The ballistic coefficient of the Barrett 50 BMG bullet is 0.64. These include heavy stopping power that can be carried over incredible ranges. We think a flat trajectory also gives you a little more room for mistakes when it comes to judging distance quickly, as is sometimes the case when hunting. 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. When dealing with more obscure cartridges that dont have a huge market and takes quite a lot more material to make and you have the trifecta for expensive rounds. You might be asking yourself if the velocities shown here are enough for proper expansion of such a large bullet such as the .50cal. The 7.62 is the "screw you way over there" round. A.50 Caliber is a large bullet round with a 12.7mm diameter. Get gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and updates on law changes daily! We have hunted a long time and talked to a lot of our fellow outdoorsman. For assistance, contact customerservice@barnesbullets.com or by phone at 800-574-9200. This bullet weighs much less even with the large size. Higher velocities, with a stable bullet, also aid in long range performance, which is critical for both hunting and competition shooting. And we know we have harped on this several times throughout the article, but we are going to talk regarding cartridge versus cartridge rather than round to round. Different snipers have different ranges depending on their design. For the .50BMG, we would recommend the Hornady A-MAX Match 750gr round. It will a produce a line graph showing the bullet drop and flight path of the bullet. It runs on all modern Windows (Win98 and greater) computers. On the other hand, 50 BMG is one of the various types of 50 Cal. 200 yds. Fill, sign and download Ballistic Chart online on Handypdf.com Retail Price: $478.50. During World War II the .50 BMG was primarily used in the M2 Browning machine gun, in both its "light barrel" aircraft mount version and the "heavy barrel" (HB) version on ground vehicles, for anti-aircraft purposes. [33], The specified maximum diameter of an unfired .50 BMG bullet is 0.510-inch (13.0mm); while this appears to be over the .50 inch (12.7mm) maximum allowed for non-sporting Title I firearms under the U.S. National Firearms Act, the barrel of a .50 BMG rifle is only .50 inch (12.7mm) across the rifling lands and slightly larger in the grooves. The mass is one of the bullets. Various ammunition is also available to allow firing with lower quality bullets. Velocity is key for proper penetration and expansion, which is critical for hunting. [1]) is a .50in (12.7mm) caliber cartridge developed for the M2 Browning heavy machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. The primer type specified for this ammunition is a boxer primer that has a single centralized ignition point (US and NATO countries). We have done our best to remove any that have major damage, but individual opinions may vary on what . 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. With that, you have a better chance at running into .338 LM rounds than a box of 50 BMG. Muzzle 100 yds. The numbers with the 50BMG rounds are astounding, especially to some who might only be familiar with the more common hunting rounds. From over 4,000ft.lb of energy out of the muzzle to between 1,000 and 2,000ft.lb at 1,000 yards, it too has incredible range when it comes to having the energy needed for most game animals in the world. Informative, interesting and well written. The Barrett Mk. [17] However, some other countries produce the ammunition with Berdan primers that have two flash holes. As the 50 BMG bullet has a high ballistic coefficient, it is used for powerful sniper rifles. These are used by both civilians and military forces for various purposes. If you have any feedback or question about my articles, please submit it here, it's always appreciated! The.50 BMG is quite legal for buying without the need for a special license or process. Any armor with composite metal foam is strong to stop a 50 cal bullet. These bullets are magnetic. Receive exclusive gun deals once a week and all our great reviews right in your inbox. If you do not have a Shooting Chronograph, I strongly suggest you purchase one. Due to the high ballistic coefficient of the bullet, the .50 BMG's trajectory also suffers less "drift" from cross-winds than smaller and lighter calibers, making the .50 BMG a good choice for high-powered sniper rifles. Another factor that goes into a cartridges stopping power is the penetration of the bullet. Maybe even more so when looking at these two rounds. The two most important variables are the Initial Velocity and the Ballistic Coefficient. .338 Lapua Mag vs .50 BMG Cartridge Comparison. Again, these numbers can vary based on the variables, but with our consistency, we think the comparisons are more than valid. Hi! The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15 in (381 mm), with 8 lands and grooves. Since the .50 BMG (23.00 23.33 g tungsten with muzzle velocity of 4,000 ft/s (1,219 m/s)) is very large it needs heavy weapons to support it. . Mathematically, it is the ratio of a bullet's sectional density to its coefficient of form. Videos published by DARPA show the guided bullet diverting to strike a moving target.