- "The M6G is either the world’s biggest pistol or the world’s smallest rifle—I’m not sure which."
- — Unnamed UNSC personnel
The M6G Personal Defense Weapon System[1] (abbreviated M6G PDWS), otherwise known as the M6G Magnum Sidearm and commonly shortened to M6G Magnum, is a United Nations Space Command infantry firearm and is is one of the variants of Misriah Armory's M6 sidearm series.
Introduction
The M6G Pistol is a common United Nations Space Command sidearm and was first put into service around 2552. It is a later model of the M6 series pistols, that was distributed to members of the UNSC Marine Corps, especially those of vehicular crews (it replaced the M6C roughly around the time of the Covenant invasion). The UNSC Marine Corps aviators are an example of this. This particular M6 weapon, is featured exclusively in Halo 3 and is considered a fairly powerful weapon when compared to other M6 series weapons. Its flesh damage as well as accuracy and range are higher than some of the other M6 models. Its rate of fire; however, is rather slow. This model can be dual-wielded. When dual wielding two magnums it only takes 8 shots to kill someone on Multiplayer (close to medium range only). It will take the whole clip to take down a fully shielded Spartan or Elite warrior on Multiplayer by only body shots. A skilled marksman with the sidearm can use only 5 SAP-HE rounds to eliminate an enemy player. Being able to use this pistol can largely benefit the player.
Summary
The M6G Pistol is a semi-automatic, recoil-operated, magazine-fed, dual-wieldable, large caliber handgun. It likely has a DAO, (Double-action only) trigger due to the fact that there is no external hammer. It fires the M225 SAP-HE (Semi-Armor Piercing, High Explosive) rounds from an 8-round magazine at a velocity of 427 m/sec (1302.35 ft/sec). It has a rather low rate of fire (being only about 2 rounds/sec or 120 rounds/min) with a decent effective range, being able to hit a target accurately up to about 50 meters. Its maximum effective range, however, is around 100 meters. The weapon is quite precise and has a very small shot spread at close to medium ranges. This combined with its decent damage against current shield systems makes it an acceptable weapon of choice when faced with shielded opponents. It is, however, a more effective against flesh and hard/soft armor, being able to kill targets in 5 shots to the head or few more shots to the body (depending on the target). Also, the Korean above in the picture reads "il-gube", meaning high in quality or the best.
Technical Specifications
The M6G Pistol is a DA only semi-automatic UNSC handgun which utilizes heavy pistol rounds. This weapon has a polymer handle, along with a titanium alloy body, and utilizes the M225 12.7mmx40mm SAP-HE round (.50 caliber). The pistol is fed from an 8 round magazine which does not sit flush in the handgun. It also features a loaded chamber indicator in the form of a small red rectangle on the rear of the slide. This gun also has no front sights. It has two dots at the rear, but there is not one in the front. (As most pistol sights have) The M6G is a very basic pistol when it comes to technology. It is a rather large handgun, having an overall length of 26.70cm (10.5 in) and possesses a barrel with traditional rifling that is 11.7cm (4.6 in). It has an electroless nickel finish and operates like most modern day pistols. It also has rear sights, which are made redundant by a laser sight located on the front of the pistol. It also has a large trigger guard, which helps prevent the user from dropping the pistol and a chrome barrel which helps prevent corrosion.
Changes From The M6D
- Decreased range, magazine capacity, rate of fire.
- No scope, replaced with a laser sight. note: this sight is unusable in-game.
- Power is technically the same because it uses the same ammunition as the M6D. But it does less damage due to the more protective Mark VI.
Ammunition
The M6G uses 12.7x40mm M225 SAPHE (Semi Armor Piercing High Explosive) .50 Caliber Ammunition Magnum loads. These rounds have a metal coating of copper or cupro-nickel around the perimeter of the projectile while the projectile itself is hardened and hollowed out and filled with additional primer. The projectile will deform and explode shortly after penetration. When the round hits a hard object such as body armor, the metal coating will deform, allowing for the hardened projectile to continue through into the target because most of the energy is kept with the hardened projectile. The round quickly deforms after penetration. The reason for making these rounds semi-armor piercing instead of flat out armor piercing is to prevent the projectile from leaving the target and wounding someone that may be behind it. This is why the projectile deforms after penetration. These rounds are high explosive meaning that the round is designed to explode after it has come in contact and penetrated a target.
These rounds are somewhat effective against shielding systems. This is because the rounds are designed to explode. When the projectile hits the energy shield system, the primer ignites and explodes causing a good deal of damage to shield. The bullet’s explosive properties allow it to perform well against vehicles also.
Observations
The M6G is designed primarily for ruggedness and reliability. Some believe that weight and magazine capacity should have been higher on that list. This weapon is issued mainly to officers and vehicle/weapon crews. It is not considered a primary weapon but a very useful sidearm for closed field battles and skirmishes. The UNSC has most likely issued the M6 series of pistols as a standard sidearm because of its effectiveness against armor while retaining high impact force due to the high caliber and projectile mass. With high calibers, there is typically a downfall: normally, high caliber rounds are known for their equally high recoil, although the technology should have increased over 500 years to allow weapons to have highly effective recoil buffetters, shock absorbers, and/or lower impulse cartridges.
