M6C magnum

The M6C Magnum Sidearm is one of three known standard sidearm of the Marines in the United Nations Space Command.

Introduction
The M6C Magnum Sidearm is a dual-wieldable, stripped-down version of the M6D Pistol and made its debut in Halo 2. It is a much weaker weapon compared to the M6D but has very high accuracy and high flesh damage. It is also a very effective weapon when wielding two and can kill in seconds. The Magnum, with its technical and physical changes, is seen in Halo 2.

Summary
The M6C Magnum Sidearm is a semi-automatic, recoil-operated, magazine fed, dual wieldable, magnum caliber handgun. It fires M228 12.7x40mm SAP-HP (Semi-Armor Piercing-High Penetration) rounds from a 12 round magazine and is weaker than the M6D(mainly because of the lack of explosive-tipped bullets). It fires these rounds with a very high rate of fire and excellent accuracy (better than the M6D). The effective range of the M6C is much closer than that of the M6D, however, it can still reach long ranges and make a kill. Unfortunately the M6C does not feature a scope and lacks the very feature that made the M6D so lethal, besides the explosive-tipped bullets.

Physical Description And Appearance
The M6C Magnum Sidearm is a semi-automatic UNSC handgun designed in an Uzi-style layout. It fires the 12.7x40mm S-AP-HP(Semi-Armor Piercing-High Penetration) round from a 12 round magazine that fits flush in the handle. The magazine is housed in the handle of the weapon as most semi-automatic handguns are.

The M6C is made of lightweight polymers and has a chrome barrel. The M6C fires using the short recoil principle and must first be cocked before it can start firing. The slide, located on the top of the weapon, is used to chamber a round. From then on, the gases force the slide to move back and forth until the magazine is empty. Once the mag is empty, (although not illustrated in Halo 2) the slide locks back and the mag is dropped(using the mag drop button located on the handle), just like most real semi-auto dual action pistols. Once a new mag is placed in the housing, the slide catch, located above the handle, is pushed down and the slide launches forward chambering a round(also not illustrated in Halo 2). The ejection port is located directly top of the gun.

The M6C, having a rifled barrel, is 26.8cm long and has a rather large trigger guard that encompasses the entire handle. Its safety is located on the rear of the slide and is on both sides,allowing ambidextrous usage. This weapon is also dual-wieldable.

Changes From The M6D

 * Flat, black color
 * No scope
 * Decreased power
 * Dual-wieldable
 * Very high rate of fire
 * Even higher accuracy.
 * Has the same flesh damage as the M6D (Very High)

Close Range
This weapon is effective at close ranges, duals are even better for close range. This gun kills Very fast at close ranges, especially with melees and grenades.

Medium Range
Perhaps where the Magnum is the best, it is very effective at medium ranges, and almost equal to the Battle rifle, although it lacks the scope. The High accuracy added on to the High fire rate makes this weapon very good at Medium ranges. Grenades help weaken shields and make killing much quicker and easier.

Long Range
OK. This gun is not the best weapon at long ranges, but it still works due to its high accuracy. The lack of a scope may make this gun harder to wield at long ranges than the Battle Rifle.

Do NOT be afraid to use the M6C Magnum at longer ranges. Grenades, again, help a lot.

Magnum And Battle Rifle
This is basically having two of the same gun. Both have the same killing speed and are pretty much equal in fire power (before Halo 2 update). The only real difference is that the battle rifle has slightly more range and has a farther effective range(meaning the reticle turns red). This is primarily due to the scope.

Magnum And Shotgun
This is a close range type of combo. The Shotgun, being more powerful than the Magnum at very close ranges, can kill in one shot, however, if the enemy backs up enough where the shotgun only takes down shields, than the Magnum can pick up the slack and pull off the headshot. The Magnum can also kill at much farther ranges than the Shotgun, adding some range to the combo.

