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Which 50 BMG to buy?

pgv5705

pgv5705

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 13, 2009
15
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43
Louisiana, USA
I am interested in purchasing a 50 BMG BOLT gun in the near future and would really appreciate some advice. I do not want one of the AR15 uppers or the type where you must remove the bolt to load. Price should be under $5k.

I am a bit ignorant when it comes to 50's (never owned one) but a veteran shooter non the less.

Armalite, Barrett, Bluegrass, Steyr, etc???
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Spend the few extra bucks and get a MacBros single or repeter...I love mine They are the benchmark
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

This is a tuff one, at least you listed a budget that will help.AR 50's are well within the price range, work very very well ( check most any match)but are single shot only.Barrets are very well made, reasonably accurate, have a loyal following but are somewhat pricey ( not picking on them, they have a good resale).You can get a single or a repeater too.Steyr is also a nice gun, well made though rarely seen at matches and I have no idea how they shoot but I bet very well.Viper is also popular, well made and accurate, you will often see these at matches.I know you said you don't like the captured bolt but State Arms are very reasonably priced, VERY accurate and well made, highly thought of in match events.Macbros is top shelf but not cheap.EDM is another top shelf bolt gun that sometimes can be found used for 5k ( I have one)and is simple to take down and case it up. You have many options none of them are bad, my suggestion would be to attend a match and see if you can get behind a couple and see what fits you best.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Several of my buds have AR 50's and are very happy with them.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

You should be able to get the AR50,a good scope and a very good start on everything needed to reload for under $5000.

I had the Barrett M99 and sold it. I then ended up trading into a AR50 and have been happy ever since. Its proven to be less recoil with better accuracy for me.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

AR-50 hands down.

when i was shopping for a .50BMG rifle it came down between the Armalite & M82A1.... i think i may still end up getting the Armalite even though i have the semi auto Barrett.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

So far I have pretty much scratched the Barrett off my list because it seems to be well known that they aren't the most accurate for their price point. Also I am okay with having a single shot rifle since the rifle will never need to be fired rapidly (unless there is a zombie uprising:)

Please keep the info coming!
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

My Barrett M99 out-shot every AR-50 I ever went up against. Granted, some of that is the loose nut with his Booger-hook on the bang button but I would go Barrett Hands-down over Armalite. My Barrett was around $3500 with an inexpensive scope on it (Bushnell 10X Elite 3200) but you can spend the difference between that and your $5000 and get a good scope... I did. The Barrett came with some really nice rings that were 30mm with 1" adaptor rings so the Bushnell would fit.
Look at as many .50's as you can. You'll find some are pretty crappy compared to others. Also, make sure what you get has a good solid action. I ran across some Bosnian .50cal ammo that was considerably hotter than anything else I shot and broke a friend's rifle. His was a Hesse and I know they had a bad reputation for being junk. My Barrett ate it up just fine but it did clear your sinuses and ring your bell a little when you shot it... LOL!
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I have noticed that used EDM's are relatively easy to find and I really like the look and repeating action. Please tell me about yours. Accurate, reliable, and quirks since it is a breakdown setup?
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PViddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So far I have pretty much scratched the Barrett off my list because it seems to be well known that they aren't the most accurate for their price point. Also I am okay with having a single shot rifle since the rifle will never need to be fired rapidly (unless there is a zombie uprising:)

Please keep the info coming! </div></div>
Just like with any firearm that shoots Military surplus ammo, you will usually find that the machine-gun ammo that most people shoot as well as some Factory ammo (Barrett) is not very accurate ammo. Match ammo is expensive but makes a HUGE difference! My Barrett was a 2-4MOA rifle with machine-gun ammo and Barrett Factory ammo but with Match ammo it shot 2" groups at 500yds. Maybe other 50's shoot better with the cheaper ammo but if you find the right ammo for a Barrett it will run with most other 50's.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

over the years i've owned 7 .50s......prolly the best bang for the buck is what some have stated above....the AR-50


the bolt on stuff to an ar lower don't appeal to the savvy shooter......mostly because many don't like the idea of 230 grains of gunpowder lighting off right under their nose


did you ever hold a .50BMG primer in your hand....?....just one primer.....?

