# .50 BMG



## texasguy

What do you think about using a .50 cal BMG for big game?


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## sdeprie

Can't wait. :sniper:

I honestly think there's a time and a place. I'm not sure how much practice I can stand, but would love to give it a try. Should shut up some people who complain about others being under-gunned.


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## H2OfowlND

In ND you cannot use smokeless .50 cal rifles. So the BMG would be out of the question for big game hunting here. Only a .50cal muzzle loader can be use in that caliber.

H2OfowlND


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## sdeprie

Darn, and I was so hopeful. I'll have to check for NC, bet it's a little overgunned here, too.


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## texasguy

I've looked at .50 BMG rifles and the Barret models run about $7000.
Thats for the bolt action.
They also have a semi-auto, i dont know why you would need it though, one shot would do lots of damage, which would bring up the subject of recoil, some people say it has recoil like a 12 gauge, but its more like a shove than a hard kick.

But, the black powder .50 cal are a lot less expensive. Plus .50 BMG ammo is very high.

I would like to try one out though.


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## sdeprie

I think there are a number of options, plus you can sometimes find a used one for less, but I think if you are thinking of the recoil like a 12 ga?????? I think that's wishful thinking. I have heard it said that VERY few people are able to shoot more than 10 rounds at the bench in a single day. That may be exaggeration, but I think it has quite a kick. Remember, you're sending a 750? gr bullet out at somewhere above 2600 fps. It takes quite a shove to get it started, even out of a 35 pound gun. What's that saying? Gee, that's gotta hurt.


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## texasguy

i dont think i'll buy the semi auto then.


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## sdeprie

Oh, I don't know, the semi-auto might be a good idea. Just don't opt for the extended magazine, unless you want the ballast.


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## texasguy

In the Cabelas catalogs you can actually buy a kit to make your AR-15/M-16 a .50 BMG bolt action. after $1800 Plus the cost of your M16 or AR15.

it does weigh 22 pounds after conversion, so recoil would definitely be an issue. I think the barret models would probably be better though.


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## sdeprie

texasguy, I think recoil will be an issue any way you go. But you only live once. :lol: Someday, someway, I'm going to have one.


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## texasguy

I think youre right, i would love to have one too,
even if it does kick like a mule.

not really something i would hunt squirrel with though.


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## Canada_Hunter

All i can say is the recoil from a .50bmg is way higher than a 12 gauge,and of course like any other guns semi's kick half as bolt or pump action...the 50 Bmg can shoot tight group at 1600 yds and drill a hole in 1'' armor steel plate...i doubt the muzzleloader can do that :lol: And you have to buy rounds at about 250-300 /20.Must be something to shoot!!!


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## texasguy

wow, 1600 yards is almost a mile!

do you have one Canada_Hunter?


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## Plainsman

There is a place in Bismarck, North Dakota that makes a 50BMG for under $1500. Don't expect to load fast, the bolt action screws in like a real bolt, but it does shoot. I have been thinking about a heavy rifle also, but I have been thinking about the 338 Remington ultra mag. I see the recoil is 94 ft/lb for that compared to 19 ft/lb recoil for a 30-06. At Scheel's in Great Falls Montana a salesman said they kick worse than anything he has ever shot even with a compensator. Another fellow says with a good compensator the are like shooting a 30-06. Sounds like politics, many candidates are full of $hit. I may give up and buy one someday. I have read on http://www.longrangehunting.com/ that it holds enough energy for deer to 1500 yards. Well, actually they said the 338 Lapua did, but when I looked in the reloading manual and the maximum velocity for a 250 gr bullet was 3002 fps for both of them. I guess you can get a 300 a little over 2800fps and they say that is the way to go. 
I just read about some guy who shot a 10 inch five shot group at, I think it was, 1800 yards. I think he had a custom 28 inch heavy , heavy, barrel.


