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 (AKA sniper), 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 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 and 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. This speculated to prevent people from quick shot ambushes at close range. It also has more recoil; forcing the user to readjust the sights after every shot. At short range it does not work as well as the Shotgun would unless you can perform no-scope kills.

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
 * Increased recoil
 * Does not have night vision
 * You do not have to lead the target as far as in Halo:CE and Halo 2, even at full zoom you only have to lead a running target by a centimeter or two.

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-Stabilized 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, though it is impossible to unfold and would not serve any purpose if it could unfold, as there is no notable unsteadiness or shaking while looking through the scope, and therefore no reason to utilize a bipod.

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 ammunition used against Covenant armor and shielding systems would seem ineffective, this is why most UNSC firearms use large types of ammunition because they are mostly use for their effectiveness in armor penetration.

However, as an anti-material 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

Because the Sniper Rifle is extremely powerful, but has 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 make 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.

Also, without zooming, looking into the view screen one sees a completely green version of what they're seeing, but enemies, players, weapons, outline of terrain, etc. will appear white.

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, unlike sniper rifles used today.

A very well-known but little used tactic called "No-scoping" can be a great advantage. Expert Sharpshooters can use this tactic in tight situations to easily dispatch enemies. It also allows the shooter to use a greater selection of secondary weapons. As it well practiced to pick up a close range weapon such as a AR or shotgun to even out with the SR, but with "No-Scoping" the shooter can retrieve a medium range weapon to use in situations where the target is too close for zoom and too far for a No-scope.The sniper shot can also reflect off enemy helmets killing more than just that enemy if the reflected shot hits another enemy's head.

Disadvantages
A sniper usually needs to find a safe location for him/her to snipe, 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. Also, because there are only 4 bullets per magazine, a player with the sniper rifle has to reload frequently.

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.

Anti-Flood Tactics
In campaign mode, the sniper rifle is surprisingly one of the least effective weapons against the Flood. Due to the fact that the organs of the host are regarded useless, it is virtually impossible to get a one shot kill against any flood target. It is possible that the upper chest of the Flood is vulnerable to the sniper rifle as that is where the infection form is lodged. It is better to use the SMG or Battle Rifle when combating the Flood.

Character Compatibility

 * Elites
 * Spartans
 * Marines

Trivia

 * 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, unlike modern day long-range rifles, where the bullet may take 2-4 seconds to travel over a mile.(Recent studies have shown that the newer Barret M-107 .50 cal sniper rifle can travel almost this speed being 4 times the speed of sound.)
 * Although this event is 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.
 * Seeing as the bullets of the Sniper Rifle can penetrate through opponents, it makes it possible to get multiple headshots and/or kill with one bullet. (Definitely more than 6 people)
 * The S2 AM is seen in the Halo movie trailer.
 * The fuel tank on a ghost is a perfect target for a sniper because it explodes when shot.
 * If a player presses in the right stick to zoom in to the 10X mode then holds it in after the second zoom then slowly releases it, the zoom mode will return to its 2X zoom instead of completely disabling the zoom mode.
 * Some believe that the sniper rifle uses is the extremely powerful .75 cal anti-material sniper rounds which are used (but sparingly) by the U.S and British army, however due to it being very expensive to produce and manufacture ammo it is seldom seen.

Related Links

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