Whether you’re a gunslinger at heart or still learning how to draw your weapon without shooting your horse, Red Dead Redemption rewards mastery over its varied and deep combat mechanics. This guide covers everything you need to know about weapon selection, Dead Eye usage, dueling, and bounty hunting, so you can dominate every firefight the West throws your way.

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Weapon Selection: Navigating the Wheel

Your arsenal is managed through the weapon wheel (hold LB). Use the right stick to select weapon types, and the D-pad to scroll through specific weapons in each category.

If a weapon doesn’t appear in your wheel:

• Press Start > Weapons to access your full inventory.
• Organize and equip weapons from this menu.
• They’ll now show up as your defaults in the weapon wheel.

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Targeting Modes: Casual to Expert

Red Dead Redemption features three targeting modes:

• Casual: Instant lock-on to enemies.
• Normal: Partial lock-on with some manual aim.
• Expert: Fully manual aiming.

Pro Tip: In Casual or Normal mode, zoom in, shoot, then quickly release and re-aim to re-lock onto a new enemy. This resets the auto-aim and improves kill speed.

For better efficiency:

• Auto-aim targets the chest by default.
• Slightly nudge up after locking on to get headshots for one-hit kills.

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Dead Eye: Slow-Mo Precision

Dead Eye is your bullet-time mechanic:

• Activate: Aim (LT) then click RS.
• Tag Targets: Use RB to mark.
• Execute: Pull RT to unleash shots.

Key Points:

• Dead Eye only tags what’s in front of you—position wisely.
• Use in chaotic mounted or wagon combat to control your aim.
• Refill Dead Eye via kills or items from general stores.

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Dueling: Patience Over Panic

Dueling works differently than regular gunplay:

• Wait for the camera to zoom in.
• Draw with LT, then tag with RB.
• Aim for limbs to disarm or disable, not kill, for Honor boosts.

Timing Tip:

• Wait for red and white X indicators.
• White X = confirmed hit zone.
• More precise targeting = cleaner victory.

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The Lasso: Tame and Capture

Unlocked through early story missions with Bonnie MacFarlane, the lasso is a non-lethal option for bounty hunting.

• Equip with the weapon wheel.
• Throw with RT, hold LT to keep tension.
• Approach and press the hogtie button (on foot).

Pro Strategy: Shoot targets in the leg to stop them from running. This makes lassoing easier and preserves their life for higher bounty payouts.

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Combat Flow Tips

• Use Dead Eye on horseback for safety and accuracy.
• Stick with default guns early on—many weapons are mission rewards.
• Buy Bandoliers from general stores to double repeater/rifle ammo capacity.

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Quickfire Advice

• Keep Dead Eye stocked for tougher encounters.
• Save high-damage ammo for story missions.
• Don’t forget that every bullet counts—precision pays.

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Final Thoughts

Combat in Red Dead Redemption is about timing, control, and choosing the right tools. Master the basics, tweak your aiming mode, use Dead Eye smartly, and don’t draw too early in a duel. With practice, you’ll turn every fight into a cinematic display of frontier justice.

Saddle up, load your weapon wheel, and let the West remember your name.