M392 DMR
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
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7.62x51mm M118 Full Metal Jacket Armor-Piercing[1][2][3][5][6] |
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The M392 Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR), formally Designated Marksman Rifle, Caliber 7.62mm, M392,[6] is a gas-operated bullpup rifle used by the United Nations Space Command and Colonial Military Authority.[5][7] It is manufactured by Misriah Armory.[2][8]
Overview[edit]
Design details[edit]
The M392 is an air-cooled, magazine-fed, gas-operated select-fire bullpup rifle that fires 7.62×51mm ammunition.[2][5] It accepts a fifteen-round detachable box magazine. The weapon has a mounted EVOS-D optic capable of 3× magnification. The weapon's fire selector switch (located above the grip) has three settings: SAFE, FIRE, and AUTO.[5] The magazine release button is located directly above the magazine well, behind the trigger. The weapon has an ejection port on either side so it may be used comfortably by a right- or left-handed shooter.[1][2][3][5][6]
The overall construction of the M392 is modular in nature, allowing it to serve as a versatile alternative to the predominant assault rifle and battle rifle lines used by the rest of the UNSC.
Usage[edit]
The M392 Designated Marksman Rifle was adopted into service in 2512, serving as the primary weapon of UNSC Army squad marksmen and reconnaissance units (presumably replacing the Insurrection-era M295 DMR). The weapon also found use with the Marine Corps and Air Force combat rescue teams during the Insurrection and much of the Human-Covenant War.[9] However, it was largely superseded by the BR55 battle rifle, especially following the introduction of the BR55's heavy-barreled variant in 2548.[2][5][6]
Nonetheless, due to its reliability and efficiency the M392 continued to see extensive use with the Army throughout the remainder of the conflict[2][5] including prominently during the Fall of Reach.[10]
In the wake of the Covenant War the M392 is still in service with the Army as well as Marine Corps reserve units. However, use of the newer, sturdier M395 DMR (designed for use by Spartan operators) is more widespread.[9] A version of the M392 dubbed "Bandit" has also started seeing use with various Colonial Militias.[11] The Bandit has seen combat service as recently as the Battle of Nysa in 2560.[12]
Variants[edit]
- M392 Bandit: A variant of Misriah Armory's M392 manufactured by Sevine Arms, the Bandit is the standard-issue weapon for both the Gao and Venezian militias.[11] Two unique elements of this weapons design are the lack of the EVOS-D scope seen on the base M392 DMR and the Sangheili markings seen near the butt of the weapon.[4] These weapons have made their way into the ex-Covenant sphere as far as the colony world of Karava, wherein they are used by Sangheili mercenaries such as Zef 'Trahl.[13]
- M392 Bandit Evo: A variant of Sevine Arms' M392 Bandit that features an Evo Holopoint sight with 1.6x magnification.[14]
- CMA M392: an altered variant of the DMR used in limited numbers by the CMA Marine Corps during the Insurrection. The CMA's M392 features a carry handle and altered body.[7]
Sevine Arms' M392 Bandit.
The M392 Bandit Evo.
The CMA M392.
In-game information[edit]
Halo: Reach[edit]
In order to deliver hits to a target at medium-to-long ranges, a pause after each shot with the DMR is required to allow the reticule to contract to its smallest possible size. Immediately firing upon reacquisition of target maintains the maximum rate of accurate fire. While at close-to-medium range, it is only necessary to allow the reticule to shrink enough that it is roughly equal to the size of the target before firing again. At extremely close ranges, it is unnecessary to allow the reticule to contract at all, and it is most effective to fire the rifle as fast as possible.
In multiplayer, the M392 can kill a fully shielded Spartan in five shots, provided the last shot is to the head. A skillful marksman can eliminate a shielded enemy with ease. This makes the DMR one of the most versatile weapons in-game; it is much more powerful than the BR55. Compared with the M6G magnum, the DMR has a slower firing rate in exchange for higher accuracy and larger magazine capacity, however it shares almost the same amount of damage.
Advantages[edit]
The DMR is a very precise weapon that fires hitscan projectiles, allowing it to engage targets well outside the range of other weapons. It also has considerable stopping power, making it effective against nearly all Covenant infantry, shielded or unshielded. The DMR is unparalleled in neutralizing unshielded enemies, as a single headshot is always fatal. This leads the M392 to be a weapon of choice against Covenant personnel that lack energy shielding such as Grunts, Jackals, Brutes, and Drones. It is deadly at very long range thanks to its hitscan properties, and can kill just as efficiently at close range. A melee followed by a headshot can dispose of an enemy in seconds.
Disadvantages[edit]
Despite its accuracy, precision, and power, the M392 has a few noteworthy drawbacks. To retain accuracy, the player must pace his/her fire to account for recoil, making the DMR have an effective fire rate only slightly faster than the sniper rifle. In addition, its magazine reserve (four, for a total of 60 rounds) is less than the sniper rifle's (five, for 20 rounds), meaning you have one less reload with the DMR. However, sniper ammo is much rarer than DMR ammo.