me thinks its enough to take your hand off.......i'm just sayin
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Another vote for the AR-50. Excellent value, competitive accuracy, 100% reliability/function and a price tag (around $2800 or so) that will leave you plenty of room in your $5k budget for a high quality optic (Nightforce, etc.) and maybe some additional left over for some ammo, reloading gear/components, etc.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I have a Windrunner and at one point a Barrett M99 also. As you know the Widrunner can be disassembled, but the accuracy is not affected by the re-assemble/disassemble. It's quite accurate for a 50 BMG. With hand load, you can definitely get sub MOA. I have stretched it out to 2000 yards. The price however, is more than 5 K. The Barrett M99 is a single action bolt. It's also quite accurate. It's around 3K. The recoil is perceived more, at least by me, with the Barrett. Hope it helps.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Another vote for the Barrett M99A1 over the AR-50.

Do yourself a favor, and lay your hands on both of them before you make a decision. Quality speaks for itself.

The AR-50 weighs almost 10 pounds more than the M99. It comes in 2 pieces in a cardboard box (vs. a nice fitted Pelican case with wheels). They used to sell the bipod separately. IMO, the bolt, the trigger, and the general fit and finish are not as refined as the Barrett.

Recoil isn't an issue. I've let a friend's 65lb kid shoot mine, and he did just fine.

Accuracy? The M99 at one time held the 1000 yard record with a 5 shot group just over 4 inches. And no, you ain't gonna get there shooting M33 ball.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I just bought an AR-50A1 and im completely satisfied! Its one hell of a well built rifle. Alot of people dont like how much it weighs but I beg to differ. I feel a heavier gun is more accurate and less recoil. Speaking of less recoil an AR-50 has the least amount of recoil due to the very efficient muzzle brake. The only advantage of buying the lighter M99 is the bullpup design if you were gonna go hunting with the rifle since it would be shorter and lighter. If you do go with the AR-50 go to budsgunshop.com. I got my ar-50 out the door shipped with shipping insurance for 2,730.00 You do not pay sales tax also. That is the cheapest I found anywhere. My local gun shop wanted 3,600.00 for the same exact thing. That of coarse is the basic rifle with no optics or bipod. Comes with 15 MOA sight rail. This place is highly recommended!
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

oh and do yourself a favor and buy a swfa super sniper scope for 300.00 Best affordable scope you can get for the money that will hold up to a .50 bmg. These are very comparable to the 1300.00 leupold mark 4 scopes.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Okay so Barrett M99 versus Bluegrass Viper?

Concerning ammo. I do roll my own for most of my rifles, but I do not intend to hand load for the 50. It will have to eat off the shelf match grade ammo. I will not use military ball ammo either.

I must say that if the myths about the Barrett being inaccurate are false, then it would be my top choice simply because of name recognition and longterm value and customer support.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Keep doing your homework
They can most all be made to shoot well
If you want the best out of the box factory shooter and in my opinion "best platform" this is easy

AR50 and have fun
grin.gif
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I just bought a state arms rebel with a GI barrel for around 2500 bucks but I still have 4 weeks to wait until I get it. It does leave funds for a NF NXS in your budget. Also for like 200 bucks more you can get a Big Bertha model through them and it is a match grade barrel if you really want to shot in comps. Although I havent shot one yet I hear they are a fantastic rifle. The guys at bighammer and a few locals with 50's kind of talked me into mine. I was going to go with an AR50 at first but then read about the state arms rifles and the Serbu's and figured if they shot just as good why spent the extra couple hundred. Also Larry at state arms was great to so business with, you gotta love great customer service. Id say any choice you make will be a good fun one as long as its not a hesse/vulcan.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Thanks Gentlemen for all of the good feed back. Its much appreciated.

I intend to make the leap this summer (after APA completes my 338LM build
smile.gif
. I already have an NXS 5.5-22x50 collecting some dust so optics will not be an issue. The Barrett will likely get the nod but I will also give a lot of consideration to the Blue Grass (they have the look that I want). The state arms rifle is really nice but I would rather a standard bolt design with positive extraction. If, however, I do decide to go with a removable bolt design then I will also give the Noreen some consideration since they claim to have positive extraction.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

A new Steyr HS-50 can be had for less then $3000 if you look around, I bought mine for $3400. Very accurate, my best group so far is 1-1/2" at 300-yards using American Eagle Ball, and I can't wait to see what the Honady AMax Match ammo will do.

