M20 PDW

M20/PDW
Production overview
Manufacturer:	Misriah Armory
Type:	Personal defense weapon
Specifications
Length:	56 centimeters (21.9 in)
Width:	11 centimeters (4.4 in)
Height:	29 centimeters (11.6 in)
Weight:	1.3 kilograms (2.87 lb)
Ammunition type:	M490 5.7×28mm HV-AP
Capacity:	60 round magazine
Service history
In service:	Post-Covenant War conflicts

The M20/Personal Defense Weapon (M20/PDW) is small arm produced by Misriah Armory and issued to United Nations Space Command service personnel. The M20 serves as a replacement for the M7 SMG in the post-Covenant war era. The weapon is issued to UNSC vehicle and aircraft crews, security personnel, and Spartans who expect to encounter close-quarters combat.

Overview

Design details

The M20 is visually similar to its predecessor, though it differs in using a new high-velocity armor-piercing round that increases the amount of kinetic energy imparted to the target, specifically developed to counter the proliferation of military-grade armor among Insurrectionist cells and as a response to Covenant energy shield technology. The weapon uses top-mounted magazines of cased 5.7×28mm High Velocity, Armor Piercing (HV-AP) ammunition rather than the side-mounted magazines of caseless ammunition used by the M7. The top-mounted magazine offers an improved reload time and allows the weapon to be more open to customaisation and field-modification, with the weapon compatible with nearly all UNSC weapon attachments.

By default, the M20 is equipped with a reflex CQB sight, though as per above this can be swapped out. The weapon's main frame features a retracting stock, folding foregrip, and a smart-link electronics package to allow it to be used with any UNSC helmet. The weapon's lightweight construction allows it to be fired one-handed.

Variants

The M20's accessibility to production and customisation has opened the weapon up to having a large catalog of subvariants. It is compatible with nearly all UNSC weapon attachments.

Sight options

• Standard: SMG with CQB sight. Standard configuration best suited for close-quarters combat while leveraging smart-link.SMG with CQB Sight.
• Morph SMG: SMG with Morph sight. Advanced tactical configuration used by the UEG's elite bodyguard corps.
• Projection SMG: SMG with Projection sight. SWAT configuration used by UNSC military police and UEG security forces.
• Recon SMG: SMG with Recon sight. Personal defense weapon configuration issued to UNSC pilots.
• Hybrid SMG: SMG with Holoscope. Personal defense weapon configuration used by Sangheili liaison teams.
• COG SMG: SMG with COG sight. Interdiction configuration used by Marine and Spartan boarding parties.

Other 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.
• Extended Magazine: Increases both ready and reserve ammunition capacity by up to 40%.
• Threat Marker: Tracks targeted enemy personnel for a short time.
• Sound Dampener: Increases effective range and reduces firing signature.

Gameplay

See our gameplay information related to M20 PDW on its gameplay page.

Changes from M7 SMG in Halo 2: Anniversary

• Can now be zoomed in using the Smart Scope to have its bullet spread reduced at the cost of added recoil.
• As of the November 2017 update, headshots with the M20 SMG now deal bonus damage on unshielded targets.
• Increased damage, killing in 19-20 rounds, (depending on the headshot bonus) instead of 25 rounds.
• Maximum reserve ammo increased from 180 to 360.
• Rate of fire is now 920 RPM.

Changes from Halo 5: Guardians to HCS testing

• Maximum reserve ammo decreased to 300 (-14.3%).

Changes from HCS testing to Overtime

• Aim assist slightly decreased within effective range.
• Overall damage slightly reduced, including headshot damage.
• Accuracy slightly increased as the inner reticles no longer bloom outside of the outer circular reticle.

Production notes

In Halo 5: Guardians' gameplay, UI, menus, and promotional material, the weapon is often colloquially referred to as a submachine gun (SMG). This is due to the weapon being designed as a successor to the M7 and M7S SMGs found in prior Halo games. However, this description has only ever been used in a colloquial or in-game context - in the weapon's dedicated spotlights on its Halo Waypoint Universe article and the Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), both exclusively refer to the weapon as a personal defence weapon. This is reflected in the weapon's given lore, with a focus on armour-piercing rounds as opposed to the M7's pistol-calibre ammunition.

The aforementioned Halo Waypoint page erroneously referred to the M20 PDW as firing the M7 SMG's 5×23mm caseless ammunition. However, the weapon is designed to eject spent shells - a behaviour which can be observed in-game. This discrepancy was corrected in the Halo Encyclopedia.

Trivia

The M20 bears similarity of both the FN-P90's receiver-style magazine, and foresight, and the MP7's frame.

Gallery

Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

Screenshots

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  Halo 5: Guardians concept art of the SMG.

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  A render of the SMG from the pre-Beta development stage of Halo 5: Guardians.

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  The SMG seen ejecting shell casings on Trench in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta.

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  Smart Scope with the SMG on Crossfire in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta.

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  A render of the M20 in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  A render of the Projection SMG in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  A render of the Master Control skin.

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  Spartan Olympia Vale of Fireteam Osiris using an M20 SMG in the key art for Halo 5: Guardians.

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  First-person view of the M20 by Frederic-104 in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.

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  Fred-104 using smart scope with the M20 SMG.

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  Linda-058 using the M20 SMG while aboard Argent Moon.

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  First-person view of the M20 on Coliseum in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  Smart scope with the M20 in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  A Freebooter-clad Spartan-IV using an M20.

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  A Venture-clad Spartan-IV using an M20 on March on Stormbreak.

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  Third-person view of the M20 engaged in smart scope.

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  Third-person view of a Stinger-clad Spartan-IV using a Hybrid M20.

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  A Promethean Soldier with an M20 on Raid on Apex 7.

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  M20 SMGs being used on targets in Halo: Recruit.

Halo 5: Guardians variants

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  First-person view of Projection M20.

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  Smart scope with the Projection M20.

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  First-person view of the Recon M20.

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  Smart scope with the Recon M20.

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  First-person view of the Hybrid M20.

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  Smart scope with the Hybrid M20.

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  First-person view of the COG M20.

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  Smart scope of the COG M20.

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  First-person view of the Morph M20.

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  Smart scope of the Morph M20.

List of appearances

• Halo 5: Guardians (First appearance)
• Halo Mythos
• Halo: Recruit (Non-canonical appearance)
• Vertical Umbrage
• Halo: Outcasts