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## sdeprie

I think I heard somewhere that one of the 50 is so accurate at long range is because it is simply such a large bullet, it is not as susceptible to wind, etc. Probably true, ..... to a point. 94 ft/lb. Geez, what some people will put up with. I'm not man enough for that, I don't think. I still want a 50 BMG. Never said I NEED it, not sure if I would ever have the .... guts to shoot it. Of course, my wife just reminded me of how fragile my credit card privileges are. If only she knew...  50 BMG, basically a single shot, huh? Well, you should only need one shot. I bet THAT would be enough for deer.


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## Plainsman

A local gunsmith north of here built a 50BMG for himself. He had finished the rifle, but the compensator had not arrived yet. Well, he run out patients and thought what the heck, one shot will not hurt anything. It broke his shoulder. When interviewed at the hospital he said if you want to know what it feels like go sit in the middle of the road and wait for a truck to hit you.


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## sdeprie

I believe it. I told you I'm not sure I'm man enough to shoot it. Doesn't keep me from wanting it. Makes me not smart enough not to shoot it. Oh Oh. I can see the writing on the wall, broken shoulder, here I come. :lol:


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## erjcapt

I have two 50 bmg's. An AMAC 5100 and an Armalite ar-50. They are both bolt actions single shots and are not painful to shoot. The AMAC is comparable to a hot load in a 270 WIN or a 30-06. The ar-50 is like shooting a 243 WIN. It is very pleasent and you could shoot it for hours and not get hurt. It is not recoil like from a 12 ga. It is a very solid push on your shoulder. It is not abrupt like a shotgun. The ar-50 weighs about 44-45 lbs and has a very effective muzzle break. The AMAC weighs about 38-40 pounds and has a good break on it, not as good as the break as the ar-50. You can reload ammunition for about $1 per shot if you buy once fired brass and military surplus bullets and prep them good. That ammo is great for practice, letting your buddies shoot it etc. Good ammo can cost as much as $8 a shot to buy. You can buy good ammo to shoot for about $3 a shot. I hope this helps some of your questions. Good luck!


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## mr.trooper

Yea, Cabelas sells New .50BMG ammo for 2.99 per round, thats around $60 for 20. Maybee you could save even more if you had a .50BMG bullet mold? then youd just need powder and some lead billets to reload your spent brass.


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## blackace

Sorry for this late post but I have a friend who's Uncle has a hobby of collecting large caliber rifles and machine guns. (some hobby eh?) Any way I asked him about the recoil, I thought it would be very high. He says that that with the Barrett is more of a hard shove agenst your sholder and then you relized that you just slid back 7 inches. The guy next to you gets it even worse because the the hot blast from the gas in the face each time you fire it.

In case anyone did not know the .50 BMG has what is called a 6 inch kill radius. This means that the shock wave from the bullet can kill a man if is comes within 6 inches of him. :sniper:


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## sdeprie

It's moving up higher on my list, but my wife put the kibosh on my credoit card, for now (she thinks :lol: ).


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## mr.trooper

Interestingly enough, there is a guy on EBay selling 50BMG bullets(pulled). right now the price is $15.00 for 100 bullets. thats only $ .15 per bullet. So if you baught the $5 hunting shack ammo, and reloaded those bullets into them, you could probably reaload the shells for around $2. Thats a BIG savings verses $5-7 per round new.


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## yotebuster

i shot a .50 cal a couple of years ago. the guys used an action from an AR-15 with the barrel of an old ww-11 plane. I think the barrel alone weighed 42 lbs. at the time i was about 15-16 years old and weighed about 130 lbs and i had no problem with the recoil. it was about the same as a .270. the muzzle blast was somethin else tho, it would about make you take a step back if you were standin next to the shooter when he shot. sweet  .....he just shot surplus military rounds and it wasnt too expensive. he aslo had some armor peircing tracers that we shot at a 30 - gallon drum at bout 1500 yards, you could see em change when you connected with the barrel, those things sure are a lot of fun!!


