Canon

M319 grenade launcher

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M319 Individual Grenade Launcher
A UNSC Army trooper with an M319 grenade launcher during the Battle at Szurdok Ridge. From Halo: Reach campaign level Tip of the Spear.
A render of the M319 grenade launcher.
Production overview

Manufacturer:

Misriah Armory[1][2][3][4]

Type:

Grenade launcher

Specifications

Length:

77 centimeters (30.5 in)[2][4][5]

Ammunition type:

All standard lethal and nonlethal 40mm grenades:[2][4]

  • Mk 110 MOD 2 High Explosive, Dual-Purpose grenade[4]
  • XM20 EMP grenade[4]

Capacity:

1 round[4]

Feed system:

Breech-loading[4]

Operation:

Break-action[4]

Service history

In service:

2263-present[6][2][3][5]

 

The M319 Individual Grenade Launcher, more formally known as the Individual Grenade Launcher, Caliber 40mm, M319,[6] is a single-shot, break-action explosives launcher produced by Misriah Armory for use by the United Nations Space Command.[3][4][8][9][10]

Overview[edit]

Design details[edit]

A blueprint of the M319.

The M319 is one of the most versatile grenade launchers in the UNSC arsenal, and has accordingly been a staple of the UNSC Army's infantry for decades.[4] The weapon has a relatively simple design; a break-action design that allows a single grenade to be loaded into the breech and fired, before reloading again. The muzzle of the weapon has a bulkier frame surrounding the barrel, atop which two picatinny rails are mounted - one on the left and right sides, respectively - allowing for weapon attachments to be mounted onto the launcher. As standard, the weapon has a fold-down foregrip and a top-mounted carry handle. The top of the weapon frame additionally mounts a built-in sight post, with a reticule and a trajectory readout allowing the user to estimate the grenade arc once fired. As with most UNSC weapons, the weapon can be smart-linked with a heads-up display, allowing the reticule and trajectory information to be displayed inside a given helmet for easier operation.[1][2]

The aft of the grenade launcher is stockless, meaning the weapon cannot be shoulder-fired. Mounted to the left side of the grip assembly is a small remote detonation system (shared with the M460 automatic grenade launcher) consisting of a viewscreen displaying readout status on the weapon and the loaded munition.[2] When fired, the launcher can display one of two behaviours;

  • The first (and standard) launches a single grenade that detonates shortly after impact with a given target, allowing the grenade to bounce off a surface. This is accomplished by a single trigger pull.
  • The second firing mode, done by holding the trigger down once fired, primes an alternate fuse on the grenade that will not detonate until the user has released the trigger. This can be used strategically to allow for indirect fire, setting traps, or simply remotely-discharging the weapon.[2][3] This can also serve as a dead man's trigger, with the grenade being detonated should the operator be killed.

Once fired, the remote detonation system's screen updates to showcase the status of the fired grenade. While loaded and ready to fire, the screen displays "ARMED", indicating the weapon is ready to fire. Once fired, the readout briefly displays "LNKING" (presumably indicating it is connecting to the grenade), then to "IN AIR" or "LNKD" depending on fire mode, before finally displaying "BOOM!" upon detonation.[1]

Overall, the M319 has a centuries-long track record of service in the UNSC Army - something attributed to the weapon's rugged and reliable nature even in adverse conditions.[2][3][5][6]

Ammunition[edit]

The M319 is capable of firing all standard lethal and nonlethal 40mm grenades in the UNSC inventory. The most commonly used are the MK110 MOD 2 HEDP (high explosive, dual-purpose) and the XM20P EMP warhead. While the Mk110 MOD 0 is simply a standard explosive munition, the XM20P is a versatile munition that is used to generate an electromagnetic pulse at the point of impact, similar to those emitted by the Covenant's plasma pistols and power drains. The XM20P's EMP effect is capable of stripping energy shielding and temporarily disabling vehicles, making it useful in augmenting a standard infantry unit's effectiveness against more hardened targets.[4]

The grenades fired by the launcher emit a whistling sound while in the air, which can alert enemy forces to the presence of the projectile.[1]

Variants[edit]

  • Pro Pipe: a specialised M319 variant equipping a laser targeter that allows the rounds to adjust their trajectory after firing to improve accurac