View source for 7.62x51mm

{{Status|Canon}}
[[File:MA5B AR ammo.jpg|thumb|250px|A 7.62×51mm cartridge.]]
The '''7.62×51mm''' cartridge, sometimes shortened to '''7.62mm''',<ref>''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Manual#Human Weapons|Halo: Combat Evolved Manual, Page 17, "MA5B Assault Rifle"<]]''</ref> is a heavy ammunition size in which the rifles and machine guns of the [[United Nations Space Command]] are commonly chambered.{{Ref/Reuse|ENC316}}{{Ref/Reuse|EVGAR}}{{Ref/Reuse|EVGMG}} A great variation of ammunition types for this cartridge are employed. 

== Overview ==
[[File:HINF M392Bandit Render 1.jpg|thumb|250px|An M392 Bandit and several M118 7.62x51mm FMJ-AP rounds.]]
This cartridge shares its dimensions with a form of rifle ammunition developed in the 20th century, employed commonly across the nations of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] under the designation [[Wikipedia:7.62x51mm NATO|7.62 NATO]]. The [[UNSC]] utilize it in an enormous variety of weapons, including:
*The [[MA5 series]] assault rifles, including the [[MA37]] and [[MA40 assault rifle|MA40]].{{Ref/Reuse|EVGAR}}
*The [[M392 DMR|M392]]{{Ref/Reuse|EVGDMR}} and [[M395 DMR|M395 Designated Marksman Rifle]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|H4VGDMR}}
*The [[M739 SAW|M739 Light Machine Gun]].{{Ref/Reuse|H4VGSAW}}
*The [[M247 general purpose machine gun]].<ref name="EVGMG">''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]'', Machine Gun Turret</ref>
*The [[AIE-486H Heavy Machine Gun]].{{Ref/Book|Id=ENC331|Enc11|Page=331}}
*The co-axial [[M231 Medium Machine Gun|M231 Medium Machine Guns]] of some [[M808|M808 Scorpion tanks]].<ref name="BnetVehicles">''[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=1637 Bungie.net, The Bungie Guide to Vehicles]''</ref>
*The hull-based [[M247T medium machine gun|M247T Medium Machine Guns]] of [[M808C Scorpion|M808C Scorpion tank]].<ref name="EVG164">''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]'', Page 164, "SCORPION"</ref>
*The [[M199 heavy machine gun]]s of [[AV-49 Wasp]] VTOLs.<ref name="HSFM">''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]'', Page 204, "WASP"</ref>{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=156}}

Weapons chambered for 7.62×51mm ammunition, such as the [[MA5B assault rifle]], are considered to be powerful by UNSC soldiers.<ref name= "Flood1"/>

== Variants ==
{{multiple image
|width=100
|footer=7.62x51mm magazines for the [[MA5D assault rifle|MA5D]] and [[MA40 assault rifle]]s, respectively.
|image1=MA5D box magazine.jpg
|alt1=An MA5D assault rifle's magazine.
|image2=HI 7.62x51mm NATO.jpg
|alt2=An MA40 assault rifle's magazine.
}}
===M118 FMJ-AP===
M118 FMJ-AP ([[wikipedia:Full metal jacket (ammunition)|full metal jacket]], [[wikipedia:Armor-piercing bullet|armor-piercing]]) rounds are the standard-issue ammo type employed by the [[MA5 series|UNSC's assault rifles]],<ref name="EVGAR">[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]], Assault Rifle</ref> the [[M392]]<ref name="EVGDMR">[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]], DMR</ref> and [[M395]] DMRs,<ref name="H4VGDMR">[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]], DMR</ref> the [[M739 Light Machine Gun|M739 LMG]],<ref name="H4VGSAW">[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]], SAW</ref> and the [[AIE-486H Heavy Machine Gun|AIE-486H HMG]].{{Ref/Reuse|ENC331}} The projectile's armor-piercing capabilities stem from its specially hardened construction.<ref name= "Flood1">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', Chapter 1</ref> [[UNSC Marine Corps Battle Dress Uniform|UNSC infantry combat armor]] is capable of preventing lethal penetration at close range from a limited burst at the cost of bruising and significant discomfort,<ref name="TML">''[[Halo: Evolutions]]'', ''[[The Mona Lisa]]'', section ">Lopez 1527 hours"</ref> though infantry and even light vehicles or aircraft such as un-shielded [[Covenant]] [[Banshees]] are susceptible to fatal damage under sustained, accurate fire.<ref name="Flood2">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', ''Chapter 2''</ref> [[Energy shielding|Energy shields]] drastically reduce the ammunition's stopping power, as a great deal of concentrated fire from multiple weapons - or an extended period of continuous automatic fire from a single weapon - is needed to overwhelm them.<ref name= "Flood1"/> The rounds are, however, capable of taking down unprotected targets quickly and cleanly.<ref name="ENC316">''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)|Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe (2011 edition)]]'', Page 316</ref> 

They are distributed to troops in 120-round packs for use with assault rifles,<ref>''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', Gameplay</ref> and feed in this capacity via 32-,{{Ref/Reuse|ENC316}} 36-,<ref name="H5G">''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', Gameplay</ref> or 60-round [[wikipedia:Magazine (firearms)#Detachable box magazines|detachable box magazines]].{{Ref/Reuse|ENC316}} 

