Is going to .50bmg worth it?

[JohnC76]

I'll add this to balance the argument for those saying they don't like the 50, too heavy, expensive, no places to shoot, etc.

My AR50 weighs in at 45lbs on a home scale as pictured earlier. It is still the most fun rifle I own and I take it out to shoot every chance I get. It's always the first one fired out of the usually 3-4 I bring out. My wife loves it; she is a 5ft 8in tall 170lbs. My Dad is almost 70 years old, 6ft 1in tall, 220lbs and has bad arthritis in his hands and legs, but he loves it. I brought it out to my uncles cabin on a family picnic and all my cousins had a ball shooting this thing. One of my uncles that is 70, has worked hard all his life and can't hardly take the kick of a Remington 30-06 hunting rifle anymore, loved the AR50; zero recoil and only a small slow shove if on a table, but dug in the ground the gun did not move. My sister is 5ft 9in tall, 40 years old and over 300lbs and she shot it and liked it.

Here is my friend Chris shooting my AR50



Don't know his age, but my cousins' boy shooting the 50 BMG for the first time (blast shocked him). Our second outing, he begged to shoot it again. He shot it a few more times before we had to load up and go.



Me shooting it, look at the non-existent recoil and listen to the API hit 330 yards down range:



API hitting some tube and I beam steel:



API versus 4 layers of steel (tube & I-beam):

Before I put the better scope on... Ignore the tiny temp Leupold. LOL

 

[JohnC76]

The plinking carnage makes for some fun pictures and conversation!

1 API 50 BMG versus tree

 

[Masked]

I've shot a few 50's and they're a shit-ton of fun to shoot...

For actual use, I'd prefer a 408, personally but, the 50, is just a really cool caliber with variety...

There's so much surplus 50 that, you can buy practically whatever you wanted...Can't beat that really.

 

[lte82]

I like the 50bmg, as it's fun to shoot, and it's fun letting others shoot it. It's also not *that* expensive to shoot if you only shoot a few boxes of shells a month. For me though, it's not practical. The only place I can stretch it out (it's banned at most ranges here) I only get to go to 2-3x a year, and that's hardly enough for me to justify it having $5k+ wrapped up into a toy. I sold mine a couple of months ago for that reason.

For me the 338 lapua was a happy medium. It's still really too big for anything in North America unless a water buffalo gets loose at the zoo, or someones pet elephant decides to run amok and start stomping people. Also, you can at least carry it around and hunt with it if you want, where the 50bmg was way too heavy to pack anywhere but from my safe to the truck and the truck to the firing line.

If you want to impress people with the size of your gun, get the bmg. If you want to at least have a somewhat practical rifle and be able to shoot a mile away, accurately, with no problem, a 338 lapua or similar cartridge is what you want.

 

[Sinus211]

Really impressed with the knowledge base and well thought out answers. It's starting to make less and less sense to own one. Having $5k+ tied up in a rifle that's mostly novelty just doesn't work with my budget.

So who wants to let me borrow theirs?

 

[JohnC76]

I like the 50bmg, as it's fun to shoot, and it's fun letting others shoot it. It's also not *that* expensive to shoot if you only shoot a few boxes of shells a month. For me though, it's not practical. The only place I can stretch it out (it's banned at most ranges here) I only get to go to 2-3x a year, and that's hardly enough for me to justify it having $5k+ wrapped up into a toy. I sold mine a couple of months ago for that reason.

For me the 338 lapua was a happy medium. It's still really too big for anything in North America unless a water buffalo gets loose at the zoo, or someones pet elephant decides to run amok and start stomping people. Also, you can at least carry it around and hunt with it if you want, where the 50bmg was way too heavy to pack anywhere but from my safe to the truck and the truck to the firing line.

If you want to impress people with the size of your gun, get the bmg. If you want to at least have a somewhat practical rifle and be able to shoot a mile away, accurately, with no problem, a 338 lapua or similar cartridge is what you want.

