M7 Caseless Submachine Gun

The M7/Caseless Sub-Machine Gun is a widely used United Nations Space Command firearm.

(See also; Silenced SMG)

Introduction
The M7/Caseless Sub-Machine Gun is a dual wieldable weapon seen in Halo 2 as well as the Halo 3 Beta and is making its debut in Halo 3. It is not a very powerful weapon and has slight design as well as technical changes in Halo 3.

Summary
The M7/Caseless Sub-Machine Gun is a fully automatic, gas-operated, magazine fed, dual wieldable, short range weapon. The SMG fires 5x23mm Caseless FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) rounds from a 60 round mag with an extremely high rate of fire (which actually leads to tremendous recoil and forces the barrel upward after continuous fire). It also sports a retractable stock and foregrip. The SMG lacks range and power as well as accuracy so it is strictly a short range weapon. The Halo 3 SMG is relatively the same with minor design and technical changes.

Physical Description And Appearance
The M7/Caseless Sub-Machine Gun is an automatic UNSC sub-machine gun that fires 5x23mm Caseless FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) rounds. It fires from a 60 round magazine which is actually placed horizontally on the left side of the weapon due to the way it fires.

The SMG has a polymer handle, foregrip, and stock as well as a titanium body and is gas-operated with a rotating breech. The SMG must be cocked before it can fire the first round. The bolt to cock the weapon is located on the right side of the gun and does not move during operation. From then on, the gases from previous rounds force the breech to rotate and chamber a new round. Once the mag is empty, the bolt (although not illustrated in 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 first pulled back and locked, then it must be pushed forward in order to chamber a new round. There is no ejection port due to the nature of the rounds fired.

The SMG, having a rifled barrel, is 47.5cm long with the stock retracted and has a maximum length 62.8cm when the stock is fully extended. The stock is fully adjustable. The Halo 3 SMG is basically the same but has a slightly shorter foregrip and has red dots at the receiver end of the mag. This weapon does not posses a safety and is dual-wieldable.

This weapon appeared in Halo 2 and is retuning in Halo 3.

Ammunition
The SMG uses a radically different kind of ammunition than the kind found in other UNSC weapons, called the M443 caseless full metal jacket round. This ammunition is classified as "caseless", meaning it does not have a metallic casing surround the powder and sealing the bullet, propellant, and primer together. Instead of using this casing, the round uses a combustible adhesive to seal these components together. Because the chemical "casing" is vaporized just like the bullet, there is no need to eject spent brass casings.

This feature is very beneficial. It reduces friction inside the magazine, one of the main causes of jamming in weapons. It also negates the need to expel casings, as mentioned above. This is important, as a user wielding two M7s at once would not want to have hot brass flying in his face from the eject port of the weapon in his left hand. The projectile itself, which is "jacketed", or coated, in metal (possibly copper or steel) to aid in penetration of the target. Caseless rounds are actually embedded into the block of propellant, reducing its length, allowing more ammunition to be stored in a smaller space.

Although 5x23mm (20 caliber) rounds would normally be considered small by modern SMG standards, the caseless layout might have an effect on the amount of gas produced when the propellant is ignited, causing a higher velocity, while the full metal jacket would ensure higher penetration than a normal lead point. This, combined with the weapons very high rate of fire, would make it powerful at close range from a realistic standpoint. The muzzle climb of the weapon would also indicate higher pressure inside the weapon, higher than what would normally be expected for such a modestly sized cartridge.

Changes in Halo 3

 * Red dots at the receiver end of the mag
 * Slightly shorter foregrip
 * Increased accuracy
 * Increased range
 * Increased rate of fire
 * There is now a few seconds before the barrel actually starts to climb
 * Slightly less damage





Close Range
This is where the SMG, in itself, is most effective. It's high rate of fire and high magazine capacity fills enemies full of lead in seconds. Grenades and melee attacks are also helpful and should be used.

