Zubo-pattern beam rifle

For the beam rifle used in the original Halo Trilogy, see Type-50 Sniper Rifle System.

Template:Weapon Infobox The Type-27 Special Application Sniper Rifle (T27 SASR), otherwise known as the beam rifle, is a long-range Covenant weapon.^[1]

Overview

The T27 SASR is manufactured by the Merchants of Qikost. As evidenced by its designation, the Type-27 was catalogued much earlier in the Human-Covenant War than the comparable Type-50 Sniper Rifle System, which shares the "beam rifle" moniker. Though the T50 was encountered as early as 2531,^[2] it was not catalogued until 2550 and did not become a particularly common weapon until 2552,^[3] which suggests that the Type-27 saw more predominant use throughout most of the war. Despite being supplemented or perhaps replaced by functionally similar weapons, the Type-27 saw continued use among Covenant remnant forces as late as 2557.^[1] The T-27 SASR is now the Covenant’s primary long-range special application weapon, used almost exclusively by scouting personnel and designated marksmen. Through the ionization of hydrogen gas and the use of a linear accelerator, a powerful beam is emitted at hypervelocity speeds, lethally striking enemy targets.

Design details

The Type-27 beam rifle is quite similar in design to the Type-50, suggesting that both weapons were derived from the same ancient Sangheili design.^[4] However, the Type-27 has a bulkier profile akin to that of the Type-52 Special Applications Rifle. In comparison to the Type-50, the weapon's firing channel is better concealed and is set closer to the muzzle. It features an enclosed focusing crystal compartment rather than its counterpart's open layout. Another major difference is that the Type-27's grip faces straight back, whereas the Type-50's is angled upward; this allows the user to maintain a conventional shooting posture rather than being forced to fire from below the shoulder. The weapon's grip also differs from the Type-52's in the fact that the Sangheili-designed ergonomic grip has been reconfigured to a smaller thumbhole with additional hand grips. ^[1]