Plasma rifle A plasma rifle was the rifle version of a hand - held plasma weapon used by many species . These weapons were used by Human s during the mid - 22nd century . They were carried on Earth starship s even after the advent of phase weapon s . While not particularly high - yield , they were capable of killing a target . ( ) Coridan rebels likewise used plasma rifles during the mid - 22nd century . ( ) The Andorian s also made use of hand - held plasma rifles . The Andorian rifle s utilized by the Andorian Imperial Guard in the 22nd century fired plasma bursts and had no stun setting . ( ) The Jem ' Hadar and the Na ' kuhl made use of more advanced high - yield plasma rifles several centuries later . ( ; ) Civilian plasma rifle . Shotgun - style plasma rifles were used by Human civilians in the mid - 22nd century . A farmer named owned one , which he carried to defend his property in Broken Bow , Oklahoma during a shootout between a Klingon and two Suliban . In the fracas , Moore used the weapon to incapacitate , and severely wound , the Klingon courier Klaang . This was the first recorded contact between a Human and a Klingon . ( ) Coridan plasma rifle . In the mid - 22nd century , Coridan rebels on the planet used plasma rifles . They fired red - colored bolts . ( ) ECS / Starfleet plasma rifle . Plasma rifles , also known as pulse rifles , were the standard - issue carbine weapons on Starfleet and Earth Cargo Authority starship s , and carried by personnel of the Earth Sciences Institute in the mid - 22nd century . and the were equipped with these weapons . The pulse rifles had the capability of firing both plasma bullet s , essentially bolt or pulses of energy ( ) and a beam with an adjustable level from stun to kill . ( ) The rifle was powered by a rechargeable sarium microcell . ( ) In 2151 , a Starfleet security officer stood watch in sickbay with a plasma rifle when wounded Klingon courier Klaang was abducted by the Suliban Cabal . Captain Archer managed to kill one of the invading Suliban with plasma bullets . ( ) By 2151 , Ensign Hoshi Sato had cleared training on the class - 3 pulse rifles . ( ) Starfleet security officer s on " Enterprise " , including Lieutenant Reed , carried pulse rifles on several occasions from 2151 to 2154 . A selection of rifles was stored in the ship ' s armory . ( ) In 2151 , a Starfleet security officer with a pulse rifle investigated the presence of a symbiotic lifeform in Cargo Bay 2 with Captain Archer and Commander Tucker aboard " Enterprise " . The security officer attempted to use his rifle , set on stun , to fend off the creature when it began to attack them , but was distressed to find out that the weapon had no measurable effect on it . ( ) In 2152 , pulse rifles were used by a team of three Starfleet security officers who prepared to prevent a Tholian invasion of " Enterprise " that never happened . As a result of the Tholians instead departing , the weapons weren ' t fired . ( ) In 2153 , two security officers accompanying Lieutenant Reed attempted to use pulse rifles to fend off two Tarkalean s who had been assimilated by the Borg , but were unable to penetrate the Tarkaleans ' personal force field s . Before intercepting the Borg - assimilated ship , Reed upgraded several rifles to emit a beam with the particle yield of ten megajoule s . ( ) The rifles were stored in weapons locker s inside the armory . ( ) Later in 2153 , several of these plasma rifles were stolen from " Enterprise " by Osaarian pirate s . ( ) Later the same year , an EV team was able to dislodge and retrieve a sample of nucleonic particle s accumulating on the hull with multiple hits from a plasma rifle . ( ) In 2154 , Reed attempted to destroy a defense armature inside a Delphic Expanse sphere with a plasma rifle on a mission to retrieve the redundant memory core of the sphere . The armature appeared to be impervious to the plasma bullets fired by Reed . It required the more powerful ship - mounted weapons of a to destroy the armature . ( ) When Captain James T . Kirk recreated his old house from 2284 , inside the Nexus , a wall display of weapons and memorabilia there included a plasma rifle among other weapons . ( ) Jem ' Hadar plasma rifle . In addition to a pistol variant , the Jem ' Hadar of the Dominion used plasma rifles in the 24th century . Upgraded rifles were distributed in 2375 . ( ) The rifle was capable of firing lethal disruptor burst s with anti - coagulant s that are designed to slowly kill their enemies if the burst itself does not . The weapons have at least two other settings : they are able to stun , and fire a more powerful burst capable of vaporizing a humanoid target . ( ) Na ' kuhl plasma rifle . In an alternate version of 1944 , Vosk planned to deploy the soldiers of the Na ' kuhl / Nazi alliance with plasma rifles based on their 29th century technology . The weapons fired a powerful modulating plasma pulse capable of devastating buildings and destroying an American tank with a single shot . Although they were powerful , they were also somewhat difficult to maneuver and required considerable amounts of energy . ( ) Tandaran plasma rifle . Tandaran guard s at Detention Complex 26 were armed with plasma rifles that fired light green streaks of energy . Three of the facility ' s guards used these weapons during a prison break in circa 2152 . ( ) Tessic ' s species ' plasma - rifles . In the colony of Tessic ' s species , several colonist s were armed with plasma - rifles . They fired blue streaks of energy . 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