Its tough for us in this situation because the 50 BMG is such as unique round and it makes it seem as if the .338 LM falls short in most categories and this is not the case. The incredible energy of the 50BMG overshadows the .338 Lapua Magnum, which in its own right possesses a great deal of kinetic energy. For the .50BMG, we would recommend the Hornady A-MAX Match 750gr round. 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. only today ! Copyright 2023 ShootersCalculator.comALL rights reserved. In addition, these snipers will have less drift from the winds of the bullet. It is a bit much for medium size game at short ranges, but it would give you a huge advantage at long range if you believe that hunting ethical. At present, some US law enforcement use 50 BMG weapons, as well as snipers. It has a large cartridge used in anti-material for longer ranges. Please let me know how it can be improved upon. 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. A .50 BMG round will penetrate most commercial brick walls and concrete cinder blocks. This is a hard hitting round with incredible range and power. Caliber Multi: .50 BMG Application: Hunting . 50 Caliber has different types of rounds, while 50 BMG is a particular one. Huge bullets with enough powder to send them downrange at supersonic speeds are going to produce enough kick to knock you down. Fillable and printable Ballistic Chart 2023. . The 50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun) is a large 50 caliber cartridge packing some serious long-range firepower in a 12.7 x 99mm NATO round. Your information will never be shared and you can unsubscribe with one click at anytime. 50 Cal is generally known as the bore and the nominal bullet diameter. The primary military use of this round is in the M2 Browning machine gun and anti-materiel rifles such as the Barrett M82. The cartridges have two separate links of the machine gun selected. It is made a standard bullet for important army forces. If you decide to make a go with the .338 or the 50 BMG, with some practice, youre going to have an accurate cartridge. The bullet length, shape, and weight all positively contribute to a much higher BC than the 50 Beowulf bullet. This is useful to get a legalized firearm with licenses. Muzzle 100 yds. 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. But they are also dangerous and must be used with caution during operations to avoid fatalities. Ammunition is sold in 80-round cases. They wanted a heavy projectile at 2700 feet per second (f.p.s. How much energy is required to take down an animal varies and the amount that actually gets transferred to the target varies. In certain aspects and certain situations, sure, there are cartridges better suited to the task than others. Both of these cartridges are capable of accuracy at extreme distances, and both have enormous stopping power. Loaded specifically for precision big bore rifles, a wide variety of ammunition is available, including ball, tracer, armor-piercing, incendiary, and A-MAX rounds, with accuracy being priority number one. In this Article: RecoilBallisticsTrajectoryStopping PowerAccuracyPrice & AvailabilityPriceApplicationsBest Rounds In this cartridge comparison, we are going to take a look at the 6.5 Creedmoor vs .243 Winchester. Machine guns use it as a continuous belt of rounds. It has the velocity, the BC, and the trajectory to make shots of even 1,500 yards. Beretta 3032 Tomcat [Review]: A Worthy Self-Defense Pistol? Excellent quality, and great customer service from Dave Moore of Spider Firearms. To do this, we have selected several rounds for each cartridge we are comparing. Find load data for your cartridge. ), but the ammunition did not exist. This large amount of force is very destructive to surrounding tissue and organs. 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.. This American Eagle ammunition was produced by Lake City Arsenal to NATO specifications. Mostly the twist rate of the rifling of 50 BMG is 1 in 15, with eight lands. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air drag. This Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition is perfect for target shooting, competition shooting, long-range hunting, and long-range shooting. Customer Reviews. In addition to the usual tables and graphs of drop, velocity, and windage, Modern Ballistics has these unique features: Sight Angle. The M2 and M9 links, "pull-out" designs, are used in the Browning M2 and M3 machine guns. The BC of a round also plays a large role in the trajectory of a round, which we will look at next. 12.7 x 99mm, APEI, M 02, "Advancements in Lightweight .50 Caliber Ammunition", "DoD Wants Bullet That Can Change Direction After Being Fired", "EXACTO Guided bullet demonstrates repeatable performance against moving targets 2904152 | weapons defence industry military technology UK | analyse focus army defence military industry army", "EXACTO Guided Bullet Demonstrates Repeatable Performance against Moving Targets", "Metal link M9 for cal. Steel armors can also stop it from entering. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesn't necessarily mean it is a better bullet. To be effective, a bullet must be able to penetrate through sometimes very thick hide and bone to reach vital organs. Us has made 50 BMG the standard as the largest bullet round in terms of shell size. We are measuring the bullet drop (inches) from 100 out to 1,000 yards. This is why it is used in heavy-duty shootings. .30/06 165-gr./.490 ballistic coefficient 5.56x45 mm 55 gr./.246 Ballistic coefficient Usually the higher the ballistic coefficient the greater the effective range of the round. So there is a fine line a lot of hunters try to walk when it comes to penetration. Thank you. 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. Decades later, the .50 BMG was chambered in high-powered rifles as well. We carefully select every component to ensure uniformity, then load to exacting specifications to provide pinpoint accuracy. anti-tank rifle" and that then "Ordnance contracted with Winchester to design a .50-cal. The Hornady 750gr AMAX bullet has become popular with its very high ballistic coefficient and is typically the choice for extreme ranges beyond 1500 meters. All data created using our free ballistic calculator. Today, there are various types of bullet rounds manufactured that are measured in 50 calibers. Different snipers have different ranges depending on their design. This graph should give you a good idea about the major differences we are looking at here. 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. Our 50 BMG ammunition is ready for action. Your email address will not be published. It has a .30-06 Springfield design with a long taper case wall for various types of weapons. They are widely used by civilians as well as military forces. So, here is a table below: During the war, 50 calibers were used against light armor vehicles and aircraft due to their penetration power. If you have any feedback or question about my articles, please submit it here, it's always appreciated! 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. Even if we had all of the rounds and a couple days to generate some MOA measurements it still might differ on another day in someone elses hands. This ammunition usually contains Swedish brass and perfect military specifications. Ballistics Coefficient (abbreviated "BC") is a bullet's ability to resist air friction and stay airborne. Though they also carry quite a significant amount more powder and as we saw previously, you pay for it with the recoil. No spam. The .50 BMG cartridge is also produced commercially in a wide range of specifications, including armor piercing, tracing, and incendiary. Before we wrap up the article, we wanted to pick a round from each cartridge that we really like for certain applications. The difference between the two rounds is as followed with the 50BMG showing a flatter trajectory. 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. For testing your limits on the range, we dont think you can go wrong with the .338 LM Hornady ELD Match 285gr. Zero Range (yd) 50 BMG (12.799) 647 Grain API Match Grade Ammunition This ammunition is manufactured in the USA by FedArm. This is why their weapons are hard to find and limited in number. 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. 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. It answered a lot of my questions. They do have some pull marks. With a degree in Microbiology and several years of doctoral work manipulating bacterial genes, he attempts to merge the rational and unbiased thinking of scientific research with the passions of hunting and fishing. Similarly, .50 BMG weapons have attracted attention from law enforcement agencies; they have been adopted by the New York City Police Department as well as the Pittsburgh Police. 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. 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]. The AccuBond bullet used is perfect for the proper expansion needed while not sacrificing penetration for large game animals. [43] Writing for the Marine Corps Gazette, Maj Hays Parks states that "No treaty language exists (either generally or specifically) to support a limitation on [the use of .50 BMG] against personnel, and its widespread, longstanding use in this role suggests that such antipersonnel employment is the customary practice of nations." Mathematically, it is the ratio of a bullet's sectional density to its coefficient of form. Barrett Tillman, American Rifleman,February 23, 2017, Last edited on 14 February 2023, at 19:38, SaudiYemeni border conflict (2015present), world record for the longest confirmed kill, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/2/23/the-50-cal-browning-machine-gun-the-gun-that-won-the-war/, "MCWP 3-15.1 Machine Guns and Machine Gunnery", "Browning Machine Gun Caliber .50 HB, M2", "Canadian elite special forces sniper makes record-breaking kill shot in Iraq", "Hotshot sniper in one-and-a-half mile double kill", "British sniper Craig Harrison (The Silent Assassin) breaks record, kills target from 1.5miles away", NATO Infantry Weapons Standardization, Per G. Arvidsson, ChairmanWeapons & Sensors Working GroupLand Capability Group 1 - Dismounted Soldier NATO Army Armaments Group, "Army Ammunition Data Sheets for Small Caliber Ammunition", Cartridges for Long-Range Sniping Rifles by Anthony G Williams, Igman Ammunition Cal. . For a lot of cartridge comparisons we have done, recoil is usually not that huge of an issue. I doubt too many microbiologists discuss the BCs of ammunition! Lake City 50 BMG Ballistic Data. Its because 90% of their shots are coming at 250 yards or less. and the speed of the bullet. FMBT bullets. You might be asking yourself if the velocities shown here are enough for proper expansion of such a large bullet such as the .50cal. There's a reason militaries worldwide still use a 50 BMG bolt-action rifle for sniping. Muzzle Velocity - 2,952 is a screaming velocity, HSM AMAXs run around 2,680, and Barrett Ball is around 2,750. Even so, its difficult to compare the accuracy of two cartridges by the means that we have. 