.50 cal sniper rifle accuracy

Obviously, a good .50 with good ammo is going to be capable of sub-MOA accuracy like any other precision rifle. The advantage to the .50 is that it is less affected by wind and hits a lot harder at 1000+yds than a .308 would. Generally, the .50 isn't used for anti-personnel use, its used for hitting important targets such as vehicles and equipment at extended ranges. However, the bullet and rifle are rather 'equal opportunity' about targets so enemy personnel occasionally end up on the menu as well.

Are there JHP's in .50BMG for anti-personell use?

With a half inch entry wound I doubt you would need the added expansion. Although to be fair I read in a hunting forum about a fellow who would turn the bullet around backwards to shoot bear in alaska, allegedy he never recovered a bullet always a pass through

Are there JHP's in .50BMG for anti-personell use?

Click to expand...

50BMG's make a mess out of any soft target they hit, a JHP wouldn't make a difference. They do have a RAUFOSS round that may offer better stopping power if you really need it

Depends on the rifle. I owned an Barrett M82A1 and accuracy as not great - minute of truck. But the rifles made by Windrunner, McMillan and other, including the bolt Barretts are often capable of sub MOA accuracy.

Yes, they do offer hunting bullets for the .50, soft points and HP's.

Most of the .50's on the market will hold MOA or better with quality ammo but it comes down to the shooter being able to shoot as well as the rifle.

The easiest answer is no, there are no "service" or "off the shelf" rifles that are capable of that kind of accuracy. The military doesn't even set their standards that high as they know that most soldiers can't shoot well enough to hold that accuracy either.

It's not that they aren't capable, it takes ALOT of training which means ALOT of ammo to be able to shoot that well. If a rifle and soldier can hold 2 MOA the military is fine with that as it good enough to hit anyone within 300 yards. And if I remember right, 300 yards is the usually considered the max engagement in any firefight.

If you want 1/4 MOA you'll need a benchrest rifle and even then that doesn't mean that you'll be able to hold that consistantly. The world record for 1000 yards for a .50 is about 2.6 inches which is just above 1/4 MOA.

The Marine Corps doesn't refer to their Barretts as "sniper rifles". Sniper rifles should hold an accuracy standard of below 1 MOA. They instead refer to it as the SASR or "special application scoped rifle". The military also has no standard for .50 match ammo. There is the Raufoss MK211, and the ball, AP, API, APIT, or whatever else they can get their hands on. The Raufoss rounds are advertised as delivering 1 MOA accuracy, but I've never actually shot any.