“Very high powered hunting rifle. Only holds one bullet, so make every shot count.”
–In-game description
The Buffalo Rifle is a weapon featured in Red Dead Redemption.
Description[]
The Buffalo Rifle is the strongest rifle and firearm available to Marston in Redemption, excluding the DLC-added Explosive Rifle. While it has the smallest ammo capacity out of all in-game non-sniper rifles at a single bullet, its high stopping power and relatively long range allows for lethal one-shots against most hostile NPCs and animals.
As a rifle-class weapon, the Buffalo Rifle uses rifle ammunition.
Acquisition[]
Single-player[]
- It can be purchased from any gunsmith after completing Rank 5 of the Master Hunter Challenges. The only precondition here is completing the very first mission and receiving the first level of Dead Eye targeting with Bonnie after the very second mission. As Rank 5 of the Master Hunter Challenges is obtained after slaying wolves and cougars merely with a melee knife, which can be challenging to new players, many are content to wait for the opening up of health restoratives in Marston's satchel. (Medicine not being officially available until "This is Armadillo, USA".)
- The weapon pack 2 cheat, at the cost of autosaving and trophies/achievements disabled, will grant the player with this weapon.
Undead Nightmare[]
- Rewarded to the player after clearing Escalera of the undead hordes.
Multiplayer[]
- The Buffalo Rifle is unlocked into the player's regular inventory upon reaching rank 50.
- The "Buffalo Butcher" weapon challenges are unlocked at the same level. Completion of these challenges turns the weapon golden for the player.
- It can also be obtained by killing another player who has the weapon equipped.
- It can also be used in gang shootouts at Las Hermanas.
Tips and Tricks[]
- Be careful when using the Buffalo Rifle in Level 2 Dead-Eye Targeting mode as it is a one-shot rifle and painting the target in any location will cause Marston to fire it off right away. Even being the most powerful rifle, if the shot is not placed in the center mass, or the head, the target can survive.
- It may take two shots to kill the legendary animals instead of the one shot for almost everything else (if you target the head it will drop them).
- When hunting dangerous game, the single shot capacity and slow rate of fire make it critical to get a head shot since there may not be time to reload and place a second shot if the animal survives.
- In Multiplayer gang matches, this gun is sometimes available, but it has only about 5 rounds to start. An ammo chest will refill almost 15 rounds.
- May be a glitch, but if the player can pull the trigger fast enough, the rifle will skip its reload animation and fire another shot immediately for as many times as the trigger is pulled. Useful against grizzly bears in a pinch.
- The aforementioned 'glitch' may occur because this rifle has a one shot/reload method of operation, and consequently reloading it is a quick and easy thing for Marston to do... He only has to deal with one cartridge in the process, after all. Since Marston immediately reloads all of his firearms once they are out of ammunition without the player having to 'tell' him to do it, it is perhaps not surprising that this rifle can have a pretty rapid rate of fire even though it is a single shot gun.
- When using in Multiplayer, always aim for the head. Doing so will ensure your enemy is dispatched. Hitting them in the torso takes 2 hits to kill, easily enough time for them to put you down with a pistol, or another rifle. The Buffalo Rifle does, however, often stagger the enemy in question, buying a little time to get the second shot out if you didn't manage the headshot.
- This weapon can be useful in Sharpshooter Rank 7 as one shot to the bear's head will kill it. Dead Eye can be used if necessary.
- In Undead Nightmare, it is very unwise to use this weapon, as its one shot capacity will severely limit how many undead you can kill at a time. However, its accuracy makes it a good weapon when safely out of the reach of the hordes.
Trivia[]
- The Buffalo Rifle is based on the real world Sharps Model 1874 Rifle.
- Though relatively challenging, it is possible to get the Buffalo rifle soon after unlocking the Master Hunter Challenges, or rather, attaining Rank 5 of the Master Hunter challenge as all the animals involved in the challenges to that point can be found in New Austin. Doing so will make the game much easier by having an accurate, high-powered, long-range rifle near the start.
- Similar to that of the Springfield Rifle, any character wielding the Buffalo Rifle will stay standing until they have finished reloading the weapon, which is when they will pop back into cover.
- The in-game model presents a vernier sight mounted on the weapon, yet it is unusable.
- In Multiplayer, the buffalo rifle seems to have been downgraded, as it takes slightly longer to reload after every shot.
- While the gun doesn't return in Red Dead Redemption 2, an unused model file suggests it was at least considered for inclusion. The Springfield Rifle effectively replaces it, being a single-shot rifle with extremely high damage output.
Glitches[]
- A glitch exists for the Buffalo Rifle in singleplayer: if Marston has the bandolier equipped and has more than 120 rifle cartridges, shooting it will bring it down to 99 cartridges. The opposite can also occur, causing Marston to temporarily hold more than 200 cartridges. After going under 200 however, the glitch seems to end.
Gallery[]
Trophies/Achievements[]
The Buffalo Rifle can be used to unlock the following achievements.
20
Bronze
Get 250 headshots in any game mode.
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5
Silver
Get a headshot while in Expert Mode in Singleplayer.
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20
Silver
Kill 500 enemies with any rifle, repeater, or shotgun
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