On that bolded note, I could make a similar argument about guys toting rifle setups that cost over $10k like a 338 Lapua MRAD with Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25x56mm shooting with a 20rd $120 box of match grade Lapua ammo. lol

My AR50 costs less than most 338 Lapua rifles, it's cheaper to shoot (last can of ammo was $2.25 per rd shipped), has surplus ammo options you can't get with a Lapua, etc., that makes it a shit-load of fun when you want to plink.

I got my AR50 for about $2,800 brand spanking new. That is the same cost as I can get the AR30-A1 300 win mag and 338 Lapua from ArmaLite for, so cost of the rifle is only an issue if you choose an expensive version.

As for ranges, my local 330 yard range allows it. Another 100 yard range does, too. And I found another range the same distance as my 330 yard range that is a 1,000 yard range that trains military defense contractors, LEO's etc., and they allow the 50 BMG. If I want to drive a few more minutes, there is another that goes past 1,000 yards I can shoot at. Most of these ranges are within an hour to 1hr 20mins away from my house. That's not too far for me to drive to go shoot.

So really, (for me IMHO) the 50 BMG is more fun and actually cheaper than the beloved 338 Lapua. That's the reason I bought it as my first choice for a long range rifle. When and if ammo gets cheaper, I'll get a Lapua, too.

The only reason to DQ a 50 is if you can't take the muzzle blast or find a range that allows them.

You can't DQ it for weight because there are light weight versions of the rifle out there. If you own a 338 Lapua, you definitely can't DQ it for cost of ammo. Can't DQ it for rifle cost either if your smart and choose a great rifle like the ArmaLite AR50 for $2,800 shipped to your local FFL.

Just my 2cents.

 

[JohnC76]

Really impressed with the knowledge base and well thought out answers. It's starting to make less and less sense to own one. Having $5k+ tied up in a rifle that's mostly novelty just doesn't work with my budget.

So who wants to let me borrow theirs?

You must be ignoring my posts. LOL

I guess the more of you get talked out of the 50 BMG, the longer all this old mil-surp ammo will last, and if demand stays low, I'll still be able to crack off API's at $2.25 a round!

YOU DO NOT WANT A 50!!!!!! STAY AWAY!!!!!!! lol

 

[lte82]

On that bolded note, I could make a similar argument about guys toting rifle setups that cost over $10k like a 338 Lapua MRAD with Leupold Mark 8 3.5-25x56mm shooting with a 20rd $120 box of match grade Lapua ammo. lol

My AR50 costs less than most 338 Lapua rifles, it's cheaper to shoot (last can of ammo was $2.25 per rd shipped), has surplus ammo options you can't get with a Lapua, etc., that makes it a shit-load of fun when you want to plink.

I got my AR50 for about $2,800 brand spanking new. That is the same cost as I can get the AR30-A1 300 win mag and 338 Lapua from ArmaLite for, so cost of the rifle is only an issue if you choose an expensive version.

As for ranges, my local 330 yard range allows it. Another 100 yard range does, too. And I found another range the same distance as my 330 yard range that is a 1,000 yard range that trains military defense contractors, LEO's etc., and they allow the 50 BMG. If I want to drive a few more minutes, there is another that goes past 1,000 yards I can shoot at. Most of these ranges are within an hour to 1hr 20mins away from my house. That's not too far for me to drive to go shoot.

So really, (for me IMHO) the 50 BMG is more fun and actually cheaper than the beloved 338 Lapua. That's the reason I bought it as my first choice for a long range rifle. When and if ammo gets cheaper, I'll get a Lapua, too.

The only reason to DQ a 50 is if you can't take the muzzle blast or find a range that allows them.

You can't DQ it for weight because there are light weight versions of the rifle out there. If you own a 338 Lapua, you definitely can't DQ it for cost of ammo. Can't DQ it for rifle cost either if your smart and choose a great rifle like the ArmaLite AR50 for $2,800 shipped to your local FFL.

