Sniper Rifle System 49

== Sniper Rifle System 49 Anti-Personnel ==
"The 49 is everything the 45 got right, and then some. More comfortable too. The only bad thing I can say about it is that it tends to make my job boringly easy."
-LT. Thomas F. Kaine, UNSC Marine Sniper
=== Overview ===
The Sniper Rifle 49 is an anti-personnel sniper rifle in service with the United Nations Space Command armed forces. The weapon is the direct descendant of the earlier anti-personnel sniper rifle, the Sniper Rifle System 45. The SRS 49 shares many similarities with the SRS 45, though features many upgrades and improvements. Some of these improvements include better ease of maintenance, higher projectile velocity, faster fire rate, improved ergonomics, and greater customization. Unlike the SRS-45, the SRS-49 contains a forward assist, placed above the handle in the location an AR-15 style charging handle would usually reside. While praised to be of good ambidextrous use, it is noted to be slightly awkward to use.
The SRS 49 is currently in service with the UNSC, though its introduction and dissemination were delayed by the dual conflict with the Banished and the Created. First prototypes were seen in 2556. Field testing units were seen in late 2557. The Created war greatly delayed development and production, though it did manage to continue. Little else is known until 2569. By 2569, the UNSC resistance forces were using the earliest field ready SRS-49 units, though these were few in number due to a lack of major infrastructure. As of 2575, the SRS-49 has been officially adopted and is beginning to phase out the older SRS-45.
=== Early Service ===
Records of initial service life are sparse due to the war against the created. However, the earliest confirmed combat usage of the weapons was when SRS-49 prototypes and early production field test units were fielded in October 2558 by UNSC security and resistance forces fighting on Reach and Earth. These forces were forced to scramble and scavenge any working weaponry they could find in order to fight back against the Created and Banished.
== Ammunition ==
*Note: While some are not listed, the SRS-49 uses and is issued all the same ammunition types and variants as the SRS-45.
=== [ M158 FMJ-AP-HV-Magnum Sniper Cartridge ] ===
The M158 FMJ-AP-HV is a proprietary bullet created by Misriah Armory specifically for the SRS 45 and 49. The cartridge is the 8.6 x 86 mm high velocity full metal jacket armor piercing Eldritch Magnum round. It is highly effective against infantry and body armor and capable of piercing up to 172.72 mm (6.8 in) of titanium, and shows limited effectiveness against light armor. This penetration increases with the later improved version of the M-158 (M-158B) that utilizes a depleted uranium sheath around the tungsten core.
=== [ M158-Anti-Vehicular L-APHE-Magnum Sniper Cartridge ] ===
The M158 L-APHE MSC Anti-Vehicular is a light anti material version of the standard M158 allowing the weapon using it to act as a stand in for an anti material weapon in case a unit lacks one. While nowhere near as effective as a proper anti material weapon, it is still moderately capable against light armor. The bullet has a timed delay explosive charge and is capable of piercing 38.1 mm (1.5 in) of titanium before detonating. When used by UNSC forces against insurrectionist armored vehicles (namely captured M-12 FAV warthogs), it was capable of disabling the vehicles without too much difficulty. It was seen blowing off chunks of light armor, the suspension, wheels, and when fired at the engine compartment, was capable of detonating inside the captured M-12's engine disabling or destroying the vehicles. The round also proved capable at killing and incapacitating the vehicles crew.
It is noted that this cartridge is extremely effective against larger covenant targets such as elites, brutes, and hunters (capable of killing most sangheili units, including zealots, in one or two shots center mass). However, due to cost of production for the cartridge, it did not save the SRS 45 from being usurped by the SRS 99 in the need for a more powerful rifle.
After the introduction of the M158 H-APHE in 2553, the original M-158 Anti-vehicular was retroactively re-designated as a light anti-material round.
=== [ M160 Locator Beacon-Magnum Sniper Cartridge ] ===
The M160 Locator beacon is a specialized round, fitted into M158 MSC, used by the SRS 45 and 49 to pinpoint, track, and locate targets for UNSC infantry, air forces, and artillery. It contains a small, but powerful solid state beacon contained inside the bullet. The round is designed to move slower than other rounds used by the SRS 45 and 49 to increase survival chances of the beacon. The cartridge can broadcast its position for 2 hours and 45 minutes and is capable of penetrating up to 20.32 mm (.8 in) of titanium allowing the locator to dig into the plating of and track moving armored vehicles containing high priority targets. The M160A1 variant of this round has an even lower powder load resulting in penetraion of 12.7 mm (.5 in).
