BR55HB battle rifle

For tactics on the BR55 and BR55HB SR, look at HaloWiki

The BR55HB SR Battle Rifle is a United Nations Space Command infantry firearm and a variant of the standard BR55 Battle Rifle

Introduction
The BR55HB SR Battle Rifle is a variant of the Halo 2-era BR55 Battle Rifle and is being introduced into Halo 3. It is a good, all-around weapon and is functionally the same as the BR55 but has design changes. This weapon is seen in the Halo 3 Beta.

Summary
The BR55HB SR Battle Rifle is a burst fire, gas-operated, magazine-fed, mid-to-long range weapon. It is relatively the same as the BR55 Battle Rifle but with some design changes. It still fires the M634 9.5x40mm X-HP-SAP round in three round bursts from a 36 round magazine and it still has a scope with a 2x magnification. Its power as well as accuracy and range are pretty much the same.

Physical Description and Appearance
The BR55HB SR is a bullpup, burst-fire UNSC rifle that fires the 9.5x40mm X-HP-SAP round (see below). It fires from a 36 round magazine which fits flush in the receiver. The receiver is built directly into the butt of the gun and is located behind the grip (known as a bullpup configuration). This gun fires in three-round bursts due to difficult handling while firing automatically and actually is only fired 12 times before needing to be reloaded.

This titanium alloy weapon is gas-operated with a rotating bolt and therefore must be cocked before the first round can be fired. The bolt used to chamber the round is located on the left side of the weapon and does not move during operation. From then on, the gases from the previous rounds rotate the bolt inside and continue to chamber rounds until the mag is empty. Once the mag is empty, the bolt (even though not illustrated in either Halo 2 or Halo 3) can either be pulled back and locked or it can be fully cycled after a fresh mag has been housed. If it is pulled back and locked, then it must be pushed forward once a fresh mag is housed to chamber a new round. The mag release button is located on both sides of the gun and is an inch or two from the housed mag on the stock. The ejection port is located on the right side of the weapon.

The BR55HB SR, having a rifled barrel, has noticeable changes from the BR55. First off, it has a longer barrel for increased range and accuracy. It is fitted with a Trijicon ACOG-style scope on a modified carrying handle and now also has a trigger guard. The safety is also located on the handle of the weapon.

If the MA5C and BR55 are assault rifles then the BR55HB SR can be considered a designated marksman weapon, designed as an intermediate between snipers and assault rifles. It would be issued on a squad based level to increase their firing range and give them a more adaptive and versitile sniper rifle and assault rifle in one.

The BR55HB SR makes its debut in Halo 3. Its predecessor, the basic BR55, appeared in Halo 2.

Changes From The BR55

 * Modified optical rail
 * New Trijicon ACOG-style scope
 * New trigger guard
 * Longer barrel

Ammunition
It is interesting to note the ammo used for the Battle Rifle. It uses a new 9.5mm x 40 Experimental Round. The 7.62mm x 51 round is a moderately large round used on the MA5B and on modern day marksman rifles and machine guns. The 7.62mm already has a history of having too much recoil because of the bullet's size, which made it hard to fire fully-automatically in assault rifles. Having a bigger bullet that is almost 2 mm wider would make recoil worse. Due to this theory, it would make sense to say that future technology might have some role in countering these effects. It could be safe to say also that due to the Battle Rifle's bullpup design, it could counter the recoil effects.

However, the 9.5x40mm ammunition used for the BR55 has less powder in each cartridge than the 7.62x51mm rounds used in the MA assault rifles. So despite having a large bullet diameter, the decrease in powder for each round would actually cause less recoil, making it very tolerable. A burst setting on the rifle would also reduce recoil, preventing the user from spraying a target with high-caliber ammunition, possible causing uncomfortable physical effects such as mild bruising and so on.

The size of the ammo would also have a problem fitting in a 36-round magazine of the current Battle Rifle. If a Heckler & Koch G3 (which is chambered in 7.62mm x 51) has a standard magazine count of 20 and being the size that it is, it would be hard to see a bullet much thicker than the 7.62mm fit inside of a magazine of the Battle Rifle's size and with a capacity of 36 rounds. Again, this might have something to do with future UNSC weapon technology. This is a continuous pattern with UNSC rifles, as a similar instance occurred with the MA5B. The MA5B has a magazine of 60 rounds chambered in the 7.62mm x 51 with a rather "small" magazine size, which looks to be smaller than the Battle Rifle's magazine.

Influences
The BR55 appears to be largely based on the French standard issue FAMAS assault rifle, and also has features resembling the US Army's prototype XM8 rifles. Other influences could be the Steyr AUG, the SA80 or the lengthened SA80, the L86 LSW.

The BR55HB SR compared to the M6G Pistol

 * The M6G Pistol in Halo 3 is similar in firepower, rate of fire, accuracy, and range to the BR55 SR Battle Rifle, and the BR55 Battle Rifle. However, the BR55HB SR has a scope, which the pistol lacks, and the rifle's capacity (12 3-round Bursts) is greater than the pistol's (8 Shots). However the M6G has its advantages too:
 * It is more effective at close ranges than the Battle Rifle.
 * Dual M6Gs top both the BR55HB SR Battle Rifle, and the BR55 Battle Rifle in power.

The BR55HB SR compared to the BR55
In terms of gameplay, the BR55HB SR is functionally identical to Halo 2's BR55. Both weapons have the same rate of fire, accuracy, range, damage, and magazine capacity.

The BR55HB SR compared to the MA5C
If the MA5C is one end of the assault rifle spectrum then the HB is the opposite end. The MA5C is designed for close assaults and close to medium ranged fire fights whereas the HB is designed for much longer ranged fights over a distance. At range the HB has the advantage but at close range the chances are the MA5C will win.

Character Compatibility
This is most likely what the compatibility will be in Halo 3.
 * Elites
 * Spartans
 * Marines
 * Brutes
 * Drones
 * Flood Combat Form (Human)
 * Flood Combat Form (Elite)

Trivia

 * Technically speaking "HB" stands for "Heavy Barrel". The "SR" stands for "Sniper Rifle" hinting at a higher zoom level (possibly meaning that it is the designated marksman variant of the BR55), making the previous suggestion of more sustained fire unlikely. Neither elements have been confirmed though.

Related Links

 * BR55