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! Shots traveling 1,000 yards are much more prone to these environmental factors, and we would bet that 99% of them are very aware of the BC. With modern firearms, the majority of centerfire rifle cartridges can be tolerated with regards to the recoil. 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. 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. It can shoot up to ranges of 330 yards and floats in the air for about seven seconds, before dropping to the ground. In some cases you might be surprised. Description. On the other hand, 50 BMG is one of the various types of 50 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. 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. 50 Caliber ITEM NO: 50A BULLET TYPE: FMJ-BT WEIGHT: 660 grain BALLISTICS (barrel length: 36 inches) VELOCITY (feet per second) Muzzle: 3080 100 Yds: 2854 200 Yds: 2639 300 Yds: 2444 400 Yds: 2248 500 Yds: 2061 ENERGY (foot-pounds) Muzzle: 13688 BULLET PATH (inches) Muzzle: +1.50 100 Yds: +3.10 200 Yds: +3.90 300 Yds: +4.70 400 Yds: +2.80 500 Yds: 0 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. [39] However, .50 BMG rifles registered prior to the enacted bans remain lawful to possess in California[37][40] and Connecticut. 50 BMG 750 gr A-MAX Match Item #8270 | 10/Box We carefully select every component to ensure uniformity, then load to exacting specifications to provide pinpoint accuracy. KelTec Sub 2000 [Review]: Best PCC Firearm? 300 yds. Putting it all Together According to the American Rifleman: "Actually, the Browning .50 originated in the Great War. But it differs from other types of 50 caliber bullet rounds. 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. For comparison, a similar monolithic bullet in .50 BMG usually maxes out around 800 grains at 2,900 fps. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15 in (381 mm), with 8 lands and grooves. [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 the 50 BMG bullet has a high ballistic coefficient, it is used for powerful sniper rifles. Maybe even more so when looking at these two rounds. The trajectory is what just about every hunter or competitive shooter of every skill level will be interested in when comparing two different cartridges. You will be sent the quantity of bullets that are ordered. Spitzer. But, if you need the performance, its just something you have to deal with, especially if you dont reload. This gun was later developed into the M2HB Browning which with its .50 caliber armor-piercing cartridges went on to function as an anti-aircraft and anti-vehicular machine gun, capable of penetrating 0.9 inches (23mm) of face-hardened armor steel plate at 200 meters (220yd),[6] 1 inch (25mm) of rolled homogeneous armor at the same range,[7] and 0.75 inches (19mm) at 547 yards (500m).[8]. [35], In the United States, Washington, D.C. disallows registration of .50 BMG rifles, thus rendering civilian possession unlawful. We also hope that we have made clear that the BC is not a point for comparing which bullet is better or worse than others. Typically, long range rifle bullets have a ballistic coefficient of 0.5 (G1) or above. A .50 BMG round can effectively disable a vehicle when fired into the engine block. Thus, to begin zeroing on an optically centered scope, you have to come down 30 minutes at the start. With two rounds that are extremely popular in long distance shooting, accuracy is, of course, going to be a category that generated a lot of interest. Those values would be correct if you were shooting the ammo out of a "military weapon system" at the upper end of the velocity spectrum in the 3,000 fps range. 50 BMG has a 12.7mm diameter and is also used in snipers and machine guns. You can find an email form and contact information here. We went conservative with the powder weight because these are factory loads and are not normally loaded near max capacities. Both 50 BMG rounds leave the muzzle with over 13,000 ft-lbs of kinetic energy compared to about 4,700 ft-lbs for the 338. 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. For simply comparing two different cartridges, we are going to omit it for the sake of clarity. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15in (380mm), with eight lands and grooves. Weapons such as machine guns, rifles, and regular hand pistols are easily compatible with this bullet. The firearm has been zeroed in at 200 yards. Browning pondered the situation and, according to his son John, replied, 'Well, the cartridge sounds pretty good to start. There is a very small circle of people out there who have turned to the 50BMG for hunting purposes. 