Halo Infinite[edit]
- Main article: Bandit
| “ | Semi-automatic firearm effective at medium range.[15] | ” |
The M392 DMR appears as the Bandit in Halo Infinite, and was added to the game as part of Season 03: Echoes Within on March 7, 2023.[16] Like its Reach counterpart, it kills a fully-shielded Spartan in 5-7 hits (4 to break shields, 3 unshielded bodyshots or 1 headshot). It features a 1.4x scope, and reduced bloom compared to Reach's variant of the weapon, being more in line with Halo 5: Guardians M395 DMR. The Big Team Battle playlist would be updated to feature the Bandit as the starting weapon for players alongside the MA40 assault rifle during Season 04: Infection.
The release of Season 05: Reckoning saw the arrival of the Bandit Evo, a variant of the base weapon featuring a unique 1.6x scope, less reticle bloom, and a faster reload. This variant would be used within the ranked playlists for the game, formally replacing the BR75 battle rifle within the game's competitive aspect upon Season 05's release on October 17, 2023.
| M392 Bandit | |||||
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| Weapon Model | Manufacturer | Lore | Quality | Introduced In | Unlock Requirements |
 Crimson Dawn |
343 Industries | Fighting fire with firepower. | Legendary | Season 04: Infection | Purchase either:
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 Honored Cabal |
343 Industries | A special weapon for special occasions. | Legendary | Season 05: Reckoning | Purchase the "Honored Cabal" bundle from the Shop for 1,200 cR |
 Dracon |
343 Industries | Herald of a new age. | Epic | Spirit of Fire | Included with the first purchase of any 2024 Launch bundle for 1,500 cR. |
 Merciless Cutthroat |
Banished | When the rifle speaks, you will listen. | Legendary | Banished Honor | Purchase the "Paths to Dominance" superbundle from the Shop for 3,200 cR |
 Solar Bandit |
343 Industries | Another step on the trail blazed by the Forerunners. | Legendary | Haloween | Purchase the "HaloWC 2024 Championship Bundle" from the Shop for 2,200 cR |
 Inferno Bandit |
FOTUS | The Inferno Bandit's molten barrel seems to shift and writhe like a living thing, as if it's constantly being reshaped and tormented by unseen forces. | Legendary | Blue Team |
Purchase either:
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 CMA M392 |
Misriah Armory | Simple, reliable, and relatively cheap, the CMA Marine Corps made use of the M392 in limited numbers. | Epic | Last Stand |
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 Promethean Bandit |
Fracture: Firewall | A novel application of design decompilation and refactoring. | Epic | Reclaimer | Either:
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Non-canon and dubious canon appearances[edit]
Silver Timeline[edit]
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This article contains information about the Silver Timeline, and is not a part of the established Halo canon. |
- Main article: Silver Timeline
The M392B[17] is a type of bullpup rifle used by the UNSC. The M392B can be used in full auto.[18][19] It is manufactured Misriah Armory.[20]
Vannak-134 used one in Operation: DEFIANT GLASS[18] and the Fall of Reach.[19]
Following the Fall of Reach, propaganda posters featuring John-117 wielding the M392B would be disseminated and used in public spaces.[21]
Production notes[edit]
Early concept art from the production of Halo 3 for the BR55HB battle rifle would later go on to inform the design of the DMR.[22]
In earlier stages of the development of Halo: Reach, the M392 was stamped with the label "Armalite MG UNSC"; sharing a name with the real-world ArmaLite, Inc. The decal was removed in the final game and Halo: The Essential Visual Guide states that the weapon is manufactured by Misriah Armory.[2]
The DMR held only twelve rounds until quite late in the development of Halo: Reach, most notably in the game's multiplayer beta. The increased magazine capacity was likely intended to afford the possibility of attaining three kills with a single magazine. Also during the Beta, the background color and typeface of the M392's ammunition indicator were green instead of blue, while also featuring softer edges. The scope's lens was a deeper shade of green than in the final game.
Likewise, in the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta the assault rifle was given to players' Spartan models in their service records, much like the service record of Halo 3. However, in the final game, this was replaced with the DMR. Similarly, Elites, who were formerly depicted carrying the plasma rifle, are now depicted carrying the Covenant equivalent of the DMR, the needle rifle.
Errors[edit]
The manual for Halo: Reach has a printing error that reverses the "effective combat range" listings for the DMR and the sniper rifle, saying that the DMR is most effective at long range, while the sniper rifle is described as excelling at medium-range combat while being inadequate at long-range engagements.
During gameplay the DMR incorrectly ejects the casing of the 9.5×40mm round used by the BR55 battle rifle instead of the 7.62×51mm round which it actually fires.
Gallery[edit]
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Browse more images in this article's gallery page. |
Halo: Reach[edit]
More BR55-influenced concepts for the DMR.
