50 BMG Rifles - Stats on Hunting?

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RPCVYemen

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Does anyone have a source of reliable stats on hunting uses of 50 BMG Rifles?

I poked around the Fifty Caliber site, and will do more research there, but I am interested in the numbers of numbers of hunters who use 50 BMG rifles, and what game they hunt.

I had assumed that the 50 BMG was not used for hunting, and some folks who know more about hunting than I do have assured me that 50 BMG are used for things like long distance elk hunting.

Thanks,

Mike
 
I don't think you're going to find a number by number stat on the amount of hunters that use a .50 BMG. People have and do use .50 BMG rifles for hunting where it's legal.

Here's some reading, the first of which is about a couple that hunts alot and uses a .50 in some of their hunts.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/photo...here-shooting-and-hunting-50-caliber-browning

Here are some others.
http://www.riflebarrels.com/articles/50calibre/chuck_hunting.htm
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2007/10/11/50-bmg-hunting/
http://longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/bison-375-cheytac-50-bmg-26971/
http://www.anzioironworks.com/Anzio-Hunting-Photos.htm
 
i supose you could use one for hunting where legal (if there is someplace). and i guess, if i owned one, i would be looking for a way to legitimize my owning one. but there are some problems using it for a hunting rifle.
1) it is a lot of rifle to lug around, i mean an average rifle weights what, 30-40 pounds? unless it is mounted to your jeep, or you are built like swartzenegger used to be, they really are not much on mobility.
2) you would have to only shoot at a target (animal) with a good solid backstop. unless you are talking an elephant, and hitting it just right, there is no other animal on the planet that would stop one of those projectiles. actually, an elephant might not even do it. and these things have so much energy, that the bullet could go another 1/2 mile or more after passing through an elk, caribou, moose, grizzley, lion, cape buffalo, hippo, rhino, etc., etc. etc. how are you going to be absoloutly certain that there is nobody downrange for that far.
3) it is one expensive hunting rifle. even if you only shot a few shells a year. which is not something i would reccomend anyone do, even that would be expensive.
4) really, to be a good enough shot at a half mile (or more) with one, you are going to have to shoot a lot. again, the expense, and where are you going to target practice that has a 1 mile target range with a good backstop. i have nothing against them, in fact, i would love to shoot one. but really, a hunting rifle? when the mother ship from another galaxy comes, we will be calling you! really, i am not trying to upset you, but a 50 bmg (bad mutha gun) at least in my eyes, just isnt my idea of a hunting rifle.
 
Thanks for the info. I appreciate the backstop info, and the advice. I am less interested in hunting with a 50 BM myself than I am in demonstrating that other folks do in fact hint a 50 BMG.

Mike
 
Don't forget to include target shooting. Hunting is not the only use for a non self defensive use.
 
Another negative is that the meat would likely be ruined by the 50 cal round. In Africa where they hunt the largest and most dangerous game they don't use 50 cal. If you are being charged by a cape buffalo, the last thing in the world you want is a 30 pound rifle.
 
my fifty weighs 22lbs.

i mean an average rifle weights what, 30-40 pounds
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you would have to only shoot at a target (animal) with a good solid backstop. unless you are talking an elephant, and hitting it just right, there is no other animal on the planet that would stop one of those projectiles. actually, an elephant might not even do it. and these things have so much energy, that the bullet could go another 1/2 mile or more after passing through an elk, caribou, moose, grizzley, lion, cape buffalo, hippo, rhino, etc., etc. etc. how are you going to be absoloutly certain that there is nobody downrange for that far.
Click to expand...

You must be forgetting about gravity. It causes things to drop rapidly. You won't get a lot of lateral travel unless you aim up high enough, much higher than if you were aiming for an animal.
 
Who in the hell would shoot an elk with a .50 BMG?! :scrutiny: This is not a really a hunting round. Aircraft, vehicle (armored or otherwise), bad-guys behind cement walls, etc. Not elk though...I actually doubt this is legal in a state. Of course, if you needed to shoot through a tree in order to hit the elk, then it makes perfect sense...
 
It is certainly legal in Nebraska. Weight of the rifle is not a problem, as I set up and don't go traipsing around through the woods. In states that are sparsely populated, it is not that big of a deal, in any direction in front of me the closest house is about 17 miles. As far as ruining the meat, there isn't much meat on a deers head.

As far as the question of cost, that is all relative. This rifle is not expensive to buy and shoot if you have enough money.
 
I lose track of how long, but some ten or fifteen years back a few .50 folks set up with elaborate range finders to shoot elk at around a thousand yards. Don't quote me, but I think it was in Montana, and the game department regulated against the use of the .50. For them, as with many hunters, such tactics seem to violate the "spirit of hunting". (Let's DON'T get into that argument, please; I'm merely giving the department's reasoning.)

Since the vast majority of all game are killed within some 300 to 400 yards (mostly well inside that), the .50 is well beyond "necessity". :)

My own view about such hunting is that "less" wind drift does not mean "no" wind drift--and the ethics of hunting demand a clean kill. If others are consistently successful in ethical kills, that's their business and not mine; it's just not my deal.
 
