You’re riding through Rhodes. Maybe you’re just there to fence some jewelry or grab some tobacco, but then you hear it. A voice from a basement window. It’s a kid in a sailor suit, and he’s begging for help. This is the start of the gunsmith old friend's request, one of the most memorable and, frankly, disturbing side activities in Red Dead Redemption 2. It isn't just a random fetch quest. It’s a weird, dark piece of environmental storytelling that catches most players off guard because it’s tucked away behind a standard shop interface.
If you’ve played Rockstar games for a while, you know they love these "Stranger" encounters. But this one feels different. It’s intimate. It’s creepy. And if you don't handle it right, you actually miss out on a free high-tier weapon early in the game.
What Actually Happens in the Gunsmith Old Friend's Request
Most people stumble into this by accident. You walk past the side of the gunsmith’s shop in Rhodes and hear a boy's voice. He’s trapped. He tells you he’s being held captive. This kicks off the "request" part of the interaction, though calling it a request feels like a massive understatement. The kid is terrified.
When you go inside and confront the gunsmith, things get heavy. You have to draw your weapon and aim it at him—don't shoot, just aim—and select the "Rob Basement" option. This is the only way to trigger the specific scripted event. If you just rob the register, you're missing the whole point. Downstairs, you find the kid, but you also find the truth about why he’s there.
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The gunsmith, a man named Jasper Feeney, had a son who drowned. He’s essentially kidnapped this boy to replace his lost child. He even makes the kid wear the same clothes. It’s a tragic, messy look at grief gone wrong. Honestly, it’s one of the few times in the game where Arthur (or John) feels like a genuine hero for doing something small. You aren't just a bandit here; you're a savior.
The Lancaster Repeater Reward
Let's talk shop. Most players want to complete the gunsmith old friend's request because of the loot. In the basement, there’s a weapon case. Inside that case is the Lancaster Repeater.
If you’re still in Chapter 2 or early Chapter 3, this is a massive upgrade. The Carbine Repeater you start with is fine for basic hunting or picking off a stray O'Driscoll, but the Lancaster is the gold standard for mid-range combat. It has a faster fire rate and better accuracy. Getting it for free, rather than paying the $50 or $60 at a store later, is a huge win for your early-game economy.
Why This Quest Glitches Out So Often
Nothing is perfect in a game as big as RDR2. The gunsmith old friend's request is notoriously finicky. I’ve seen countless threads on Reddit and GTAForums where people say the boy won't talk to them, or the "Rob Basement" prompt never appears.
Usually, this happens because of "World State" conflicts. If you recently caused a shootout in Rhodes, the town goes into a pseudo-lockdown. The shopkeepers might be "on edge," which disables special interactions. Or, perhaps you already robbed the gunsmith's register earlier in the day. The game treats the shop as "looted" for a 24-hour cycle.
Basically, if the prompt isn't showing up, ride out of town. Set up a camp. Sleep for a full day. Come back when the sun is up and the shop has just opened. And for heaven's sake, don't have a bounty on your head in Lemoyne while you're trying to do this. The lawmen will interrupt the basement scene, and it’ll break the script.
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Handling the Moral Choice
Once you’re in the basement and you’ve dealt with the shackles, you have a choice. Do you kill the gunsmith? The game doesn't explicitly tell you what to do. If you kill him, the shop stays closed for a while, and eventually, a new person might take over, or he'll "respawn" with a bandage on his head, depending on your version of the game.
If you let him live, he sits there and sobs. He tells you about his son. It’s a weirdly empathetic moment for a kidnapper. Most players—myself included—usually leave him alive just because Arthur’s dialogue in that moment is so biting. He treats the guy with such utter contempt that it feels more punishing than a bullet.
Speedrunning the Interaction
If you’re on a second or third playthrough and just want the gun, you can speed this up.
- Approach the window on the right side of the building (facing the front).
- Talk to the boy through the bars.
- Run straight into the front door.
- Aim at the gunsmith immediately.
- Select "Rob Basement."
- Ignore the register. Run downstairs.
- Shoot the chain on the boy's leg (don't use a shotgun, use a pistol).
- Grab the Lancaster Repeater from the case against the wall.
- Loot the drawer for some extra cash and a drawing that explains the backstory.
- Leave.
You can do the whole thing in under two minutes if you don't linger for the dialogue. Just be careful with your weapon. If you accidentally fire a shot while upstairs, the law will descend on Rhodes before you can even get the basement door open.
Deep Lore: The Drawing in the Basement
Keep an eye out for a small scrap of paper in the basement. It’s a drawing of the gunsmith’s actual son. It adds a layer of sadness to the whole thing. Rockstar is great at this—they give you a "villain" but then show you the broken pieces of their life. It doesn't excuse the kidnapping, but it explains it. It makes the world feel lived-in.
Interestingly, if you come back to the shop weeks later in-game, the gunsmith will sometimes have unique dialogue. He might apologize, or he might just be surly. It’s one of those small details that makes the gunsmith old friend's request feel like more than just a checkbox on a completionist list.
Technical Requirements for Completion
To ensure this counts toward your "Total Completion" or your "Compendium," you need to make sure you actually interact with the boy first. You can’t just walk in and rob the basement. The game needs to register that you discovered the secret.
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If you’re playing on PC, some mods that affect NPC behavior or "Leveled Lists" can occasionally break this encounter. If the boy isn't appearing, try disabling any "Crime and Law" overhaul mods you might have installed. For console players, a simple restart of the game usually fixes the "silent window" bug where the boy won't trigger his lines.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
To get the most out of this encounter and ensure you don't miss the rewards, follow these specific steps:
- Check the Timeline: This encounter is available as soon as you reach Chapter 2 and can ride to Rhodes. You don't need to wait for a specific mission.
- Approach Quietly: Don't start a fight in town beforehand. If the "Peaceful" state of the town is disrupted, the interaction won't trigger.
- The Chain Trick: When freeing the boy, use your "Dead Eye" to ensure you hit the chain specifically. If you accidentally hit the boy, you lose a massive amount of Honor and the quest ends poorly.
- Loot Everything: The Lancaster is the prize, but there’s often a small amount of money and some unique flavor items in the basement desk.
- Wait and Return: If you want to see how the world reacts, visit the shop again after three in-game days. The dialogue changes based on whether you were "merciful" or not.
The gunsmith old friend's request remains one of the most talked-about secrets in Red Dead Redemption 2 for a reason. It perfectly captures the game's tone: a mixture of frontier justice, heartbreaking tragedy, and the practical need for a better rifle. By following the steps above, you'll secure one of the best guns in the game while experiencing a top-tier piece of storytelling.