Explosive Rifle

The  is a powerful, experimental, single-shot rifle featured in the Red Dead Redemption Liars and Cheats DLC pack and is accessible when playing Undead Nightmare DLC pack. The weapon really lives up to its name as one could say that it is the Wild Western version of a grenade launcher.

Single-Player
The Explosive Rifle can be purchased from the Gunsmith in Blackwater once the player has purchased and downloaded the Liars and Cheats DLC pack. However, it is advised that the player save up because the weapon costs $15,000 ($5,000 with honor level "Peacemaker", and as low as $2500 if the Savvy Merchant Outfit is also equipped). It also comes with a series of challenges to complete that will also earn you the Master Exploder achievement/trophy. When you complete these challenges, all gunsmiths will sell you ammunition for the Explosive Rifle at half price.

Undead Nightmare
The Explosive Rifle can be unlocked in Undead Nightmare by saving the town of Rathskeller Fork from a zombie invasion once you have purchased and downloaded the Liars and Cheats DLC Pack.

Multiplayer
In Free Roam, the Explosive Rifle is earned after completing any of the new Gang Hideouts with the highest score. It can then be picked up from weapons crates. There are no additional ammo pickups for the Explosive Rifle though, and if a player holding an Explosive Rifle dies in Free Roam, then the weapon is lost.

In Stronghold matches, explosive rifles can be retrieved from safes located on some of the maps. Once a player has opened the safe, the rifle will be acquired and will have 3 rounds in it. If the player is killed, the rifle can be picked up from his corpse.

Characteristics
The Explosive Rifle is not like any other type of rifle found in the game. However, its design does bear some similarities to a cross between a Bolt Action Rifle and a Buffalo Rifle, and is similar to the real-world Mauser Model 1918 Anti-Tank Rifle. It uses a special type of ammo called Explosive Rounds, which are only sold at gunsmiths, not general stores. These rounds when fired, travel just as quickly as bullets, and detonate directly on impact with a target. A direct hit with the rifle causes an enemy to explode in a shower of blood and body parts, while a direct hit to a person or an animal such as a horse causes the animal to burst into a spectacular display of red mist and guts. An indirect hit, in which an enemy is caught in the blast area, kills an enemy and sends them flying much like Dynamite. The force of the blast can even knock down nearby enemies outside of the "kill zone" in the process. Unfortunately, the weapon comes with limited ammunition. The maximum limit on ammo is 30 rounds, no more, even with the bandolier. The Explosive Rifle also has a rather slow rate of fire considering it can only fire one round at a time before being reloaded, much like the Buffalo Rifle.

Trivia

 * The player should be careful as to where they fire as the rifle has a large splash damage are that can kill the player in as little as 2 shots.
 * The weapon is based upon the WW1 German Mauser-T Gewehr 13.2mm Anti-Tank Rifle and Mauser G98.
 * The T-Gewehr was made in 1918, so if the rifle is truly a T-Gewehr, it would by anachronistic.
 * The original T-Gewehr had a giant barrel and pistol grip attached to the stock, so the rifle in the game may in fact be a "sawn-off" due to the significantly shorter barrel and lack of pistol grip in-game.
 * If the rifle were a Mauser G98, it would fit with the speculation that the weapon may be a period service rifle firing rifle grenades. Rifle grenades were used by various European armies during World War 1, and given that the game features other weapons used in that war, this makes sense.
 * Unless you're using Dead-Eye, you cannot automatically lock on to enemies with this weapon.
 * In Free Roam, the only way to obtain more ammo is by being the high scorer on a new Gang Hideout.
 * In Free Roam, if you change sessions the weapon is removed from your inventory.
 * In Multiplayer, when you die, the weapon will be removed from your inventory.
 * In Free Roam, the weapon DOES drop upon death.
 * In Multiplayer, if you access the outfitter while you have the Explosive Rifle in your inventory, it will be removed.
 * It appears in the "Sniper" class weapon slot, and while it does not possess a scope like other sniper weapons, it does allow for the use of standard Dead-Eye where the player marks targets and bodyparts.
 * In Stronghold, crack the safe to obtain the Explosive Rifle.
 * In Stronghold, the weapon IS dropped upon death.
 * The weapon's Multiplayer challenge, Master Exploder, may be a reference to the Tenacious D song of the same name, which appeared in their movie, The Pick of Destiny.
 * This weapon can be made golden by completing headshot/kill challenges in Stronghold mode.