M395 DMR

The M395 Designated Marksman Rifle (M395 DMR) is a gas-operated marksman rifle designed by Misriah Armory and used by the United Nations Space Command.

Overview
The M395 DMR succeeds the M392 model, which was used throughout the Insurrection and the Human-Covenant War. It was introduced at some point before the Battle for Earth, where some were used during the final confrontation between the UNSC and the Covenant on a human-controlled world. The newer model was designed to accommodate Spartan operators and is consequently heavier. Though the M392 was discontinued from Marine Corps and Navy service in favor of the BR55 series, the M395 is fielded by all branches of the UNSC. It is used primarily by light infantry scouts requiring powerful, long-range precision fire. M395s are intended for use by personnel who can take advantage of smart-linked telescopic sights.

Design specifications
The M395 is an air-cooled, magazine-fed, gas-operated semi-automatic bullpup rifle that fires 7.62×51mm ammunition, with a maximum effective range of 950 meters, it is inspired from the Kel-Tec RDB. It accepts a fourteen-round detachable box magazine in contrast to its predecessor's fifteen-round magazine. Unlike its predecessor (capable of semi-automatic and fully automatic fire) the M395 is restricted to semi-automatic fire. The weapon's mounted optic is capable of 3× magnification. The ambidextrous magazine release buttons are located directly above the magazine well, behind the trigger. The safety, also ambidextrous, is mounted slightly behind the trigger.

M395B Designated Marksman Rifle
The M395B's scope lacks the external ammo counter of the M395 and has an increased magazine size of 15. Very minor cosmetic differences can be seen, such as the shorter cheek rest. It is most often fielded with a Longshot sight.
 * Morph M395B: DMR with Morph sight. The Morph sight has demonstrated enhanced acquisition speed against targets exhibiting Flood signatures.
 * Recon M395B: DMR with Recon sight. Marine Force Recon configuration that emphasizes ease of handling and mid-range accuracy.
 * Sentinel M395B: DMR with Sentinel sight. Precision configuration with variable-zoom 4×/6× optics, used by unaugmented UNSC snipers.
 * Hybrid M395B: DMR with Hybrid sight. This variant is an improvised configuration used by Swords of Sanghelios warriors on joint patrols.
 * COG M395B: DMR with COG sight. Increasingly popular configuration offered for sale in civilian markets on the frontier.

M395B attachments

 * Long barrel: Increases range of bullet magnetism and aim assist.
 * Laser targeter: Increases weapon accuracy by reducing bullet spread.
 * Silencer: Firing the weapon does not make the user show up on enemy radar. However, walking still gives away the user's position.
 * Stabilization jets: Helps control vertical recoil.
 * Kinetic bolts: Augments knockback and damage against vehicles.
 * Energy bayonet: Increases melee damage and range, allowing for a one-hit kill against normal opponents.
 * Knight blade: Increases melee effectiveness, with extra damage and knockback against vehicles.
 * Extended magazine: Increases both ready and reserve ammunition capacity by 66.7%.
 * Threat marker: Tracks targeted enemy personnel for a short time.
 * Sound dampener: Increases effective range and reduces firing signature.

Gameplay
The DMR takes one more trigger pull to kill than the battle rifle, while also possessing a slightly slower kill time. However, due to its semi-auto fire mode, 3× scope magnification, and lack of muzzle climb, the DMR is more effective at longer ranges. This makes it much more desirable on larger maps with open sightlines. The DMR falls short of the LightRifle's long range effectiveness, but is still somewhat flexible at medium and close ranges and has a larger magazine by 2 shots. Arguably, this makes the DMR one of the most utilitarian weapons in Halo 4.

Changes from M392 DMR in Halo: Reach to M395 DMR in Halo 4

 * One less round per magazine from 15 to 14.
 * Default reserve magazine limit decreased from 4 (15/60 rounds) to 3 (14/42).
 * Heavily decreased bloom, with maximum bloom not exceeding the outer reticle.
 * Accuracy for continuous fire increased slightly.
 * Rate of fire has been increased slightly to 165 RPM.

Changes from Halo 4 to Turbo update

 * Red reticle range has been decreased.

Changes from M395 DMR in Halo 4 to M395B DMR in Halo 5: Guardians

 * New scope lacks an external ammo indicator; instead, it is featured on the lower right when using the scope.
 * Bloom is toned down to the point of near non-existence.
 * Accuracy for continuous fire has been increased once again.
 * Once again has a 15 round magazine, with total reserve rounds of 45.
 * Rate of fire has been increased once again to 185 RPM.

Changes from Halo 5: Guardians to HCS testing

 * Aim assist properties have been changed, with shorter range engagements losing it.
 * Fire rate has been slowed down, putting the DMR back to a state closer to Halo 4's M395 at 175 RPM (-5.4%).

Changes from HCS testing to Overtime

 * Aim assist has been tweaked once more to be less finicky in close range.

Mistakes

 * As with the M392 DMR in Halo: Reach, the M395 erroneously ejects spent M634 X-HP-SAP shell casings rather than the M118 7.62×51mm round it actually uses. In addition, the weapon's in-game model lacks an ejection port. In Halo 5: Guardians, this continues to be the case with the M395B, though the model has been given an ejection port. On a related note, the BR85N now ironically ejects the M118 shell casings that should belong to the DMR.
 * The UNSC Infinity Briefing Packet erroneously states that the M395 uses a fifteen-round magazine. While this is true of the M392, the M395 carries fourteen rounds. However, a variant of the M395, the M395B, does use a fifteen-round magazine. It's likely the Briefing Packet was based on earlier builds of Halo 4, where the M395 had a fifteen-round magazine, and the removal of one round was a later alteration to the game.

Production notes

 * In the final release version of Halo 4, the HUD icon for the M395 is actually that of the M392 DMR from Halo: Reach. Ironically, some pre-release screenshots of the game show a different HUD icon depicting the correct version of the weapon, albeit lacking the front sight. Halo: The Master Chief Collection would also lack the proper HUD and post-game scoreboard icon for the weapon.

List of appearances

 * Halo 4
 * Spartan Ops
 * Infinity Briefing Packet
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo: Nightfall
 * Hunt the Truth
 * All Hail
 * Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Halo Mythos
 * Halo: Tales from Slipspace
 * On the Brink
 * Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual