Goofy Big Bore Rebated Rim Assault Cartridges

[abliving1]

As a nearly three decade full-auto and dangerous game rifle enthusiast, I guess I have developed a very low tolerance for "silly" when it comes to firearms and the cartridges they fire. Once I hit 50 next year will probably officially fall into the “old curmudgeon” category. That said, recently there has been a plethora of goofy cartridges with silly names hit the market that just grate on my sensibilities. While I am thankful to the video generation (under 35s) for maintaining our tradition of firearms ownership, the proliferation of cheap black guns and the new oddball, stubby, rebated tiny rim cartridges is diluting the otherwise improving quality of firearms and cartridges, kind of like the ugly and inexpensive plastic Glocks have dominated the civilian market share over their much higher quality but pricier peers. Don’t get me wrong--I am an aficionado of good quality select fire assault rifles and own several H&K full autos in several calibers, but when I see these stubby ridiculous-looking cartridges like the .50 Beowulf, .458 SOCOM or 300 AAC Blackout and hear their names, I cringe. Even the .408 Chey-Tac sounds silly. The .50 and the .458 were designed so that owners of cheap ARs could fire these cartridges on the same platform as their 223s, but in so doing generated cartridges that look quite queer. Design the rifle around the cartridge, not the cartridge around the rifle, and if the cartridge requires a larger bolt face, then do it instead of mutating what would be a normal-looking cartridge into something that looks ridiculous. I was at the range last week and the young man in the lane next to me was having a lot of jamming problems with his AR. He asked me what I was spraying bullets with. I told him “a G3 in .308 and an MP-5 in 9mm”. Simple and masculine. To be polite, I returned the question and he replied, “It’s a Rock River in .50 Beowulf”. I acknowledged with a smile and a nod, but cringed inside. I thought to myself, “Beowulf???? Really?????” If shot with one I would probably die of embarrassment before I bled to death. These cartridges are kind of like Matt Damon. A decent actor, but not really believable as a tough guy!

 

[Sam Cade]

The tone of this thread is decidedly NON-THR.

For that reason I am going to give it a swift and painless death before the cancer spreads.

 

[dogtown tom]

Elitist troll or just a troll?

abliving1 I am an aficionado of good quality select fire assault rifles and own several H&K full autos in several calibers...

Good for you.

The .50 and the .458 were designed so that owners of cheap ARs could fire these cartridges on the same platform as their 223s,

Oh, the horror........those cheap AR's can use multiple calibers? The nerve of them. And to think they spend less than you.

but in so doing generated cartridges that look quite queer.

And the point is?

Design the rifle around the cartridge, not the cartridge around the rifle, and if the cartridge requires a larger bolt face, then do it instead of mutating what would be a normal-looking cartridge into something that looks ridiculous.

Uh, no thank you. I think it's wonderful that people experiment with what will work through an AR.

I was at the range last week and the young man in the lane next to me was having a lot of jamming problems with his AR. He asked me what I was spraying bullets with. I told him “a G3 in .308 and an MP-5 in 9mm”. Simple and masculine.

Seriously? a 9mm subgun is "masculine"? Dude, you need a BAR to be masculine.

To be polite, I returned the question and he replied, “It’s a Rock River in .50 Beowulf”. I acknowledged with a smile and a nod, but cringed inside. I thought to myself, “Beowulf???? Really?????” If shot with one I would probably die of embarrassment before I bled to death.

It makes him happy, what business is it of yours?

These cartridges are kind of like Matt Damon. A decent actor, but not really believable as a tough guy!

You need to shoot at live targets, not just paper. The .50 beowolf is an excellent hunting round.

 

[Sam Cade]

Whoops.

Sorry guys, I accidentally re-opened this one.