BR55 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle

The BR55HB SR Battle Rifle is a UNSC infantry firearm in Halo 3 and is a newer variant of the BR55 Battle Rifle in Halo 2.

Introduction
The BR55HB SR Battle Rifle is a gas-operated, magazine-fed, shoulder fired, mid-to-long range weapon, which fires in short 3-round bursts. It can be semi-automatic, or fully-automatic, but it is commonly used in burst fire. The Battle Rifle is suspected to be the most efficient infantry rifle in the UNSC Armory. As the modern successor to the BR55 Battle Rifle, the BR55HB SR remains relatively unchanged, firing the M634 9.5x40mm X-HP-SAP round from a magazine of 36. It is equipped with a blue 2x electronic scope for better accuracy at longer ranges. The penetrative power, accuracy, and range of the BR55HB SR are roughly equivalent to the BR55, although its accuracy has slightly increased from its earlier counterpart.

While the BR55HB SR offers far greater range and accuracy than the MA5C, it can be more difficult to use during close-quarters engagements. The firing characteristics of the BR55HB SR are comparable to the Covenant's Type-51 Carbine, though they are very different in appearance and mechanical operation. The BR55HB SR has a three round burst that similar to the modern M16 of the AR rifle series, as the Covenant's Type 51 Carbine shoots semi-automatic.

Tactics for Use
The BR55HB SR Battle Rifle is a marvelously effective weapon against all types of enemies, from Grunts to Brutes and Elites to Spartans. An important thing to note is that the BR55HB SR can be used to great effect at medium to long range. The trick with making the BR55HB SR Battle Rifle effective at long range is minimizing the firer's side-to-side i.e. "strafing" movement. Strafing while firing greatly decreases the efficiency of the rifle. Additionally, while firing at a moving target it is important to aim in front of the target, especially when the target is moving perpendicular to the aim of the rifleman. For targets on foot it is optimal to aim 0.75-1.00 head-widths in front of the target to guarantee the maximum possible number of rounds impact the target. For targets in vehicles it is ideal to aim 1.75-2.5 head-widths in front of the target. Attempting use of a BR55HB SR Battle Rifle against vehicles at great range is not advised. Odds are the vehicle you are trying to take down is not an immediate threat to the rifleman and he should shift his focus to a more readily available target.

A single headshot with the 3-round burst instantly kills Grunts and Jackal Snipers, as well as unshielded Elites and Brutes at medium range. In multiplayer, it takes four headshot bursts to kill a fully shielded SPARTAN-II or Elite, or three body shots followed by a headshot (Headshots are only necessary to kill unshielded opponents; the bullets do equal damage on any part of a shielded body).

The BR55HB SR Battle Rifle can be used to destroy a Flood Combat Form quickly by penetrating the Infection Form in its chest cavity.

Another use of the BR is to melee, then shoot them in the head for an instant kill. This is much more effective than shooting then meleeing, seeing as this would take at least three bursts before the melee would kill the opponent.

In multiplayer (preferably Team SWAT) on Halo 3 you can "twitch fire" the rifle so that you can execute an easy headshot. The way it can be executed is such, just when you fire at mid-lower chest area of your target, "twitch" the reticule upwards and the 3 bullets will separate, thus decreasing its accuracy but creating a greater head shot hit box. This technique is very useful to inexperienced players. Looking at a bigger picture, and just multiplayer in general, BR55HB SR Battle Rifle can also be used for close range, though it's effectiveness is greatly reduced. It is more logical to use a weapon designed for close range like an Assault Rifle or an SMG. Despite its rate of fire, the BR55HB SR Battle Rifle makes it easier to obtain headshots, even in close range, taking the enemies' or enemy's shield down more quickly than the MA5C. Close range use of the Battle Rifle isn't recommended as close range encounters often go in favor of the wielder of a close range weapon.

In multiplayer or in campaign, it is the best weapon to use if you are trying to be stealthy. The battle rifle does not make that much noise and it doesn't require much ammo to kill.

Notable Combos
An infamous but well-known tactic known as the "Noob Combo" or as the "EMP combo" is to use an overloaded Plasma Pistol shot to remove the shields of an opponent, then immediately follow this hit with a head shot to kill the opponent. The need to use only one headshot is good practice for Team SWAT.

Another useful Battle Rifle tactic is to use a Sniper Rifle shot to reduce the shields of a target, then switch to the Battle Rifle for an easier headshot. This is similar to the Noob combo but it is more useful at long ranges. This tactic is better for inexperienced snipers to use, as it uses less ammunition than two sniper body shots, and experienced snipers will usually just get a single headshot on a target, which will kill the target and make the Battle Rifle shot unnecessary. Other tactics that many players use is to throw a Fragmentation Grenade, then line up a headshot with a Magnum, BR, or Carbine. This is very effective due to the obsessive use of Fragmentation and Plasma Grenades.

