BR55 Service Rifle

Were you looking for the Prototype BR-55 Battle Rifle, used in Halo: Contact Harvest, or the BR55HB SR Battle Rifle, used in Halo 3?

The BR55 Battle Rifle is a United Nations Space Command infantry service rifle and is the older of the BR55 series rifles (the HB SR variant being the newest, phasing out the original in Halo 3). The BR55 is first seen in Halo 2. It started active duty in 2525. It is most notable for its powerful three-round burst fire and accurate 2x scope, making it more efficient at farther ranges than the Assault Rifle.

Background
The BR55 Battle Rifle is a good, all-around weapon, being the much more accurate combat rifle that replaced the MA5B Assault Rifle from Halo: Combat Evolved. It is the older variant of the BR55HB SR Battle Rifle and is available in Halo 2. It is the counterpart to the Covenant's Type-51 Carbine and fires in three round bursts, similar to the modern M16A2 and M16A4 service rifles. It was designed for use during all combat situations.

Summary
The BR55 Battle Rifle, is a gas-operated, magazine-fed, mid-to-long range weapon capable of semi-automatic and burst-firing modes. Prototypes of the Battle Rifle were used in 2525 at Harvest, but it entered active service in 2524. The weapon is capable of fully-automatic fire, but only the three-round burst mode is encountered in game. In Halo 2 the Battle Rifle fires the M634 9.5x40mm X-HP-SAP round from a 36-round magazine, though in Halo 3 the weapon utilizes the 9.5x40mm KURZ. Additionally, the weapon features a scope attachment capable of 2x magnification. It does reasonable damage to enemies, being able to kill most within a few bursts (normally four when enemy is fully shielded). Its accuracy and range are also reasonably high, being able to hit a target from medium to semi-long ranges. It is highly recommended to always have one on hand on higher difficulty levels.

Advantages
Use the "four-shot tactic": three to the body and one to the head. Designated the BR55 Battle Rifle, it has reasonably high power, a decent rate of fire, and high accuracy with an electronic 2x telescopic sights attachment; it can be used to deliver three-round bursts at medium ranges. In multiplayer, three body shots and one head shot will kill a fully shielded opponent, assuming the player does not have an overshield. This weapon will kill an unshielded enemy in a single head shot. Target the head and a dot will appear in your reticule. This requires that only one of the three rounds, from a burst, actually hit an enemy. Therefore, it is possible to kill up to three unshielded opponents in a single burst if they are grouped close enough to each other, though this is an uncommon occurrence. However, right after you shoot, it is possible to only shoot one round rather than three bullets, with a melee attack to disrupt the burst.

Disadvantages
At longer ranges, it's necessary to minimize strafing movements when firing to avoid "splintering" the shot grouping too much. Since each "shot" is really a three-round burst, certain movements can break up your shot's grouping and greatly reduce accuracy. To avoid this, either swap it in for the Covenant version (Covenant Carbine), or get up to medium range. The Carbine has the same degree of firepower, and it lacks the splitting effect. This also affects accuracy when firing from a moving vehicle such as a Warthog (especially when firing at a 90-degree angle from the vehicle's heading).

The Battle Rifle is not as effective at long ranges. Each bullet also acts as a tracer which gives away the shooter's position. Also, the range is limited compared to the Sniper Rifle. It is also not effective against Sentinels, and does negligible damage against vehicles. Neither is it an effective weapon at close range, as the low fire rate and average stopping power of the weapon makes any fully-automatic weapon far superior in close-quarters combat.

The BR55 can have a certain disadvantage against Flood combat forms, in particular the Human variant. Both forms have a certain vulnerable spot on their bodies. This is the area of the body that the Infection Form has taken home in. For the Sangheili variant, this is the upper-center of the chest. The Human variant takes hold in the left shoulder area, noted by a large bump. The Combat Form can be brought down with a single shot by hitting this area, but the Battle Rifle is virtually useless shooting anywhere else.