A rear-angle view of the M392 DMR from Halo: Reach Beta. Note the digital ammo counter readout says 12 rounds instead of the usual 15 rounds.
A Spartan-III wielding an M392 Designated Marksman Rifle during the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta.
A turnaround reference of the DMR.
An in-game profile view of the M392 DMR.
A profile view of M392 DMR from Halo Waypoint, with Armalite labeling.
Angled right-side view of the rifle.
The HUD icon for the M392 DMR.
The reticule of the EVOS-D scope.
The 3× zoom of the M392.
SPARTAN-B312 wielding an M392 DMR.
An army trooper holding the M392 DMR while in cover.
An army trooper with her M392 DMR lowered.
An army trooper takes aim with her M392 DMR.
Two army troopers wielding the M392 DMR in combat.
Two army troopers using the M392 DMR in combat.
Carter-A259 with an M392 DMR.
Carter-A259 using the M392 DMR in combat.
Halo: The Television Series[edit]
Vannak-134 with a scopeless M392 DMR in Halo: The Television Series.
Halo Infinite[edit]
Render of the Bandit high-poly model in Halo Infinite.
Render of the Bandit high-poly model in Halo Infinite.
Render of the Bandit high-poly model in Halo Infinite.
Render of the Bandit high-poly model in Halo Infinite.
Render of the Bandit high-poly model in Halo Infinite.
Render of the Bandit high-poly model in Halo Infinite.
Render of the Bandit high-poly model in Halo Infinite.
A render of the M392 Bandit in Halo Infinite.
Angled view of the M392 Bandit.
First-person view of the M392 Bandit.
Zoom of the M392 Bandit.
Spartan Hieu Dinh hands the player a M392 Bandit.
An Extender-clad Spartan-IV wielding the M392 Bandit.
The M392 Bandit being reloaded by a Neith-clad Spartan.
A Deadeye-clad Spartan-IV sprinting with the M392 Bandit.
A Skirmisher using the Bandit in Firefight: King of the Hill.
Various coatings for the Bandit.
First-person view of the Crimson Dawn Bandit on Forest.
A Mark VI MOD-clad Spartan using an Inferno Bandit on Forbidden.
A Cohort-clad Spartan using a Promethean Bandit on Fragmentation.
The M392 Bandit Evo.
A GEN3 Mark VII-clad Spartan using a Bandit Evo.
First-person view of the M392 Bandit Evo.
Zoom of the M392 Bandit Evo.
List of appearances[edit]
- Remember Reach
- Deliver Hope (First appearance)
- Halo: Reach
- Halo: Escalation
- Hunt the Truth
- Halo Mythos
- Halo: Envoy
- Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual
- Halo Infinite
- Halo: The Television Series Season One
- Halo: The Television Series Season Two
- Halo: The Machine Breaks
- Halo: Flashpoint
- Halo: Empty Throne
- Halo: From the Soil to the Stars
- Halo: Battle for the Academy - Part 2
Sources[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2011 edition), page 316
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 49
- ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 171
- ^ a b Twitter, Halo (@Halo): "A fine scalpel for mid-range combat, the M392 Bandit is greatly favored by militia groups on independent colonies and bears Sangheili markings that xenolinguistic experts have enjoyed decoding. #FictionFriday" (Retrieved on Mar 3, 2023) [archive]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Halo Waypoint, DMR (Retrieved on Feb 18, 2013) [local archive] [external archive]
- ^ a b c d Bungie.net, M392 Designated Marksman Rifle (Retrieved on Nov 14, 2014) [archive]
- ^ a b Halo Infinite, CMA M392 - Description: "Simple, reliable, and relatively cheap, the CMA Marine Corps made use of the M391 in limited numbers."
- ^ Halo: Reach manual, page 6
- ^ a b Halo Waypoint, DMR (Retrieved on Aug 30, 2021) [archive]
- ^ Halo: Reach, gameplay
- ^ a b Halo Infinite, Weapons Bench description: "Sevine Arms manufactures its own variant of the M392 for Gao security forces and export markets. Made to the same high standards as those from Misriah, the Bandit has found a home with both fractured UNSC forces and malcontents keen on ensuring Earth's power never again ascends."
- ^ Halo: Battle for the Academy - Part 2
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Echoes With-Dinh [archive]
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Ranked Update - Season 5 (Retrieved on Oct 14, 2023) [archive]
- ^ Halo Infinite, Academy - Weapon Drills - M392 Bandit description
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Season 3: Echoes Within Launch (Retrieved on Mar 7, 2023) [archive]
- ^ The Making of Halo The Series: Hope, Heroism, Humanity, page 69
- ^ a b Halo: The Television Series, episode Contact
- ^ a b Halo: The Television Series, episode Reach
- ^ YouTube - Paramount Plus, Halo The Series - Season 2 Props (Retrieved on Jun 18, 2025)
- ^ Halo: The Television Series, episode Onyx
- ^ The Art of Halo 3, page 59
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