The auctioneer claims that it is only one of twelve built and the only other known example resides at the Ford Benning sniper school. Within the United Kingdom, it is legal to own a bolt action .50 BMG rifle with a section 1 Firearms Certificate. It has a ballistic coefficient of .730. [32] Applications requesting firearms in this caliber are assessed by the same criteria as smaller calibers; with the applicant having to prove they have a valid reason for owning such a weapon. So when game time comes make sure you are ready and enjoy the accuracy of Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition! We are not huge advocates of its use in hunting, but if you have the desire to take it to the field, your biggest concern is how it flies, in which case check out the next section. It has a diameter of .50 inches, with a casing length of 99 mm and an overall length of 138 mm. Its because 90% of their shots are coming at 250 yards or less. Huge bullets with enough powder to send them downrange at supersonic speeds are going to produce enough kick to knock you down. . We have done our best to remove any that have major damage, but individual opinions may vary on what . Various ammunition is also available to allow firing with lower quality bullets. During operation or simply game shootings, it can make a significant wound in cases of accidents. I highly recommend him and his product. The cartridges have two separate links of the machine gun selected. Get gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and updates on law changes, daily! Both of these cartridges are capable of accuracy at extreme distances, and both have enormous stopping power. Most of the cluster around the same amount of energy, but there is some variation. Receive exclusive gun deals once a week and all our great reviews right in your inbox. The email address you entered is not valid. From a hunting perspective, the advertised ballistic data confirms that all three cartridges have both the necessary sectional density (SD) and initial muzzle energy for both medium and large game hunting applications. Your information will never be shared and you can unsubscribe with one click at anytime. The minimum SD for hunting large game is .250. The Heat Shield tip on the ELD Match bullet creates the perfect meplat and outperforms BTHP bullets. The biggest issue we have with the 50 BMG is the sheer weight of the rifle. These ballistic coefficient values are said to be accurate to within about 5%. My problem is that the upper came with a 30 minute rail. I agree with Michael. And this is simplifying the topic since we are leaving out expansion, which is also going to play a role in penetration. We have no desire to act as a moral compass, you do what you want, but the arguments are out there, and we wanted to address it. As you can imagine, the bigger the game, the more energy you are going to need to cause enough damage for a clean kill. No spam. You make up some cartridges and we'll do some shooting. G1 Ballistic Coefficient Must be between 0.001 and 1.0. You would be surprised how many of them have never given their rounds BC a thought. [4] The Barrett M82 rifle was developed during the 1980s and, along with later variants, has upgraded the anti-materiel power of the military sniper. Dont let the comparison to the 50BMG throw off your judgment as to what this cartridge can do. To be able to push such large bullets to speeds that make them useful is going to take a good deal of powder and both have the casings to hold it. Military Applications: Note: We have selected two different 50 BMG loads to demonstrate here. They are easily portable to shoot at great ranges with destructive forces. Before we get into our comparisons, there is one more note that we would like to make. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesn't necessarily mean it is a better bullet. Three distinct and non-compatible metallic links have been used for .50 BMG cartridge belts. They have barrel shrouds and a compensator to keep the gun in level. They are intended mainly for long-range shooting. Again, this conclusions and estimates are based solely on the factory loads we have been examining here and the data that accompany them. Availability: Out of Stock. With ME of over 1,200ft.lb and and ME of over 5,000ft.lb at 1,000yds, there are no restrictions on the type of game you can hunt. While the muzzle energy of popular bullets such as 30-06 Springfield is less than 300-foot pound-force, the muzzle velocity of 50 BMG ranges between 10000 to 15000-foot pound-force. This calculator will produce a ballistic trajectory chart that shows the bullet drop, bullet energy, windage, and velocity. We also see that all rounds for both cartridges leave the muzzle at more than 2,500fps and maintain supersonic speeds out to the 1,000-yard mark. As far as availability goes for the 50 BMG vs 338 Lapua Magnum, both are going to be harder to come by then smaller, more traditional hunting and target cartridges. The less a bullet drops during its flight, the easier it is to make adjustments for longer distance shots. heres what ive seen on a ballistic calculator