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50 bmg mag fed upper

Jimbo1

Private
Minuteman
Dec 30, 2021
41
10
Midwest
Anyone have any experience/opinions on the Safety Harbor 50 bmg uppers? Accuracy and otherwise? Seems like the cheapest option for getting a mag fed 50 bmg but I've seen very little talk about them.
 
They are awfully light weight for a 50. From their site:

Weight:
18″Barrel: 12.0 lbs
22″Barrel: 12.5 lbs
29″Barrel: 15.5 lbs
Weight does not include weight of the lower.


If you are planning on shooting one more than a three times in a range visit, I would pass. You will want a rifle in the 32+ lb range to actually enjoy the experience. I've shot a 26lb rifle and after 5 shots it's not fun anymore. Adding on 8lb made it fun to shoot.

Even if you can tolerate the recoil mentally, your shoulder can bruise with something that light in 50 bmg under repeated firing. That 26lb rifle I mentioned would turn my skin yellow the next day after 20 shots.

Also avoid anything under 29". Always double up with plugs & muffs. These guns require doubled up hearing protection, and even that isn't enough to be completely hearing safe.
 
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Does Serbu make one?
I don't believe so. They have a single shot bolt but no mag fed bolt and their single shot is about $1k more than the shtf
They are awfully light weight for a 50. From their site:

Weight:
18″Barrel: 12.0 lbs
22″Barrel: 12.5 lbs
29″Barrel: 15.5 lbs
Weight does not include weight of the lower.


If you are planning on shooting one more than a three times in a range visit, I would pass. You will want a rifle in the 32+ lb range to actually enjoy the experience. I've shot a 26lb rifle and after 5 shots it's not fun anymore. Adding on 8lb made it fun to shoot.

Even if you can tolerate the recoil mentally, your shoulder can bruise with something that light in 50 bmg under repeated firing. That 26lb rifle I mentioned would turn my skin yellow the next day after 20 shots.

Also avoid anything under 29". Always double up with plugs & muffs. These guns require doubled up hearing protection, and even that isn't enough to be completely hearing safe.
Makes sense. I'll bet one could figure out a way to attach weights to it if it were too unpleasant at 20ish pounds. The brake that comes with it looks like it works pretty well from the videos I've seen, they look like they kick less than a 12 gauge with turkey loads but I guess it's hard to tell from the videos, I know a 2 oz turkey load in a mossberg pump gun has given me some bruises over the years lol. But yeah I'd definitely go with the 29". Just don't seem to see anyone talk about the SHTF
 
Not mag fed. Do you have any basis for a negative opinion of the shtf?
Nothing other than anybody who’s seen one thinks the same thing holding that or a Serbu

Should the weapon fail (and don’t think it can’t) what will happen to the shooter?

I owned a Serbu. I will never own one again

The Armalite is “overbuilt” compared to SHTF and Serbu designs

50’s aren’t a place to cheap out if you encounter a failure. I think Scott from Kentucky Ballistics would second that
 
Mag fed is over rated for 50 in my opinion unless you are going semi auto. It's not hard to reload single feed 50 bmg quickly. The barrels also heat up fast so the time it takes to add another cartridge is less than the cool down you will be waiting anyway.

If you want to enjoy shooting what you bought, get something heavier that is a dedicated 50 rifle instead of a compromise. And as an extra note unless you are shooting match ammo or reloads, accuracy is going to garbage with mil spec stuff. Some lots of 660 ball I was getting up to 7 moa. Best case around 4 moa across two rifles.

Edit; I estimated recoil energy on a 20lb 50 bmg.
  • 7.5lb 12 gauge shotgun is 17 to 32~ ft lb
  • 20lb 50 bmg is 148~ ft lb for 660 ball ammo , assume brake is 50% effective and cut it down to 74 ft lb
  • 32lb 50 bmg is 93~ ft lb for 660 ball ammo, cut 50% and it's 46~ ft lb
 
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600+ grain chunks of lead and 200+ grains of powder detonating against your face isn’t someplace the poors should play

Go without the mag and get an AR50 or M99, go with the mag and get a M95, or pony up the $$ and go M82.

Or the semi Serbu. I’ve never seen one but as many times as @deersniper has been banned, if franks mods and a Serbu can’t take him out nothing will

🖕🏻😎🖕🏻
 
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Here’s some Serbu and SH just before assembly

5841BF9B-09F4-4A6F-B030-DA87C52891F6.jpeg
 
Nothing other than anybody who’s seen one thinks the same thing holding that or a Serbu

Should the weapon fail (and don’t think it can’t) what will happen to the shooter?

