MachIVshooter
Member
It's illegal to produce a firearm that is over .50 cal. desert eagle had to re-do the .50ae because the bullet expanded past .50 in the grooves of the rifeling. Only muzzleloaders may be over .50 since the black powder rifles are not considered a "firearm" by the ATF
When Whilden first designed the .50AE, it used .510" bullets like the .50 BMG. It was originally a straight-walled case. However, production Desert Eagles were made with polygonal rifling, instead of L&G like the prototype. A poly rifled bore that will accomodate .510" bullets allows the DD bore gauge to fall through. Thus, the cartridge was redesigned, given a body taper to accept .500" bullets.
DD is determined by whether or not the gauge falls through. Has nothing to do with diameter of a fired bullet.