Trajectory Input Data Manufacturer: Hornady Description: A-Max Caliber: 0.510 in Weight: 750.0 gr Ballistic Coefficient: 1.050 G1 Muzzle Velocity: 2700.0 ft/s Distance to Chronograph: 10.0 ft Sight Height: 1.50 in Sight Offset: 0.00 in Since a .50 caliber bullet is manufactured with a solid metal surface and core, it is very powerful. With modern firearms, the majority of centerfire rifle cartridges can be tolerated with regards to the recoil. The range and terminal ballistics of the .338 LM were such that its use could fill several niches in civilian use including long range precision shooting and big game hunting. There is a very small circle of people out there who have turned to the 50BMG for hunting purposes. It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. The .50 BMG round can produce between 10,000 and 15,000 foot-pounds force (14,000 and 20,000J), depending on its powder and bullet type, as well as the weapon it is fired from. Cartridge dimensions The 50 BMG 12.7 99 NATO cartridge has a capacity of 290 grains H2O (19 ml). We suppose it all depends on the type of hunting you do, but if you plan on doing any spot and stalk, you better be in shape. To make it as accurate as possible, it is important that you input the most accurate information that represents shooting conditions, your firearm, and cartridge. It has a sectional density around 0.44, a ballistic coefficient around 1.13, and it's carrying less than 15,000 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. There are several variants of this 50 caliber round. Both cartridges have the velocity needed for long range shooting though the 50BMG seems to show slightly higher velocities and this gap between the cartridges widens as the rounds move downrange. Check TopScopesfor Barrett.50 Cal. [15], A common method for understanding the actual power of a cartridge is comparison of muzzle energies. The higher the number, the less drag the projectile will experience. The longest recorded kill using a .50 BMG was over 2 miles away. With its trajectory and energy and bullet design options there are no limits to the type of hunting you can do with it. Of course, how much penetration you need is going to depend on the game you are hunting. A lot of competitions wouldnt allow a .50 caliber round, but if you just enjoy taking shots upwards and beyond 1,000 yards, the 50 BMG is hard to beat. The purpose of this cartridge was to was to provide snipers with a long range round that had incredible terminal ballistics and could penetrate several layers of body armor at extreme distances. If we look at the sectional densities of the ten rounds we see that there is not a huge advantage to one cartridge over the other in this regard though the 50BMG cartridge does have two rounds above the .4 mark. [citation needed], The U.S. Coast Guard uses .50 BMG rifles onboard armed helicopters to disable the engines on boats during interdictions. There are two to three inches difference between the highest performing 50 BMG round and the highest 338 LM round. . Done (0.63 seconds). Different 50 caliber bullets are used for various purposes that have individual compositions. . Other than armed forces, civilians use this bullet round for target shooting and sports. . In regards to their BC a spitzer bullet has a high coefficient and is suitable for long-range shots, and the boattail spitzer is even superior making it one of the best bullets for long-range targets exceeding 1,000 yards. This justifies the strength of the snipers and their sturdy build for heavy operation. While this is important to understand, its equally important to remember that the SD, while a good means for comparing two cartridges, only tells part of the story when it comes to penetration. However, sectional density, the relationship between . Effect? Please let me know how it can be improved upon. A 290 grain 50 BMG is a relatively robust round. Subsequently, Frankford Arsenal took over from Winchester, producing the historic .50 BMG or 12.7x99 mm cartridge. Browning pondered the situation and, according to his son John, replied, 'Well, the cartridge sounds pretty good to start. Think of it paired with the energy of the bullet. When it comes to hunting, there are great options for the .338 LM. In certain aspects and certain situations, sure, there are cartridges better suited to the task than others. By doing this, perhaps we can tease apart in which situations one cartridge might be better suited over the other. Keep in mind this is an approximation and although it is quite accurate it should never replace first-hand experience of shooting your specific firearm and ammunition to determine the bullet drop and windage at different ranges and conditions. By adding trajectories to the panel on the right you may produce charts and graphs that show the different trajectories side by side. While it is one of the more expensive rounds on our list, you are paying for incredible performance that comes close to matching hand loaded rounds from the experts. Both are going to penetrate just about any hide or armor that is out there, its what they were designed to do, and we have