In the actual sense of the word, a "rifle" is a weapon with a spiral grooved barrel that imparts a spin on a projectile to obtain better levels of accuracy than a smooth-bore weapon, such as a musket or a shotgun. In the Halo sense of the word, a rifle can have several different meanings.
Summary[]
When regarding human weapons, there are a few forms of the word "rifle" used. An "assault rifle" is a kind of firearm, that may or may not be fully-automatic (and may posses a fire selector), that fires a round between a pistol or battle rifle. A "battle rifle" fires a large full-size rifle round and is usually, but not always, semi-automatic and often has a long full-size barrel. A "sniper rifle" fires a multitude of ammunition, almost exclusively in semi-automatic, in the goal of achieving high levels of accuracy, and typically longer ranges than assault or battle rifles.
Regarding Covenant weapons, a "rifle" is used not to describe the technical of the weapon itself, but in the role it plays on the battlefield. For example, the Plasma Pistol and Plasma Rifle, while similar, are used in two different ways. Basically, a rifle is larger than a pistol, often requiring two hands to use (except while dual-wielding), but is smaller than a heavy weapon like a Brute Shot or Fuel Rod weapon. This applies to the Plasma Rifle, Brute Plasma Rifle and Beam Rifle. The Covenant Carbine is also considered a rifle and the Type-25 Carbine (commonly called a Spiker or a "Spike Rifle") can fit into this list as well.
Currently, there are at least 40 known appearances of a "rifle" in the Halo universe:
United Nations Space Command[]
Assault rifles[]
Assault rifles are military service weapons that that fires intermediate rifle cartridge; merging the light machine gun's firepower with the submachine gun's compact design.
MA series[]
- MA1 Individual Combat Weapon System - The original MA rifle, precursor to all current MA variants.
- MA2B ICWS/Carbine - Successor to the MA1. Functionally similar to the MA5B. Occasionally used by Special Forces operators.
- MA3A Individual Combat Weapon System - The precursor to the MA5B Assault rifle. Retired from service, remains popular on the black market and among insurrectionist groups.
- MA37 Individual Combat Weapon System - Introduced in 2437, known as the MA5 to the UNSC Navy and Marine Corps. In service with the UNSC Army during the Fall of Reach. Featured in Halo: Reach.
MA5 series[]
- MA5B Individual Combat Weapon System - Standard issue Assault rifle in service with the Navy and Marine Corps up until late 2552. Featured in Halo: Combat Evolved.
- MA5C Individual Combat Weapon System - MA5B replacement, with lower magazine capacity and higher accuracy. Featured in Halo 3.
- MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System - Post-war successor to the MA5C, newest addition to the MA5 series. Featured in Halo 4.
- MA5K ICWS/Carbine - Uncommon carbine variant, wielded by Special Forces units such as the SPARTAN-IIIs.
Carbines[]
Carbines are shortened light-weight versions of full rifles, firing the same ammunition at a lower velocity due to a shorter barrel length.
- M6J Carbine - Carbine variant of the M6 sidearm series that features a detachable stock and an electroless nickel finish. The weapon's barrel is 355mm long.
- MA2B ICWS/Carbine - Successor to the MA1. Functionally similar to the MA5B. Occasionally used by Special Forces operators.
- MA5K ICWS/Carbine - Uncommon carbine variant, wielded by Special Forces units such as the SPARTAN-IIIs.
Battle Rifles[]
Battle rifles are military service weapons that fires a full-power rifle cartridge; providing greater effective range, penetration, and stopping power than Assault rifles.
- BR85 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle- A new variant of the battle rifle used in Halo 4.
- BR85N Service Rifle - An improved variant of the BR85 used in Halo 5: Guardians.
BR55 series[]
- XBR55 Service Rifle - Halo: Contact Harvest Prototype Battle Rifle.
- BR55 Service Rifle - Two-handed firearm firing in 3-round bursts featured in Halo 2.
- BR55 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle - An updated version of the BR55 for Halo 3.
Designated Marksman Rifles[]
Marksman rifles are military service weapons that fires an anti-personnel/magnum-caliber rifle cartridge. Used to fill the "marksmanship gap" between the battle rifle and the sniper rifle.
- M392 Designated Marksman Rifle - The DMR featured in Halo: Reach.
- M395 Designated Marksman Rifle - The new DMR used in Halo 4.
- M395B Designated Marksman Rifle - The DMR used in Halo 5: Guardians.
