Bungie profiles Halo 3's MA5C Assault Rifle

In similar fashion to its recent Mongoose profile, Bungie turns the spotlight on Halo 3's MA5C Assault Rifle. Notable differences between the new weapon and Halo: Combat Evolved's MA5B include:

• Heavier barrel with a 1 in 7 twist
• Redesigned cowling to house the electronics suite that reduces weight and increases pointability of weapon
• Redesigned handguard which is sturdier and provides a more positive grip

Simply put, the MA5C has greater range and is capable of dealing more damage than its predecessor.

Bungie explains that the MA5C's performance is somewhere between the MA5B's and the BR55 Battle Rifle's. Like the BR55, a MA5C clip magazine holds only 32 rounds. As such, pulsing the trigger -- firing bullets in short bursts -- is the recommended strategy for dispersing targets.