M6C/SOCOM

"M6S — whisper-quiet with armor-piercing rounds. Brutes might see us coming, but the only thing they'll hear is their asses hitting the ground."

- Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck.

The M6C/SOCOM, also known as the "M6S" and informally known as the "Automag", is a semi-automatic pistol used by the United Nations Space Command. It is a variant of the M6C magnum sidearm.

Design details
The M6C/SOCOM variant is a special issued handgun to the UNSC's special operations units. The M6C/SOCOM variant has an integrated sound suppressor, and muzzle brake. It is the secondary weapon of special forces Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and is used in operations that rely on stealth rather than direct engagements. In lieu of the KFA-2 sight used on the M6D PDWS, the M6C/SOCOM utilizes the VnSLS/V 6E smart linked 4× scope, enabling the user to eliminate targets at long range while incurring limited recoil due to the integral sound suppressor and compensator. It has a considerably high rate of fire with an long effective range, being able to hit a target accurately at about fifty meters. The M6C/SOCOM is, like its M6C counterpart, weaker than the standard-issue M6G PDWS due to lower efficiency against shielded and heavily armored targets.

The M6C/SOCOM uses the short recoil principle. This means that the trigger needs to be pulled after every shot for the next round to be fired. Because it is semi-automatic, the gun will cock itself after every shot due to recoil and will continue to do so until the magazine is empty. The recoil comes from the gases of the rounds fired. The gases force the slide, located on the top of the gun, backward. The slide not only absorbs the force of the gases but also uses the force to eject spent casings out of the ejection port and load new rounds into the chamber. It also recocks the gun. Before the first round can be fired, the round must be chambered; this is done by inserting a magazine with ammunition into the grip of the weapon and then pulling the slide back completely and letting it launch forward, chambering the next round in the process. There is a small, red rectangular box on the flat back of the slide that protrudes slightly when the weapon is cocked. Once this is done, the safety, located at the back of the slide on both sides, must be switched off or the weapon will not fire. Once all the rounds have been spent, the slide catch, a rectangular lever located above the trigger, is forced upward and “catches” the slide by a small notch. To reload, the empty magazine must be removed, done by using the magazine release button located on the grip. Once the empty magazine is removed, a "fresh" one can be inserted. Once the fresh magazine is inserted, the slide catch is pressed downward and the slide chambers a round.

Ammunition
The M6C/SOCOM uses M228 SAP-HP rounds. These rounds have a jacket of copper or nickel which encloses a more frangible metal projectile that will deform shortly after penetration. When the round hits a hard object such as body armor, the jacket will temporarily help maintain the shape of the projectile so that it has a better chance of penetration. A second impact against bone or solid muscle mass inside the target's body is usually enough to complete the jacket's rupture, at which point the projectile mushrooms and fragments into smaller pieces, causing a large number of wound channels and maximizing damage. These rounds are typically more effective against infantry as opposed to armor-piercing rounds due to a larger dump of kinetic energy, resulting in better stopping power, and also to the process described above, with an armor-piercing round speeding through the target's body without causing as much trauma, creating a scenario where a wounded enemy can still be an effective combatant until they bleed out. Ammunition packets for the M6C/SOCOM are labeled in the same blue color as all other M6 sidearm ammunition packs. However, each ammunition pack has a different shade and text to designate the type of ammunition within.

Advantages
The M6C/SOCOM, being a sound suppressed variant of the M6C, features several key advantages. The first is an increase in accuracy by the addition of a muzzle brake which reduces the recoil of the gun - this allows for better aiming and more controlled fire. The weapon also has an increased effective range, making it a very formidable weapon when used against lightly armored infantry. A skilled marksman can make good use of these aspects to tear through unshielded enemies at just about and range, and when used with the plasma pistol makes up what without a question is the best Noob Combo in the entire series. Its suppressor allows for more stealthy engagements and excels at eliminating enemy infantry from concealed locations without compromising the user's location. The addition of a optics module, located underneath the suppressor/muzzle brake, gives the user 4× digital zoom for long range targets; the optics module also includes a flashlight to provide illumination in low-light situations.

Disadvantages
Like the M6C, the M6C/SOCOM is not a purely offensive weapon among the M6 series. While it is more effective than the standard M6C, the role of the M6C/SOCOM falls between offensive and defensive combat. The M6C/SOCOM, like the M6C, is not effective against energy shield systems, making engagements against shielded enemy infantry very dangerous. In order for the weapon to be effective, a user must rely on a more powerful weapon to take down the shield and then switch to the sidearm, killing the target with a headshot. This requires a great deal of focus, and the time required to switch weapons leaves the user vulnerable to return fire. Rapid fire will cause the gun to climb like the M7.

Changes from the M6G PDWS in Halo 3

 * Complete visual overhaul
 * Increased accuracy
 * Magazine increased from 8 to 12 rounds (the same as the original M6C in Halo 2)
 * Higher maximum reserve ammunition (60 rounds, up from 48)
 * Reserve Magazine reduced by 1 (6 to 5 > 8/48 to 12/60)
 * Increased rate of fire (same as M6C)
 * New firing sound (due to the suppressor)
 * Addition of a 4× zoom feature
 * Weapon is far less effective against energy shields

Trivia

 * In tribute to Bungie's usage of Asian characters on UNSC weapons, two Korean characters are stamped on the right side of the laser module, which stands for the number seven.
 * The SOCOM variant of the M6C was actually modeled for Halo 2; however, it is unknown if it was ever planned to be included.
 * In the Halo 3: ODST ViDoc, Desperate Measures, Buck refers to the M6C/SOCOM as the M6S, paralleling the M7S silenced SMG, with the "S" likely meaning "suppressed".
 * The M6S was nominated for Machinima.com's Inside Gaming best weapon of the year award.
 * Despite using different ammunition, the M6G appears on the ammo packets for the M6C/SOCOM in Halo 3: ODST.
 * There is a flashlight mounted underneath the frame which cannot be used, similar to the MA5C.
 * The flashlight is only seen used by Veronica Dare when entering the Superintendent's data center.
 * The M6C/SOCOM fills a similar role in the UNSC as the H&K MK23MOD0 OHWS (Offensive Handgun Weapon System) does for the US Armed Forces. Both weapons have a 12 round magazine, a sound and flash suppressor, and a laser aiming module (LAM)/flashlight.  However, the MK23 fires 0.45 ACP (11.43×23mm) instead of 12.7×40mm ammo.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Helljumper
 * The Life
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo: Retribution