Cheeseybacon
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- Aug 24, 2006
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I've been thinking about investing in a .50 BMG of some type for a while now. Just out of curiosity are there any other alternatives out there that are similar to .50 BMG?
Alternatives to .50 BMG?
- Thread starter Cheeseybacon
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MatthewVanitas
Member
SSK builds rifles in .50 Peacekeeper. Allegedly almost as good as the BMG, but in a smaller platform and with less recoil:
http://www.sskindustries.com/50.htm
-MV
http://www.sskindustries.com/50.htm
-MV
Outlaws
Member
Are you worried about the financial issues with jumping into the BMG or are you just wondering what else is available?
There is the .408 CheyTac, the .416 Barrett, and if you want to get further from the huge ones but still much more than most magnums, there is the .338 Lapua.
The .510 DTC is basically a BMG but enough case difference to avoid the California ban. No reason to get into that unless you plan on moving there soon.
There is the .408 CheyTac, the .416 Barrett, and if you want to get further from the huge ones but still much more than most magnums, there is the .338 Lapua.
The .510 DTC is basically a BMG but enough case difference to avoid the California ban. No reason to get into that unless you plan on moving there soon.
Tony Williams
Member
El Tejon
Member
Right then, chumley, you have to pay the NFA tax as those are Title II, which is cricket but he may not want to go down that road.
Cheesey, what exactly is it that you wish to do with this weapon? Anti-material? Shoot woodchucks at 1,000 yards? Just to have?
Answer that question, then I think we can help more effectively.
Cheesey, what exactly is it that you wish to do with this weapon? Anti-material? Shoot woodchucks at 1,000 yards? Just to have?
Answer that question, then I think we can help more effectively.
Joe Demko
Member
Chumley
ET,
The name commonly rendered as "Chumley" on this side of the Atlantic is correctly spelled Cholmondeley. This is just another example of how those bloody English have yet to learn to speak and write proper American. You'd think after we saved their fannies from the Jerries (twice) that they could be bothered to do that much.
JD
ET,
The name commonly rendered as "Chumley" on this side of the Atlantic is correctly spelled Cholmondeley. This is just another example of how those bloody English have yet to learn to speak and write proper American. You'd think after we saved their fannies from the Jerries (twice) that they could be bothered to do that much.
JD
db_tanker
Member
As MatthewVanitas suggests, there is the SSK offering the 50 Peacekeeper, as well as the 500 A-Square...both use the 460 Weatherby case...then there is the 500 Phantom...its in the new COTW 11th edition and it looks to be kinda neat...can run out of a modified AR-10 using the basic lower and AR-10 mags...
SSK also offers the 510 Whisper...based off of a 338 Lapua case...
Of course, then there is all of the 50 cal Winchester and Sharps offerings that are becoming somewhat more popular to play with....a 50-140 Winchester Express would be a nifty rifle to show up at the range with...
D
SSK also offers the 510 Whisper...based off of a 338 Lapua case...
Of course, then there is all of the 50 cal Winchester and Sharps offerings that are becoming somewhat more popular to play with....a 50-140 Winchester Express would be a nifty rifle to show up at the range with...
D
Medusa
Member
Why not consider the .338 LM too? it is smaller than .50 BMG, though, but isn't less powerful for anti-personnell use. It's supposed to be more accurate too. Sniper manual says it's effective out to 1800 m, is going transsonic at ~1200m and is overkill within 500 m.
dispatch55126
Member
You might also want to look at the .50 Beowulf. Its based off the AR15 with new upper and barrel.
50 Shooter
member
I don't think anyone has received their .416 from Barrett yet and if they have there hasn't been any online reviews that I've seen.
The .50 pacemaker to me is a waste of money, your going to spend more on the rifle then a regular .50 BMG. If you want a JDJ offering go with the 14.5mm JDJ round, it's a .50 BMG case blown out to 14.5mm. http://www.sskindustries.com/14_5.htm
The other issue here is money, you can get a good .50 for under 3K. Then you have to think about the ammo, surplus for the .50 is cheap compared to other ammo. It's when you get into match ammo it becomes costly ($5+ each) to shoot. Most guys just want to plink so buying surplus or reloading surplus components is cheap and cheaper.
The prices on surplus stuff like brass and projo's has been going up because 1) more people have been buying .50's 2) more people have started to reload for the .50 to keep the cost down 3) there are people out there that think because you own a .50 you're made of money and lastly 4) some people think that the surplus stuff is made of gold and suckers will pay anything for once fired M2 brass.
The .50 pacemaker to me is a waste of money, your going to spend more on the rifle then a regular .50 BMG. If you want a JDJ offering go with the 14.5mm JDJ round, it's a .50 BMG case blown out to 14.5mm. http://www.sskindustries.com/14_5.htm
The other issue here is money, you can get a good .50 for under 3K. Then you have to think about the ammo, surplus for the .50 is cheap compared to other ammo. It's when you get into match ammo it becomes costly ($5+ each) to shoot. Most guys just want to plink so buying surplus or reloading surplus components is cheap and cheaper.
The prices on surplus stuff like brass and projo's has been going up because 1) more people have been buying .50's 2) more people have started to reload for the .50 to keep the cost down 3) there are people out there that think because you own a .50 you're made of money and lastly 4) some people think that the surplus stuff is made of gold and suckers will pay anything for once fired M2 brass.
rockstar.esq
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Range being a consideration if you're looking at a .50BMG the Beowulf 50 is a terrible terrible substitute. Despite the hype the Beowulf is about on par with a 20 guage slug. The drop at 300 yards is excessive and the projectile's a glorified handgun bullet. I for one have seen a .338 Lapua Magnum in the capable hands of THR member Raydog making sub 1/4MOA shots at 1,100 yards! From what I can tell, the .338 Lapua Mag isn't cheaper to feed but it's typically chambered only in rifles intended for serious precision. Kind of like the 6MMBR isn't often found at the local gunshop but has a well earned rep for precision. If it's a consideration there are suppressors for either caliber however I'm thinking that the .338 Lapua Mag suppressor was more effective.