Arguably, the best combination with the Battle Rifle is the Power Drain. By throwing down the Power Drain, the shields of your enemies are instantly brought down, thus allowing for an easy one-shot kill with minimal ammunition. This is especially useful on levels that involve lifts, for example Construct. As mentioned previously, a Frag Grenade can be used in its place, for example on Guardian.

Also, a good weapon combo is a Battle Rifle, Shotgun combo. When a target is coming at you from a distance, try to pick him off with the Battle Rifle, but when he gets closer, shoot him with the Shotgun. This combo can also work with Energy Swords or Gravity Hammers in the place of Shotguns, or a Covenant Carbine in the place of the Battle Rifle.

The Combo that works in the most broad and simple way, is to carry a Battle Rifle and a close range weapon; preferably an Assault Rifle or SMG. Note that the Battle Rifle is not designed for close range encounters, so carrying a close ranged weapon is imperative.

Advantages
The BR55HB SR has reasonably high power, a decent rate of fire, and high accuracy with its 2x magnification scope. Its range is its primary advantage, allowing the rifleman to engage at longer ranges, far beyond the distance that it feels like it can fire. It can reach targets that would usually take a Sniper Rifle or Spartan Laser (with some practice). There is also a method that kills with four shots: you shoot into the body three times, and the last bullet must be placed into the neck or head. This weapon's armor piercing rounds detonate Fusion Cores immediately. In Halo 3 the BR55HBB SR a slight lower recoil than the earlier version in Halo 2, and has less muzzle fire. For players going through campaign on Heroic or Legendary this weapon is an absolute must as it can take down either snipers or Brutes.

Disadvantages
At longer ranges, it is necessary to minimize strafing movements when firing to avoid spacing the shot grouping too much. Since each "shot" is really a three-round-burst, certain movements can break up the grouping and greatly reduce accuracy. 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 direction).

Each bullet from the 3-shot gets futher from the middle of your reticle. Eg, the first bullet will be very close to where you are aiming, but the next bullet will have a bigger spread and then the last bullet will have a very big spread

However, the BR55HB SR is not as effective at close ranges. Each bullet acts as a tracer which gives away the shooter's position, and the range is limited at long distance in comparison to the Sniper Rifle. It also does negligible damage against vehicles.

Another disadvantage at close range is the weapon's small spread of fire, because at close range enemies may move quickly in relation to the shooter. If the reticule is just off, then the shot will be too. Due to this the BR can be beat by a Shotgun, Energy Sword, SMG, Assault Rifle, or Gravity Hammer.

Physical Description and Appearance
The BR55HB SR is a bullpup, selective fire UNSC rifle that fires the 9.5x40mm X-HP-SAP round. It fires from a 36 round magazine, which fits flush in the receiver. The magazine housing is built directly into the underside of the stock of the rifle and is located behind the grip.

This titanium alloy weapon is gas-operated with a rotating bolt and therefore must be charged before the first round can be fired. The charging handle used to chamber the round is located on the left side of the weapon and does not move during operation. The rifle has a housed magazine in the stock. The ejection port is located on the right side of the weapon. There The BR55HB SR, has noticeable changes from the BR55. It has a longer barrel for increased range and accuracy. It is also fitted with a Trijicon ACOG-style scope on a modified carrying handle and now also has a trigger guard. The safety is also located above the handle of the weapon.

Influences


The BR55HB SR Battle Rifle's design is based on its predecessor, the BR55 Battle Rifle, which was used in Halo 2.

The most obvious inspiration for the shape and design of this rifle is the French-made FAMAS assault rifle. They are nearly identical in design, featuring a bullpup configuration (the magazine and receiver behind the trigger) and the carry handle. Though the FAMAS is an assault rifle, firing a 5.56 x 45mm round, and the BR55HB SR is a battle rifle, firing a 9.5 x 40mm round.

Another key inspiration for the BR series was the now-cancelled XM8 Assault Rifle, most prominently in the rifle's carry handle (not the pistol grip; the bar from the sights to the foregrip.)

While it was probably not a key influence on the design of the BR55HB, the Korobov TKB-022 assault rifle bears a few similarities with the BR, namely the placement of the magazine so close to the stock.

Changes From The BR55

 * Modified optical rail
 * New Trijicon ACOG-style scope
 * New trigger guard
 * Longer barrel
 * New reloading animation
 * Less magnetism
 * Slightly different firing sound
 * Slightly lower rate of fire
 * Decreased accuracy/greater spread
 * Slower rounds- no instant hit anymore

Besides these changes, the BR55HB SR is functionally identical to the BR55.