I owned a Serbu. I will never own one again

The Armalite is “overbuilt” compared to SHTF and Serbu designs

50’s aren’t a place to cheap out if you encounter a failure. I think Scott from Kentucky Ballistics would second that
Have you actually heard of a failure of a bolt action 50 though? That serbu piece of shit that blew up on the Kentucky ballistics guy with the screw on cap design doesn't count
 
Mag fed is over rated for 50 in my opinion unless you are going semi auto. It's not hard to reload single feed 50 bmg quickly. The barrels also heat up fast so the time it takes to add another cartridge is less than the cool down you will be waiting anyway.

If you want to enjoy shooting what you bought, get something heavier that is a dedicated 50 rifle instead of a compromise. And as an extra note unless you are shooting match ammo or reloads, accuracy is going to garbage with mil spec stuff. Some lots of 660 ball I was getting up to 7 moa. Best case around 4 moa across two rifles.

Edit; I estimated recoil energy on a 20lb 50 bmg.
  • 7.5lb 12 gauge shotgun is 17 to 32~ ft lb
  • 20lb 50 bmg is 148~ ft lb for 660 ball ammo , assume brake is 50% effective and cut it down to 74 ft lb
  • 32lb 50 bmg is 93~ ft lb for 660 ball ammo, cut 50% and it's 46~ ft lb
True I wouldn't be opposed to a single shot. My thought with the shtf is that you could use it as a single shot with the mag removed as an option

I did the math, the 3" turkey loads I shoot produce 72.9 lb-ft of energy in my 6.5lb mossberg
 
I don't know much about 50 cal stuff, but what about a Bushmaster BA50? They seem decent. I could be wrong though.
They look interesting, I'd think the left hand bolt would be impossible to work while standing but I guess you probably never shoot it unsupported 😂
 
Have you actually heard of a failure of a bolt action 50 though? That serbu piece of shit that blew up on the Kentucky ballistics guy with the screw on cap design doesn't count
How many RN 50’s have you heard of failing?

Other than the one that almost killed the guy using it…..

Again,

Buy a real 50 cal

Or get a top of the line Vulcan/Hesse/Blackthorne
 
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How many RN 50’s have you heard of failing?

Other than the one that almost killed the guy using it…..

Again,

Buy a real 50 cal

Or get a top of the line Vulcan/Hesse/Blackthorne
The screw cap one is an obviously a weak garbage design to anyone with working eyes, a bolt gun with lugs is a completely different beast. Unless you can show why the serbu bolt or shtf bolt is weak or "not a real 50 cal" then you're just basing that on.... What? Price? Serbu has some pretty high priced guns
 
I don't know much about 50 cal stuff, but what about a Bushmaster BA50? They seem decent. I could be wrong though.

I think the biggest issue is that they are still out of production after the Remington bankruptcy and fire sale.

I picked up what is likely one of the last ones in the form of the Remington R2Mi (which still carries the Bushmaster BA50 engraving - the Remington name is just cosmetic, like the green anodizing). Haven't had much of a chance to really exercise it, but my initial impressions are favorable. I haven't seen one for sale since fall 2020, so good luck finding one. Magazines for the BA50/R2Mi are also not widely available.
 
How many RN 50’s have you heard of failing?

Other than the one that almost killed the guy using it…..

Again,

Buy a real 50 cal

Or get a top of the line Vulcan/Hesse/Blackthorne
So finally tracked down someone with a SHTF 50 who has shot for groups and this is a group at 600 yards. Not bad for a gun that's not "a real 50 cal" 😂😂😂

1652660730573.jpg
 
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Well, if you haven’t or don’t own or shot one not sure what your comparing. I currently own a Red Jacket modified suppressed SH. It also has the 29” barrel along with a 5 round detachable mag. I agree the shorter barrels are a bit of a challenge but this rifle shoots great and is fun to take to the range. It is a good option if you don’t want to spend a down payment on your house…..
I agree a Barrett or other high end rifles may be better quality but I find nothing wrong with the one I own. I’ve launched around 350 rounds on the 29” barrel and 200+ down the shorter suppressed barrel. Have had no problems With this one.
Hope this helps in your search…..