Particle rifle The particle rifle was a type of standard - issue carbine directed energy particle weapon . In the 22nd century , particle rifles were used by Zobral ' s clan on the Torothan homeworld and by United Earth ' s Starfleet and MACO personnel . Inside Zobral ' s dwelling in the Cygniai Expanse , there were numerous particle rifles in a weapons rack which was usually hidden out of sight behind a tapestry . During a bombardment of their settlement , members of Zobral ' s clan armed themselves with the rifles . ( ) A particle rifle used by Menos fired blue beams of energy . While his ship was parked on a moon of Pernaia Prime , Menos armed himself with a particle rifle aboard his vessel , while attempting to evade Captain Jonathan Archer , Sub - Commander T ' Pol , and Ensign Travis Mayweather . Menos aimed the weapon at T ' Pol , using it to hold her hostage . Then , in response to Archer and Mayweather firing phase - pistol s towards Menos , he first fired back with the rifle but then surrendered the weapon , leaving it on board the ship while he sneakily managed to exit the vehicle , though he was thereafter captured by the others . ( ) The MACO particle rifle fired discharges of blue bolts of concentrated energy . The weapon could also be set to fire orange - red particle beams similar to those fired by a plasma rifle or a phase - pistol . However , the beam came from the barrel underneath the main one . ( ) The particle rifle was capable of multiple power settings , ranging from stun , to kill , to a high - power shot capable of blasting through a Human torso . ( ) Power levels could be changed by manipulating either of a pair of circular dials mounted on either side of the weapon . ( ) The weapon featured a tubular stock , vertical foregrip , and a multifunction scope that could be retracted into the body of the weapon . ( ) While extremely powerful when set to kill , its stun setting appeared to be somewhat ineffective against species that were more physically resilient , such as enraged Vulcan s , Xindi - Reptilian s and the Augment s . ( ) At their highest setting , MACO particle rifles were extremely powerful , capable of penetrating a humanoid target . In 2154 , Captain Archer used a MACO particle rifle to kill the Augment Malik in this manner , using the rifle to literally bore a hole through Malik ' s torso . ( ) In a MACO weapons training simulation , a skilled user could score as many as fourteen hits in ten seconds with a particle rifle . In 2153 , Corporal Amanda Cole held such a record at level four of the simulator , though she insisted she was just having a lucky day . ( ) Particle rifles were in use as late as 2161 , when a team of MACOs utilized the weapons during a mission to rescue Talla , the daughter of Shran and Jhamel , from a group of alien kidnappers on Rigel X . ( ) Appendices . Background information . The designation and type of the MACO rifle was never identified on screen . The rifle was called a " high - tech pulse - rifle " in the final draft script of and was again referred to as a " pulse - rifle " in the final draft script of . However , the weapon was named as a " particle rifle " in the final draft script of and is also called that in StarTrek . com . It was referred to as a type of pulse - weapon in the final draft script of and was called a " phase rifle " in the first draft script of the ultimately aborted film " " . The mirror universe version of the weapon was referred to as a " plasma - rifle " and a " phase - rifle " in the final draft script of . Based on effects , it appeared to be a rifle version of the MACO phase - pistol and usually fired the same type of phase pulse s . The MACO rifle was called an assault rifle , an assault carbine , a phase rifle and an energy rifle in the It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction . Based on a scene in " In a Mirror Darkly " , rotating the power level selector forward / away from the user appeared to increase the power level . There may also be a sniper variant of the rifle , though it is unclear whether or not the sniper version featured in " The Xindi " was a distinct weapon system or a standard MACO rifle with a retractable barrel or separate barrel attachment . A short , tubular - shaped part of the rifle beneath the muzzle of the weapon is very similar to a set of three objects the MACOs carry in a specialized pouch / carrier on their utility belts , suggesting the ability for the weapon to be reloaded . The MACO phase - pistol and EM - 33 pistol feature an identical object , also beneath the muzzle of the weapon , which may also be storage space for spare power cells for the rifle and pistol . A weapon that Jonathan Archer uses to kill Malik in was scripted to be a plasma rifle . However , a particle rifle was clearly used instead , for the final version of the episode . Apocrypha . Rifles are used by MACO ground forces in " Star Trek Online " . In the game , that type of weapon is known as a type 3 compression phaser rifle .