Physical Description And Appearance
The BR55 is of bullpup design that fires a three round burst from a 36 round magazine (fully-automatic on Harvest) UNSC rifle that fires the 9.5x40mm X-HP-SAP round (see below). The magazine housing is built directly into the underside of the stock of the weapon and is located behind the grip.

This titanium alloy weapon is gas-operated with a rotating bolt. Therefore, the charging handle must be racked before the first round can be fired; this will put a round into the barrel. The charging handle used to chamber the round is located on the left side of the weapon and does not move during operation. Once the first round is fired, the gases from that round—and those to follow—impinge upon a gas piston, which pushes back the bolt carrier, rotating the bolt inside and continuing to chamber rounds until the magazine is empty. Once the magazine is empty, the charging handle (even though not illustrated in-game) can either be pulled back and locked or it can be fully cycled after a fresh magazine has been housed. If it is pulled back and locked, then it must be pushed forward once a fresh magazine is housed to chamber a new round. The magazine release button is located on both sides of the gun with an arrow pointing down towards the housed mag in the stock. The ejection port is located on the right side of the weapon. There is also a fire selector on both sides of the ammo display.

The BR55, having a rifled barrel, is 89.9cm long and is fitted with a scope for increased accuracy. The scope is mounted on the optics rail. The safety is also located above the handle of the weapon.

Ammunition
It is interesting to note the ammunition type used for the Battle Rifle. It uses a new 9.5 x 40mm Experimental Round. The 7.62 x 51 mm NATO round is a rather high-powered round used on the MA5B and on modern-day marksman rifles and machine guns. The 7.62 mm already has a history of having too much recoil because of the round's high power, which made it hard to fire in full-auto in assault rifles. Despite the Battle Rifle's shorter case size, the increase in diameter actually increases the amount of powder present. The level of recoil would be enough to drastically decrease accuracy and inhibit the ability to fire controlled bursts for standard Marines, although for Spartans it should not be a problem.

However, the size of the round would have a problem fitting in the 36-round magazine of the current Battle Rifle. If a Heckler Koch G3 (which is chambered in 7.62 x 51mm) has a standard magazine count of 20 and be the size that it is, it would be hard to see a cartridge much wider than the 7.62mm fit inside of a magazine of the Battle Rifle's size and with a capacity of 36 rounds. The Battle Rifle's magazine would have to be about twice as long as it actually is to hold that many rounds. This is a continuous pattern with UNSC assault rifles as a similar instance occurred with the MA5B. The MA5B has a magazine of 60 rounds chambered in the 7.62 x 51mm with a rather "small" magazine size, which looks to be smaller, than the Battle Rifle's magazine.

Grunts
Grunts are slow, clumsy, and lack any form of shielding. With a single head shot, it is possible to kill up to three Grunts in a group with one burst (though very unlikely) by sweeping the rifle slightly when firing. Shooting the methane tank is also mildly effective, often killing a grunt in one shot on Normal. If a head shot is difficult for the player to accomplish, one or two three-round bursts, followed by a melee, can also be effective. However on easy difficulty—provided that all bullets hit the Grunts—can usually be killed with one burst. They are only combat effective if they are veterans (clad in silver armor or are being led by a Brute or Elite). However, for larger groups, it is advisable to switch to the SMG or Plasma Rifle for the automatic fire effect. They are weak enough to succumb to one-shotting, which can work if you're down on ammo.

Jackals
Not as effective against Jackals as with Grunts, given that the bullets bounce straight off a Jackal's Energy Shield. When confronted by a Jackal with its shield in defensive position, fire a well-placed shot through the small notch, and, as the Jackal recoils from the wound, finish it off with a head shot. Also, in close-quarters combat, it is recommended to first melee the Jackal and then finish it off with a head shot when it recoils from the blow. If playing multiplayer co-op, have one person distract it while the other moves around back and shoots it from there. Never aim for the body, as it will take 3-5 body-shots, in which duration leaves you vulnerable to other fire. One head shot will suffice. Note: Jackal shields only cover the front of the Jackal.

