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Golden Guns are modified versions of existing weapons found in Red Dead Redemption.

Description[]

As the name implies, these weapons are golden in appearance. Two categories of Golden Guns exist - one type is available via a DLC purchase for the single player campaign and the other type is unlocked in Multiplayer by completing Weapon Challenges. Although referred to as Golden Guns, non-firearms such as the Tomahawk, Dynamite, and Fire Bottle can also be made golden.

Single Player[]

Pre-order bonus[]

Red Dead Golden Guns

The Golden Guns Pre-Order Pack

Two Golden Guns were initially available as a bonus for ordering Red Dead Redemption prior to its release in May 2010: the Repeater Carbine and the Cattleman Revolver. In addition to the golden appearance, these guns also earned the player extra fame with each kill, unless the player is wearing the bandana, which negates honor and fame.

The pre-order code makes the same two Golden Guns available during the Undead Nightmare Single Player campaign. Since fame is not a factor in Undead Nightmare, its bonus does not apply.

Golden Guns Weapon Pack[]

On April 13, 2011, Rockstar Games released the Golden Guns Weapon Pack as a DLC via PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE. At time of release, the DLC cost $0.99/£0.79 (or 80 Microsoft Points). This pack makes most weapons that the player owns in single player golden, with the exceptions of thrown weapons, weapons added by other DLC, and the Hunting Knife. The fame bonus noted for the pre-order weapons also applies to this pack. With the addition of the Myths and Mavericks Pack there is now a toggle to turn the Golden Guns on and off in single player. In 2014 an update was made where you can enable the golden guns in the options list.

Press Discs/Packet[]

For certain members of the media (confirmed by Rockstar Games on a Developer Q&A Thread September 5, 2010), there were press discs with golden weapons fully unlocked on the multiplayer, including hidden golden weapons such as the Hunting Knife.

Undoing[]

For players who wish to undo the effect of the pre-order code or DLC after installation, Rockstar created a support article detailing how this can be done: How to turn off Golden Guns in Red Dead Redemption. Alternatively, you can just go into options in the pause menu and just turn them on/off from there.

See also the note in the Bugs section, below, regarding Title Update 1.07.

Multiplayer[]

In Multiplayer, Golden Guns are earned one at a time by completing all of the Weapon Challenges for a given weapon, alternatively, snag one hundred headshots in a ranked multiplayer match. Most, but not all, weapons can be made golden in multiplayer. Refer to the Weapon Challenges page for complete details on the challenges and a list of eligible weapons. Unlike their single player counterparts, there is no benefit to the multiplayer Golden Guns beyond appearance - they are simply intended as a sign of prestige.

The guns in a player's inventory are not designated as "Golden" or otherwise noted, instead the golden appearance is just automatic whenever the gun is drawn. This works for guns picked up off of a dead enemy or picked up from a weapon chest as well as those unlocked in the player's inventory. Note that only the metal parts of a weapon are golden. Other parts (wood, ivory, etc.) retain their normal appearance. When the golden weapon leaves the player, it returns to normal appearance, such as when the tomahawk is thrown. Weapons such as the Fire Bottle and Dynamite have gold plating, but are reverted to original form when they are dropped.

After advancing into Legend (restarting back at level 1) any earned golden guns will remain golden, even though the associated weapon challenges are reset to zero. It is best to check the challenge stats for each non-golden gun prior to accepting Legend so that any that are close to earning golden status can be completed first.

The challenges that unlock golden weapons can only be completed within competitive matches and cannot be unlocked within Free Roam. The golden weapon will transfer over into Free Roam once unlocked, however.

Guns made golden in multiplayer do not transfer over into single player (or vice versa).

The player can easily snag headshots in casual games. Since it is set to casual aim.

Red Dead Redemption 2[]

While golden guns as they functioned in Redemption don't make a return, with the new weapon customization system in Redemption 2 any gun in the players possession can be equipped with a Gold metal finish at a Gunsmith, with the exception of the Double-action Revolver which requires challenges to be completed in Grand Theft Auto Online to unlock the gold customization.

Trivia[]

  • After June 2014, the Cattleman revolver, Repeater Carbine and a few other uncomfirmed guns automatically become gold in Undead Nightmare.
  • The Game Of The Year Edition comes with a complete set of golden weapons, which can be switched on and off at the player's leisure.
  • The Explosive Rifle is often considered by far the hardest gun to get golden due to many factors:
    • The gun is only accessible in Stronghold matches and in the Myths and Mavericks PVP maps.
    • Only one person per open safe can use said gun (unless dropped, which gives the person picking it up only 1 shot)
    • The player is only given a maximum of 6 shots per game (8 for locations with two safes).
    • Fort Mercer doesn't have it; Escalera only has it once.
    • The rifle is permanently set at Expert Mode, due to the fact that it is a sniper rifle. (Rockstar most likely implemented this detail due to the "noob-tubing" that would occur had it not been implemented.)
  • The Tomahawk is often considered the second hardest weapon to make golden due to more difficult distance aiming and scarcity of maps that use the weapon.
  • Every time a golden weapon is earned, a Title is also granted in the weapons category of the Outfitter.
  • Some guns, like the High Power Pistol, have engravings.
  • In Single Player, after completing the final story mission "The Last Enemy That Shall Be Destroyed", the player's inventory may revert to regular guns until after the next save is performed.
  • In Single Player, the Tomahawk, Fire Bottle and Dynamite can not be made golden with the Golden Guns DLC pack. These weapons can only be acquired in Golden form if playing off of a Rockstar Staff Press Disc, released in 2011.
  • The Buffalo Rifle is often considered the third most difficult weapon to make golden over the fact that it is scarce in PvP matches and when acquired yields 5 rounds. But due to its accuracy, headshots become very easy.
  • Also, all Shotguns are difficult to be made golden, as the scatter shot makes it difficult to get a head shot and it is only lethal at close range, which is often very hard to do in a PVP match.
  • Provided the player has the requisite challenge unlocked, golden guns can be obtained in a private matches.
  • Without extracting and modifying a save file, there is no way to obtain a golden Cattleman Revolver, Melee Knife or Throwing Knives in normal game play.

Bugs[]

  • A Rockstar support article notes that following application of Title Update 1.07, some players may experience a reversion of the golden guns to their normal colors. A menu option is noted for toggling the appearance on and off, but the bug prevents this menu option from being used.

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