seen from the velocities that they are going to speed and power behind them to get the job done. A very interesting and well written article by an educated man with a surprising background. And this is case when comparing most cartridges. It uses a boxer primer with a central ignition point. Use this ballistic calculator in order to calculate the flight path of a bullet given the shooting parameters that meet your conditions. Barnes Solid Bore Rider Bullets 50 BMG (510 Diameter) 750 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Box of 20 Developed to reduce pressures and allow higher velocities, this bullet is constructed of a homogenous metal throughout with no lead core or jacket to separate on impact. Get my premium 550+ pages handbook that compares all cartridges, for free (worth $199!) The 50 BMG rounds range from 72 to 87ft.lb of recoil energy. Federal Ammunition 50 BMG Ballistic Data. Ammunition is sold in 80-round cases. Get My Cartridge Comparison Handbook! Inside the cartridge consists of a core made of manganese molybdenum steel, a point filler, and a seal of the lead-antimony base. The gathered data regarding the projectile deceleration can be derived and expressed in several ways, such as ballistic coefficients (BC) or drag coefficients (C d). 300 yds. We also know that this bullet can enter very tough materials easily. For hunting, a lot of hunters want expansion to cause a larger wound and more damage. While the .50 BMG round is able to deliver accurate shot placement (if match grade ammunition is used) at ranges over 1,000-yard (910m), smaller caliber rifles produce better scores and tighter groups in 1,000-yard (910m) competitions. [36][37] California prohibits the private purchase of a rifle capable of firing the .50 BMG through the .50 Caliber BMG Regulation Act of 2004. Putting it all Together It answered a lot of my questions. These rounds are listed below. A ballistic coefficient is a value that is assigned to a bullet type to signify how well it can cut through the air. Retail Price: $478.50. The caliber depends on the barrel diameter bore of the bullets guns. And besides, were talking a .5 diameter wound size; you dont need a whole lot of expansion anyway if you want any meat left over. This data was taken from the standards used by the ballistic calculator for the .338 LM and the .50 BMG rounds. 400 yds. Hornady's original goal: "Ten bullets through one hole.". Sometimes, the wound may be fragile, but it may also get fatal. The first 50 BMG ammunition was the 13.2mm TuF to attack against armored targets. Be aware you may consider some of them unusable. The following improvements will be made: Please sign up for our newsletter so that you can be alerted the moment these new features are launched! Aaronthal Weapon Systems Besides military and police organizations, the .50 BMG has gained popularity in some civilian circles. A bull moose needs a bullet that can hold together and penetrate deeper than a bullet that is going to be used for whitetail. On the other hand, a 50 BMG is a type of 50 Caliber round. However, it is restricted in California. Hornady Match rifle ammunition is loaded with the most accurate, consistent match bullets in the world, featuring our AMP bullet jackets. You can find an email form and contact information here. Under STANAG 4383, it is a standard service cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. A custom-made 12/70 slug shell with a shortened .50 BMG tracer bullet for 12 gauge shotguns. [17] However, some other countries produce the ammunition with Berdan primers that have two flash holes. The.50 BMG is quite legal for buying without the need for a special license or process. Fillable and printable Ballistic Chart 2023. [42] Maryland imposes additional regulations on the sale and transfer of .50 BMG rifles and other "regulated firearms", and limits purchases of any firearm within this class to one per month, but does not impose registration requirements or any form of categorical ban.[37]. As we have done in previous sections, we are going to look at our ten selected rounds. I enjoyed reading it. Bullet: 661 gr M33 Ball Bullet Weight: 661 gr Bullet Diameter: 0.510 The projectiles are high quality hand pulled 647 grain M8 API projectiles which have been cleaned, resized, and inspected before loading. There is no doubt that both are designed exclusively for successful performances in the field. I'm Mike, one of the oldest writer of Sniper Country! This Ballistic is so strong that it can literally obliterate the point it touches within its effective shooting range. [35], In the United States, Washington, D.C. disallows registration of .50 BMG rifles, thus rendering civilian possession unlawful. It possesses the ballistic performance to reach out to game at a distance and still carries the energy needed to aid in bringing down big game cleanly. .510 diameter. The .30-06 Springfield, the standard caliber for American soldiers in both World Wars and a popular caliber amongst American hunters, can produce muzzle energies between 2,000 and 3,000 foot-pounds force (3,000 and 4,000J). This can be useful in comparing cartridges