How to Make a Halo MA5C Assault Rifle Prop

The MA5C Assault rifle, first seen in Halo 3, is by 2552 the standard issue assault rifle for UNSC forces. Replacing the MA5B, it features a bullpup design, 32 round capacity, and armor peircing FMJ rounds. Oh, and it's also used by Master Chief.

Good enough reason to build it? Thought so.

As with most of my builds, you will need:

Reference Image(Included)
Cardboard
Scissors
Paper
Hot glue sticks
Hot glue gun
Spray paint(Black and silver)
Printer
Thin Cardboard

Special items:

Flashlight
Mini flashlight
Rubberband
Duct Tape

Using a pen, trace and cut out the outline of the assault rifle onto normal cardboard. Try not to bend the cardboard in the process, and include as much detail as possible.

Using the first cutout, trace and cut out 4 more outlines.

Using the reference images, draw details using the same size. Use the images above to see what details to draw. Some require extra cardboard, some can be drawn straight onto the main body. Note the difference between the outer and inner layer. Yes, we will be making a removable magazine. For the outer left layer, cut a small notch where the charging handle will be. Yes, we are making a movable charging handle.

Using the above images, make these extra details. These details must be done with a thin, smooth cardboard, because these will be on the very outside. Once that is done, use more thin cardboard to outline the sides and cover the corrugation.

Cut two rectangle shapes from the front of the inner layers. Yes, we will be inserting a working flashlight. Also, find a suitable barrel. This can be anything from a cardboard tube to a durable paper roll. Glue the barrel, but not the flashlight, as this may damage the flashlight. Because we are not glueing the flashlight, make sure you make the flashlight notch too small to not fit, but not too large for it to fall out easily. It should be snug without any glue,

Hot glue the pieces together, and paint JUST THESE PIECES black. Look above if you are not sure. Once painted, glue the other pieces on, and then insert the flashight.

Cut out these details. I forgot to take a picture of it before I painted some of them, so some will already be silver and attatched. But you should get the idea. Also, make a charging handle the way shown above. It should have a rubber band attatched.

..Well? Do it.

At this point, i found the rifle to be flimsy, so I added a pencil. Note that we will have to adjust the top layer a bit to fit this on, but no biggie. After that, add any pieces you haven't added yet.

Make sure the magazine can go in and out easily.

Follow the images above to attach the charging handle.

Using a printer, print out 4 layers of an ammo counter. You may have to do this several times until you get the right size for your rifle. I cut out different sizes so I only had to print once. Once you have done that, on one of the images cut out the numbers. This will make it easier for light to shine through the numbers and give that LED effect. Layer them like shown in the image, sandwiching two normal images over the image with the number cut outs. After that, find some sort of clear plastic(Mine was from a folder) to go on the very outside. Once done, glue the whole thing together, but on the lower corners so they don't block the lights. Then, find a mini flashlight. Yes, we are making a light up ammo counter. Wow, the features just keep coming, don't they?

Use hot glue to secure the two together. Once done, layer the corrugation with another thing piece, so it looks nice.

We're almost done! At this point, we need to open a flap and secure velcro onto it so we can easily open and close it when we want to turn the ammo counter off. Once done, out the flashlight inside, and glue on the ammo counter. I added an extra piece on the ammo counter to block some extra light from coming through.

Admire that beauty! Check that the flashlight and ammo counter is working well. The ammo counter looks best in a closed, dark room.

Go kill some covenant with that bad boy! Check out my other tutorials including the SMG and pistol. See you next time!