Character Compatibility
These are the characters that can wield the BR55HB SR in Halo 3.
 * Elites
 * Spartans
 * Marines
 * ODSTs
 * Jackals
 * Flood Combat Forms

Tips/Strategies

 * If you're facing an enemy and you have the BR you should walk backward while shooting at their head. Only strafe to dodge anything that they might be doing, or you could find yourself stuck with a plasma grenade.
 * Remember the notable combos if you need to use them.
 * It is not a good idea to strafe at long range. Due to the Battle Rifle firing in bursts, and the time the bullet takes to hit the target, your shots will splinter, greatly decreasing your accuracy and thus, your lethality. Only strafe to dodge their shots, should the enemy return fire.
 * Remember, utilize the 4-shot technique if possible. You can do this by shooting them three times anywhere on the body and finishing it off with one head shot.

Trivia

 * The "HB" most likely is in acronym standing for "Heavy Barrel", which indicates and signifies the lengthened barrel of this rifle and the weighty barrel on the stock. "SR" could stand for "Scoped Rifle", which is simply an additional description of this weapon.
 * This is one of the most popular weapons among skilled players, as a Battle Rifle in the hands of a skilled player makes a fearsome opponent, and gametypes that do not have Battle Rifles as starting weapons are often bemoaned by these players.
 * On the shell casings fired from the Battle Rifle, there are the words CHIEF E-GX written on the front.
 * When aiming at an enemy's head, a small dot appears in the middle of the reticule. This is useful when aiming for headshots. The dot also appears in the M6C, Covenant Carbine, and the two sniper weapons in the game, the SRS99D-S2 AM and the Particle Beam Rifle.
 * In the Halo: Landfall films, the BR55HB SR Battle Rifle seems to have an automatic firing type, but in Halo 3, it only fires in bursts of three rounds.
 * The in-game Battle Rifle uses a similar burst-fire function to the M16A2/A4, however, there are many differences. For example, on the M16, one must hold the trigger down for the whole burst to fire. If the trigger is let go after firing one round, only that one round will be fired. Many speculate that the BR55's burst-fire makes it function in the same way as the M16, but only at the very simplest levels.
 * A number of Call of Duty 4 players attach ACOG scopes to their M16 and use it as they would use a Battle Rifle..
 * The Battle Rifle is the most common weapon among ODSTs.
 * The Marathon symbol is located on the gun's left side, to the left of the ammunition counter display and roughly above the trigger guard and on the stock.
 * The Battle Rifles that the Marines use for the salute during the memorial scene at the end of Halo 3 are set in a semi-automatic mode.
 * In Matchmaking, the Battle Rifle is one of the most favored, and most utilized weapons found.
 * WETA Studios made a replica Battle Rifle, Magnum, Sniper Rifle, Carbine, Gravity Hammer, Spike Grenade, Rocket Launcher, and Plasma Pistol to use in the currently "on hold" Halo film.
 * The Battle Rifle is the starting weapon in all Hardcore playlists.
 * It's one of the starting weapons in Team SWAT, unless playing a variant.
 * The Covenant Carbine is the Covenant equivalent of the UNSC Battle Rifle. The Battle Rifle has more power in its shots but a slower fire rate, while the Covenant Carbine has a less powerful shot but a quicker fire rate.
 * The Battle Rifle is a useful weapon for exploiting the Grunt Birthday Party skull.
 * It is commonly known as the "offspring" of the Halo:CE Pistol and the Assault Rifle.
 * If you melee or reload the Battle Rifle mid-burst, you fire a burst of one or two rounds, instead of the usual three.
 * The infamous "Noob Combo" is combining the Battle Rifle with a Plasma Pistol, in which the Player uses the Plasma Pistol overload to take down the shield of the opponent and switches to the Battle Rifle to immediately kill the enemy with a headshot.
 * A grenade placed in a precise position, combined with a Battle Rifle burst results in an instant kill.
 * When Bungie was making Halo 3, they did many calculations and tests, in order to make sure the Battle Rifle and Assault Rifle were evenly balanced. Still, the Battle Rifle is more likely to win when faced against an Assault Rifle wielder. Balancing this out however, is that the Battle Rifle is a lot less common then the MA5C.
 * Four magazines of ammunition (Including the one inserted into the rifle) is the maximum number that can be carried.
 * If another action is taken quickly after firing, a glitch can occur, causing the ammo display to show remaining ammunition in amounts that are not multiples of three.

Related Pages

 * BR55 Battle Rifle