or loads. About the previous point, a clean kill means you are not going to have to track a wounded animal sometimes a couple hundred yards and possibly in the dark and cold. This calculator will produce a ballistic trajectory chart that shows the bullet drop, bullet energy, windage, and velocity. On 14 April 2001, 19-year old Senior Airman Jennifer Donaldson, from the Illinois Air National Guard, made history. Ballistic Coefficient: 0.62 Bullet Weight: 661 gr Initial Velocity: 2750 fps Sight Height : 3 in Shooting Angle: 0 Wind Speed: 0 mph Wind Angle: 0 Zero Range: 100 yd Chart Range: 2600 yd Maximum Range: 7169 yd Step Size: 50 yd International Standard Atmosphere Altitude: Sea Level (0 ft) Barometric Pressure: 29.92 Hg Temperature: 59 F . I want this to be the best ballistic trajectory calculator out there. Ammunition is sold in 80-round cases. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15in (380mm), with eight lands and grooves. To make it as accurate as possible, it is important that you input the most accurate information that represents shooting conditions, your firearm, and cartridge. Looking at it another way, if one is off by 5%, they're probably all off the same amount, making our comparison valid. [9] The former record for a confirmed long-distance kill was set by U.S. Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock in 1967 during the Vietnam War, at a distance of 2,090 meters (2,290yd; 1.30mi);[10] Hathcock used the .50 BMG in an M2 Machine Gun equipped with a telescopic sight. Both are considered powerful and unique bullet rounds. '"[5], The American Rifleman further explains that development was "[r]eputedly influenced by Germany's 13.2x92 mm SR (.53-cal.) Some notable companies that produce 50 BMG sniper rifles include Barrett Firearms, Accuracy International, Arms Tech Ltd, Armalite, Bushmaster, Desert Tech, Serbu Firearms, etc. A .50 BMG round can effectively disable a vehicle when fired into the engine block. If you check the Internet, it is very common to find 50 BMG Ball Ammo BC values in the 0.65 to 0.67 ranges. The max I have ever seen anyone run is around 3,000 and that is considered to be hot. When this is the case, we will be sure to make it clear what we are doing. Gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and news on law changes, every day! It has a large cartridge used in anti-material for longer ranges. The physics and theories behind the ballistic coefficient can get quite cluttered and complicated, though we highly recommend diving into the subject when you have the time. Both of these cartridges are going to produce a tremendous amount of recoil. [11] Before that, a British sniper in Afghanistan held the record at 2,475 meters (2,707yd; 1.538mi) using a .338 Lapua Magnum (8.5870mm) rifle. Where there are variables, we try to keep them as uniform as possible, but for some cases, it only makes sense to change these variables based on the cartridges. On the other hand, 50 BMG is one of the various types of 50 Cal. Calculating Trajectories . Ballistic Coefficient: 0.572 Diameter: 0.51" Material: Copper Length: 1.892" Features. The 50 BMG does have several rounds that break the .9 and even 1.0 mark, but the 338LM is nothing to scoff at either. [citation needed], In June 2017, a McMillan Tac-50 was used by a sniper with Canada's Joint Task Force 2 to kill an Islamic State insurgent in Iraq, setting the new world record for the longest confirmed kill shot in military history at 3,540 meters (3,870yd; 2.20mi). With extremely tight tolerances and strict quality control, all Hornady Match ammunition features superior lot-to-lot consistency. That all said, there are deals out there. You might be strictly a hunter or strictly a competition shooter, but the majority of us are a mixture of both. Your Savings: $43.50 (9%) 50 BMG M33 Ball Military Grade ammunition with a 660 Grain FMJ Bullet & Brass Case. Almost all rounds have a ballistic coefficient of less than 1.0, but large rounds like the 50 BMG can exceed this normal BC. Higher velocities, with a stable bullet, also aid in long range performance, which is critical for both hunting and competition shooting. We can estimate penetration based on the sectional density because of what the SD is derived from. 50 BMG basic cartridge dimensions-All sizes in inches (in). It is still a good idea to check legality before making a purchase. Military Requirement: due to the rounds being from Lake City Ammunition . Unsubscribe at any time. For simply comparing two different cartridges, we are going to omit it for the sake of clarity. No spam. Like most cases, there are better performing rounds for each cartridge type, but on average, the 50 BMG rounds excel in this category, and that distinction becomes clearer the greater the distance. Like all Federal American Eagle ammunition, the 50 BMG provides reliable feeding and great ballistics. In addition to the usual tables and graphs of drop, velocity, and windage, Modern Ballistics has these unique features: Sight Angle. All of them but one .338 LM round break the .55 mark. Each cartridge is loaded with either Hornady A-MAX bullets, our high-performance boattail hollow points, or the new, radically superior ELD Match bullets. This round is packaged in 150 CT Military Surplus ammo can. The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG, 12.799mm NATO and designated as the 50 Browning by the C.I.P. Informative, interesting and well written. The energy is only part of the equation to stopping power, but it is an important one to examine nonetheless. Again, these numbers can vary based on the variables, but with our consistency, we think the comparisons are more than valid. DPMS LR-308 [Review]: The AR, Back to Basics. They do have some pull marks. Both of these cartridges have found a place in the long range shooting. 