Thinking of getting a Barrett, is it really worth it?

where do you live? if you only have a 1000yd range, buying a 2,500yd gun is stupid. if you can reload it, i would go with the .416, as the 50 may be banned in all of the states as has allready happeneed in CA.....

if you want a powerful and past 1,000yd cartridge, but don't want a 2,500dy one, look at the .338 lapua mag. very accurate, and factory ammo. if you go with a propritary cartridge, the ammo may just dissipear. i dout it will with the lapua.

Unless you are planning for some sort of conflict and ranges well beyond 1000m, I think your money might be better served on other things. You're talking about one expensive investment that you will likely not be able to use very often. If you are wanting a powerful rifle for long ranged shooting, the .338 is gaining more and more traction in the US military and militaries abroad. The .50cal is simply too heavy for most sniping needs and the .338 is a good middle ground between the 7.62 NATO and .50cal. This means that you will have more ammunition and platform options in the future. For me, that is still far more rifle than I will ever practically need and my money would be better served in other things. For me, a .308 Winchester offers plenty of power and is capable of taking any game in the Americas.

What do you want to do with it? Shoot it at targets, use it as an investment against a possible ban, hunt with it, collect it, or some other reason.

If it is to be just an investment hedge against a 50 cal. ban, and owning something the majority of the public cannot get you need to look into you crystal ball to figure out if: Will the more expensive options double my money faster or slower than having a bunch of less expensive rifles. I personally feel that it will be easier to sell 5 $2K uppers for $4K than to sell one $10K Barret for $20K.

You can get the upper receivers that fit on an AR platform for a lot less money. There are plenty of forums on them here, just do a search.

What state do you live in? You know California does not allow new .50 BMG's.

.50 BMG's are able to fed by military surplus ammo, cheaper than most of your listed alternatives. (except maybe the .338's) I've bought it for less than $2 a round, which compares favorably to just about any medium sized rifle round.

For most shooting situations an average fellow is to encounter, I think the performance difference between the 50 and the 416 is marginal.

Plus check with your local range about the big guns, some allow it. I can even shoot one at an indoor 25 yard range here in Houston if I want (and have enough ear protection). So even a modest 100 yard outdoor range could be used for practice.

Acera,

Where in Houston can you shoot a 50 cal indoors?? Also, are you aware of any outdoor ranges around Houston where you can shoot a 50 cal?

Thanks,

kasTX,

Indoor, Pasadena Shooting Center off 225 allows it.

Outdoors, Thunder Range off 1314, between the Woodlands and Porter, American Shooting Center off Westheimer, I think Texas City's public range is ok with em', I don't remember about Baileys though.

I vote lapua.
A lot of ranges ban .50 cal because it is a magic bullet
that turns corners and seeks people targets.
Not really, they just say it is pretty hard on the berms.

Funderb, that is a myth about them being hard on the berms. They don't do that much significant damage from the reports I have read.

Here is a link to a test if you are interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2w2JEIgkbE


Part of the "cool factor" of the .50 is all the legends and myths that are out there. Listen to what people have to say that have never shot one, and you will be amazed about all the ninja things that round supposedly does.




Wow ckone, you must be a stud if you want to backpack a .50 in for casual shooting. Have you seen how much these things weigh?

well i'm not planning for a conflict, so don't worry... and it's not an investment either, i don't believe guns ever are unless it's some vintage/relic piece, it's for recreation, my main goal would be to do some long range hikes/climbs setting up long distance targets, hiking to a firing position, ...shooting/camping trips.

Click to expand...

then get a lapua. with just "plinking" it will be cheaper, have less raciol, and be cheaper. accurate to a good 1,800yd with 300gr SMKs.

taliv, I know it is hard on steel. But the question was about berms.

I never mentioned steel. The indoor range I spoke of is in an old movie theater, and has a dirt berm, with some other sort of backing. I haven't walked down there since I was a kid, when that was how you replaced targets, but I think is has a lot of dirt, then metal, then stone behind that.

ckone, you might also want to check out the prices of the .338's vs. the .50BMG

Here are the Midway pages for each:
http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...3&categoryId=9522&categoryString=653***690***

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...3&categoryId=8958&categoryString=653***690***

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ItemListing.aspx?catid=589



Just something else to consider. The .338 should be a lot easier to carry long distances on you back.

A friend has a M99 , we put about 40-50 rounds thru it right after he bought it , we haven't shot it since.

To really get the most out of it , you need to reload , and you need glass , darn good glass to be able to see the target you are shooting at.

Amazing how flex there is in recoil of the semi-auto 50 , http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=s5pVya7eask .
Looks like a scope torture test

Just curious , what your experience is with long range shooting.
If you haven't shot LR before , and plan on shooting at 2K+ meters , you have many more variables to contend with than you do at 200-300 meters.

acera, i don't think i've ever seen an indoor range with a dirt berm. interesting.

more interesting would be the convergence of muzzle retort and movie theater accoustics

Click to expand...

I could be wrong, but it sounds like he may mean an old drive-in outdoor theater...that would make a little more sense lol

I bought my M-82 simply because they were about to be banned.

I was surprised in that it has become THE MOST FUN firearm I have ever owned!

You need at least 500 yds and some steel to enjoy it, at 100yds it's a waste.

Under 1,000 yards , why even bother with a 50 ? Just get a .308 and save yourself a heap of $$$ on ammo.

I couldn't ever see shooting a 50 indoors , at 25 yards. 50 cal handgun PERHAPS , but a 50 cal rifle ? What they have for a backstop on that range ? 10 inches of M500 ?

I've thought about it, and looked some over. My son (who of course is totally objective on the subject--yeah) thinks I should get one. We do have the space out here. And I would really love to have either it or a semiauto Ma Deuce mounted on the ATV.

But other than the brag factor I think it would be a tall order to keep it fed and get the full potential out of it.

That kind of money will buy an awful lot of components for what I already have and use.

But if one got left on the doorstep I suspect I would take it in and find a place to put it.

.338 lapua IMHO

http://www.snipercentral.com/338.htm