M8Z Submachine Gun

The is a magazine fed weapon used by the UNSC. It is a light, and portable SMG, often used by security forces. While it lacks the range of rifles, or the armour penetration of some of it's contemporaries, the M8Z is simple, and lethal against unarmoured personnel. 
==History and Development==
The M8 originally began development in 2403 as a planned weapon for Colonial Military Administration personnel. As a general purpose security weapon, it would be used for Military Police, station security, and occupation forces. As it would be used on frontier planets, and in space, the weapon would have to meet a wide variety of requirements. The UNSC held initial trials, with the weapon from Belker ArmsTech being selected for service. The weapon served with little distinction for a number of years, with the only major change taking place in 2505, wherein as part of the UNSC's takeover of the CMA and it's assets, also took their stockpiles of M8s, at the time mostly M8N, P3, or Q1A1 models. The UNSC began a program of upgrading their M8s to a single model, but choosing to unify around the M8Q pattern, which was chambered for 10mm Auto. These were steadily upgraded, with the M8Z being the current model. 
==Role==
The M8Z is largely used by security personnel in the UNSC. These include occupation units, Military Police, base security, hostage rescue, and special forces. It is also used by some militia and police units as well. While possessing less armour penetrating fire power than assault rifles, it is smaller and more compact, and easier to use in close quarters. It also carries more stopping power than the M20 SMG, at cost of armour penetration, which is ideal for station defence or counter-terrorism. Their reliability in multiple environments, and excellent portability has kept them in service.
==Description==
The M8Z uses a blowback operation, and is largely constructed from hardened polymer. It has an ambidextrous cocking handle, and a fire selector with safe/full auto/semi auto. The gun uses a telescoping stock, and features Misriah rails along the top of the receiver, and on the hand-guard. The threaded barrel features a compensator, which can be removed to replace it with a suppressor or other muzzle device. It can be fed by 15-round magazines, 30 round magazines, or 50 round casket magazines. As befitting it's wide variety of roles, the weapon is hardy, capable of surviving on harsh frontier planets, or the vacuum of space. It can be easily broken down and cleaned, and the simple mechanism is reliable, even when exposed to dust and dirt. 
The Weapon has a high rate of fire, and manageable recoil, making it lethal in close quarters.
==Variants==
Only a few variants of the M8Z are produced, primarily being the M8ZK, which is shortened down, and has the buttstock removed.