M-4 Shuriken

The M-4 Shuriken Machine Pistol is a submachine gun from Mass Effect 2.

In-Game Description
A common but effective submachine gun. Fire three-round bursts, and can be pulsed for a higher rate of fire at the expense of accuracy. Very effective against shields and biotic barriers. As kinetic barriers have grown in popularity, so has the popularity of submachine guns. Manufactured by the Elkoss Combine, the Shuriken machine pistol has a reputation for being deadly and easy to use, but is weak against armor.

Acquisition
Automatically granted for all classes except the Soldier during the mission on Freedom's Progress.

Player Notes

 * Unlike the M-9 Tempest, the Shuriken is not fully-automatic but fires in three-round bursts. This quality, combined with its more manageable recoil, makes the Shuriken slightly better at long range shooting than the M-9 Tempest, but its fire rate and damage rate leave a lot to be desired.
 * The Shuriken has a hidden feature: it can maintain a constant rate of fire if the trigger button is pressed quickly and repeatedly.

Trivia

 * Commander Shepard is seen using the M-4 in a number of cutscenes even if Shepard's class is a soldier, which cannot use submachine guns. It appears to be the default handgun of the series. In cutscenes it can seen the hands of non-combatant NPCs and squad members, regardless of what SMG they're weilding or weapons training they have. It is also seen in Jack's "quarters".