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## erjcapt

pulled military bullets are great to shoot for practice and for all of you buddies.........a lot of work goes into getting them ready to reload.........you dont have to do it........but if you care about you barrell and want any consistancy you will do it...........first of all you need to tumble the bullets in some type of media without polish......i use crushed walnut.........then the bullets need to be resized with a bullet resizing die..........now you need to wash the lube off and get them good and dry..........this is a way to have econmic bullets to play with and not hurt your precious barrel..........i would not under any circumstances use any type of tracer or incendeary bullets.......no matter how cheap they are.........they will destroy a good barrel in no time flat


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## Ryan.Anderson

A .50 is just to large for me. I know the recoil isn't as much as most people think it is, but the fact that you can shoot a mile with decent accuracy doesn't seem fair to me. I know that takes practice and all, but I can't consider it hunting if the animal has zero chance of living because of the fact that your gun can shoot a distance that is farther then the animal's best senses can reach. 200 class deer at a mile with the .50 compaired to a doe at 10 yards with the bow, I'll take the bow kill. It's just more rewarding to me!


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## farmerj

Having shot the .50 BMG M2 Machine gun...

Once you shoot it, you are addicted. They are fun and there is nothing in the world like letting one of these loose.

Pure fun to be had.


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## sdeprie

Ryan, your answer is fair and the choice every hunter has to make for himself. I would love to have one, although I'm not sure when I would EVER need it. I went into a gun shop the other day and admitted there wasn't anything I actually needed. He told me, "If you came in here for something you need, you came to the wrong place. This place if for something you want. Let's get that clear up front." How true.


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## Plainsman

Ya, I would agree with Ryan that I would take the doe at ten with the bow. That is part of the problem after so many deer with a bow it ruins you for gun hunting. I do think a little differently about long range, but then I am thinking 1000 yards and not a mile. The reason I think this way is because after killing about 50 or 60 deer with a bow, all under 50 yards, shooting a deer at 200 with a scoped rifle is not as exciting as it had been. After sneaking to 10 yards with a bow sneaking to 200 isn't much of a challenge. Everyone looks at this differently because we are at different levels in the sport. Those who have not shot with a bow still find rifle hunting at 200 yards exciting. So did I at one time. I will guarantee you of one thing. After you have shot 50 deer with any kind of weapon you will be looking for something to put excitement back into the hunt. If you shot the first 50 with a scoped 30-06 you will perhaps consider a single shot, black powder rifle, pistol, or archery. Experience and years will make you want to do things different just for the sake of keeping it interesting.

I can't see hunting deer with the 50 caliber every year, but I would like to do it ounce. I guess I enjoy the rifles and gadgetry as much as the hunt. When it comes to rifles, I would rather shoot a doe at 1000 than a 140 class buck at 200. Now a 200 class buck I would not pass up at any range.


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## People

To start of with I do not hunt in ND any more. I have a AR-50 and go to SD to hunt. The 50 is still leagal to use there. I also only shoot does. I want to shoot one at 1,500 yds but the farthest I have shot one is 3 or 400 yds out. The only thing I have to say about this 42lbs gun is I was under welmed with the distruction caused by the 50. Using my 7mm STW with 140gr Nosler balistic tips I can get a supper bad shot off on a deer and it is a killing shot.(and soon) The 50 did dump them right off. That 750 Grain Hornady A-Max shot a hole in the deer and then hit the ground behind it. The recoil is very low. I have not shot a 243 in quite some time but I actually think it is less than that.

The real problem with the 50 is cost every thing nicle and dimes you with at least a (who is on a 100 and a 50). That is no joke.

To give you guys a idea how big this gun is they make a press that turns a 7mm Rem Mag cassing in to a bullet that can be fired out of a 50BMG. I do not remember who makes that but I would like to know how those bullets shoot.


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## Militant_Tiger

> The only thing I have to say about this 42lbs gun is I was under welmed with the distruction caused by the 50.


It is really made as a equipment disabler for the military, I wouldn't expect a deer to vaporize or anything.


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## People

The first anti armour guns were not chaimbered in 50BMG the were uaually a 20 mm or something like that. In vietnam Carlos Hathcock used a M2 50 cal machine gun to take the then longest recoreded comfirmed kill. The bolt action guns were really a civilian invention for long rainge shooting. Once the military seen that these people were able to shot such long ranges the SF areas of the armed forces really started to take notice of this. Now they could bring a weapon capable of being disabaling many types of martial with out the need of a heavy machine gun.