Nonlinear Rifles[]
- Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle (W/AV M6 G/GNR) - A shoulder-carried, anti-vehicular, directed laser weapon. Featured in Halo 3, Halo Wars, Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach. It is better known as the Spartan Laser.
- Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Enhanced Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle (W/AV M6E G/GNR) - An enhanced variant of the Spartan Laser used in Halo 5: Guardians.
Recoilless Rifles (Portable Railguns)[]
- M149 Recoilless Rifle - United Nations Space Command weapon used during the Human-Covenant war. Better known as the Magellan.
- Asymmetric Recoilless Carbine-920 - Compact-channel linear accelerator carbine, fires high-explosive rounds at extreme velocities. Featured in Halo 4.
- Model 99 Special Application Scoped Rifle - Man-portable miniaturized Magnetic Accelerator Cannon. Used by Avery Johnson in Operation: KALEIDOSCOPE.
Sniper Rifles[]
Sniper Rifles are used for a more accurate and long range shots than other small arms.
SRS99 series[]
- SRS99 AM Sniper Rifle - A variant of the SRS99 Sniper Rifle seen in Halo: Reach.
- SRS99C-S2 AM Sniper Rifle - A variant of the SRS99 Sniper Rifle seen in Halo: Combat Evolved.
- SRS99C-S2 AMB Sniper Rifle - A variant of the SRS99 Sniper Rifle seen in Halo 2 and Halo: Ghosts of Onyx.
- SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle - A variant of the SRS99 Sniper Rifle seen in Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST.
- SRS99-S5 AM Sniper Rifle - A variant of the SRS99 Sniper Rifle seen in Halo 4.
Other Sniper Rifles[]
- Hard sound rifle - A sonic rifle used by ONI for assassination operations.
Covenant Empire[]
Ballistic Rifles[]
- Type-31 Rifle - Medium-range cousin of the needler. Analogous to the DMR. Better known as the Needle Rifle. Featured in Halo: Reach.
- Type-25 Carbine - One-handed spike rifle. Analogous to the SMG. Better known as the Spiker.
- Type-51 Carbine - Scaled-down, anti-infantry version of the fuel rod cannon. Analogous to the battle rifle. Better known as the Covenant Carbine.
- Type-57 Carbine - A newer version kf the Covenant Carbine used in Halo 5: Guardians.
Particle Beam Rifles[]
- Type-50 Sniper Rifle System - Long-range two-handed weapon, primarily used by Kig-Yar Snipers. Analogous to the SRS-99 sniper rifles. Better known as the Beam Rifle. Featured in Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 3: ODST.
- Type-27 Special Application Sniper Rifle - An older variant of the Beam Rifle seen in Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians.
Plasma Rifles[]
- Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle - One-handed plasma-operated weapon typically wielded by Sangheili. Better known as the Plasma Rifle.
- Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle/Jiralhanae variant - Variant of the standard plasma rifle wielded exclusively by Jiralhanae, with superior rate of fire. Better known as the Brute Plasma Rifle. Featured in Halo 2 and Halo 3: ODST.
- Type-50 Directed Energy Rifle/Heavy - Two-handed plasma-operated weapon-variant that fires explosive bolts of superheated plasma. More commonly known as the Concussion Rifle.
- Type-51 Directed Energy Rifle/Improved - Two-handed plasma-operated weapon used mostly by Sangheili. Analogous to the MA5 Series Assault rifles. Better known as the Plasma Repeater. Featured in Halo: Reach.
- Type-52 Special Applications Rifle - Sniper weapon, fires continuous beam of magnetically contained plasma. Better known as the Focus Rifle. Featured in Halo: Reach.
- Type-55 Directed Energy Rifle/Advanced - Two handed Automatic weapon similar in appearance to the Type-51 Carbine and similar in function to the Type-51 DER/I that was used after the Human-Covenant war. More commonly called the Storm Rifle. Appears in Halo 4.
Deleted Material[]
- Gravity Rifle - A Halo: Combat Evolved deleted Covenant long range rifle.
Forerunner[]
Hard Light[]
- Z-250 Directed Energy Engagement Weapon - A Forerunner weapon used by Promethean Knights on Requiem. Analogous to the BR85HB-SR in that it fires a three round burst, although also analogous to the M395 DMR and the Type-51 Carbine in that, while scoped in, it fires a single shot that is more powerful. More commonly called the LightRifle. Appears in Halo 4.
- Z-750 Special Application Sniper Rifle - A Forerunner weapon used by Promethean Knights on Requiem. Analogous to the SRS99 series in that it is a sniper rifle. More commonly called the Binary Rifle. Appears in Halo 4.
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