Rapid Reload is a perk in Fallout: New Vegas.
Effects
Rapid Reload allows you to reload all your weapons 25% faster than normal. This also has the effect of allowing you to switch ammunition types faster.
It's important to note that this increase is multiplicative with Agility bonuses, rather than additive. So if you have an Agility of 10, which yields 50% faster reloading on its own, the result with this perk is an 87.5% faster reload speed, not 75% faster (i.e. 1.5 * 1.25 versus .5 + .25).
i.e. reload time Gauss rifle
| Agility | Without RR | With RR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,88 sec. | 3,10 sec. |
| 5 | 2,33 sec. | 1,86 sec. |
| 10 | 1,55 sec. | 1,24 sec. |
Notes
The gun in the picture is a .44 magnum revolver. However, the .44 magnum revolver in-game uses a speed loader when reloading, and does not reload rounds individually as shown in the picture.
Bugs
Might randomly stop having an effect, slowing down your reloads to normal speed. This usually happens after reloading a save. The effect can be restored upon changing weapons. [verified]
Weapons like the cowboy repeater and lever-action shotgun, any that don't reload with a magazine, sometimes have a period of time after reloading where you are unable to aim down the iron sights, enter V.A.T.S., open your Pip-boy, or change weapons. This is probably due to a discontinuity between the animation of the reloading and the amount of time it actually takes. [verified]
- On PC, this can be fixed by first clicking the LMB before attempting any of the actions. Be wary of the fact that - if you must reload in V.A.T.S. - the cinematic animations will play out, but you will not attack as there is no way to interact once the events are set in motion.
- You can also fix this in Steam by verifying the integrity of the game files. One will fail validation and be re-downloaded, only to be messed up again next time this bug happens. It is recommended that you do not take this perk or, at least, take into account the effect it has on the game.
- Regardless of having the perk or not, the bug will still occur. Taking the perk may or may not shorten the time left waiting after reloading.