The bullets I use should open up and i am sure they do but they really are a cool BIG ICE PICK. I have not shot an elk with it yet I am sure this is were the bullet will really come in to its own.

To state the obvious and evey one knows this hunting with FMJ perjictles is not allowed in ND.


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## sdeprie

Large caliber bolt action rifles were used in WWII as anti-tank weapons. I think it was the 55 Boys. (Details could be way off.) It was not terribly effective on the thick armored German tanks and 20mm was much more effective. (As far as that goes, the same is true for aircraft.) However, it was quite sucessful on the thinner skinned Japanese tanks. I'm not sure when the 50 bmg was first put on a bolt gun, but it was a great idea. Barnes makes a 650 gr X-bullet for the 50 bmg. Simply incredible.


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## dogdigger

i know a guy who has a .50 cal bolt action, he said it recoils just like a 12 gauge. i believe him, the rifle weighs 32 pounds.  
he paid 2,500 for it new

mark


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## sdeprie

I was in error above. When in doubt, go get the book.  It is a 600 gr bullet (Barnes X-bullet, so you know how it performs) and can be loaded to over 3000 FPS. It has a Sectional density of .330 and a Ballistic Coefficient of .702. At 3000 FPS it generates 11990 Ft/lbs at the muzzel and still retains 4236 at 1000 yds. Simply incredible. The 800 gr solid (suitable, I suppose for elephants or chevy's), has a Ballistic Coefficient of 1.095 and can be loaded to over 2600 FPS for 12008 ft/lbs at the muzzle and 5076 ft/lbs at 1000 yds. Yep, I gotta have one.


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## BusterBoy

I read all you this speculation and anecdotes on recoilfrom .50 BMGs , so why not take a look at a little video from Barrett on their guns?

Google "Barrett M82A1" for a Real Player snippet on the 10 round semi-automatic. You can judge for yourself. Scroll down on their page to "See the Power video" learn something and enjoy.

BusterBoy


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## CaCrusin

At the SHOT Show a couple years ago (in Atlanta) the guys from Grizzly Rifles had a video of themselves hunting elk in southern Utah. They scoped out a big bull across a wide valley, about a two hour drive to get to the other side. They stopped and lowered themselves, their .50 rifle and a heavy tripod down over the side os a cliff to a lower overhang and set it up.

The laser rangefinder said right about 975 yards. After a few seconds of fumbling the shooter squeezed off one round. The video camera zoomed in to the opposite side of the canyon in time to see the big elk stumble and collapse. It took them a half hour to get off the overhang and two hours to get to the elk. It was very large and close to the local record.

The .50 BMG is great for long range duty if you can handle the recoil and blast.

CaCrusin 8)


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## Ithaca1

What the hell is a .50 caliber good for in ND anyways. Compensation for small endowment maybe


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## farmerj

Ithaca1 said:


> What the hell is a .50 caliber good for in ND anyways. Compensation for small endowment maybe


For the same reason you can have an opinion....

Because you can....

Kinda like asking how much something costs.....

If ya gotta ask, ya'll never understand. It's a muzzle blast thing, the ultimate feeling of more power. Ever thought about a V-8 in a Vega? or into a Mini truck....

IT'S a Tim Tailor thing....More power.


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## Lance Pardee

The kick from a 50 BMG isn't that bad. At least not out of the semi-auto I shot. It is more than a 12 GA. but it is more of a push than a real hammerin'. I'd rather shoot one of those than one of the Dbl. Barrle elephant guns that I've shot in the past. The one I was shooting was a Barrett.


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## People

I have an AR-50 and it has one of the most efficient breaks out there. Most push way more the more than the ar-50. I would say a 243 or a 20ga. The darn thing also is one of the heaviest ones of the production guns. Mine with the bi pod and scope is 40 lbs.

I like that Tim Taylor thing.

"When I held that gun in my hand, I felt a surge of power ... like God must feel when he's holding a gun." Homer Simpson

That quote pretty much sums up the 50 BMG round. There is nothing else like it.


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