400 yds. This is near impossible to handle accurately unless accessory gear is used to help absorb and stabilize the rifle. This American Eagle ammunition was produced by Lake City Arsenal to NATO specifications. Lake City 50 BMG Ammo Details. Because this is computer generated data and because each rifle has its own personality, the actual numbers that are going to come from firing one of these rounds from your rifle, the numbers shouldnt be too far off but we wanted to make it clear that these numbers are not set in stone. As time goes, they are becoming more popular among shooters and hunters. This is why it is used in heavy-duty shootings. An upgraded variant of the M2 Browning HB machine gun used during World War II is still in use today. The cartridge itself has been made in many variants: multiple generations of regular ball, tracer, armor-piercing (AP), incendiary, and saboted sub-caliber rounds. This bullet weighs much less even with the large size. For two cartridges that are touted as extreme distance shooters, the ballistic coefficient is going to be an important factor for potential users. I VLD was designed from the start to be as efficient as possible, remaining supersonic past 2,150 yards. We arrived at these numbers by using a 15lb firearm for the 338 LM rounds and a 30lb firearm for the 50 BMG rounds, which are common weights for rifles chambered for each cartridge. It excels in all of the ballistic categories that we have covered in this article. Since a 50 cal bullet can slice through a body without protective armor, it can also kill someone. G1 projectiles are flat based bullets such as spritzer bullets, where G7 projectiles are going to cover boattail spitzers. Get gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and updates on law changes daily! This line of ammunition is 100% Lake City made. The rigidity and strength are used to penetrate tough surfaces easily. Copyright 2023 ShootersCalculator.comALL rights reserved. Where to Buy Ammo Online [Complete 2021 Guide], Best Gun Cleaning Kits [AR-15, Pistol & Universal], Best Shooting Gloves [Hands-On Tested, 2021 Update], Best Universal Red Dot Sights [Hands-on Review]. [3], In response to the need for new anti-aircraft weaponry during World War I, John Browning developed the .50 BMG. By sticking with this 120-year-old non-aerodynamic standard, bullet companies ensure their BCs will be as large as . Unsubscribe at any time. The cartridge itself has been made in many variants from armor piercing to tracer rounds, though most factory loads that can be accessed by civilians are the typical bullets. To measure the ballistic coefficient, we need the BC projectile that is equivalent to the ballistic coefficient in a point mass trajectory of below 20 degrees. Thus, to begin zeroing on an optically centered scope, you have to come down 30 minutes at the start. Regardless, a round with a higher BC is going to maintain a higher BC than a second bullet since both would be effected in the same way. Now, in this section, we are not looking technically at the actual felt recoil but instead at the recoil energy(ft.lb) that is generated when firing these rounds. The numbers with the 50BMG rounds are astounding, especially to some who might only be familiar with the more common hunting rounds. Weapons such as machine guns, rifles, and regular hand pistols are easily compatible with this bullet. I was also surprised with thebackground. For comparison, a similar monolithic bullet in .50 BMG usually maxes out around 800 grains at 2,900 fps. To be effective, a bullet must be able to penetrate through sometimes very thick hide and bone to reach vital organs. When we look at the graph, it is quite a stark contrast between cartridges. A.50 Caliber is a large bullet round with a 12.7mm diameter. Special Offer: Join our private community and get exclusive gun deals, handpicked gear recommendations and updates on law changes, every day! For a lot of cartridge comparisons we have done, recoil is usually not that huge of an issue. Today, there are various types of bullet rounds manufactured that are measured in 50 calibers. According to the American Rifleman: "Actually, the Browning .50 originated in the Great War. [14], Some civilians use .50 caliber rifles for long-range target shooting: the US-based Fifty Caliber Shooters Association holds .50 BMG shooting matches. Sign up to receive new product announcements, special offers, and the annual product catalog.