[26][27][28][29]. Steel armors can also stop it from entering. While there are parties who will place one cartridge over the other, we are not looking to do that in our comparisons. Some of them can also be semi auto-loading guns. The minimum SD for hunting large game is .250. Out to 400 yards, there is little to no difference between the two cartridges. In regards to ballistics, the .50 BMG has a bigger, heavier bullet that delivers a reliable killing shot at ranges up to 3300 yards and take down medium-sized game at these incredible ranges.. For comparison, a similar monolithic bullet in .50 BMG usually maxes out around 800 grains at 2,900 fps. Subject to political controversy due to the great power of the cartridge (it is the most powerful commonly available cartridge not considered a destructive device under the National Firearms Act), it remains popular among long-range shooters for its accuracy and external ballistics. All in all, 50 BMG is the best cartridge with great ballistic coefficient, diameter, and other features that expanded its use. Your information will never be shared and you can unsubscribe with one click at anytime. Each cartridge is loaded with either Hornady A-MAX bullets, our high-performance boattail hollow points, or the new, radically superior ELD Match bullets. The 338 LM was designed and produced in the late 1980s. A bullet's BC is typically less than 1 and recorded to the thousandth decimal place (with notable exceptions; the 50 BMG's BC exceeds 1.000). The .50 BMG (12.799mm NATO) cartridge has a capacity of 290gr (19g). To be effective, a bullet must be able to penetrate through sometimes very thick hide and bone to reach vital organs. 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! The trajectory is what just about every hunter or competitive shooter of every skill level will be interested in when comparing two different cartridges. Since 50 BMG bullets are powerful, they can enter through a body part with force. Its range and accuracy, however, are superior to light machine guns when fixed on tripods, and it has not been replaced as the standard caliber for Western vehicle-mounted machine guns (Soviet and CIS armored vehicles mount 12.7108mm NSVs, which have similar dimensions to .50 BMGs). Each cartridge is loaded with either Hornady A-MAX bullets, our high-performance boattail hollow points, or the new, radically superior ELD Match bullets. We will see more drastic differences between our selected rounds, and we cannot comment on the exact variables used for this result. Under STANAG 4383, it is a standard service cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. Zero Range (yd) It has a ballistic coefficient of .730. Looking at just the basic physics, a .50 bmg has a muzzle velocity of about 420 meters per second (1480 feet per second). They wanted a heavy projectile at 2700 feet per second (f.p.s. A custom-made 12/70 slug shell with a shortened .50 BMG tracer bullet for 12 gauge shotguns. [12][13], In addition to long-range and anti-materiel, the U.S. military uses .50 BMG weapons to detonate unexploded ordnance from a safe distance. It answered a lot of my questions. And even then, the options you have for 50BMG factory loads is extremely limited, even when compared to the .338 LM. Cases are carefully selected based on strict criteria: wall thickness uniformity, internal capacity, case weight and consistent wall concentricity. How much energy is required to take down an animal varies and the amount that actually gets transferred to the target varies. Spitzer. Use this ballistic calculator in order to calculate the flight path of a bullet given the shooting parameters that meet your conditions. The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG, 12.799mm NATO and designated as the 50 Browning by the C.I.P. To use either of these rounds, muzzle brakes and other support is needed to use rifles chambered for these cartridges. Thank you. 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. No extra bullets are sent. ShootersCalculator.com is in the process of being massively overhauled. The Bullet Has a Superb Ballistic Coefficient compared To Other 50 Caliber Bullets That Have separately Formed driving bands . This Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition is perfect for target shooting, competition shooting, long-range hunting, and long-range shooting. In addition, these snipers will have less drift from the winds of the bullet. [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]. A .50 BMG round will penetrate most commercial brick walls and concrete cinder blocks. Lets first take a look at the recoil energy (ft.lb) of these two rounds in general. Ballistic Coefficient (BC) is basically a measure of how streamlined a bullet is; that is, how well it cuts through the air. Although 50 cal is a very penetrating bullet, research has found something to stop it. The standard projectile on which all Hornady Bullets were compared was the G1 Model, based on work begun in France and refined at the U. S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratories, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Calculating Trajectories . As time goes, they are becoming more popular among shooters and hunters. Reply. What we hope you draw from this is that both of these cartridges have a BC that corresponds with highly streamlined bullets. Since 50 BMG cartridges are unique, these have a limited number of sniper rifles built with adequate quality. The higher the number, the less drag the projectile will experience. 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. We carefully select every component to ensure uniformity, then load to exacting specifications to provide pinpoint accuracy. 50 Caliber has different types of rounds, while 50 BMG is a particular one. However, Los Angeles banned this bullet round. ShootersCalculator.com is in the process of being massively overhauled. Be aware you may consider some of them unusable. This is useful to get a legalized firearm with licenses. A wide variety of ammunition is available, and the availability of match grade ammunition has increased the usefulness of .50 caliber rifles by allowing more accurate fire than lower quality rounds. 