Gunsmithing 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

[Togeneral99]

what do you guys think? could this be accomplished on either an AR-15 or AR-10 platform?

I'm thinking at the least it would require a redesigned bolt (maybe 2-3 large lugs), new barrel extension, new barrel and some kind of magazine, but would the gass system and the buffer and spring take the pounding or is the energy dissipated enough once the bolt unlocks so that it won't beat the crap out of everything behind the cartridge?

I think this would be an exceptional hog round and stomp a mud hole in the 450 Bushmaster.

Let me know what you guys think

 

[Falar]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

Why not just get a .50 Beowulf AR?

 

[SmokeRolls]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Falar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why not just get a .50 Beowulf AR?</div></div>
Thats a nice thumper... Shot one at our range.
....SmokeRolls

 

[KTDLS7]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheSmokeRolls</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Falar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why not just get a .50 Beowulf AR?</div></div>
Thats a nice thumper... Shot one at our range.
....SmokeRolls </div></div>

.50 Beowulf +++

Two friends have them - it is a thumper and a blast to shoot!

One challenge with the 500 S&W Mag is it's a semi-rimmed case. This will pose feeding problems from AR type mags. Furthermore, the bolt, extractor, and ejector assembly will be problematic for the for the same reason. The gas system (i.e. gas port size, pressures, etc.) has not even been addressed yet to reliably operate with the cartridge.

With enough R&D, it could possibly be accomplished, but why "reinvent the wheel" when the .50 Beowulf is available and there is some outstanding factory ammo available.

Kevin

 

[jasonZ]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

Why? Because it would be cool! As far as all the operations stuff well I don't know about that so goodluck and I'd love to see one.

 

[Falar]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TacticalJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why? Because it would be cool! As far as all the operations stuff well I don't know about that so goodluck and I'd love to see one. </div></div>

My point was that the .50 Beowulf is basically a ballistic twin to the .500 S&W and is already available as a system vs experimenting with and trying to adapt a new cartridge to an existing AR with a very limited probability of success.

However, it is YOUR money and time and you can spend them how you see fit. I was just trying to help you out by telling you that what you're seeking has basically already been done and is currently available to purchase.

 

[Togeneral99]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

ballistic twin....No... The Beowolf holds less powder and therefor does not have the ability to send a 400gr bullet @ 1600 fps like the 500 can out of a 8 3/8" barrel.

The Beowolf, granted, nets 1900 with a 335gr bullet with 16" of barrel. Inside of 100 yards bullet weight with a decent speed is king and the Beowolf just doesn't have it as much.

I understand what you are saying about the rimmed case, but the 7.62x54 russian is also rimmed and is able to be fired from a semi-auto platform (Dragunov & PSL) I could see where magazines might be an issue especially with feeding a rimmed case, but again if this was impossible then how did the russians do it in the 50's?

Thanks for the constructive criticism, but I don't like going with the flow very much. The Beowolf is nice, but not my thing. Hell I'd build a semi-auto tube gun just to shoot the 500 S&W mag if I had all of the machinery at my disposal, but that is more than I would want to do right now. I'd rather try to adapt an existing platform.

 

[2ndamendfan]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

For the time, effort and money the beowulf is close. according to the hodgdon site the starting loads for the 500 S&W with Lil'gun are about 2 grains above AAs' beowulf max loads.

Can it been done? Sure, with enough time, effort, and money. Do you have all three. You should talk to Mr Alexander and see what it took to get the Beowulf done. And he wasn't dealing woth a rimmed case so 2x or 3x the time effort and money.

 

[Falar]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 2ndamendfan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">For the time, effort and money the beowulf is close. according to the hodgdon site the starting loads for the 500 S&W with Lil'gun are about 2 grains above AAs' beowulf max loads.

Can it been done? Sure, with enough time, effort, and money. Do you have all three. You should talk to Mr Alexander and see what it took to get the Beowulf done. And he wasn't dealing woth a rimmed case so 2x or 3x the time effort and money. </div></div>

Looking at the two in QL, Beowulf has more case capacity but must have a weaker casehead as it is limited to 33500 psi vs 63000 psi for the .500 S&W. Looks about 150fps difference in a 20" barrel with 400gr bullets and VV N120.

 

[alongshot50]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

Oh Hell, Just get the guy on TV's Son Of Gun's to build one in less than a week...lol....Would make a killer deer gun here in Indiana

 

[Travis S]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: alongshot50</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Oh Hell, Just get the guy on TV's Son Of Gun's to build one in less than a week...lol....Would make a killer deer gun here in Indiana </div></div>
Hehe... They do build some neato stuff indeed. He'd probably tell you to go the beauwolf as well. You can have it in a levergun.

 

[shoot4fun]

Re: 500 S&W Mag AR can it be done?

IMHO, You would have a lot of trouble getting the 500 S&W to feed well from a magazine because of the rim.