[Top 8] RDO Best Handguns Ranked (And How To Get Them)

Updated:

01 Sep 2022

Can’t figure out which sidearm you should use as an outlaw in Red Dead Online’s Wild West? Let’s get you acquainted with them.

A sidearm is definitely a cowboy’s best friend in the Wild West. Whichever path you decide to take on an outlaw, you’ll always need these. What’s suits a cowboy better than a classic revolver?

To get the best buddy with the bit of money you’ll make at the start, you’ll need to be very picky at first. So, here’s a detailed list of top-tier handguns for you to choose from. This list was made by surveying many poles on Reddit and elsewhere.

8. Cattleman

Price: $50
Unlock level: You’ll be given a Cattleman during the prologue

4% of players rely on this revolver. It deals slightly higher damage than the Double-Action revolver. It’s a fairly okay revolver for PvE but you shouldn’t compete in PvP matches wielding one or a couple of these. If you choose to use the Cattleman revolver, you should always dual wield. The reload time becomes relatively low when you dual wield.

Stats

Details: https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Cattleman_Revolver_(RDR_2)

How to get it
It can be purchased from all gunsmiths or via the Handheld Catalog.

7. The Volcanic

Price: $270
Unlock level: 21

You need good accuracy when using pistols. This is why the lesser-used Volcanic pistol is on this list. The Volcanic Pistol deals the most damage per shot with the highest accuracy of any handgun, but it suffers from the lowest rate of fire.

The Volcanic is actually great for early-game. I personally enjoy dual Volcanics in free roam, they look and feel the most badass to me. However, in PvP, the Volcanic pistol is inferior to the others in this category.

Stats

Details: https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Volcanic_Pistol_(RDR_2)

How to get it
It can be purchased from all gunsmiths or via the Handheld Catalog.

6. Schofield

Price: $192
Unlock level: 9

The Schofield gets 12% votes on average. It deals a moderate amount of damage. Its rate of fire and reload speed are slower than the Cattleman. However, when you dual-wield these bad boys, The reload speed shoots up. This makes it a pretty good choice if you don’t want to spend much. This revolver is quite decent for PvE.

Stats

Details: https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Schofield_Revolver_(RDR_2)

How to get it
It can be purchased from all gunsmiths or via the Handheld Catalog.

5. The Mauser

Price: $600
Unlock level: 34

The Mauser Pistol is based on the German-made Mauser C96 and unlocks at Rank 34. If an outlaw decides to buy this stylish semi-auto sidearm, it comes with a hefty price tag. There are indeed better semi-auto options available. Yet, the Mauser is still a reliable and fast sidearm that is made even more effective by dual-wielding.

The Mauser also pairs well with other weapon combinations like the Sawed-Off Shotgun. This gives players a well-rounded, powerful combo for their sidearm selection, even if it is one of the most expensive in Red Dead Online. In PvP, you can use Mausers because of their high fire rate.

Stats

Details: https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Mauser_Pistol_(RDR_2)

How to get it
It can be purchased from all gunsmiths or via the Handheld Catalog.

4. LeMat

Price: $317
Unlock level: 1

The LeMat is an extremely versatile revolver even though it got 24% votes on average. Both the LeMat and the Navy revolver deserve the top rank on this list. The best part about this gun is that it has an under-barrel shotgun attachment. It has the slowest reload time but the increased ammo capacity makes up for it. It holds 9 bullets whereas other revolvers only hold 6. Even if you run out of bullets, you can always use shotgun shells that the under-barrel attachment holds. It can only hold one shell at a time. It’s good for both PvP and PvE but we recommend you use it, especially for PvE.

Stats

Details: https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/LeMat_Revolver_(RDR_2)

How to get it
It can be purchased from all gunsmiths or via the Handheld Catalog.

3. Sawed-Off Shotgun

Price: $111
Unlock level: 19

A lightweight shotgun that is easy to use and conceal, as many situations in modern times require. The safety and durability and, above all, superior penetration of this fine shotgun cannot be matched. This one’s a freaking sidearm and you can dual-wield, too. FOR THE MAN THAT ENJOYS WIELDING AN HONEST SURPRISE.

Stats

Details: https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Sawed-off_Shotgun_(RDR_2)

How to get it
It can be purchased from all gunsmiths or via the Handheld Catalog.

2. The Semi-Automatic

Price: $537
Unlock level: 22

The Semi-Automatic Pistol has a blazing fast fire rate perfect for pumping your enemies full of lead. However, you can only hold 100 rounds of pistol ammo. The limited ammo sucks but the Semis are good with every ammo type; even regular. With these, you’ll also hip fire faster.

What the Semi-Automatic Pistol is missing in Damage, it makes up for with speed. It is modeled after the Borchardt C-93 Pistol. The Semi-Automatic pistol has the highest fire rate and reload speed in the game.

Stats

Details: https://reddead.fandom.com/wiki/Semi-Automatic_Pistol_(RDR_2)

How to get it
It can be purchased from all gunsmiths or via the Handheld Catalog.

1. Navy revolver

Price: $275
Unlock level: 1

Well, The community announces this beast as the top revolver in RDO. So, how can we not put this in the number one position? It earns about 58% of votes on average. It’s the deadliest revolver in the game as it deals the most amount of damage. It has a relatively slow reload speed but it matters less when you can kill a guy with 3 shots even if you aim blindly. Even though it’s the most accurate revolver in the game, it costs less than the LeMat. This one will always give you an edge in PvP.

Stats