Jackal Snipers
At medium range, the rifle is an effective anti-sniper weapon, giving suppressive or covering fire. Since sniper Jackals do not use shields, they can be easily dispatched with a well-placed head shot or a couple shots to the body. As always, it is important to always use proper cover when engaging a Jackal sniper. Be careful you don't get sniped if you are forced to stand in the open, though, and be sure the Jackal doesn't recover and fire off a shot. This is extremely important for Legendary battles, as a single shot anywhere will result in death.

Elites
The Elite's energy shield is a great defense to the Battle Rifle. On Normal difficulty, a basic Minor Elite takes four full bursts to the head to kill, while Major Elites take six and Zealots take twelve. However, unshielded Elites of any rank will die from a single head shot. Try to keep the rifle leveled at its head and keep firing until it falls dead. It is advisable to soften an Elite up with grenades, melee attacks, or a Plasma Pistol's charged shot before engaging them with a Battle Rifle, especially on higher difficulties. Another tactic is to use the button combination "BXR" on the lower difficulties.

Brutes
You can kill a Brute with three head shots, as the first two bursts will knock off the helmet, then the following headshot will kill the Brute. However, shooting a Brute in the torso is not particularly effective due to their extreme resilience. The Covenant Carbine is more effective for the job, although not as effective as other weapons.

Hunters
Dodge behind them, firing as many bursts as possible into their backs before they turn around. Be careful when fighting an enraged Hunter, as they can backhand you and kill you with a single strike. It can take quite a few bursts to kill a Hunter, however, especially on higher difficulty levels. It is not recommended for killing Hunters. A weapon such as the SMG, or, even better yet, a Sniper Rifle is better suited for this job.

Drones
The Battle Rifle is actually quite effective against Drones. It only takes two to three bursts to kill them, even on Legendary in Halo 3. The Drones are not as agile as they are presumed to be and can be hit quite easily with a steady aim. Also, when they land, they will not instantly take off if hit, so you have time to hit it again and kill it. While not the best weapon to take down Drones, it can effectively deal with smaller swarms. An SMG or Assault Rifle is much more suited to killing drones due to their extremely high rate of fire.

Flood
When fighting singular to hordes of Combat Forms, aim for the Infection Form in their chest or "heart" to kill it in a single shot (This works in any Halo game; in Halo 2 it seems to take a few shots to hit it.). This will leave the body intact and ready to be taken over again, so it is advisable to shoot off or melee the arms when you have the opportunity. It is also possible, to kill a Combat Form by firing at the junction of the host's neck and the tentacles sprouting from its chest. If a Combat Form you are shooting at has shields, it will take much more to kill it. The Battle Rifle, is also effective for killing Infection Forms and Carrier Forms. Against shielded Combat forms, though, always melee, jump back (to avoid the deadly blow from the combat form), and then fire into the chest.

All in all, in Halo 2, this weapon is poor against The Flood unless you hit the Infection Form (Which is rather finicky; sometimes it will hit, sometimes it won't, and it takes more than half a magazine in body shots on Easy difficulty to kill one human combat form), so the dual SMG combo or an Energy Sword is the most suitable for them.

Character Compatibility

 * Elites
 * Spartans
 * Cortana (only through modding)
 * Marines
 * Brutes (a glitch seen on the level Gravemind)
 * Jackals (can be given to them on the level Sacred Icon)
 * Flood Combat Form (Human)
 * Flood Combat Form (Elite)
 * Flood Combat Form (Brute)

Influence
The BR55 is largely based on the QBZ-95 Chinese-designed assault rifle. Introduced in 1995, the QBZ-95 represented a radical departure from previous Chinese infantry arms. The new rifle used a bullpup configuration and was chambered for the lighter 5.85x42mm round. Both the BR55 and the QBZ-95 also notably lack a fully automatic firing setting, but can similarly mount optional rifle accessories on the carrying handle. It also has some resemblance to the G36 and G36C. It also looks a lot like the XM8 due to the curved front and mounted scope instead of iron sights

