A type-3 was the Federation classification for the more powerful rifle variant of the standard Starfleet handheld phaser. The biggest difference between a "regular phaser" and the phaser rifle, was that the rifle was generally more powerful, operated with two hands and could recharge.

In 2256, phaser rifles had at least two settings: stun and kill. Although both settings fired single bolt blasts, these weapons could also be utilized to fire a yellow-colored cutting beam.

By the 24th century, phaser rifles had sixteen power settings, fully-autonomous recharge capability, multiple-target acquisition, and gyro-stabilization. They were slightly less powerful but much more sophisticated than Cardassian phase-disruptor rifles.

More advanced phaser rifles capable of firing phaser bolts as well as the standard beam were also used in the 2370s. These rifles had a pistol grip in back and either an underbarrel grip or a second vertical grip underneath the, and were capable of being modified with various types of scopes, barrels and power cells.