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. Today, there are various types of bullet rounds manufactured that are measured in 50 calibers. You can find an email form and contact information here. The max I have ever seen anyone run is around 3,000 and that is considered to be hot. By adding trajectories to the panel on the right you may produce charts and graphs that show the different trajectories side by side. Seriously, these are heavy duty rounds that fill a very specific niche in the shooting world. The price for both is about equal per 20 rounds, though the 50BMG factory loads often come in boxes of ten rounds. Even so, computer generated data is a proven and safe means for comparing two cartridges as we will do here. The rigidity and strength are used to penetrate tough surfaces easily. With the .338 Lapua Magnum vs .50 BMG, recoil takes on a bit more of an important role. But, one can also survive the wound from a 50 BMG shot if it isnt fatal. The M2 and M9 links, "pull-out" designs, are used in the Browning M2 and M3 machine guns. Its because 90% of their shots are coming at 250 yards or less. It is a scaled up version of the venerable .30-06 (standard issue in infantry rifles for the U.S. in both World Wars). I VLD was designed from the start to be as efficient as possible, remaining supersonic past 2,150 yards. The difference between the two rounds is as followed with the 50BMG showing a flatter trajectory. If we have two bullets with the same weight, but different diameters, the smaller diameter localizes the force to a smaller area and gives you deeper penetration. As we mentioned earlier, the velocity has a lot of influence on other aspects of the bullets behavior such as expansion. So when game time comes make sure you are ready and enjoy the accuracy of Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition! Effect? The higher the ballistic coefficient, the better the bullet can resist wind drag and wind drift which would make the bullet less likely to be pulled off of its flight path and, in theory, be more accurate. The ballistic coefficient gives you an idea of how streamlined a bullet is. But it differs from other types of 50 caliber bullet rounds. Hornady Match rifle ammunition is loaded with the most accurate, consistent match bullets in the world, featuring our AMP bullet jackets. Hornady Manufacturing makes the best cartridges for 50 BMG Ammunition 10 Rounds. Most importantly, they are designed to reduce the bullets recoil. According to the American Rifleman: "Actually, the Browning .50 originated in the Great War. The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG) was developed for the Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the late 1910sas countries began producing armored vehicles leading up to WWI. Both of these cartridges are going to produce a tremendous amount of recoil. Due to the high ballistic coefficient of the bullet, the .50 BMG's trajectory also suffers less "drift" from cross-winds than smaller and lighter The fact is, both of these cartridges produce large amounts of recoil that can easily cause the shooter to flinch during a shot. Since 50 BMG cartridges are unique, these have a limited number of sniper rifles built with adequate quality. FMBT bullets. I doubt too many microbiologists discuss the BCs of ammunition! Due to the high ballistic coefficient of the bullet, the .50 BMG's trajectory also suffers less "drift" from cross-winds than smaller and lighter calibers, making the .50 BMG a good choice for high-powered sniper rifles. Just for comparison of how intense the recoil energy is for these two cartridges, some common hunting rounds such as the .30-06 and .308 are generating recoil in the 20-26ft.lb range when using a 7lb rifle with the same conservative powder loads. A sniper consists of the bipod, handle, brake, and removable magazine. It is when we move out from this marker that we begin to see a general trend between the 338 LM vs 50 BMG. "[5], The round was put into use in the M1921 Browning machine gun. Barrel Lengths & Velocities for the 50 BMG. Thus, to begin zeroing on an optically centered scope, you have to come down 30 minutes at the start. Your email address will not be published. Though they also carry quite a significant amount more powder and as we saw previously, you pay for it with the recoil. This is near impossible to handle accurately unless accessory gear is used to help absorb and stabilize the rifle. It can shoot up to ranges of 330 yards and floats in the air for about seven seconds, before dropping to the ground. The surface is dirt and water-resistant. Its really the only way either of these rounds can be fired accurately. It is used mainly in machine guns for various shooting and personal uses. [39] However, .50 BMG rifles registered prior to the enacted bans remain lawful to possess in California[37][40] and Connecticut. Apart from machine guns, snipers and anti-materiel rifles use this cartridge. Granted, if youre firing these rounds, you most likely have gear that aids in absorbing the recoil and stabilizing the firearm. Ballistic Coefficient: 0.572 Diameter: 0.51" Material: Copper Length: 1.892" Features. Within the United Kingdom, it is legal to own a bolt action .50 BMG rifle with a section 1 Firearms Certificate. They can easily enter through light armors and hit targets. 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. PMC X-Tac Match is developed around several award winning loads replicating performance down to a tee. Again, this conclusions and estimates are based solely on the factory loads we have been examining here and the data that accompany them. There are several variants of this 50 caliber round. Can a human survive a 50 Cal shot?How many bodies can a .50 cal penetrate? A bull moose needs a bullet that can hold together and penetrate deeper than a bullet that is going to be used for whitetail. Military use 50 caliber in machine guns and snipers, as well as regular shooters. and long-range bullets generally range from 0.5 all the way up to 1.0 with the .50 BMG! While the .338 rounds have a much smaller diameter than the huge .50 cal rounds, the exponentially heavier bullet weights of the 50BMG rounds make up for the large size. 