The rail is a zero-moa rail, so I suggest that anyone who buys an HS-50, spend the $325 and have a Near Alpha mount made with 40 or 45-moa slope, and you'll have the perfect set-up.

I haven't had good luck with the AR-50, the one I shot the bolt binds, even with a lot of CLP applied. I also didn't like the ergonomics.

Good luck!
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I used to have a AR-50 and it was quite the shooter. I sold it because I got a very good price on it. Basically it was a deal I could not say no to. The AR-50 is a good designed rifle. The break is the best I have used. I have fired many other factory 50BMG rifles and all of them recoil more than the AR-50. I shot a few others 50’s who had AR-50 breaks on them and there is an improvement in recoil reduction. None of them are bad but the AR-50 is less. The one thing I never did like about the rifle is the stock. It is a little big. Same goes with the AR-30. I have a 30 in 338LM and I had the stock cut down and rewelded much shorter. Currently the butt plate is a sheet of Aluminum. The break is so good that I can tap off a 300gr SMK with only a t-shirt on and not get hurt.

Every company puts out a bad rifle now and again. When shooting long range it is hard to truly determine what is going on when you are watching others shooting. Is there load as good as it can be? Are there skills enough to pay the bills? Is the wind hurting them? I once watched a guy shoot an M1 at 600 and kick the butt of everyone he was shooting with(put those kids to shame). If you know wind and how to shoot beating others is not hard.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I would place them in this order,
EDM, McBros
Armalite AR-50

You really can't go wrong with the Armalite. Its a good shooter and a lot of fun (unless your standing next to that muzzle break).
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I would consider spending 1K more and get a EDM Windrunner. They are incredibly accurate and can be taken apart so they do not take up tons of room in your safe. EDM recently dropped their price to $6K.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Parkze17</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just bought a state arms rebel with a GI barrel for around 2500 bucks but I still have 4 weeks to wait until I get it. It does leave funds for a NF NXS in your budget. Also for like 200 bucks more you can get a Big Bertha model through them and it is a match grade barrel if you really want to shot in comps. Although I havent shot one yet I hear they are a fantastic rifle. The guys at bighammer and a few locals with 50's kind of talked me into mine. I was going to go with an AR50 at first but then read about the state arms rifles and the Serbu's and figured if they shot just as good why spent the extra couple hundred. Also Larry at state arms was great to so business with, you gotta love great customer service. Id say any choice you make will be a good fun one as long as its not a hesse/vulcan. </div></div>




I thought I was going to be the only one with a State Arms rifle here. You are going to like your new Rebel. I bought mine back in 2006. A Rebel with a SS Lothar Walter barrel, left hand bolt, and the rear mono pod. She's a dream to shoot, and it shoots real nice at 1000. Like said Larry is a great guy to deal with. I met him when I went to his shop to order my rifle, and when I went back a month later to pick it up.

If you are looking for a rifle that is built like a tank, has a trigger that breaks like glass, and about the best price on the market State Arms is the way to go. Quality of finish is second to none.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I've got a Barrett M99 now, and had an Armalite AR50 previously. The AR50 was a pussy cat to shoot, my lightweight 30-06 had more recoil. But it was a pain to take to the range due to size/assembly needs. Haven't shot the M99 yet, but I'm sure it'll kick more. I'll take more kick for the increased liveability of the gun.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I have an AR50 that I bought in Decemeber. Love it! What a blast to shoot. I put a nightforce nxs 5.5-22x56 in badger max 50 ultra high rings, works like a champ!! I haul the thing to the range in a tac-force 62" bag with backpack straps, which in my opinion is the only way to roll with this thing.

