weapon—usually an assault rifle of some type—you will undoubtedly run into a situation where you don’t have the time to reload an empty magazine. Having a powerful sidearm to fall back on makes all the difference in the world in those moments. But which weapon to choose? Yeah, Skif’s Pistol is an excellent starting weapon, capable of lasting you through most of the game with the right weapon upgrades. But there are better options. The Rhino, for example, is perhaps S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl’s most potent sidearm, and you can score one early on!
Where to find the Rhino revolver in Stalker 2
Alongside purchasing the Rhino revolver in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl from either Viktoria Dorozhnyuk in STC Malachite or Wreck in Yaniv Station, you can find the sidearm in a handful of locations out in the world. The easiest one to track down early is in Yantar. You’ll find a cave north of the abandoned trucks and vehicles there. If you stick to the right-hand side of the path, you’ll inevitably stumble upon a deceased soldier carrying a Rhino.
- Crashed Helicopter (Malachite)
- STC Malachite (Malachite)
- Yaniv Station (Yaniv)
- Cave (Yantar)
There is also a unique variant of the Rhino known as the Model Competitor. It features a distinctive aesthetic, high damage and accuracy, and a relatively high rate of fire, especially for a revolver. You can find the Model Competitor at the Journalist’s Stash east of Yaniv Station, inside one of the abandoned freight cars.
Rhino stats
It’s difficult to quantify the damage output of the Rhino based on the in-game bar system, but it’s definitely one of the most powerful guns in the game. It even rivals some of the close-quarters shotguns that wreck mutants. However, the long reload time and low-capacity chamber offer some drawbacks to consider before replacing your semi-automatic handgun.
- Weight: 1.5 kg
- Magazine: 6
- Cost: 10,000
- Caliber: 9×39
- Size: 3×2
- Fire Mode: Single
Turn your Rhino into a shotgun with this weapon upgrade blueprint
The Rhino is already one of the most impressive sidearms in the game, with its competent stopping power, relatively quick rate of fire, and mid-range accuracy. It’s the ideal hand cannon to take down Snorks. But what happens when those Snorks ambush you? A revolver is satisfactory, but why not make it explosive?
There is a Weapon Upgrade Blueprint known as the Buckshot Conversion, which swaps the Rhino’s standard ammunition for .12 caliber shotgun shells. You can find this beastly performance booster at the Fairytale Pioneer Camp in the Burnt Forest.
If you intend to venture across the Zone in search of a powerful sidearm, don’t forget to bring a powerful submachine gun to make quick work of mutants and bandits alike. Once you have a Rhino in your possession, keep it in tip-top shape with weapon repairs and upgrades!
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