=== [ M159 Semi-Armor Piercing Flechette Magnum Sniper Cartridge ] ===
"Goes in like a pin needle, comes out like a shot gun." -UNSC E4 Serviceman
The M159 Semi-Armor piercing flechette cartridge, fit into M158 MSC, is the most infamous exotic ammunition type of the SRS 45 and 49. It is capable of penetrating armor and flesh alike, but in the process, breaks apart into flechette like a shredder round used by the MA5 series of assault rifles. It is noted that the bullets construction and materials allow it to break apart more easily in flesh than in metal. It can pentrate up to 30.48 mm (1.2 in) of titanium before significantly breaking apart, but will break apart after only penetrating 17.78 mm (0.7 in) of flesh and at a much higher rate. As to how they achieved this, Misriah Armory will not tell. However, from what the UNSC does know, this is a highly devastating, and demoralizing cartridge when used against infantry targets with limited effectiveness against light armor, and that it makes use of predetermined fragmentation lines with depleted uranium. When used against a light armored vehicle, the flechette can further weaken armor plating and cut through and damage cables, wires, and other components, allowing it to damage and disable light armor. It has been seen to disable ghosts with several well placed shots.
However, it was designed for use primarily against infantry with the use of body armor in mind. Against infantry, it will go in as a single projectile, penetrating body armor if present, then split apart in side the body or as it exits the body armor, and come bursting out of the targets back with multiple projectiles like a shot gun, creating a dangerous area of effect for those in the area behind the target. This makes the M159 suitable against large hordes of closely packed enemies, such as a charge en mass by grunts. The sight of a person being split open, with buckshot like projectiles flying out of him is a truly terrifying sight for those on the targeting end of the cartridge and can quickly demoralize hostiles into submission, as in the case during an operation by the UNSC against rebels during open hostilities on Lieva IV in 2486. It was also this operation that gave the M159 Flechette round its infamous and terrifying reputation.
=== [M-158-Anti-Vehicular H-APHE Magnum Sniper Cartridge] ===
The M-158 H-APHE is an upgraded version of the original explosive rounds. It was introduced in 2553 shortly after the war ended. The H-APHE designating it the heavy version while the original is designated as the Light version (L-APHE). The H-APHE version has a higher armor penetration and higher explosive charge. To achieve this the bullet now has a newly developed explosive charge made of a more reactive solid state explosive. In addition, to increase effectiveness against armor, time detonation has been slowed allowing for penetration of up to 81.28 mm (3.2 in) of titanium armor before detonation. This allows the SRS-45 and 49 to be more effective against medium armor and allows operators to harass heavy armor. It should be noted, that aside from blasting off small bits of armor plating, scratching paint, and possibly destroying or damaging propulsion, only skilled shooters are able to make discernable damage to heavy armor with extensive expenditure of ammunition. Noted to be less effective against certain target types than the Light version. Also more prone to causing collateral damage. Both Light and Heavy variants of the M-158-APHE are still in service.
=== [M-158XNO MSC-V1] ===
Ammunition is a modified covenant carbine round for chambering in M-158 MSC. Includes toxin effect. Further details classified.
=== [M-158XNO MSC-V2] ===
Ammunition Modified for purposes of ballistic/plasma hybrid operation. Further details classified.
=== [M-158XNO MSC-V3] ===
Ammunition that uses reverse engineered Forerunner technologies. Has incidiary/disintergration effects of forerunner weapons. Further details classified.
=== [M-158XNO MSC-V4] ===
=== [M-158XNO MSC-v5] ===
=== [XM-158-Bothan] ===
M-158 ammunition modified to fire subanese crystal projectiles. Limited tracking capabilities, though only enough to account for and fix projectile drop and windage. Highly Lethal. Will produce a super-combine explosion upon 3 projectiles hitting the same target. Further Details Classified.
=== [M-161 Gauss MSC] ===
M-161 rounds are modified versions of the M-158 Magnum Sniper Cartridge designed for peak efficiency in use by gauss and gauss hybrid versions of the SRS 45 and 49.
=== [M-162 Star-Burst .V1 MSC] ===
Explosive ammunition is a modified version M-158 MSC. Explosive charge uses exotic materials, similar to materials used in recovered Forerunner weapons. Further Details Classified.
=== [M-162 Star-Burst .V2 MSC] ===
Explosive ammunition is a modified version M-158 MSC. Explosive charge uses exotic materials, similar to materials used by Covenant fuel rods. Further Details Classified.
=== [M-158 SAP-I Hell-Fire] ===
Semi-Armor Piercing Incendiary variant of 8.6x86mm Eldritch magnum.