Ammunition is a major feature and item featured in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Overview
Ammunition in Redemption 2 expands upon the feature as it appeared in Red Dead Redemption; whereas the previous game simply featured different ammunition for every weapon type, Redemption 2 features several different ammo types for each category, differentiating in range, damage or accuracy.
Ammunition can be purchased from both General Stores and Gunsmiths.
Ammunition types
Sidearm Ammunition
| Image | Revolver Ammo Type | Dmg | Rng | Acc | Base Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Revolver Cartridges - Regular | - | - | - | $1.00 for 60 | Buy or loot |
| Regular cartridges are plentiful. | ||||||
|
Revolver Cartridges - High Velocity | +0.2 | +0.5 | - | $2.00 for 60 | Buy |
| High velocity can pierce multiple targets. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Revolver Cartridges - Split Point | +0.2 | - | +0.5 | NA | Craft |
| Split point drain Dead Eye slower while in the chamber. | ||||||
|
Revolver Cartridges - Express | +0.5 | - | - | $1.50 for 60 | Buy/Uncommon loot |
| Express cartridges can be made into Explosive cartridges. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Revolver Cartridges - Explosive | +1.0 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Express Cartridge + 1 Animal Fat | ||||||
| Image | Pistol Ammo Type | Dmg | Rng | Acc | Base Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pistol Cartridges - Regular | - | - | - | $1.00 for 30 | Buy or loot |
| Regular pistol cartridges cost twice as much as Revolver Cartridges. | ||||||
|
Pistol Cartridges - High Velocity | +0.2 | +0.3 | - | $2.50 for 30 | Buy |
| High velocity can pierce multiple targets. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Pistol Cartridges - Split Point | +0.2 | - | +0.3 | NA | Craft |
| Split point drain Dead Eye slower while in the chamber. | ||||||
|
Pistol Cartridges - Express | +0.5 | - | - | $1.50 for 30 | Buy |
| Express cartridges can be made into Explosive cartridges. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Pistol Cartridges - Explosive | +1.0 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Express Cartridge + 1 Animal Fat | ||||||
Longarm Ammunition
| Image | Repeater Ammo Type | Dmg | Rng | Acc | Base Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Repeater Cartridges - Regular | - | - | - | $1.50 for 60 | Buy or loot |
| Regular cartridges are plentiful. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Repeater Cartridges - High Velocity | +0.2 | +0.3 | - | $2.50 for 60 | Buy |
| High velocity can pierce multiple targets. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Repeater Cartridges - Split Point | +0.2 | - | +0.5 | NA | Craft |
| Split point drain Dead Eye slower while in the chamber. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Repeater Cartridges - Express | +0.6 | - | - | $2.00 for 60 | Buy |
| Express cartridges can be made into Explosive cartridges. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Repeater Cartridges - Explosive | +1.0 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Express Cartridge + 1 Animal Fat | ||||||
| Image | Rifle Ammo Type | Dmg | Rng | Acc | Base Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Rifle Cartridges - Regular | - | - | - | $1.50 for 30 | Buy or loot |
| Regular cartridges are common. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Rifle Cartridges - High Velocity | +0.2 | +0.3 | - | $3.00 for 30 | Buy |
| High velocity can pierce multiple targets. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Rifle Cartridges - Split Point | +0.2 | - | +0.5 | NA | Craft |
| Split point drain Dead Eye slower while in the chamber. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Rifle Cartridges - Express | +0.6 | - | - | $2.00 for 30 | Buy/Uncommon loot |
| Express cartridges can be made into Explosive cartridges. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Rifle Cartridges - Explosive | +1.0 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Express Cartridge + 1 Animal Fat | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Rifle Cartridges - Varmint | - | - | - | $1.00 for 60 | Buy or loot |
| Used with the Varmint Rifle. Lowest damage bullets for hunting small game. Same rating as Small Game Arrows. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Rifle Cartridges - Sedative Varmint | - | - | - | $0.40 for 60 | Buy |
| Used with the Varmint Rifle to sedate animals and take samples from them for Harriet Davenport (Online Only) | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Rifle Cartridges - Nitro Express | - | - | - | $0.40 for 4 | Buy |
| Ammo for the Elephant Rifle (Online Only) | ||||||
| Image | Shotgun Ammo Type | Dmg | Rng | Acc | Base Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Shotgun Shells - Regular | - | - | - | $1.00 for 18 | Buy or loot |
| Regular shotgun shells can be used in crafting Small Game Arrows. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Shotgun Shells - Buckshot Incendiary | +0.6 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Regular Shotgun Shell + 1 Moonshine Pamphlet found at Copperhead Landing. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Shotgun Shells - Slug | - | +0.2 | +0.8 | $1.50 for 18 | Buy |
| Can be used to make Explosive shotgun shells. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Shotgun Shells - Explosive | +1.0 | +0.2 | +0.8 | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Slug Shotgun Shell + 1 Animal Fat Pamphlet found in New Austin. | ||||||
Arrows
| Image | Arrow Type | Dmg | Rng | Acc | Base Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Arrows | - | - | - | $0.50 for 5 | Buy |
| Arrows can sometimes be retrieved from targets. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Arrow - Improved | +0.6 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Arrow + 1 x Flight Feather | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Arrow - Small Game | -0.8 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Arrow + 1 x Flight Feather + 1 x Regular Shotgun Shell | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Arrow - Poison | +0.2 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Arrow + 1 x Flight Feather + 1 x Oleander Sage Poison Arrow Pamphlet is sold by Fences. | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Arrow - Fire | +0.8 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Arrow + 1 x Flight Feather + 1 x Animal Fat "Sets fire to target and surroundings." | ||||||
| IMAGE UNAVAILABLE | Arrow - Dynamite | +1.6 | - | - | NA | Craft |
| 1 x Arrow + 1 x Flight Feather + 1 x Dynamite Pamphlet is found at Wapiti Indian Reservation. | ||||||
Trivia
- Explosive cartridges are the most powerful ammunition type. However, players can only carry a very limited number of them, such as 20 Rifle Explosive cartridges.
- They are greatly suitable for hunting Legendary Animals as their pelt cannot be damaged by any means.
- On the other hand, players should avoid using explosive ammunition when hunting normal animals because it will damage the pelts.
- They are an excellent alternative to open train safes quickly and without risking side-damage, like what may happen when using dynamite.
- Beside damage and range, High Velocity cartridges also increase the penetration power of the guns which make it possible to kill multiple enemies in a single shot.
- In the case that players want to loot dead bodies of enemies after gunfight, avoid using incendiary shells, fire arrows or fire bottles because the burned corpses cannot be looted.
- The amount of ammo that can be carried is increased by purchasing bandoliers (for longarms) and gun belts (for sidearms) from Gunsmiths and the Trapper. The ammo increase stacks, and the equipment doesn't need to be equipped to gain its benefits, so purchasing as many as are available is advisable.
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