.50 BMG shooters, wanna start, need advice

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predator86

New member
first off let me start by saying that i am a 21 year old male in fairly decent shape and i have been wanting a .50 cal ever since i can remember...and now i finally have the oppurtunity to do it. let me first ask, how did you get into shooting a .50 cal? what are some good factory rifles out there and how do they stack up agaisnt a home-made .50 cal? i picked up a book on how to build one but im just not sure if it would be worth it? do you reload? if so, where do you get your reloading supplies?


just looking for some info on how to get started and where to start...
 
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mikejonestkd

New member
The going rate is about $4.00 per shot if you don't reload....ouch!!!!

A bolt gun is a good starting point and there are several quality production guns out there.

good luck and have fun.

http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?TabID=3&Categoryid=8958&categorystring=653***690***

Barrett Firearms Ammunition 50 BMG 661 Grain M33 Full Metal Jacket Steel Core Box of 10
Product #: 130446
Status: Available
Our Price: $44.99

Barrett Firearms Ammunition 50 BMG 661 Grain M33 Full Metal Jacket Steel Core Case of 80 (8 Boxes of 10)
Product #: 184441
Status: Available
Our Price: $349.99

DoubleTap Ammunition 50 BMG 750 Grain A-Max Box of 10
Product #: 637779
Status: Out of Stock, Backorder OK
Our Price: $49.99

Igman Ammunition 50 BMG 699 Grain M33 Full Metal Jacket Steel Core Box of 10
Product #: 434317
Status: Coming Soon
Our Price: $41.49
 
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ocharry

New member
i was gona say that was old info,,,,may be more in the $5-6 range these days!!!!

good luck,,, but don't think you are gona play the 50 game on the cheap

YMMV

ocharry
 
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Jim Watson

New member
The first thing to do is to find out the nearest location that .50 is being shot in an organized fashion. I know two guys here who paid a lot for .50s and have seldom shot them after the new wore off because they could not get to an adequate range with people of similar interest.
 
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jmorris

New member
I too always wanted a 50 bmg and some time ago I ran across http://www.maadigriffin.com/ . I built one using a Lother Walther chambered barrel blank and everything else from 8620, 4140, 4130 steels and titanium. It certainly is not a beginner project and requires many machine tools as well as TIG welding equipment. If you want a low buck 50bmg look for one of the various AR upper kits. I purchased quite a bit of 50 ammo after I finished the project and over 500 rounds the cost was $1.25 a shot (but everything has gone through the roof lately). 460 Weatherby mag costs almost $5 a shot and has less than half the energy of the 50bmg. Remember what they say about champagne taste on a beer budget…
 
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sindiesel666

New member
Start of with a good quality .22LR rifle. Once you can put 5 shots in about 1-2 inches at 200 yards consistently, then you're ready for something in .223-.308 range.
Doesn't cost an arm and a leg to shoot, gets you out to 600 yards easily, equipment costs less, ammo costs less (even more so if you reload).

It's hard to find a range that can accommodate a fifty. It's expensive and you really aren't a bigger man if you're shooting a 30 lb gun that launches a 700 grain projectile. Unless you're compensating for a lack of something :rolleyes:
 
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Silentarmy

New member
Bohica Arms is offering a .50 BMG AR Upper with built in bipod for under a grand! If you are going to have the novelty wear off then cheap (so to speak) would be the way to go unless you have 10 K for a semi auto Barrett that you may one day be able to recover your investment on! Also, plan on spending $1000-1500 on a decent optic for your rifle as the recoil alone will destroy the cheap garbage that is out there! The ammo as mentioned is pricey depending on what you buy and even relaods can cost you $11-15/round if you put a decent Barnes X in them!
 
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predator86

New member
i do plan on reloading because of ammo prices, and finding a range wont be a problem as my dad has property that i shoot on like once a week, i dont want a semi auto or a single shot, just a 5 round mag, bolt gun will do. i do practice out to 350 yards with my .270 that i use for deer hunting and it punches 7 inch groups out at that distance, the groups would be better if i had better optics on it but the reason i dont is because i dont need a better scope for deer hunting, most of my shots are 200 or less and i blow out the heart and lungs on every deer within that range...i wouldn't mind getting an ar-30 so that i can shoot some cheaper ammo out to 1000 yards...would it be a good idea to get an AR-30 and shoot the piss out of that before i get the .50 cal so that i get some longer range practice in without the 5 bucks a shot? my .270 is a remington 700 that i use strictly for deer hunting and i dont want to start modifying it
 
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predator86

New member
ok so i finally got the bohica arms page to load, the receiver looks and everything looks nice but is it really worth it? it seems like it would work but i kinda doubt that the recoil is equal to a 30-06 springfield or a 3.5'' 12 gauge...
 
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50 shooter

New member
The recoil will be more like shooting a 12 ga. with slugs or 00 buck, with their lighter weight you'll feel the recoil more then a regular .50 that weighs in at 30+ pounds. I own a AR-50 and the recoil on it is like shooting a .243 rifle, you could shoot it all day long and never feel it.

If you plan on doing alot of shooting then get into reloading, at current prices you can reload surplus stuff for just under $2 depending on which components you use. If you only plan on shooting it a few times a year then spend the money and to buy your ammo. Just save the brass for the future if you do ever get around to reloading.

Cost is always the driving factor when purchasing a rifle, do you want an upper that you can place on your AR lower or a dedicated rifle? Most guys end up buying another lower that they can use for the .50 uppers as there's more to just dropping it on top of the lower. There are a few .50's that run right around the 2K price tag. You can even find used ones right around there if you look at the auction sites.
 
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10 MickeyMouse

New member
It's gonna cost you about $5 every time you pull that trigger.
Click to expand...

The going rate is about $4.00 per shot if you don't reload....ouch!!!!
Click to expand...

i was gona say that was old info,,,,may be more in the $5-6 range these days!!!!
Click to expand...

150rds for $700 that's about $4.60 per rd
Click to expand...

Sucks to be you guys. I've been paying $85 per 50 rounds for ball and $95 per 50 for AP and API through a local guy.

To the OP, I looked at everything in the sub-$4k range before settling on the Armalite AR-50. Good looking, soft shooting and accurate; Pretty much everything I was told it would be. I ended up paying $2780 for the rifle and $200 for the prince bi-pod. Until I have the coin for a Nightforce, it is topped with a Barska 6-24x 60mm IR scope.

AR-50.jpg
 
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sdb777

New member
Reloading isn't that cheap either.

Die set: $200+
Projectiles: $30.00 a box of 20(Hornady 750gr AMAX)
Pound of powder: $22.00(AA#8700 gives you 33-ish rounds)
Primers: $4.00 (for 100 CCI 35)
Brass: $outrageous$ "Match prepped $5-ish"


Individuals don't shoot the fifty because we're making up for the lack of something 'as someone said'(spoken like someone needing a fifty for that reason).... We shoot it because it's the biggest, most practical firearm available! Not everyone can afford a 20mm(but I am thinking hard about one).


Get one! Reload for it, and enjoy!!!!



Scott (envy of my equipment) B
 
5

50 shooter

New member
That's a ripoff, you can get factory new ammo for $3 a round right now. People that pay these prices aren't doing their homework or just have money to burn. There are still deals out there for surplus for under $3 each if you look around.
 
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