.50 Beowulf is meant to provide 45-70 level firepower in an AR (like the .458 SOCOM and .499 Leitner-Wise). It is not meant to be a long range proposition. The .416 Barrett and the .408(?) CheyTac would fit the bill but I have yet to hear from anyone who actually owns one. The .338 Lapua actually has real world data to back it up, so I would consider it if I were in your position. Just be careful using it against mall security in case Gecko45 is working that day.
Myself, I really want an AR-50 and an Alexander Arms Entry Model in .50 Beowulf, as well as a Freedom Arms 83 in .500 Wyoming Express.
...but I digress. .338 Lapua.
gp911
Myself, I really want an AR-50 and an Alexander Arms Entry Model in .50 Beowulf, as well as a Freedom Arms 83 in .500 Wyoming Express.
...but I digress. .338 Lapua.
gp911
If you just want a fun rock smasher you can neck up to 12 gauge from hell on any 50BMG action.See Ed's big thread down the page.Uses a 12 ga sized rim screwed on to straight wall BMG brass. Gets a 1000gn bullet out to 3200fps, 12ga sabots to 4000fps, and can fire regular 12ga shotshells(making it a 12ga shotgun in the laws eyes).
Karl.
Karl.
Tony Williams
Member
Cheeseybacon
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- 246
El Tejon said:
To answer your question, I'm not honestly sure now. At first I sorta wanted a .50 BMG mostly for the coolness factor, owning a monster caliber gun with insane capability seemed pretty neat and I also thought it would be appropriate to have at least one "evil" gun in my possession before the inevitable AWB 2.0 rears it's ugly head. I also figured that if another ban rolls around, pre-ban .50 BMGs would probably fetch a decent little chunk of change if I ever fell on hard times and decided to sell it, so it would be an investment of sorts too.
Sadly, the only range in my area is 400 yards long, so I don't know how feasible it would be to shoot the thing. I'd probably only get to shoot it once or twice a year in an area with sufficient distance when a friend of mine has a party at his farm/summer home. That's sorta why I was interested in the alternatives to the .50 BMG, something still wicked and uber beasty that I can use to obliterate rocks and concrete blocks, etc from long distance, but also something that I don't feel that I'm wasting the potential of because I'm shooting at less than 1000 yards.
El Tejon
Member
A range toy then. Get a single shot 99: http://www.barrettrifles.com/rifles/rifles_99.htm
Buy lots of ammo as well. Politicians fear this gun tremendously.
Buy lots of ammo as well. Politicians fear this gun tremendously.
Last edited:
Cheeseybacon
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- Aug 24, 2006
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Limo stopper? As in armored presidential limo?
A .50 BMG is honestly THAT powerful?
A .50 BMG is honestly THAT powerful?
Fred Fuller
Moderator Emeritus
Cheesy,
All I can say is, go for it if you can afford it. 400 yards is enough to work out a .50 and yourself as a shooter with it if all you want to do is have fun. If you aren't going to be shooting formal competition, get one of the 'carbine' versions of the uppers that fit on an AR15 lower. With a shorter barrel it's a little more wieldy, and not so much hassle to move around and store.
I just took delivery of a 22" barreled upper from Walter Keller at Safety Harbor Firearms, and decided to go ahead and get one of his new single shot lowers to build it on rather than using a conventional AR lower. Overall length of the complete upper including muzzle brake is 35 3/4" and weight with no sights etc. is about 14 pounds. It'll take down (after it's built up) the same way the upper and lower receivers separate on an AR, by punching two pins, and the longest part will still be less than a yard long.
And the thing is a piece of art- excellent design, incredible metalwork as far as the machine work, fabrication, welding etc. is concerned. I am really looking forward to getting this one to the range, and my wife can hardly wait as well.
Essentially there's nothing else exactly like shooting a .50, and if you want one and can manage it financially that's enough reason to get it IMHO. It was enough for me anyway- even though it meant selling off all my .30-06s (one Garand and two bolt guns) to manage getting it. And you can reload for it too... 8^).
lpl/nc
All I can say is, go for it if you can afford it. 400 yards is enough to work out a .50 and yourself as a shooter with it if all you want to do is have fun. If you aren't going to be shooting formal competition, get one of the 'carbine' versions of the uppers that fit on an AR15 lower. With a shorter barrel it's a little more wieldy, and not so much hassle to move around and store.
I just took delivery of a 22" barreled upper from Walter Keller at Safety Harbor Firearms, and decided to go ahead and get one of his new single shot lowers to build it on rather than using a conventional AR lower. Overall length of the complete upper including muzzle brake is 35 3/4" and weight with no sights etc. is about 14 pounds. It'll take down (after it's built up) the same way the upper and lower receivers separate on an AR, by punching two pins, and the longest part will still be less than a yard long.
And the thing is a piece of art- excellent design, incredible metalwork as far as the machine work, fabrication, welding etc. is concerned. I am really looking forward to getting this one to the range, and my wife can hardly wait as well.
Essentially there's nothing else exactly like shooting a .50, and if you want one and can manage it financially that's enough reason to get it IMHO. It was enough for me anyway- even though it meant selling off all my .30-06s (one Garand and two bolt guns) to manage getting it. And you can reload for it too... 8^).
lpl/nc
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