed. It’s good at medium range with great accuracy.
Mauser Pistol: High ammo capacity and rapid firing rate, but less powerful than the Volcanic.
M1899 Pistol: This pistol deals reasonable damage at short range, and has good reload speed due to its clip loaded ammunition. It can be customized to improve its performance and to modify its appearance.

Why the Schofield/Volcanic Combo Reigns Supreme

The Schofield/Volcanic combo synergizes extremely well because it covers each other’s weaknesses. The Schofield’s accuracy and range handle medium-distance engagements with ease, allowing for precise headshots. When enemies close in, the Volcanic Pistol’s high damage output ensures a quick and decisive kill. The combo enables adaptability, allowing players to swiftly transition between different combat ranges and enemy types.

Breakdown of the Synergy

Accuracy and Range: The Schofield provides accuracy and range for precise shots at medium distances.
Stopping Power: The Volcanic handles close-quarters combat with its high damage.
Versatility: This combination covers a variety of combat scenarios.
Handling: Dual-wielding provides the fastest weapon swapping.

Other Viable Sidearm Combos

While the Schofield/Volcanic is arguably the best, other combinations can be effective depending on your playstyle and the specific situation:

Dual Schofield Revolvers: Excellent for accuracy and damage, but reload times can be a liability.
Dual Volcanic Pistols: Devastating at close range, but less effective at medium distances.
Schofield and LeMat Revolver: Versatile due to the LeMat’s shotgun function, providing a strong option for both range and close-quarters combat.
Cattleman Revolver and Knife: The Cattleman is Arthur’s main gun in many players’ minds. Equipping a Cattleman and pairing with a knife in the other hand is a formidable, fast, and accurate combo.

Customization is Key

Don’t forget the importance of weapon customization. Upgrading your sidearms with improved rifling (for increased accuracy), sights, and grips can significantly enhance their performance. Consider the following upgrades:

Improved Rifling: Increases range and accuracy.
Iron Sights: For better target acquisition.
Grips: Improves handling and recoil.
Finish: Personalize your weapons with your own style.

Mastering Dual-Wielding

The Dual-Wielding weapons can give an edge with a high rate of fire. But in order to take advantage of that, you need to improve your skills and aiming. Master the following skills and become a force to reckon with!

Practice in Combat: Familiarize yourself with the recoil and firing rate of each weapon.
Headshots are Key: Aim for headshots to maximize damage output.
Dead Eye Integration: Utilize Dead Eye to slow time and land precise shots.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the fastest firing revolver in RDR2?

The article you provided correctly identifies the Schofield Revolver as having a quick firing rate, making it a good choice for “fanning the hammer.” However, the Double-Action Revolver has a higher rate of fire than the Schofield, at the cost of accuracy and damage.

2. What is the strongest gun in RDR2 story mode?

Many consider the Litchfield Repeater to be the best all-around gun in story mode due to its balance of stats. However, for sheer damage output, the Volcanic Pistol reigns supreme amongst sidearms, packing a significant punch at close range.

3. Is dual-wielding always better than using a single sidearm?

Not necessarily. Dual-wielding offers a higher rate of fire, but it can be less accurate. Single-handed weapons allow for better control and precision, especially at longer ranges. Situational awareness and personal preference play a crucial role.

4. What is Arthur Morgan’s main gun?

This is largely up to player preference. Some players feel the default Cattleman Revolver makes sense because it is a simple weapon for a simple character. Others might see Arthur with a more stylized Schofield or a powerful Volcanic.

5. What revolver does Hosea Matthews use in RDR2?

Hosea Matthews uses twin Cattleman Revolvers, customized to reflect his sophisticated style.

6. What is the best pistol in Red Dead Redemption 1?

The Mauser Pistol is often considered the best pistol in RDR1, due to its high rate of fire and large magazine capacity.

7. What is the “elephant gun” in RDR2?

The Elephant Rifle is a double-barreled rifle that delivers immense stopping power, capable of taking down large animals with a single shot.

8. What is the best throwing weapon in RDR2?

Dynamite is generally considered the best throwing weapon for its area-of-effect damage. The Poison Throwing Knife is excellent for stealth takedowns and weakening enemies.

9. How do I unlock dual-wielding in RDR2?

Dual-wielding becomes available as you progress through the story. Simply own two sidearms of the pistol or revolver type, and the game will automatically allow you to equip one in each hand.

10. What is the secret pistol in RDR2?

Midnight’s Pistol, obtained during “The Noblest Of Man, And A Woman” quest, is a unique Mauser pistol coveted for its golden appearance. Also Algernon’s Revolver is another double-action revolver that cannot be bought and cannot be customized.

11. Where can I find the Schofield Revolver?

The Schofield Revolver can be purchased from gunsmiths after completing the “Blessed are the Meek?” mission in Chapter 2.

12. Are there any special variants of the Schofield Revolver?

No, there are no special named variants of the Schofield Revolver in the game, aside from the visual customisations you can make.

13. How important is Dead Eye when using sidearms?

Dead Eye is extremely valuable. It allows you to slow down time and land precise shots, especially headshots, significantly increasing your damage output and accuracy. Practice using Dead Eye frequently to maximize its effectiveness.

14. What is the best gun for bounty hunting in RDR2?

The LeMat Revolver and Schofield Revolver are excellent choices for bounty hunting due to their decent damage, range, and accuracy. The Lancaster Repeater is also valuable for medium range combat

15. How does weapon familiarity affect sidearm performance?

As you use a weapon, your familiarity with it increases, improving its accuracy, reload speed, and handling. Consistent use of your preferred sidearm will make you a more effective gunslinger. This is a hidden mechanic in the game that rewards sticking with your chosen weapons. To learn more about the complexities of game design and how mechanics like this enhance the player experience, check out the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the best sidearm combo in RDR2 is subjective and depends on individual playstyles. However, the Schofield Revolver and Volcanic Pistol combination provides a potent blend of accuracy, firepower, and versatility that makes it a deadly choice for almost any situation. Experiment with different combinations, customize your weapons, and practice your aim to become the ultimate gunslinger in the Wild West.

What is the best sidearm combo in RDR2?