Realism in Red Dead Redemption 2 is a funny thing. The game seems to strictly adhere to it in parts, such as only being able to have two guns at arm's reach when off your horse. Yet at other times, it seems to flip completely, and go a bit bananas in the traditional GTA sense, with your horse able to carry as much weaponry as Fort Knox during a red alert. Regardless, I think they've probably got the balance about right, even if it does feel a little odd at times. They've made a good number of con✱cessions to balance fun with realism. The focus is on having fun, and that's something that's definitely being achieved.

In this article, we're going to talk about which two weapons you should have to hand, and which꧑ ones you shouldn't bother with. The game has far more weapons than it seems at first glance, and some of them you definitely don't want to be charging into a gang hideout with. There are a dizzying variety of shotguns, rifles, repeaters, pistols, revolvers, even melee weapons, despite it seeming like there's only a handful at the start of the game. Not all of them are worth bothering with. For instance, that varmint rifle you get? Don't even try to use that in combat. Instead, switch to a pump-action shotgun, a bolt-action rifle, or a pair of trusty Volcanic Pistols. Wit💫hout any further ado, let's begin the countdown: apologies if I slaughter one of your sacred cows.

30 Strong: Pump-Action Shotg꧒un

Red Dead Redemption 2 has some of the best shotguns I've ever used in recent years, and chief among them (at least in terms of standard weapons), is the pump-action. Packing a ridiculous amount of punch, whether loaded with regular ammo or slugs, it's also got a fairly decent range on it. The fire rate is good, and if you get a shot in on someone's head or one of their limbs, then uh...things a✱ren't looking at all good for them.

29 Strong: Volatil🐲e Dynamite ඣ

If you think that regular dynamite is good, with its ability to shred enemies and leave them screaming messes, you've not tried its volatile cousin. To craft this weapon, you'll need a stick of dynamite, a high-velocity cartridge, and a🅠nimal fat. The rewards are well worth the effort, ho🍎wever: it does even more damage than regular dynamite and also has a wider area of effect. It can blow up anything standing in your way, just be careful when using it.

28 Weak: Varmint Rifle 🔜

Now, before anyone complains, I will admit that the Varmint Rifle is great for dealing with, well, varmints. Taking out small wildlife requires a delicate touch, and this is what said rifle provides. What it does not provide is the firepower to take down bounty hunters, gang members, or lawmen. The weapon does less than half the damage that the Springfield and Bolt-Action rifles do. About the only thing it has going for it is that it's got a fast fire rate and a good-sized 🤡magazine. However, you'll need that if you're going to fire enough lead to down anybody.

27 🌺Strong: Volcanic Pistol 🦄

When a weapon takes its name from one of the most violent forces of nature, you know it's going to pack a punch. The Volcanic Pistol does not disappoint. It deals, by a long way, the most damage of any pistol in the game, firing off round after round of red-hot death. Its only real downside is a fairly slow fire rate and a very low reload speed. However, if you're using it at close range, especially with Express rounds, this gun can take down even the most fierc🎃e foes.

26 ⛄ ♛ Strong: Midnight's Pistol

Make your enemies say night, night, with Midnight's Pistol. Received as pa🍸rt of the stranger mission "The Noblest Of Men And A Woman," Billy's pistol has a dark past. However, despite its huge number of uses over the years, boy does it still work. The pistol, a variant of the semi-auto, does standard damage, to begin with, but persist with it, and you'll gain affinity. Once you've done this, its damage skyrockets. Its damage becomes one of the highest of the game's pistols, while also having an exceptionally quick reload time.

25 Weak: Sawed-O🐬ff Shotgun

Weak is not a word you'd normally associate with a sawed-off shotgun, I'll grant you. However, in this game, it is♎ a little pointless. Sure, early in the game, it's the most powerful weapon you have to hand, however it's let down by a proxy capacity of just two shells. Rely on this in a gunfight and you'll be filled with more holes than Swiss cheese in no time. Once you unlock any long-barreled shotgun, switch to that immediately, for heaven's sake, and experience the joy of firing off five shells per reload.

24 ♚ Strong: Schofield Revolver 🃏

My go-to sidea𒊎rms in this game are one Schofield Revolver and one Volcanic Pistol. The Schofield Revolver is the perfect counterpart to the pistol for a couple of reasons. It's one of the strongest revolvers in the game, and also has an absolutely superb range for a sidearm. Even without the Volcanic Pistol, a pair of these makes an absolutely fearsome duo of weapons, with 12 bullets from these things doing enough damage to take down large groups of enemies at a time.

23 Strong: V🌟ikinꦡg Hatchet

Wait, I hear you say, "a viking hatchet?" Yes indeedy! There's a Viking ruin in the game located just across the river from Annesburg, to the northwest. In the middle of this tomb, near an altar, you'l🌄l find the viking hatchet. Wielding it not only lets you get your Ragnar Lothbrok on, but also packs a massive punch. It's a throwable that does quite a bit more damage than your standard throwing knife, while also looking very, very cool indeed.

22 🐼 Weak: Repeating Shotgun ꧅

If you've been looking forward to unlocking the Repeating Shotgun in hopes that it's something of an AA12, I'm sorry to disappoint. The Repeating Shotgun in Red Dead Redemption 2 is somewhat disappointing, particularly when compared to the pump-action and semi-auto. It does the same amount of damage as the pump-action, but it lacks its accuracy. Despite being a repeater, it also has a slower rate of fire than the semi-auto. Is it worth its $185 price? 𝕴Absolutely not, sadly.

21 Stronꦍg🅠: Bow

Remember back in 2012, or as it's known in some circles, the year of the bow? It seems like every game that came out then packed one in, and for good reason. Red Dead Redemption 2's bow does a very respectable amount of damage and has a good reload time, but that's not what makes it strong. Its silence is what does it. If you're sneaking up on a hid𒊎eout or fancy taking out some enemies without alerting their comrades, the bow does this superbly. One well-placed arrow can down anyone. If you're feeling fancy, make some dynamite arrows.