===Shredder===
Shredder rounds are an alternate 7.62×51mm ammunition type occasionally employed with the [[MA5B assault rifle]].<ref name="TFoRPrologue">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Prologue</ref> The projectiles they fire are designed to splinter on impact,<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 29</ref> and are highly effective against lightly-armored infantry like [[Covenant]] [[Unggoy]]{{Ref/Reuse|TFoRPrologue}} and building materials like marble tiles and wood.<ref name="TFoR22">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 22</ref> Ammunition of this type was used by the [[SPARTAN-II]]s of [[Blue Team]] to engage a horde of Unggoy in the [[Battle of Jericho VII]].{{Ref/Reuse|TFoRPrologue}} Another instance of their use by Blue Team was at [[Cote d'Azur]], when engaging a pair of [[Mgalekgolo]] in a museum. After finding their AP rounds were ineffective against the Mgalekgolo's armor, [[John-117]] ordered the [[SPARTAN-IIs]] to use shredder rounds to fire at the floor beneath the Hunters, causing them to fall to the level below.{{Ref/Reuse|TFoR22}}

===Hollow-point===
7.62×51mm [[wikipedia:Hollow-point bullet|hollow-point]] ammunition is a variant type of round which is optimal for use against unprotected biological targets, also employed occasionally in the [[MA5B]]. A situationally useful attribute of this ammo type is that it is unlikely to cause unwanted to damage to potentially vulnerable structures like equipment cabinets, viewports and [[starship]] hulls, making them a useful tool when taking a ship. Magazines containing this ammunition are recognizably marked with red paint.<ref>''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'', Chapter 24</ref>

===AP-T===
7.62mm AP-T ([[wikipedia:Armor-piercing bullet|armor-piercing]], [[wikipedia:Tracer ammunition|tracer]]) ammunition is employed in the [[M231 Medium Machine Gun|M231 MMG]] co-axially mounted on the [[M808B Scorpion]].{{Ref/Reuse|BnetVehicles}}

===HEDP===
7.62mm HEDP (high-explosive dual-purpose) ammunition is a variant of the 7.62×51mm round which is loaded in the machine guns of [[ONI Wasp|AV-49 Wasps]] in the service of the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] security teams.<ref name="CFBH">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/bounty-hunters ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder - Bounty Hunters]</ref> The projectiles detonate on impact.<ref>''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', [[Warzone]] gameplay</ref>

==Silver Timeline==
{{Main|Silver Timeline}}
===APHE===
In the Silver timeline, John-117's [[MA5C]] utilizes a variant of gyroscopically-stabilized APHE (armor-piercing high-explosive) rounds optimized to deplete Covenant energy shields and penetrate [[nanolaminate|nanolaminate armor]].{{Ref/Generic|[[Halo: The Television Series Season One#Paramount+ UK launch|''Halo: The Television Series'' Season One Paramount+ UK launch event]]|MA5 Individual Weapon System description}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
HCE_M118_Ammo.png|An M118 ammo pack in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
File:H3ODST MA5 Ammo.jpg|A packet of M118 ammunition. 
File:TML_M118-pulled-out.png|A 7.62mm bullet extracted from [[Zhao Heng Lopez]]'s shoulder in ''[[The Mona Lisa]]''.
File:M118 7 62x51mm FMJ-AP.jpg|Closeup of an 7.62×51mm AP cartridge in an MA5D's magazine in ''[[Halo 4]]''.
File:H5G_M118bullet.png|thumb|A round of 7.62×51mm AP ammunition seen in its magazine in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''. 
File:H2A MA5 Spent Brass.jpg|thumb|7.62×51mm shell casings ejecting from a firing [[MA5D assault rifle]] in ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' multiplayer.
File:HR Expended 7.62x51mm.jpg|thumb|Spent 7.62×51mm casings ejecting from an [[MA37 assault rifle]] in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
File:HR MA37 Mag.jpg|thumb|The protruding baseplate of a 32-round detachable box magazine of 7.62×51mm ammo, used with the [[MA37]] in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
File:H3 Expended 7.62x51mm.jpg|thumb|7.62×51mm casings ejecting from an [[MA5C assault rifle]] during firing in ''[[Halo 3]]''.
File:H3 MA5C Magazine.jpg|thumb|The flush baseplate of a 32-round detachable box magazine used with the MA5C in ''[[Halo 3]]''.
File:HI 7.62x51mm NATO.jpg|thumb|A [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan-IV]] reloading a magazine of 7.62x51mm NATO into the [[MA40 assault rifle]] in ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
File:HI 7.62x51mm Close.jpg|thumb|Closeup of a 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge in an [[MA40 assault rifle|MA40]]'s magazine in ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
File:HI 7.62x51mm Firing.jpg|thumb|Spent 7.62×51mm shell casings ejecting from an [[MA40 assault rifle]] during firing in ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
{{Columns|content=
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[i love bees]]''
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''
**''[[Breaking Quarantine]]''
*''[[Halo: Uprising]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo: Helljumper]]''
*''[[The Life]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
**''[[Sadie's Story]]''
*''[[Halo: Blood Line]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[Pariah]]''
**''[[Dirt]]''
**''[[Blunt Instruments]]''
**''[[The Mona Lisa]]''
**''[[Palace Hotel]]''
**''[[Human Weakness]]''
*''[[Halo: The Return]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
**''[[Homecoming]]''
**''[[Odd One Out]]'' {{C|Non-canonical appearance}}
**''[[Prototype]]''
**''[[The Babysitter]]''
**''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''
*''[[Remember Reach]]''
**''[[Birth of a Spartan]]''
**''[[Patrol]]''
**''[[Deliver Hope]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp|Boot Camp]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant|Covenant]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]''
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
**''[[CEA:Terminals|Terminals]]''
*''[[The Commissioning]]''
*''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]''
*''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''
*''[[Scanned]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo: Initiation]]''
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo: Nightfall]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: Battle for the Academy - Part 2]]''
}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Ammunition}}