Trivia

 * The Battle Rifle replaces the M6D, the pistol in Halo: Combat Evolved. Both have 2x magnification, but the M6D is more powerful, being able to take down a Grunt, Hunter (only in exposed orange areas), or unwary Jackal with one round.
 * On the side of the Battle Rifle, (opposite side to the charging handle) there are two Chinese symbols, "猴王", which translates to Monkey King. This is a nod to the M6D, which has the Kanji symbol for 7 on the side.
 * Its appearance seams to be a cross between the XM8 Carbine and the FAMAS assault rifle with details from other weapons as well.
 * The evolved Battle Rifle variant in Halo 3 is called the BR55HB SR Battle Rifle.
 * The Battle Rifle was originally supposed to shoot single rounds in its zoomed mode in Halo 2 based on the Zanzibar play video before its release; it was later changed to fire the normal three-round bursts.
 * This weapon was first introduced in Eric Nylund's Halo: First Strike novel. It was noted that this rifle had "a longer barrel and stock, with a cut down muzzle shroud." "A scope was mounted on an optics railing along the top of the rifle." Spartan-043 (Will) once commented on the rifle, "Auto zoom, nice."
 * On the Level Quarantine Zone in Halo 2, the player can find a Battle Rifle from a dead UNSC Marine that, when reloaded, can have a total of 236 rounds of ammo total instead of the normal 108 spare rounds.
 * On the level Outskirts in Halo 2 near the turret, there is a Battle Rifle that have a total of 112 rounds of ammo.
 * This weapon and the Plasma Pistol make the notorious Noob Combo. This was parodied in Another Day at the Beach. The "noob" combo is usually despised in Halo multiplayer matches and will get the "noob" a lot of insults. Oddly, using an M6D and Plasma Pistol is not frowned on, although they amount to the same thing.
 * When the first prototype came out in 2525, it had 60 rounds per magazine.
 * In the Halo 2 E3 Demo, the Battle Rifle was the only weapon shown used in making a Melee Combo, originally meant to be in the Final Version but was scrapped. It was also shown firing semi-automatically (single shots).
 * The Battle Rifle does not appear in Halo:Combat Evolved. Via modding, it is in Halo:CE, and has two versions: a Halo 2 and Halo 3 version, which have different melee, reload, and HUD animations.
 * It seems to be preferred weapon on Red vs Blue after they began to use Halo 2.
 * The maximum ammo that can be carried for a Battle Rifle is 144, including the ammo inside the magazine with 108 in magazines.
 * The BR55 has been brought out in the form of a scaled replica for fans. They usually sell for about $20 US.
 * If the rifle is aimed directly at a head, the cross hair will have a red cross in the center.
 * Much like the MA5B and the MA5C, The BR55 and its newer variant, the HB SR, has a screen with the number of rounds left in the magazine shown in bright blue text. A compass is absent from the screen, however.
 * The barrel of the Battle Rifle in Halo 3 has a longer barrel than the one in Halo 2.
 * If you zoom in on the battle rifle bullet-count in the hands of a marine, it says "36", a full magazine, even though they fire off shots it will still say "36".
 * The Battle Rifle as seen if First Strike seems to be far more powerful than those seen in any of the games, being able to drop a shielded Elite with only a couple of bursts.
 * The BR55's external appearance was based off of the Magnum from the Marathon series. Which can be supported by the fact that it sports the same smooth black exterior and blue lens scope as the Marathon Magnum.

Related Pages

 * Prototype BR-55 (The very first weapon of the Battle Rifle line)
 * BR55HB SR Battle Rifle (Replaces the BR55 for Halo 3)
 * SMG (The weapon partnered with the BR55 to replace the Assault Rifle)
 * MA5B Assault Rifle (The weapon in Halo: CE, which was replaced by the BR55 and SMG)
 * Covenant Carbine (The Covenant counterpart of the BR55)