I kind of break it down like this. People ask me why it's ok to allow .50 BMG rifles in the hands of civilians, and after I remind that rights need not be justified by showing a need, I tell them to look at it from a practicality standpoint. The vast majority of Criminals neither need nor want one, because the process of learning how to use one effectively takes so much time and money, it isn't worth it to them. For new guys who think they are cool and want one, I challenge them to first master .30 cal rifles. If you don't know what you are doing with a 300 win mag out to 800 meters or more, there's not much reason to be playing with a .50. All game, including elephants, can be taken effectively with much smaller rounds.
My opinion. What the heck do I know?
Size is not a myth...it is real...I handled several time the same rifle you show in the pic and that shot standing is something that, you can do...once....or lugging it around.
This one can be fired from normal shooting positions
It is obvious that it is not a gun for you. But that does not mean that the rest of us have your limitations. I plan on taking some pigs in the fall with mine. While I will be shooting from a stand, I don't expect any issues.
No idea what this means. Data is data; you can argue what the 50BMG was designed for but the reality is that most of the "issue" sniper rifles for this cartridge have approx 27-31" barrels and the ballistics achieved by these rifles are well known.Ballistic data for the 50 BMG is intended for 45" barrels....
No idea what this means. Data is data;
I merely posted that photo to show what "could" be done, not what would be a good idea.
Read my post a little more carefully. I posted the weight in my prior post, .
I don't really understand this thread's opening question - it should be nonsensical to anyone who has handled .50BMG cartridges or fired the rifles. The .50BMG cartridge is used most "in the real world" for shooting vehicles and materiel at medium, long, and ultra long distances. The cartridge is intrinsically good at this because of the bore size and the bullet BC values that are possible and the case capacity of the cartridge in relation to the bore size, which enables long-range use. It is only a "good" hunting cartridge to the extent that such "hunting" resembles shooting vehicles at long range-- which is not much. A cartridge designed to shoot heavy, deep-penetrating bullets at close range (within the point-blank range of the cartridge) will look a lot different than the .50BMG - and not coincidentally the canonical African dangerous game cartridges do not resemble it.
The .50BMG cartridge is used most "in the real world" for shooting vehicles and materiel at medium, long, and ultra long distances.