Might As Well Throw The Gun!? 1865 Carbine Mastery | Hunt: Showdown 1896

Intro

Hi guys, REX here! The 1865 Carbine is a medium ammo rifle that comes in three variants: the standard iron sight, the aperture (which includes a flip-up aperture scope), and the silencer. What sets this rifle apart is its high base damage combined with unusually low bullet velocity. On paper, it looks like a powerhouse, but in practice, that low velocity really holds it back — and the silencer and special ammo types only make this worse.

Let’s break down the numbers. Both the base and aperture variants deal 145 damage — among the highest of any medium ammo rifle, and easily enough to one-shot to the torso if a hunter is missing a health chunk. They have a solid drop-off range of 115 meters, but only 340 m/s velocity, which is lower than most compact ammo rifles, and this rifle has no access to high velocity ammo, so that’s your best-case scenario.

The silencer version drops even further, down to 289 m/s velocity with a reduced damage profile of 10%. That brings its torso one-shot range closer to the edge, especially with damage drop off in play. It’s a quiet option, sure — but the tradeoff in damage and speed is steep.

Now let’s talk ammo. The 1865 Carbine can run regular, FMJ, and subsonic rounds. FMJ boosts wall penetration and retains damage better over distance, but it comes with even lower velocity and increased recoil. Subsonic is quieter but drops velocity and range even more — down to a painful 242 m/s on the base variant, and just 229 m/s on the silencer. FMJ on the silencer? That’s 218 m/s — possibly the lowest velocity of any rifle in the game. You might be better off throwing the gun.

Still, it’s not all bad. The rifle is priced at 70 Hunt Dollars — making it one of the most affordable in the game. So for budget loadouts, it might have a niche. In this video, I’m putting the regular and silencer variants to the test using regular and FMJ ammo. I’ll skip subsonic, as I just don’t see the upside for this weapon. My sidearm for this challenge is the Scottfield Spitfire, which offers great close-range value and shares medium ammo with the rifle, which helps keep reserves high.

Let’s find out how the 1865 Carbine actually performs when it counts — and whether there’s more to it than just solid stats on paper. At the end of the video, I’ll share my verdict and recommendations, so stick around. But for now, let’s dive into it!

Thoughts & Recommendations

After playing the 1865 Carbine for three days, here’s what I found. As expected, this isn’t a top-tier weapon — but it has its moments. Compared to other cheap rifles like the Ranger 73 or Centennial, the 1865 just doesn’t offer the same consistency or flexibility.

The first day was spent adjusting to its sluggish projectile speed. With no high velocity option to lean on, landing shots at even medium range can be tough, and you really feel the difference. I started with the regular variant and regular ammo for the best velocity possible, then tried the silencer with FMJ to test its lowest-performing build. Honestly? It wasn’t as bad as I feared — but it wasn’t exactly good either.

Once I got used to the bullet travel time and learned how to lead properly, things improved. I managed to win fights and even string together a few good games. But that’s more a testament to solid positioning and game sense than to the weapon itself.

One area where the 1865 actually shines is in late-game fights. Once players are worn out and down a health bar, the high damage becomes a major threat. Suddenly, every torso shot counts. If you can close the gap and land your shots, the Carbine feels great, but those opportunities are limited.

As for the aperture scope, I tried to make it work — but honestly, it feels out of place on this gun. Aperture zoom is most useful for long-range shots, and this rifle just isn’t built for that. Between the slow bullets and lack of long range potential, it’s rare you’ll land anything meaningful from a distance.

In conclusion, the 1865 Carbine hits like a truck but suffers from crippling limitations. With enough practice and good positioning, I can see how some players might make it work — and for budget loadouts, it definitely has a place. But for me personally, I don’t think I’ll be running it again any time soon.

But now I want to hear YOUR opinion! What do YOU think about the 1865 Carbine and its variants? Is it underrated — or best left collecting dust? Let me know in the comments, and until next time, I’ll see you in the bayou!