Let's talk .50 BMG rifles

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savetheclaypigeons

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I'm kicking around the idea of saving for a .50 bmg bolt action for a range toy and maybe a little hunting :what: :D . I am having a lot of problems finding basic information on everything associated with the subject. Could anyone point me towards articles, message boards, threads on here? that would help in investigating where my $ should go? I"m in college and money isn't very easy to come by, but they just look so darn neat! I've done some reasearch and am leaning towards building off of a ar-15 lower, but don't have anything to go on. Know of Bohica and Armalite which cater to that, but really am in the dark on this one.
 
biggerhammer.net and the fifty cal shooters assoc (FCSA) along with their Very High Power magazine are the places to go for info
 
If you want an upper for an AR lower you can get the BOHICA like you mentioned. There's also the Ferret50 from Spider Firearms, the ALS, Safety Harbor Firearms and the Ultralite50. Out of all of these, the Safety Harbor is the only mag fed upper.

It all comes down to how much you want to pay to play.:)
 
I would recommend shooting one before you commit to buying one. Depending on the setup, there can be a massive amount of recoil :eek:
 
Though there are those that hunt with .50 BMG's, there are very few situations that another choice of rifles wouldn't be the better choice. I wouldn't consider using mine for anything other than target use. FCSA is a little pricey on the membership side of things but if you want dedicated .50 BMG information this is the place to be. When you're spending thousands on a rifle the membership fee is a drop in the bucket. There are few things that are any more fun to shoot including full autos.
 
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kingjoey I would recommend shooting one before you commit to buying one. Depending on the setup, there can be a massive amount of recoil
Click to expand...
My 12ga kicks way harder then my AR-50 did, The Muzzle brake was highly effective. I miss my fifty. :(
 
FCSA is a little pricey on the membership side of things
Click to expand...

Membership is 40/year. Includes the mag, patch and sticker and like the NRA, FCSA is very active in trying to keep the 50 from being banned.
 
Renewing this topic - I'm also in the market for a .50 BMG.

Would an upper for an AR lower be a good way to go...

Or a designated system like Barrett?
 
When I shot a 50 a couple years ago, it was the most fun
that I have ever had with a firearm. The blast and slap in the face
was so great that I didn't even think about the recoil. Nothing else
compares!:D
 
i have 2 ar50's and reload for both.

here is my views. i dont mean to offend anybodyu but here it goes.

First off.... FIND a range that will let you shoot it there. ALOT of ranges ban the 50.
i understand about having little spare cash. FSCA is good but i was not "overwhelmed" with info for the 40 bucks. ar15.com has a decent section for 50's under the armory. I agree with the above that you need to fire one FIRST. my friend wanted one since he was a boy but after firing mine he decided aginst it. go to a match, machinegun shoot, etc FIRST.

Start reloading ASAP. this will save you the most money in the 50 world.
remember EVERYthing is bigger, presses, dies, primers, bullets, ammo carriers,etc.

Most plinking rounds will be about a buck -1.25 a ROUND if you reload in bulk.
match rounds will cost upward of $4+.

OPTICS.....there are very few optics that will last on a 50 or so i was told.
most people will drop 1000+ on nightforce or US optics but my supersniper and burris have held up fine over 400rnds+. make sure the scope has a no nonscense Warrenty. you wiill need it, sooner or later you will need it.

As far a rifles go, the uppers for ar15 are nive but you WILL wait on them. about a year last i head but i dont keep up with things lately. the ar50 is a great gun, accurate, and avaliable but the weight and lenght are cumbersome to hunt with. at 36-40 lbs and 60-61" long they are not THAT portable. a barrett 99 is more portable gun but less accurate. it all depends on what ou want to do with it .


pm me if you have anymore questions.
 
The 50 uppers are a good trade off if you don't want to buy a complete rifle. I would suggest buying a lower that you could dedicate to just the upper as there's more to it then just slapping it onto a lower.
 
State Arms is one of the better .50's out there, many have won at the matches. The current owner is a top notch guy and will help you out with any questions.
 
do people relay hunt game with a 50 cal? and what kinda game? or is it just a target rifle? MA deuce. what a great machine
 
"do people relay hunt game with a 50 cal?"

Yes, but mostly they have to hunt for it after they take the shot.

Tim
 
Thanks Savetheclaypigeons for starting this thread... if you hadn't i would have, since i'm haveing the same internal discussion. My options are focussed on a ballance of accuracy as well as (equally important) affordability, so my search has pointed to the following firearms in .50 BMG:

The state Arms Rebel, for the reasons previously mentioned by 50 shooter
The Bluegrass Armory Viper XL 50
The Serbu BFG 50
The LAR Grizzly

This is just my want list, as I have no first-hand knowledge yet. I've also found some info here:

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2981894&userid=42919
 
The .50 just seems like one of those guns to me that if you have to even think about the cost then it's time to move on. They look like fun though.
 
I joined a gun club last year, and went to check out the ranges at "the ranch". Went to look over the high-power rifle range (out to 600 yards) and there was a guy there shooting an AR-50. I hadn't fired a rifle of any kind in over 30 years, so when he offered it to me I jumped on it!

He gave me three rounds of a/p to shoot at an 18"x18"x1" steel plate at 600 yards, and I hit it all 3 times. I have no idea what kind of scope he had, but it was a good 'un. Whole package was rock-solid and very stable, I couldn't believe how easy it was to hold on-target at that distance.

Man, that was a FUN rifle to shoot! I'd love to have one, but mucho $$$$$ for me. And I didn't think the recoil was bad at all, but the muzzle blast and shock wave was pretty intense. I've also fired a full-auto M2 since then, and the two guns are totally different.
 
How does a .50 BMG round even fit in through the magazine well of an AR?

Edit: Never mind, it makes the AR into a bolt rifle.
 
How does a .50 BMG round even fit in through the magazine well of an AR?
Click to expand...

LOL, it does not go in there. Most of the .50 upper guns operate like any other bolt action gun, and you place it in the side, one round at a time.
 
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