Magnum And Sniper Rifle
A quite effective sniping combo in the right hands. Both weapons can make headshots and if one shot with the Sniper Rifle brings down shields, then one more shot from the Magnum will kill them. If done right, this combo only requires one shot from each weapon to kill a Spartan or an Elite.

Magnum And Magnum
Probably one of the best and most effective combos, the Magnum's high rate of fire and deadly accuracy make killing an opponent a breeze. This combo tops the Battle Rifle and just about any other weapon.

Magnum And SMG
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.

Magnum And Plasma Pistol
Another one of the best and most effective, not to mention one of the most ammo conserving, combos. The Plasma Pistol's charged shot takes down an opponents shield and then the Magnum performs the lethal headshot. This combo is once again, great against the "noob combo" and is actually better than the "noob combo" for 2 reasons:

1. the Magnum kills faster than a Battle Rifle when your enemys shields are down (it takes a shorter time to shoot 1 super fast shot, then to pull off a 3 round burst)

2. You dont need to switch weapons, which saves alot of time. By the time the "noob combo" wielder has switched his weapon, he'd be dead.

Magnum And Plasma Rifle
Yet another very effective combo that is basically the same as the SMG/Magnum combo but the Plasma Rifle drains enemy's shields a little faster than the SMG.

Magnum And Needler
The worst of the Magnum combos, the Needler's decreased power and homing ability make it like the weapon is not even there. It's Almost like single-wielding a Magnum.

Against The Covenant
The Magnum is quite effective against the members of the Covenant, such as Grunts and Jackals, requiring only a headshot to eliminate them. It can also take down a Brute in two shots to the head and Drones with 5 to the body. The Magnum is not the most effective against Elites, requiring 9 shots to the head to take a minor down(requiring more as the ranks increase), and Hunters, requiring 13 shots to exposed flesh.

Against The Flood
The Magnum is very effective against the Flood. It can take down Combat Forms with one shot to the protruding tentacles, the Infection Forms with one shot, and the Carrier Forms with a few shots to the body.

Ammo
The M6C Magnum Sidearm is obviously the predecessor of the M6D Pistol, and it therefore has the cons that were resolved in the Pistol. One of the cons was ammo types. The M6C uses .50 Semi Armor Piercing, High Power rounds. These rounds, although lacking the stopping power of the HE-SAP M6D rounds, are still, in the right hands, just as useful. The Semi Armor Piercing render it decently effective against shielded opponents, and has deadly VERY high flesh damage.

Character Compatibility

 * Elites
 * Spartans
 * Marines
 * Grunts
 * Jackals
 * Drones (have animation, but never used)
 * Flood Combat Form (Human)
 * Flood Combat Form (Elite)

Note: You can give Magnums to Grunts and Jackals when you encounter the flood on The Sacred Icon.

Trivia

 * This weapon was first introduced in Eric Nylund's Halo: First Strike novel. It was noted the pistol "weren't the standard-issue HE pistols", and had "oversized barrels--easily 30 percent larger and longer", they also had "grips of self-molding plastasteel", and whatever it shot was "high caliber". Unlike the game's actual performance of the pistol, the novel described it as "far better than the standard-issue sidearm".


 * Similar to the M6D, on the bottom of the magazine is a triangular piece that blends into the handle when the magazine is in place, this allows for the user to get a better grip on the gun, and if you look closely when wielding it in Halo 2 you will notice two fingers are wrapped around it. (Easiest to see in multiplayer)


 * The fact that this is a different pistol than the M6D seen in Halo: Combat Evolved may not be that the Marine Corps replaced it, but rather that Navy personnel are issued the M6D while Marines, being a separate branch of the military with separate administrative authority, are issued the M6C.


 * The M6C Magnum's melee attack is equal in power to that of a BR55 Battle Rifle, Shotgun, and everything except for the Brute Shot (which has increased melee damage), but look at this: the Magnums melee is MUCH faster than anything else!

Related Links

 * M6D HE Pistol
 * M6G Pistol
 * BR55 Battle Rifle
 * Covenant Carbine