Just my 2cents.

Well my reloads with lapua brass and 300gr scenars runs less than $2/ea once you factor in being able to load the cases 8-10 times... its also not expensive relatively speaking. With smks and 1x fired mil brass its closer to $1.25/ea but not quite as accurate.

I will more than likely get a bmg again at some point. It was easily the most fun gun Ive shot. The muzzle blast was addicting, and every time I pulled the trigger I broke into a smile. I used to go shoot it before work and it was better than coffee for waking me up and putting me in a good mood. Nothing compares to it.

Damn... now Im wondering why I sold it.

 

[JohnC76]

Well my reloads with lapua brass and 300gr scenars runs less than $2/ea once you factor in being able to load the cases 8-10 times... its also not expensive relatively speaking. With smks and 1x fired mil brass its closer to $1.25/ea but not quite as accurate.

I will more than likely get a bmg again at some point. It was easily the most fun gun Ive shot. The muzzle blast was addicting, and every time I pulled the trigger I broke into a smile. I used to go shoot it before work and it was better than coffee for waking me up and putting me in a good mood. Nothing compares to it.

Damn... now Im wondering why I sold it.

I'm thinking about a Dillon reloading setup for the 50. Dillon BFR 50BMG Reloading Machine: Dillon Reloading Machines

But then I seen this: Ten-X Ammunition Home Page

 

[lte82]

I'm thinking about a Dillon reloading setup for the 50. Dillon BFR 50BMG Reloading Machine: Dillon Reloading Machines

But then I seen this: Ten-X Ammunition Home Page

I just got the Lee cast press that will do the 50 bmg. It needs a cheater bar to get some of the brass to size, and definitely needs a cheater bar to resize all of the pulled AP/API bullets that are .002+ out of spec. I had to build a better bench because I started ripping my old bench out of the wall!

A dillon would be nice though... I say go for it!

Never heard of the 10x reloader.

 

[Sinus211]

You must be ignoring my posts. LOL

I guess the more of you get talked out of the 50 BMG, the longer all this old mil-surp ammo will last, and if demand stays low, I'll still be able to crack off API's at $2.25 a round!

YOU DO NOT WANT A 50!!!!!! STAY AWAY!!!!!!! lol

Sorry man, didn't mean to ignore you. And you make very valid points about the cost comparison and availability of 50bmg vs other popular high caliber rounds. I'd definitely sooner go to 50 than 338 but am starting to feel like converting my .308 5r to a better caliber may be a wiser use of the money than adding another rifle to the stable.

 

[cruzie27]

I had a M82A1,. I LOVED IT! So did everyone else that shot it, the gun was a smile machine. About a year ago I sold it to buy my first house, I really think I should have kept that gun.

 

[John1911.com]

Really impressed with the knowledge base and well thought out answers. It's starting to make less and less sense to own one. Having $5k+ tied up in a rifle that's mostly novelty just doesn't work with my budget.

So who wants to let me borrow theirs?

It's not he cost. It's not the recoil. My suggestion is to fire some. Not once. But enough to get a feel for the over-pressure. I have a co-worker who has one (M82) that he had qual'ed for call-outs. If you wish to run one, and reload, it's not that big a deal. It's the thinking that you are going to run with the same frequency as a "standard" caliber.

Everybody is different. So there isn't one typical response. But the theory of being around one all day firing and the reality sometimes don't meet. Just know what you are getting into.

In all honestly, I would consider an M82. And still might. The right deal at the right time, might strike me just right. But I haven't yet since I know what my personal ratio of final price vs amount of over-pressure. YMMV.

TTR

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Yessir, Ive seen that before, makes ya wonder what powder they were using in that thing. Does anyone know what powder they use in that cartridge?

I don't know what they call it but it is made by Kingsford. Match Light maybe, I dunno.