How to obtain the explosive rifle in Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

Know how to unlock the powerful Explosive Rifle in Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare and tackle zombies with explosive shots by following these steps.

Unlock the powerful explosive rifle in Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare by completing specific challenges. (Rockstar Games)

In Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, players face hordes of zombies and other creepy creatures. Among the weapons available to fight these enemies, the Explosive Rifle stands out as one of the most potent tools in your arsenal. Unlike the standard weapons from the base game, this rifle allows you to eliminate large groups of zombies with a single shot, causing massive explosions. Here's how you can acquire this powerful weapon and use it to your advantage.

How to Obtain the Explosive Rifle

To get your hands on the Explosive Rifle in Undead Nightmare, you first need to liberate the Rathskeller Fork settlement from the zombie invasion. This area is located in the top-left section of the map, near Gaptooth Ridge. If you haven't explored the location yet, head toward this part of the map.

Once you reach Rathskeller Fork, a prompt will appear asking you to clear out the zombie infestation. Take out the zombies in the area to make the settlement safe again. You can approach this task in several ways. One option is to ride your horse through the settlement, taking down zombies while on the move. Alternatively, you can climb onto one of the buildings where other NPCs are already fighting the undead, offering a safer vantage point. 

After clearing the area, you will unlock Rank 1 of the Exploding Rifle challenges and gain access to the weapon itself. The Explosive Rifle has a capacity of 30 rounds, with one bullet in the chamber and 29 in the magazine. To restock ammo, simply loot containers or the bodies of the undead.

Explosive Rifle Challenge Ranks

Once you've acquired the weapon, you can work through five challenge ranks to unlock the Master Exploder Trophy. Here's a breakdown of the challenges for each rank:

Rank 1: Liberate Rathskeller Fork to unlock the Explosive Rifle.

Rank 2: Kill one of each type of zombie in the game.

Rank 3: Eliminate three undead with a single shot.

Rank 4: Kill two undead animals with one shot.

Rank 5: Obtain the US Army Uniform outfit and kill any undead with the Explosive Rifle. You can find the uniform during the "American Imperialism" mission.

By completing these challenges, you'll not only unlock the full potential of the Explosive Rifle but also gain the bragging rights of having defeated the undead with some of the most powerful tools in the game.