Medium Range
The lack of accuracy and power of the SMG makes engaging enemies at medium range an unintelligent strategy. It can, however, be used as a sort of suppressive weapon(especially against snipers).

Long Range
Not a smart move at all. The lack of accuracy and range of the SMG makes it so that the bullets don't even reach the target.

SMG and Battle Rifle
Good for close range and long range, this can be a useful tactic.

SMG and M6G
Same as above, the SMG for close range, and the M6G for medium to long range.

SMG and Assault Rifle
An average combo, the SMG can be dual wielded with another weapon to double the fire power but with the SMGs short range and minimal damage, another weapon like the Shotgun, Magnum, or Battle Rifle would be better.

SMG and Shotgun
A combo that should only be used in close quarters and isn't the most effective.

SMG and Sniper Rifle
Not as useful as the Sniper Rifle/Battle Rifle, but still great and flexible. The SMG lacks the range and damage of the Battle Rifle, but has a higher rate of fire, making it more useful in tight urban combat. The SMG also has the advantage of being able to be paired with other weapons, increasing the arsenals flexibility.

SMG and SMG
This combo is quite a powerful combo and fill opponents with lead in seconds. The best way to utilize this combo is to pulse the triggers instead of holding them down. The only real down sides are the extra recoil and prolonged reload. Against large tides of weaker enemies, however, it may be useful to only shoot one SMG, and when that clip is almost empty, shoot the other while the first reloads. Alternate between one SMG and the other to maintain a prolonged string of many clips of fire.

SMG and Magnum
A very effective combo, the SMG can drain the opponents shields and then the Magnum can perform lethal head shots. The only down side is the recoil from the SMG could throw off the magnums aim.

SMG and Plasma Pistol
One of the more effective combos, the Plasma Pistol overcharge shot will take down the opponents shields and the SMG will finish him/her off with a torrent of projectiles.

SMG and Plasma Rifle
Probably the best of any SMG dual wield, the combined rate of fire and higher damage delt with the Plasma Rifle kills opponents in what seems like miliseconds.

SMG and Brute Plasma Rifle
The same as the SMG/Plasma Rifle combo except with twice the amount of plasma being dealt.

SMG and Needler
Probably the worst of the SMG combos. This combo is not very effective and with the Needlers decreased power and homing ability, it's almost like its not there at all.

Against the Covenant
Employed against the Covenant, the SMG is a very powerful close-to-mid range weapon. When fired in short bursts, it can easily decimate whole squads of Grunts. The SMG is also very useful against Jackals, with the 5mm curiously "stunning" the Jackal. The SMGs large magazine size is also useful for taking out the aerial groups of Drones. Employed against Elites, Dual SMGs are extremely deadly, made even more so by firing them "out of phase". However, SMGs are not effective against Hunters, or Brutes.

Against the Flood
Like the Pistol of Halo:CE, SMGs' are surprisingly effective for eliminating Flood Carriers. When Dual Wielded, SMGs are extremely deadly, capable of taking out large groups of Infection Forms and Combat Forms alike.

Influence
The M7 appears to take its design from three real-world firearms. The first is the Heckler and Koch G11, a caseless prototype assault rifle developed in the 1980's. The second is the Fabrique Nationale de Herstal P90. The last one being the H&K MP7. The M7 takes its concept from the G11, and its design from the latter two. As the MP7 and P90 are both personal defense weapons, it can be assumed that the M7 falls under this classification as well. Its slanted front, foregrip, and expendable stock come from the MP7; while its ergonomic grip and the horizontal magazine in a bullpup configuration come from the P90.

Character Compatibility

 * Elites
 * Spartans
 * Marines
 * Brutes (have animation but not used)
 * Jackals
 * Drones (have animation but not used)
 * Flood Combat Form (Human)
 * Flood Combat Form (Elite)

Trivia

 * It seems to be the Master Chief's weapon of choice in Halo 2, when dual-wielded, and he is frequently seen dual-wielding SMGs.