SRS99D-S2 AM sniper rifle

The Sniper Rifle System 99D-S2 Anti-Material (abbreviated SRS99D-S2 AM), more commonly known as the SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle is a ground firearm used by the United Nations Space Command.

Introduction
The SRS99D-S2 AM, a variant of the SRS99C-S2 AM Sniper Rifle seen in Halo: CE and the SRS99C-S2 AMB seen in Halo 2, is featured in Halo 3. It is an extremely powerful weapon and is relatively the same as the SRS99C but with some design and technical changes.

Summary
It is a semi-automatic, gas-operated, magazine-fed, long-ranged weapon. It is relatively the same as the SRS99C-S2 AM and AMB Sniper Rifle but with some design and technical changes. It still fires the 14.5x114mm APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) rounds semi-automatically from a four round magazine. It still has a 5x and 10x scope with real-time display but now it shows everything with an infrared/topograph view of what the scope sees. Its power as well as accuracy and range are relatively the same compared to the SRS99C, although shots can now penetrate multiple targets. Its rate of fire has slightly dropped, however, being only about 1 round a second. It also has more recoil; forcing the user to readjust the sights after every shot.

Changes From The SRS99C Models

 * New muzzle brake with front iron sight
 * Foregrip, body, and stock has been altered
 * The scope now shows real-time with an LCD screen and infrared/topographic vision
 * Now has a trigger guard
 * The range & elevation indicator from Halo 1 has returned.
 * The SRS99D-S2 AM now has a new flat matte black color finish to it
 * Decreased rate of fire
 * Increased recoil

Physical Description And Appearance
The SRS99D-S2 AM is a semi-automatic UNSC sniper rifle that fires 14.5mm x 114mm APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilzed Discarding Sabot) rounds from a 4 round magazine. It is designed in the conventional layout, so the mag and operating system are located in front of the trigger. The magazine does not fit flush.

This powerful weapon is gas-operated and therefore must be cocked to load the first round. Once the first round is fired, the gases from the previous round forces the bolt back and forth and continues to do so until the mag is empty. Once the mag is empty, the bolt (although not illustrated in-game) locks back and the mag is removed(although there doesn't seem to be a bolt catch or mag release button on the weapon). After a new mag is inserted, the bolt catch button must be pressed which launches the bolt forward chambering a new round. The bolt used to chamber the round is located on the left side of the weapon and moves during operation. It appears that there is no ejection port illustrated on the weapon, though empty shell casings can be seen ejecting from the right side of the weapon during gameplay.

The SRS99D, having a rifled barrel, is about 187.5cm long and is completely interchangeable. From the barrel to the breech to the stock, everything can be changed to fit the current situation and satisfy the operator. The SRS99D in Halo 3 has some notable changes from the SRS99C models. First off, it is fitted with a 5x and 10x scope that shows real time images in infrared/topograph vision when not looking through it (the infrared/topograph vision cannot be activated while looking through the scope). When looking through it, the scope shows a target's distance and elevation. The SRS99D also has an altered foregrip and stock as well as an altered body and sports a trigger guard. The barrel also now has an iron sight. This weapon does not posses a safety and has a frame that serves as a carrying handle as well as a scope protector and a folding bipod located in front of the magazine on the underside of the gun.

The SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle offers an electronic scope which provides 5x or 10x magnification. While looking through the scope without engaging the electronic magnification, an infrared and topographic view of the surroundings is seen. However, while engaging the electronic scope, in the bottom left-hand side appears the phrases: DIST and ELEV indicating that the sniper rifle has the capability to measure such variables.

Ammunition
The Sniper Rifle has one of the most advanced ammunition types in the game. Its rounds are large in both length and width, and are equipped with four symmetrical fins on the sides of the round, stabilizing its trajectory to results of amazing accuracy, with a hit ratio of 97.3%. While these fins provide increased accuracy, they also prevent a seal from forming between the bullet and barrel. A sabot is used to plug up this empty space, and is forcefully discarded from the bullet upon leaving the barrel.

The rounds themselves were inspired by the 14.5 × 114 mm Russian made projectile, used primarily in HMGs and Sniper Rifles. The rounds are described as being made of very hard metal, so they are probably made of a skin of hardened steel or titanium, with a hardened core of super dense tungsten or depleted uranium for maximum penetration. However, despite being labeled as Armor Piercing, the Sniper Bullet is actually Anti-Materiel, meaning that it is specifically designed to pierce body armor, energy shielding, and all types of flesh, but not heavy armor plating, like that of a tank. Therefore, the weapon is entirely useless against vehicles unless you have a clear head or body shot. The only reason for this is because of the Covenants' advanced armor. Modern day weapons and amunition used against covenant armor and shielding systems would seem uneffective, this is why most UNSC firearms use large types of ammunition because they are mostly use for their effectiveness in armor penatration.

