M99 Stanchion Gauss-rifle

The M99 Stanchion Gauss-rifle is a weapon used by the UNSC. It is a two-meter long tube of interlinked magnetic coils that accelerate small particles at tremendous speed. It fires a 5.4 millimeter tungsten slug at roughly fifteen thousand meters a second. While classed as an "anti-material" weapon, the M99 is highly effective against "soft" targets like a human. The weapon itself is housed on a shock-absorbing armature to reduce kickback. The Stanchion has a highly advanced, smart-linked targeting system that can even go so far as to predict the rounds ricochet. The rifle's optics suite links up to the users HUD and projects the entire vector of the round and is capable of discerning when the round will safely pass through the target without hitting any other people or objects. When striking a "soft" target like a human, the Stanchion is powerful enough to blow it to pieces. It was first mentioned in Joseph Staten's novel, "Contact: Harvest" and was used by Staff Sargent Avery Johnson.