I'll admit my relationship with firearms isn't exactly close, but I do know a thing or two about the Halo universe, and when my feed threw a fully functional BR55 rifle in my face, I had to take a closer look. The creator behind this is B Squared Mfg, and the attention to detail is notable—so much so that it even includes an electronic ammunition counter…
Science fiction has always been fertile ground for any enthusiast looking for a high-profile project, and if you add the magic of video games, truly fabulous things can emerge. For example, one of our oldest articles focuses on a replica of the M41A, the unforgettable rifle from Aliens that Lieutenant Ripley used to sow pain among the Xenomorphs. We've also seen things like Marty's hoverboard and the Anubis and Horus helmets from Stargate, but if we stick to firearms… the Halo universe is a magnet. Not entirely convinced? In that case, this BR55 rifle will change your mind:
The BR55 from Halo 2 in Action
This project by B Squared Mfg stretched over for more than four years, and although the video lacks detailed information about its construction (YouTube's terms of use don't allow it), there's enough to visualize the effort. What we're seeing isn't a 'dress'—that is, it's not a kit wrapping an entire rifle. B Squared Mfg used some commercially available parts (everything involving pressure, for example, the barrel), but also learned to work with metals and other materials, with aluminum at the top of the list.
The rifle uses 5.56mm ammunition in standard AR magazines, with ten shots each. This is probably the most important difference compared to its original version, since canon speaks of 36-round magazines and experimental M634 9.5 x 40mm ammunition. A larger magazine makes it very similar to the FS2000, and the choice of 5.56 comes from a combination of lack of space, limitations in parts availability, and cost. B Squared Mfg acknowledges that 7.62 x 39mm (7.62 Soviet) is a closer option to the canon's 9.5 x 40, and also evaluated other alternatives, but he wants to shoot the rifle "for the next 20 years", and 5.56 ticks all the boxes.
Now, no BR55 can be considered 'complete' without an ammunition counter, and B Squared Mfg's solution is quite effective. Each magazine has a potentiometer that connects to the rifle using three pins. That potentiometer helps identify the exact position of the follower… but following the spirit of canon, he decided to modify the numbers: When you insert a full magazine, the number reads 36. When you cock the rifle, it automatically drops to 30, and with each shot it deducts 3. That way, the illusion remains more or less intact, and it fits canon because the BR55 has a three-round burst.
B Squared Mfg promised a continuation. If you want to know more, don't hesitate to subscribe to their channel.
B Squared Mfg on YouTube: Click here