Good luck on your decision, I went through the exact same on not too long ago and ended up with the AR50, and I still feel it was a good decision.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

PViddy,

Give us a call and we will be happy to send you one of our new catalogs and answer any questions that you may have regarding the Viper XL. Thanks, Justin
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PViddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
It will have to eat off the shelf match grade ammo. I will not use military ball ammo either.
</div></div>

no such thing
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I have an AR50A1 and absolutely LOVE it.

Prior to the AR50, I had an older Bohica .50 upper. The Bohica was like being smacked in the shoulder by a sledge hammer.

The AR50 is a gun I could shoot all afternoon... and actually, the day I last had it out, I was also shooting my .308 and .243 rifles. Funny thing is... the smaller caliber rifles actualy had more felt recoil.

The older AR50's were a little rough around the edges from what I understand... but the new AR50A1 and A1 match are very well built guns. My bolt assy probably weighs 5 lbs...but glides in the action like it's on ball bearings.

In my opinion, the AR50's are an absolute STEAL for the money.

As far as pricing is concerned... MOST dealers should be able to match Bud's pricing IF they want to. I can sell at their price if it means making a sale or not.
wink.gif


2011-03-181235252.jpg


Video of me shooting it about 2 weeks ago:
http://s1098.photobucket.com/albums/g369...18-09-49-32.mp4
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I got a chance to shoot the Barrett M82A1. What a kick ass rifle. I know it is not a bolt, nor in your price range, But one sweet rifle. If I was buying one, this would be it. JMO
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

My opinion on the matter:

If you have a budget under $5k to start with, you might reconsider the big .50. You've indicated you're not going to reload for this caliber and, to be honest, it is the only way you're going to get the accuracy you want out of it. Commercial Ball isn't going to give you what you want.

I own an Armalite AR-50. It's big, it's heavy and, with handloaded match tips ( AMAX ) it's damned accurate. However, reloading it requires some specialized tools that tend to cost more than their smaller counterparts. ( a lot more actually )
You'll also be buying powder in eight pound lots since you'll go through it in a hurry.

Commercial ammo from Barrett runs in the $380 - $400 range per 80 rounds last time I actually bought some. I keep two cases in the safe just to have. ( gives me spare brass to boot )

While I don't have the numbers right off the top of my head, you need to be comfortable with burning up anywhere from $4 - $7 per round every time you pull the trigger. Even if you load it yourself.

Is it fun ? Absolutely. Loud ? Unmatched. It is, however, one of the more expensive calibers you can get into. If I had to do it all over again, I would forgo my .50 and just be happy with my .338LM
laugh.gif
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I have set a 5k price limit mostly because the rifle will be a safe queen/novelty. Most of my long range shooting is done with my 338LM and 284win (can't say enough about this cartridge) at 800 yards. Both of which are shot at least weekly (already on my second 338 barrel).

It really isn't about what I can afford but rather value and what I am willing to spend. The problem I face is that everytime I buy a cheap (relatively speaking) rifle, I end up selling it for what I really wanted in the first place.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I am very happy with my AW50 and I am not yet done wringing more accuracy out of it.

FYI: The AX50 is supposed to be significantly cheaper than the AW50...I doubt it will make it anywhere near below the 5K mark.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

If anyone is going to "seriously" consider getting into the ".50 Cal Arena" then I would strongly suggest that you look at the Fifty Cal Shooters Assoc and North Coast Shooters Assoc.

FCSA

NCSA

These are the 2 associations that focus specifically on .50 cal shooting, and they collectively have a huge knowledge base that you can draw from.

I shot a .50 cal competitively for 2 years, and while it was "fun", I am out of the .50 cal arena.

Why?
- Less and less ranges are allowing .50 cals to be fired because of the impact on adjacent shooters, damage caused to the range, and the liability of how far a stray round can travel. Unless you have your own range / land it can be a real bitch to find a place to shoot one.
- Per above, with “quality ammo” going for $4-$7 per round, unless you have an unlimited budget, it gets very cost prohibitive to shoot. Even if you are going to load your own ammo, the components are significantly more.
- Relatively speaking, a .50 cal is not a really accurate rifle/round. If you check out the match results at FCSA or NCSA, you will see that when compared to other shooting sports such as Benchrest and F-Class the accuracy levels are not on par.
- Given a number of “incidents” which occurred over the last couple of years, the danger associated with shooting a .50 cal should be very evident. Basically you have the force of a hand grenade going off if anything goes wrong such as an out of battery detonation.