HGUNHNTR, what exactly is the appeal in that? I am nothing against the .50 BMG and I think anyone should have the right to own one. In fact, I don't think there should be any gun laws, literally. However, I am also an avid hunter. Not looking to start a battle with you or anyone else based on, "I do it because I can," what is the point. I mean, go ahead and tear into me, but give me real reasons why something like that appeals to you. It sounds a little intense, but also seems like it would be very limiting. I'm really trying to figure this out. Is there a head left (do you shoot bucks). Is that all you hunt deer with? I don't know, something about this is really bizarre...and I'm someone who thinks we should be able to own machine guns and silencers! What are your feelings about RPG's for grizzlies?:eek:
 
it is a lot of rifle to lug around, i mean an average rifle weights what, 30-40 pounds?
Click to expand...
Treestand and pulleys? (Climbing in to a treestand with that would be very dangerous.)

Or, I could launch my new Barret fitness program! Carrying that rifle around hunting will get you in to shape or give you heat stroke in no time! :neener:

RPCVYemen, have you tried calling or e-mailing the fifty caliber shooter's association?
 
jerkface wrote:

Isn't that cute RPC is trying to justify .50bmg to his anti buddies.
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Hey, at least this time around he sounds like he is talking to AHSA about changing THEIR position rather than talking to us about AHSA and asking US to change OUR position.


Bottom line:


As a hunter, I'll say this....

HUNTING is NOT what the 2nd Amendment is about. And Heller clarified that recently.

ANY organization that believes that the 2nd Amendment should be defined primarily by its hunting application is an ANTI organization in that they have NO understanding of the 2nd Amendment.

A hunting organization can talk about what calibers are best for taking game, but NOT what calibers should be legal to OWN.

As of now, the AHSA IS an ANTI gun organization as long as they even use the thought process that they currently use.

Because of their positions on the AWB (IIRC) and this .50 caliber issue, I have NO confidence that even a written change of opinion would be genuine.

It's a toes-up organization as far as I am concerned.


-- John
 
This is a thread to help me gather stats about hunting with 50 BMG rifles to help me persuade folks who don't believe that the 50 BMG is used for hunting that they are wrong.

The original responses - particularly the Field and Stream article - was extremely helpful.

Please PM me about other topics - or start your own thread. :)

Mike
 
and I say it again...

Any organization that defines the RKBA only around hunting and seeks to ban what they do not view as a "hunting" rifle IS an anti-gun organization.


Rather than trying to convince them that the .50 BMG IS a hunting rifle, why not convince them that the RKBA ISN'T defined by hunting.

Their entire foundation of thought is wrong...


No suprise there... not after reading their site for the last 1/2 hour.


I gotta get me one of those "Pro-Gun: Pro-Obama" bumperstickers they they give out free when you join.


-- John
 
It's an anti-gun group. He won't convince them of anything. Why not convince the Sierra Club that logging is a good idea? Or explain how baby seals make nice coats to PETA?
 
ok guys. any more discussion of AHSA or politics etc in this forum will get the thread locked. if you have something to contribute to the 50bmg for hunting OP, please do so
 
If I was rich enough to own and buy ammo for a 50BMG, I'd take whitetails from my porch all season long.

Meat damage? Yeah, but so will my 300 Win Mag, which many of you think is "over-kill" for deer.

Over-kill does not exist, you can't kill anything too dead. If it'll kill it, use it. If it'll blow it in half from a mile away, less tracking and lighter to load in the truck.
 
Does anyone know how to get a list of states that do/do not allow hunting with 50 BMG. It would be very nice to be able to make a statement like "Modern 50 BMG rifles are used for hunting - in fact 27 states allow hunting with 50 BMG rifles."

Thanks,

Mike
 
I saw a post where it stated the hunting laws in one state (can't remember which one) had a weight restriction!! The rifle couldn't weigh more than 13 pounds or something. That would include the majority of the 50 BMG rifles.
 
If I was rich enough to own and buy ammo for a 50BMG
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This is an example of another misconception about the .50 BMG. Compared to small, popular rounds the 50 seems a little more expensive. I have purchased the majority of my rounds at less than $2 a round. Now I also note the better quality rounds go for about $5 each. Compare that to any dangerous game round, a good portion of Weatherby's ammo and you will find it not that unreasonable. Have you priced .340 Weatherby lately? It's over $120 a box at Gander Mountain!


you would have to only shoot at a target (animal) with a good solid backstop
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I sure hope you do this anyway no matter what you are shooting!!

Most of these posts sound like they came from the same people who got the round banned in California, and are working on it in New Jersey. People wake up, it's only the largest legal round until it gets banned, then something else becomes the largest legal round. So on and so on until we are left with our .177 pellet guns.
 
yes, but the weatherby ammo would be legal for use in hunting a fmj round would not. not sure if anyone makes an expanding bullet for the 50 bmg.
 
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