Tactical Uses
The M6G Magnum, is primarily a close range weapon and not suitable as a primary or default weapon in Campaign or Multiplayer. It can; however, be used to engage targets at farther ranges. With its rather high effective range and accuracy as well as high damage, it is useful for engaging most targets at most ranges.
Wielding a pair of Magnums performs quite well against shielded targets, but is restricted due to their rate of fire. Dual wielding a Magnum with other weapons such as an M7/Caseless Submachine Gun or a Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol is also quite effective (an SMG depletes shielding quickly while the Magnum finishes the target off; a Plasma Pistol's charged shot will completely drain any shielding system allowing the Magnum to perform the lethal head shot), Even one melee to the target and a very quick headshot can kill your enemy fast. The limitation of the Magnum’s slow rate of fire doesn’t apply as much to these combinations. Knowing how to use this weapon can make a close to medium range target lay on the ground in an instant. Combined with one of the latter weapons or a Plasma Rifle will make the wielder a force to be reckoned with. This is definitely a weapon for more accomplished players as it is the hardest precision weapon to aim.
The M6G is quite useful, against most sparse targets that are encountered throughout diverse combat. Enemies such as Grunts and Jackals can be quickly dispatched with one well-placed shot to the head and enemies like Drones and members of the Flood can be dispatched in as little as 1-2 small, well-placed shots. Unshielded Elites and Spartans as well as Brutes with no armor also go down in one shot to the head. However, when Elites have shielding and Brutes have armor, more shots are required to kill them. Hunters, also require a large number of rounds to their exposed flesh to kill them.
- This data is based on statistics from the Normal Difficulty.
Influences
One possible influence is the Desert Eagle. Though their outward appearances are different, both weapons are of similar size and caliber. Other likely candidate is the H&K P7 series or the Steyr M. Another possible influence on the design of this weapon was the FP-45 Liberator, a weapon designed in the United States during World War II. The long handle, but short barrel as well as the covered hand-grip are obvious features.
UNSC Remarks
“The M6G is either the world’s biggest pistol or the world’s smallest rifle—I’m not sure which.”
“It’s strange. Normally a big bore means access to a greater variety of exotic munitions, but we just don’t see that variety in the field.”
“The M6 has been around forever; the number of variants and configurations is dizzying… have you ever seen an M6J—the Army’s carbine variant?”
“The M6 has been in service for about a hundred and forty years… it’s amazing to think how little it has changed in all that time.”
“The longevity of the M6 has always been more about pork barrels and Slipspace travel than reliability or the so-called brilliance of its design.”
“The A's and B's are way more comfortable to shoot, but you don’t see many of them outside of civilian security forces anymore .”
Trivia
- Like the M6D, the M6G has Asian calligraphy stamped on the barrel, but in this case, they are Korean Hangul, not Japanese Kanji. It is also featured on the bottom of the magazine. The symbol 일곱 (il-gohb) , when reflected, translates to 7, Bungie's favorite number.
- The words Misriah Armory are written on the side. Similarly, the M6G has a Marathon symbol on the grip near the back.
- Some players would have the M6C over the M6G, due to their perception of the M6C being more reliable in close-quarters combat.
- Although there is no scope on the M6G, it does feature a laser-dot sight (unusable in-game).
- The shell casings (as can be viewed in the theater) have "Chief EG-X" (Chief eggs) written on the back of them.
- Since the M6G fires a .50 round similar to the .50 AE fired by the Desert Eagle (though not identical, the M6G fires a 12.7x40, while the Desert Eagle fires a 12.7x32.6) and the overall similar pistol size and design, the M6G and its predecessors the M6D and M6C are considered to be the 26th century equivalents of the Desert Eagle.
- The M6G's barrel is 11.7 cm long, a reference to 117, Master Chief's serial number.
- Aesthetically, the M6G seems to be a combination of M6C's way of being held, and the M6D look and structure.
- It is possible to get the "Sniper Kill Medal" (also known as the "Headshot Honcho" achievement) in the Campaign with this weapon due to its headshot capability.
- It is incorrectly labeled in the instruction manual as having 12 rounds per magazine, instead of the actual 8.
- This is the fairest and most common of all Human weaponry, as it is used by most Naval Servicemen, Infantry, and even common factory workers as simplistic sidearms.
- In Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, the magnum was capable of fairly quick fire. But in Halo 3, the rate is much slower. In fact, in Halo: Combat Evolved, if the trigger was held, the gun would continuously fire until its magazine was depleted, though with decreased accuracy.
- Where the M6D had the 2x smart scope used for sniping, the M6G has a laser sight in the same spot. However, this laser sight is unusable in Halo 3, its only appearance thus far.
- It takes five shots of the M6G to kill the average player in Halo 3. Four for nigh-depletion of the shields, one for the headshot. Without the headshot, it takes a minimum of two shots to kill a shield-depleted player.