I know plenty of .50 cal shooters who are completely ate up with it, so if you are set on getting into it, more power to you, but please do your homework and make sure it is not just a snap decision.

I shot an AR50, and if you check the match results for FCSA or NCSA, you will find that rifle is in the top 10 more than any other factory rifle. Especially for the price, you will be very hard pressed to find another .50 cal rifle that can shoot that well.

In terms of ammo, I shot the Hunting Shack ammo and it was some very high quality stuff that was reasonably priced. I used the 750 AMAX load and shot a number of sub 7” groups at a 1,000 yards with it in matches.

Best of Luck,
M Richardson
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Yeah, I was thinking of using Hunting Shack, Double Tap, or the new Hornady Match ammo (all of which are topped with the 750 AMAX) for testing and extreme long distance, and federal american eagle for letting my buddies get their kicks (no pun intended).
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I think what you should do is pick two of your friends who are the most knowledgeable of this topic, give them the cash, then sit back and see what ends up underneath your trigger finger.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

My most knowledgeable friends/shooting partners are a gun dealer, retired army sniper, and handful of marines. Each has a different preference, and so they aren't of much assistance:)
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PViddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So far I have pretty much scratched the Barrett off my list because it seems to be well known that they aren't the most accurate for their price point. Also I am okay with having a single shot rifle since the rifle will never need to be fired rapidly (unless there is a zombie uprising:)

Please keep the info coming! </div></div>

The M82A1 isn't as accurate, but the M99 is very accurate, so don't discount it. The recoil on it was significantly reduced when Barrett replaced the M82 brake on the M99's with the new 6-gill brake.

AR-50's are nice, but they are a BEAST to lug around. If you're only doing BR, it's probably fine. The M99's are considerably easier to transport.

If you find that it's not for you, the M99 has a pretty good resale value as far as 50BMG goes simply because of the name on the rifle.

Here's some M99 eye candy:

IMG_2621-1280.jpg

IMG_2622-1280.jpg

IMG_2623-1280.jpg

IMG_2624-1280.jpg

IMG_2625-1280.jpg

IMG_2626-1280.jpg

IMG_2627-1280.jpg

IMG_2628-1280.jpg

IMG_2629-1280.jpg

IMG_2630-1280.jpg
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

Sorry it took a while to get back and answer your questions about my EDM.Well, for starters, I believe the original designer Bill Ritchie set a ( at the time)record for smallest group at 1k with it though I'm fairly certain that is now toppled.It easily breaks down into a small case with NO loss of zero.It's a mag fed repeater, hell for strong,very easy to set up for the shooter.EXCELLENT brake, well made, not overly heavy.Nice looking rig IMO.And, here's the deal maker....with a simple bolt, barrel and mag swap you get to shoot the 408 Cheytac.YEAH BABY! With match ammo ( or select reloads) it is amazing how well this thing shoots....love mine can't say anything bad about it. Is it the best? Course not but for me no regrets.
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

I had one of them AR Conversion50's & I would RUN away from them ..
I picked up an AR50A1 with 7 rds down the tube for $2400
Look around for ammo, there are some good deals out there !
USA Ammo.com has them for $2.50 a round ..good luck on whatever you decide on !
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RagnarAW50</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am very happy with my AW50 and I am not yet done wringing more accuracy out of it.

FYI: The AX50 is supposed to be significantly cheaper than the AW50...I doubt it will make it anywhere near below the 5K mark.
</div></div>

AX50 starts from GBP7k in the UK = approx US$11k but it rarely translates 1:1 with the US being usually more expensive.

http://www.sportingservices.co.uk/AI%20Rifles%20Retail%20inc%20VAT%20Price%20List%20-%202011.pdf
 
Re: Which 50 BMG to buy?

If you didn't decide yet, I throw out a +1 for the Barrett. Got to play with both the AR-50 and m99, and the m99 felt better to me being a bullpup design.

But the AR-50 has a better trigger, and replaceable from what I understand. The barrett m99 is not replaceable.
 
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