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. There is no doubt that the cartridge has the power and the trajectory to take on this challenge, but there is always the ethical question of taking shots at animals from these ranges. 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. Your information will never be shared and you can unsubscribe with one click at anytime. . The average chamber pressure in this round as listed in TM43-0001-27,[18] the U.S. Army Ammunition Data SheetsSmall Caliber Ammunition, not including plastic practice, short cased spotter, or proof/test loads, is 54,923psi (378,680kPa). The .338 Lapua Magnum has a much shorter history than the other cartridge we will be examining in this article. A .50 in caliber cartridge developed for the M2 Browning heavy machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. Different 50 caliber bullets are used for various purposes that have individual compositions. We will shortly look at the averages of these cartridges, but want to point out again that while some of the numbers might seem like drastic differences, and technically they are, its critical to observe the individual rounds, specifically the .338 LM. anti-tank rifle" and that then "Ordnance contracted with Winchester to design a .50-cal. The .338 LM is no slouch when it comes to long range shooting. The incredible energy of the 50BMG overshadows the .338 Lapua Magnum, which in its own right possesses a great deal of kinetic energy. While it is only two factors that go into stopping power, they are the best for comparing two cartridges besides comparison in the field. The firearm has been zeroed in at 200 yards. [37][41] In Illinois, it is legal to possess a .50 caliber rifle only if it was acquired by January 10, 2023, and it is registered with the state police by January 1, 2024. .510 diameter. It is strong enough to hold a large volume of pressure. Beretta 3032 Tomcat [Review]: A Worthy Self-Defense Pistol? The .50 BMG cartridge is also produced commercially in a wide range of specifications, including armor piercing, tracing, and incendiary. Lets take it a step further and take a look at the rounds we have selected for comparison. A common way of comparing ammo power is checking their muzzle energies. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air drag. Almost all rounds have a ballistic coefficient of less than 1.0, but large rounds like the 50 BMG can exceed this normal BC. The two most important variables are the Initial Velocity and the Ballistic Coefficient. Description. Putting it all Together The proof/test pressure is listed as 65,000psi (450,000kPa). For hunters, stopping power is a critical factor in choosing a certain cartridge. Lake City 50 BMG Ammo Details. Joined Feb 9, 2010 Messages 6. A 50 caliber bullet is measured to be an inch. The 50 caliber is a 5.5-inch length seated bullet. It can disable most unarmored and lightly armored vehicles. It has a diameter of .50 inches, with a casing length of 99 mm and an overall length of 138 mm. Thread starter remrifle333; Start date Apr 23, 2011; Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum Become a supporting member. This graph should give you a good idea about the major differences we are looking at here. Please let me know how it can be improved upon. 400 yds. 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. Browning pondered the situation and, according to his son John, replied, 'Well, the cartridge sounds pretty good to start. We will take a brief look at the origins and histories of these two cartridges and then jump into categories such as stopping power, trajectory, and even price among others. However, it is restricted in California. More importantly, we are interested in how flat a bullet flies over a given distance. And like the 50BMG rounds, we will revisit this shortly. The eight-year-old National Guard Sniper School is the only U.S. military sniper school open to women and Jennifer was the first female graduate to complete the first counter-sniper course for the Air Guard security personnel. Apr 23, 2011 #1 Does anyone know the B.C. When this is the case, we will be sure to make it clear what we are doing. 50 Cal is generally known as the bore and the nominal bullet diameter. Typically, long range rifle bullets have a ballistic coefficient of 0.5 (G1) or above. 500 yds. 12.799mm Technical data", "Technical Manual Small-Arms Ammunition, TM9-1990, U.S. War Department", "SHOT Show 2006 New Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols Offer Enhanced Performance", "Weaponry: .50 Caliber Rifle Crime," GAO Office of Special Investigations letter", "CHAPTER 943 OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC PEACE AND SAFETY", "Are .50 BMG rifles legal in California? Special Offer: Join our private community and get exclusive gun deals, handpicked gear recommendations and updates on law changes, every day! The round is a scaled-up version of the .30-06 Springfield but uses a case wall with a long taper to facilitate feeding and extraction in various weapons. For simply comparing two different cartridges, we are going to omit it for the sake of clarity. In this cartridge comparison, we are going to take a look at two cartridges, the .338 Lapua and the .50 BMG, two rounds that separate the men from the boys. 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. When a bullet is fired from the barrel, it carries kinetic energy that upon impact is transferred to the target. As we have done in previous sections, we are going to look at our ten selected rounds.
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