However, as an anti-materiel round, the penetration and stopping power is supremely effective. It has been demonstrated as having enough power (on Normal) to punch through the torsos of two Brutes (although it only knocks off their armor) and kill a Grunt standing behind them. The round possesses enough stopping power that a quick follow-up shot will kill both Brutes.

The large caliber rounds make necessary for a small magazine size and small combat loads (28 rounds total in Halo 1, 24 rounds in Halo 2 and 3.) However, a "full combat load" was described in Halo: First Strike, and in the Halo 1 level Truth and Reconciliation you start with a Sniper Rifle that has a 68 round load.

Tactics
For more in depth tactics on the SRS99D-S2 AM, look at HaloWiki

The Sniper Rifle is extremely powerful, but with a small combat load, it is not good practice to use this weapon against weaker enemies (Grunts, Drones). However, the SRs penetration capabilities and superb, long range accuracy makes it excellent for killing higher ranking enemies at long range, which, in turn, disorganizes and demoralizes the enemy troops, making combat against a large ground force easier.

Advantages
Headshots on your opponent generally kills them. It can also make four shots in rapid successions, which is impossible with the Beam Rifle (which is subjected to overheat easily)

You do not have to aim higher than your target, due to the fact that the rifle's shots are not affected by gravity.

Disadvantages
A sniper usually needs to find a safer location for him/her to snipe, which is very essential since if your opponent spotted you, they will attempt to draw close range attacks. Also, the Sniper Rifle is definitely useless in close range combat, unless you can perform no-scope kills, although in Matchmaking, this is prone to happen in sniper-only games. The Sniper Rifle shot can be used in close combat as a shield remover, followed by a melee which will kill your opponent. In advance, sniper ammo is very rare in the Halo levels. Make every shot count. Also, due to large recoil, using the Sniper as a "Shotgun", is much harder than it was in Halo 2 and Halo: Combat Evolved. If the user is too far away, firing while not scoped-in, even when you are aiming at the head it can easily miss.

Possible Manufacturer Change
In Halo 1 and 2 a cyan logo identical to the "trinity" emblem can be found on the stock of the Sniper Rifle System 99C-S2 AM. However, in Halo 3, the emblem is absent from the SRS99D. In part 1 of the Arms Race video trilogy, the SRS99D can be seen being made at Misriah armory on Mars. However, the "Trinity" logo is seen on the rifle in the Halo 3 game booklet as well as in the Arms Race Part 1, where it is found on the stock of the "second" rifle in the magazine, and in part 3, it is visible on the stock of the rifle T. Rymarr uses to kill the Brutes.

Influences
The sniper rifle appears to be heavily inspired by (if not directly copied from) the South African NTW-20, (most notably the Denel NTW-20), the Barrett .50 caliber rifles, the M107 sniper rifle and Many of the features present in the Halo version are included in both weapons, such as the recoil-dampening piston, the general look of the receiver, the magazine placement, muzzle brake and many other attributes. In addition, the Sniper round (14.5 × 114mm) is an actual rifle cartridge, developed by the Russian Army for Anti-Tank Rifles, Heavy Machine Guns and Sniper Rifles. However, the real 14.5 mm round has a standard cartridge design, whereas the round used in Halo is an APFSDS round (Armor-Piercing, Fin-Stabilized, Discarding Sabot). The sniper rifle appears to takes its APFSDS ammunition concept from the Steyr IWS 2000. It fires a 15.2 mm Steyr Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot.

Character Compatibility

 * Elites
 * Spartans
 * Marines

Trivia

 * In Multiplayer, a player can win special sniper medals by using the SRS99D.
 * The gun strangely ejects 7.62x54mm cartridges, the same as the MA5C's, despite the two guns having different calibers.
 * In the Halo 3 guide, on Pg. 163, it shows a picture of a plasma rifle on the line showing the respawn rate of the SRS99D.
 * The bullet will travel from the barrel to the target instantly.
 * Although this event exceedingly rare, it is possible for this rifle to deliver a fatal headshot to its user if fired on a very specifically angled surface as the bullet does ricochet at full velocity.

Related Links

 * SRS99C-S2 AM
 * SRS99C-S2 AMB
 * Beam Rifle

Images

 * Halo3.com