The 3 Best Sniper Rifles in Red Dead Redemption 2, and how to get them

When a game is set in the Wild West it should come as no surprise that acquiring the best weapons is very important. As one of the premiere examples of the genre, Red Dead Redemption 2 is no exception, and outfitting your cowboy with the best guns money can buy is certainly a worthwhile investment. The game offers a variety of options on how to arm yourself — from pistols and revolvers to rifles, repeaters, shotguns, and sniper rifles. Speaking of sniper rifles, we have prepared this guide to examine which are the best out of the three available in the game and how to acquire each of them.

Related: Red Dead Redemption 2 Gold Bars – where to find and sell Gold Bars

Rolling Block Rifle

The first sniper rifle that you will acquire is likely going to be the Rolling Block. Designed as a high-powered hunting rifle, the Rolling Block is designed to hunt from far away with its multiple zoom levels. It’s also one of the few guns in the game that forces the player into scoping mode with each shot, which can be a detriment in close-range firefights, especially since it’s a single-shot weapon. It has the ability to use several ammunition types, but the best thing about it is its versatility, as this rifle can be extensively customized. 

Rolling Block Stats (Default):

• Damage: 3.3/4.0
• Range: 3.3/4.0
• Rate of Fire: 1.2/4.0
• Reload: 1.5/4.0
• Ammo Max: 120

Rolling Block Stats (Max):

• Damage: 4.0/4.0
• Range: 4.0/4.0
• Rate of Fire: 1.2/4.0
• Reload: 1.9/4.0
• Ammo Max: 120

How to get the Rolling Block Rifle

The easiest way to get your hands on a Rolling Block is to acquire one for free during the mission The Sheep and the Goats. 

There are also a few ways of getting one even earlier, which involve using the so-called “Companion glitch” to make Hosea (or alternatively Lenny) drop one after being made to fall off their horse. This will make the gun fall to the ground for a brief moment which allows the player to scoop it up for themselves.

Other than that, you will be able to find it at gunsmiths and other shops at a price tag of $187.

Related: The best pistols in Red Dead Redemption 2

Rare Rolling Block Rifle

This rifle is the unique version of Rolling Block that’s sporting a different design and slightly modified stats. It’s made with a lighter wood grain color and dark steel, decorated with carvings. It is interesting to note that despite having similar stats, this rifle is more accurate than the normal Rolling Block.

Rare Rolling Block Stats (Default):

• Damage: 3.3/4.0
• Range: 3.1/4.0
• Rate of Fire: 1.1/4.0
• Reload: 1.5/4.0
• Ammo Max: 200

Rare Rolling Block Stats (Max):

• Damage: 4.0/4.0
• Range: 4.0/4.0
• Rate of Fire: 1.1/4.0
• Reload: 1.9/4.0
• Ammo Max: 200

How to get the Rare Rolling Block Rifle

To get this sniper rifle, you will have to loot it from a specific bounty hunter. This guy is located in a barn that’s near Braithwaite Manor, and he is after Josiah Trelawny. He will try to use it to snipe Arthur and Charles from the said barn at the end of the mission Magicians for Sport. There is a catch, however. You will not be able to obtain the gun after the mission Magicians for Sport is completed, even on a mission replay, so you only have one chance to get it.

Sireno Carcano Rifle

Likely the best sniper rifle in Red Dead Redemption 2, the Sireno Carcano is a long-scoped bolt-action rifle with some impressive stats. It has the ability to hold six rounds and boasts a higher firing rate for a sniper rifle, which makes it a long-distance powerhouse. To make it even better, it is also fairly customizable, which lets you tune your sniper rifle just the way you want it. And just like both of the previous entries, the Carcano can fire several types of ammo, letting you pick the right one for each occasion.

Sireno Carcano Stats (Default):

• Damage: 3.0/4.0
• Range: 3.3/4.0
• Rate of Fire: 1.5/4.0
• Reload: 2.8/4.0
• Ammo Max: 120

Sireno Carcano Stats (Max):

• Damage: 4.0/4.0
• Range: 4.0/4.0
• Rate of Fire: 1.5/4.0
• Reload: 3.2/4.0
• Ammo Max: 120

How to get the Sireno Carcano Rifle

It is possible to obtain a Carcano for free during the missions The Delights of Van Horn and Goodbye, Dear Friend. If you fail to get one then, don’t worry, because, after Goodbye, Dear Friend is completed, the rifle will be available for purchase from all gunsmiths at a price of $190.

There is another way to get it with the “Companion glitch” from Squears during the Go Rustling (Uncle) companion activity mission.

A note on Scopes

While you can technically buy scopes from gunsmiths and fit them to several other rifles, they are not considered sniper rifles. In short, they can’t match the range and stopping power of true snipers, but for the sake of completeness, these are the other rifles that can be fitted with scopes and turned into quasi-snipers:

• Bolt Action Rifle
• Carbine Repeater
• Evans Repeater
• Lancaster Repeater
• Litchfield Repeater
• Springfield Rifle
• Varmint Rifle