Range Report Shock wave from a .50 cal.

S

shootermark

Private
Minuteman
Aug 4, 2010
6
0
36
Texas
#1
This is such a great web site with a ton of information. If you don’t know the answer to a question all you need to do is ask.

One of my co-workers was telling me he talking with a marine corp. sniper that fought in Iraq during 2003. The sniper told him that when he fired his .50 at soft targets (humans) he didn’t need to hit them to kill them. He said as long as his bullet passed was within 3 feet of the person, the shock wave from the bullet had enough force to kill them. I thought for a few seconds on this and said, yeah right there’s way too much Hollywood in that statement.

I know there’s a shock wave around all fired projectiles, but I can’t believe the shock wave from a .750 grain bullet could kill a person from 3’ away let alone 6”. Have I missed any here or was the person feeding my friend a load of nonsense?

Thanks everyone.

Mark
 
#2
Re: Sonic wave from a .50 cal.

It's nonsense.

Edit: I'll qualify that remark - if the .50 cal round was powerful enough to kill anyone within six feet or even three feet of it, what would happen to the firer, or anyone standing near the firer?
 
#3
Re: Sonic wave from a .50 cal.

I know this has been discussed before and like someone said, if it were true, when you shot at a paper target the shock wave should rip the paper and cardboard to shreds. Also, the Mythbusters were testing sonic booms and shot a 50 right between a whole bunch of fragile crystal glasses and nothing happened. Long story short, he's full of shit!
 
#8
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

Thats the biggest crock of shit I have ever heard.

The fact that someone can even come up with such BS blows my mind.

Is your mate sure he wasnt just talking to a mall ninja?
 
#10
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

Wow if that were the case there would be no one to pull targets in the pits. My guess is that your co-worker spoke to a Marine grunt and not a Marine sniper.
 
#11
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 30/50</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow if that were the case there would be no one to pull targets in the pits. My guess is that your co-worker spoke to a Marine grunt and not a Marine sniper.</div></div>

Doubt if he was even that. I have known many many Marines, current or retired, and while they are full of piss n vinegar, this seems like a poser full of shit. And of all of them, I have met 2 that were ACTUALLY snipers. One, retired, served in Veitnam, and the other, also retired, one of our Sergeants at work. Neither brag, and have demonstrated their abilities and knowledge very well.
 
#14
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

Shootermark - Bring me a box of grid squares and I will tell you the real answer.
smile.gif
 
#17
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ranger70</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If real, all the deer i have missed would be dead. </div></div>

+1
 
#19
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shootermark</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know there’s a shock wave around all fired projectiles, but I can’t believe the shock wave from a .750 grain bullet could kill a person from 3’ away let alone 6”. Have I missed any here or was the person feeding my friend a load of nonsense?</div></div>
In the Middle East (and Viet Nam) occasionally fighter jets were "buzzing" hostile areas subjecting those to sonic booms as they flew low overhead. It was a decent harassment - but (AFAIK) nobody died. And you get a bigger boom from an F-4 than from a 750gr bullet (though the bullet admittedly and hopefully passes closer
smile.gif
).
 
#21
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

If this were true, there would be a lot of dead people given that the M-2 is throwing a lot of lead down range over seas. When I was in Iraq a gunner missed the firing pit and sent a 50 cal round over our heads. Granted it was about 20-30 feet over head, but no one died. Total BS.
 
#22
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shootermark</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> He said as long as his bullet passed was within 3 feet of the person, the shock wave from the bullet had enough force to kill them.
</div></div>

It will probably cause one heck of a headache and most likely hearing loss. I have seen a blown eardrum from a soldier being below the muzzle of a .50 firing.
 
#23
Re: Shock wave from a .50 cal.

Thats the blast PRESSURE from the muzzle, not "shockwave" from the round. Two different occurrences. Pressure comes from the charge of the powder being ignited and the release of this pressure as the round leaves the bore. Shockwave comes from the boolit passing through the air column. Im not brow beatin ya...

Just sayin

BM
 
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