How do you use the magnum? (only 8 bullet mag...)

Hi all,

It has been about 5 years since I last played Halo Reach. It was my very first FPS game and looking at my stats I was horrible (0.43 K/D on average for about 360 slayer games). Since then I played Halo 4, Destiny 1 and a little bit of Destiny 2 and the last few months a LOT of Halo 5.

For nostalgic reasons I picked up Halo Reach last week. I must say I find it very hard to use the magnum. In particular the very small mag size of 8 bullets.

When the slayer match has DMR and magnum starts I mostly use the DMR. But when the match has magnum and AR starts I find myself running out of bullets and having to reload when I want to pop the last headshot. So the Halo Reach magnum feels mostly like a cleanup gun. I don’t mind, but if I have to use it next to a AR, then I don’t know how to play.

Any tips/tricks on how to use the magnum in Reach?

Cheers!

Pace your shots, bloom sucks but so long as you just pace yourself a little bit you should be fine. Most all the time I’ll still use magnum over AR, but at the same time I’ll usually go grab a needler rifle or DMR on the map.

I pretty much strictly play SWAT since I find it a little more of an even playing field without shields/power weapons so I learned how to get better with both the DMR and magnum. I have had several matches where even with everyone else using DMRs, I used the magnum for the shiggles and still got a rather positive KDA. Seriously, SWAT helps. Especially the rounds where it’s magnums only with SWATnums. You learn how to use one when everyone has one and headshots are insta-kills.

sidearms are meant to be clean up guns, thats why they’re side arms

After playing a few thousand of games, I can say that you need to learn the rhythm of the gun. Try practicing it in forge if you need it. There are basically two ways you shoot the magnum: In the rhythm that you get when you shoot at 0bloom and the frantic shooting (maxbloom).
Just try to get it into muscle memory.

I stopped playing halo reach a few months ago but I still tab my magnum in halo 5 the same way :frowning:

I use it almost strictly as a clean up gun. Drain away shields with whatever is at hand and then pop that final headshot.

> 2533274850734574;4:
> sidearms are meant to be clean up guns, thats why they’re side arms

Yes, but it is a magnum.

> 2533274920070188;7:
> > 2533274850734574;4:
> > sidearms are meant to be clean up guns, thats why they’re side arms
>
> Yes, but it is a magnum.

Still, the range isn’t that perfect. Even though you can get cross-map kills easily if you are any good.

> 2533274920070188;7:
> > 2533274850734574;4:
> > sidearms are meant to be clean up guns, thats why they’re side arms
>
> Yes, but it is a magnum.

and as that article states, its a personal defense weapon, not an assault weapon, a personal, defense, weapon, which is being used against heavily armored AND SHIELDED targets

> 2533274850734574;9:
> > 2533274920070188;7:
> > > 2533274850734574;4:
> > > sidearms are meant to be clean up guns, thats why they’re side arms
> >
> > Yes, but it is a magnum.
>
> and as that article states, its a personal defense weapon, not an assault weapon, a personal, defense, weapon, which is being used against heavily armored AND SHIELDED targets

So back to my original question: How do you use the magnum? You start the match with a magnum and AR. In a distance you see an enemy spartan popping up. You only have 8 bullets in your magnum and it is too far for your AR. How do you use it?

> 2533274920070188;10:
> > 2533274850734574;9:
> > > 2533274920070188;7:
> > > > 2533274850734574;4:
> > > > sidearms are meant to be clean up guns, thats why they’re side arms
> > >
> > > Yes, but it is a magnum.
> >
> > and as that article states, its a personal defense weapon, not an assault weapon, a personal, defense, weapon, which is being used against heavily armored AND SHIELDED targets
>
> So back to my original question: How do you use the magnum? You start the match with a magnum and AR. In a distance you see an enemy spartan popping up. You only have 8 bullets in your magnum and it is too far for your AR. How do you use it?

chances are its also too far for your magnum, its not a sniper rifle, its meant to be the middle ground between a DMR and an AR, longer range than the assault rifle but outclassed by the DMR

> 2533274855810497;8:
> Still, the range isn’t that perfect. Even though you can get cross-map kills easily if you are any good.

Curious because when it’s about long range the magnum is absolutely pathetic just like Combat Evolved.

About the topic the DMR wins everywhere except the rate of fire which is irrelevant most of the time because the base accuracy for the magnum is bad, the bloom even more.

Unless you play SWAT, it’s a fail because DMR wins again and again, the magnum don’t have much to win.

The needle rifle can beat the DMR by crouching and not missing a shot (the DMR is unable to zoom and fight back properly, need the proper range) , maybe the magnum can do that too. If it’s the case it must be extremly tricky to do and flawless or near flawless.

EDIT : the magnum might be able to win at reloading too.

try using it as a last resort or after youv poped there shields.

> 2533274964556797;12:
> > 2533274855810497;8:
> > Still, the range isn’t that perfect. Even though you can get cross-map kills easily if you are any good.
>
> Curious because when it’s about long range the magnum is absolutely pathetic just like Combat Evolved.
>
> About the topic the DMR wins everywhere except the rate of fire which is irrelevant most of the time because the base accuracy for the magnum is bad, the bloom even more.
>
> Unless you play SWAT, it’s a fail because DMR wins again and again, the magnum don’t have much to win.
>
> The needle rifle can beat the DMR by crouching and not missing a shot (the DMR is unable to zoom and fight back properly, need the proper range) , maybe the magnum can do that too. If it’s the case it must be extremly tricky to do and flawless or near flawless.
>
> EDIT : the magnum might be able to win at reloading too.

I completely agree, but i still think it is better than to go with the AR in any case. The DMR seems like the good choice whenever you are in a spot to take one, but I still would say that it is not for close quaters - both the AR and pistol work better in that case.

Seems like the weapon choice is mostly preference though. But I can not remember the last time someone took me down on asylum with a AR burst, but a pistol shot happens all the time (by just aligning the aim and the head, to get back on topic)

Pace your shots. That’s all I have to say. When you learn it, you can use it effectively. I learned it, and I was able to get headshot kills outside RRR a lot of times. Practice, patience and accuracy are the key. If the enemy is too close, spam, but make sure you hit them all. Melee helps alot too.