I need help on how to kill a deathclaw in Fallout: New Vegas. I'm very new to the fallout games and have no idea how to play.

Shoot it in the head, from very far away, is how I deal with death claws, but that's what my characters like.

I never thought about that. I guess explosives is out of the question?

Rocket Launcher if you have it... if its early on in the game... just find a new route to your destination

I love Fallout and I honestly just avoided them as best as possible... If you are a lower level your best tactic is actually to VATS them in the legs if you can with a railgun or to use the .56 riffle if you are more of a normal one or two handed weapon kind guy... But if you keep uping the gun skill by level 20 something I was able to take them out with 3 shots from my combat shotgun--sorry Riot Shotgun in NV--(excellent condition mind you) so long as I didn't use VATS... That's my advice lol Explosives just kind piss them off as they run out of the spread distance too quick lol