Come and take it.
New member
Honestly just how much does a .50 BMG single shot kick?
.50 BMG recoil
- Thread starter Come and take it.
- Start date
These responses remind me of kids trying to get other kids to jump into the creek first to see how cold the water is. A 50 BMG bolt-action rifle felt recoil is about the same as a 3" 12 gauge, but in a package that weighs 4X-5X as much. Due to the rifle's weight, the recoil is not the bad part of the 50 BMG, the concussion from the muzzle blast is the worst part.
Come and take it.
New member
I just remember hearing a story from someone who said he thought he could shoot it standing up or something to that effect.
He said he would never do it again.
I am not sure if he fell down when the gun fired or what happened.
I have shot both barrels off from a 10 guage double before (accidently) . My body gave and bounced back like a leave and I might have taken a step back. Wasn't a very bad experience at all.
Now I usually lean into the shot and allow the recoild to rock me back when I fire slugs from my shotgun so I can get back on target quicker.
I was just curious as the .50 has more energy than a .577 Tyrannosaur and the video I saw on people shooting the T.rex it looked pretty intimidating.
He said he would never do it again.
I am not sure if he fell down when the gun fired or what happened.
I have shot both barrels off from a 10 guage double before (accidently) . My body gave and bounced back like a leave and I might have taken a step back. Wasn't a very bad experience at all.
Now I usually lean into the shot and allow the recoild to rock me back when I fire slugs from my shotgun so I can get back on target quicker.
I was just curious as the .50 has more energy than a .577 Tyrannosaur and the video I saw on people shooting the T.rex it looked pretty intimidating.
I had the opportunity to fire an anti-tank rifle grenade (inert dummy, propelled by blank round), from an M1 Garand in 1962 Fort Knox Basic Training. Worst recoil I ever felt...thought it broke my shoulder. Vowed at that time, if I was ever given one to use in combat, I would throw it in the brush and claim I lost it, rather than have to fire it.
50 shooter
New member
You can't compare it to any shotgun or rifle, the .50 is like a quick shove and not the jarring snap of a light rifle. The .50 uppers are different in the fact that they're lighter then a regular full size .50. You'll feel more recoil from them due to the weight difference.
Shooting a .50 offhand isn't bad at all and the felt recoil is probably about the same or less then from a bench. Here's a pic of yours truely shooting a BOHICA offhand.
As far as the .50 upper damaging the lower, that's a non issue. If there was an issue, the uppers wouldn't be as popular now as they've ever been.
Shooting a .50 offhand isn't bad at all and the felt recoil is probably about the same or less then from a bench. Here's a pic of yours truely shooting a BOHICA offhand.
As far as the .50 upper damaging the lower, that's a non issue. If there was an issue, the uppers wouldn't be as popular now as they've ever been.
bojack2575
Moderator
A little bit of trivia.
Did you know that the BMG in 50BMG stands for "Browning Machine Gun" after John M. Browning the inventor of the 50BMG...........
Did you know that the BMG in 50BMG stands for "Browning Machine Gun" after John M. Browning the inventor of the 50BMG...........
50 shooter
New member
Actually I thought BMG stood for "Bring More Gold"!!! At least that's what it feels like when you want to buy something for your rifle. I swear that every time I ask for something for my rifle I see dollars signs roll up in the eyes of gun store people.
While I agree about the speed of the recoil, and the weight of the gun slowing down the impulse, I'l differ about comparing to ANY rifle.
In a way it's more like the difference between a .308 bolt gun & a .308 semi-auto. In this case its a shove from a semi-auto, as opposed to a kick from a bolt gun.
You could say its like an M1a, or FAL, but there's more of it.
Come and take it.
New member
Wish I bought the barret light fifty in the 80s when it was only 2500.
Certainly the added weight of the gun helps curb the massive recoil but it's the muzzle brake that actually calms it...
When the bespoke gunmakers made their huge double rifles--.500, .577 Nitro Express they regulated them (adjusted the POI for the barrels) from a standing bench and this allowed the whole body to sway with the recoil unlike firing it off a benchrest where the shoulder and part of the upper body absorb the actual recoil...
Felt recoil is subjective as it depends on a couple of things...How much recoil you can absorb before you say it hurts and your actual build--I, by nature, can absorb far more actual recoil (6' & 225 lbs) then one of my daughters can (5'8" & 125 lbs)...
I will point it out again...It makes absolutely no difference to recoil if the load and charge are the same...1 oz of lead slug, buck shot or bird shot over 3 drams of powder will recoil the same...Buck and slug cartridges are loaded with more powder to make it go boom because they aren't shooting a 8 oz quail, 20 lb goose but a 200 lb deer and farther ranges so more penetration is required hence the added powder charge...They are also available in reduced loads...
My experience, albeit limited to a few hundred rounds of BMG, equates the recoil to a 3½" heavy magnum shell out of a double gun--not a semi because of recoil reduction...
If you really want to hurt yourself, take the muzzle brake off! Broken bones have been known to happen...