Buffalo Rifle

Buffalo Rifle
Statistics
Power	Very High
Range	High
Rate of Fire	Low
Reload Speed	High
Ammo Capacity	1
Ammo Type	Rifle Ammo

“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 most powerful rifle in the game (not counting DLC weapons), but also has the lowest ammo capacity, holding just a single round. Shooting small animals with the rifle, such as skunks, rabbits, and armadillos or any type of bird, (except vultures) will destroy the animal, rendering them unable to be skinned.

When used in Dead Eye mode, only one shot can be marked before the Dead-eye session ends and the shot is fired.

Acquisition

Single Player

• It can be purchased from any Gunsmith after completing Rank 5 of the Master Hunter Challenges.

Undead Nightmare

• It can be obtained after saving Escalera from an Undead invasion.

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.

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 in 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.
• 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.

Trivia

• The Buffalo Rifle is based on the real world Sharps Model 1874.

• Though challenging, it is possible to get the Buffalo rifle soon after unlocking the Master Hunter Challenges. 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 Buffalo rifle is not as effective in "Undead Nightmare", because all weapons can kill the undead with just one shot to the head. Because the weapon only holds one round, it's usefulness in-game is severely limited. The player is better off using another rifle or repeater.
• In multiplayer, the buffalo rifle seems to have downgraded, as it takes slightly longer to reload after every shot.

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

Marston With the Buffalo Rifle

Golden Buffalo rifle

Trophies/Achievements

The Buffalo Rifle can be used to unlock the following achievements.

	BULLSEYE 20 gamerscore Bronze bronze Get 250 headshots in any game mode.

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	THE GUNSLINGER 5 gamerscore Silver silver Get a headshot while in Expert Mode in Singleplayer.

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	LONG ARM OF MARSTON 20 gamerscore Silver silver Kill 500 enemies with any rifle, repeater, or shotgun

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