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). Both of these rounds are going to shoot flat at 300 yards, but the real reason is that if you are using these cartridges to take shots at that range, there is no helping you anyway. Answers to Top Questions", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=.50_BMG&oldid=1139367557, Winchester Repeating Arms Co. and Frankford Arsenal, Serbu Firearms BFG-50a (magazine fed semi-automatic), Serbu Firearms RN-50 (single-shot modified break-action), This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 19:38. ?Ballistic Coefficient: 1.070?Sectional Density: 0.412?Special attention should . 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. 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. These are used by both civilians and military forces for various purposes. And like we said, if you need a large cartridge like both of these are, you probably already knew you were going to be dealing with recoil. [14], Some civilians use .50 caliber rifles for long-range target shooting: the US-based Fifty Caliber Shooters Association holds .50 BMG shooting matches. 50 caliber refers to the bullet of this size shot by a gun, and not the casing. It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. [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. 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.[16]. They have various models for different cartridges. To test the power, we see that a .50 BMG cartridge can cross the .9 mark, with a flat projectile motion. Subsequently, Frankford Arsenal took over from Winchester, producing the historic .50 BMG or 12.7x99 mm cartridge. For hunters, stopping power is a critical factor in choosing a certain cartridge. Specs. I enjoyed reading it. The .50 BMG was developed during World War I when looking for an effective anti-aircraft round. The guns that use these bullets were used to target troops to save from enemy guns. 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. Before we get into our comparisons, there is one more note that we would like to make. . We dont have a single set of data we can look at to determine stopping power. 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. Obviously, this would be an advantage for shooting round out at 1,000 yards or more. R. remrifle333 Member. In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient is used to measure the ability of something to withstand air resistance. . Users can easily use them for personal use. Well discuss this topic more in the applications section. 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. While it travels in the air, it causes a shockwave which is equally dangerous to make a severe wound. [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). PMC X-Tac Match combines all the performance of world class ballistics with a price point that is friendly for your wallet. Of course, how much penetration you need is going to depend on the game you are hunting. The caliber depends on the barrel diameter bore of the bullets guns. After four seconds, the bullet will have dropped around 256 feet. 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. All in all, 50 BMG is the best cartridge with great ballistic coefficient, diameter, and other features that expanded its use. This is why they fit perfectly to any automatic or belt-fed snipers, machine guns, or pistols designed for this cartridge. 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. This is because the bullet is very large, so the wound it makes is also large and deep, but still curable. for the the South African 690gn. As we mentioned above, firing these rounds often requires heavy firearms and other pieces of gear that help negate this recoil. The round you choose for hunting should be based on the type of game, and this is perfect for the largest animals with the thickest hides. Basically, BC is a measure of how . We also want to note that while we are taking each category and looking at them independently, all of these categories are interwoven with each other, including recoil and stopping power that we will look at shortly. The longest recorded kill using a .50 BMG was over 2 miles away. This cartridge can easily take shots at 1,000+ yards just as the 50BMG, but there might be more dramatic adjustments needed to be made for these shots when compared to the 50 BMG. Almost all rounds have a ballistic coefficient of less than 1.0, but large rounds like the 50 BMG can exceed this normal BC. In addition, these snipers will have less drift from the winds of the bullet. However, sectional density, the relationship between . 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. The price for both is about equal per 20 rounds, though the 50BMG factory loads often come in boxes of ten rounds. The 50 BMG rounds are quite impressive with BCs all above the .7 mark and one round coming in with a 1.05BC. Usually, a 50 cal round has a diameter of 12.7 mm diameter. Retail Price: $478.50. It is inversely proportional to the negative acceleration a high number indicates a low negative acceleration. The Spitzer is a very popular and aerodynamic bullet shape. The term BMG means Browning Machine Gun. With such differences in cartridge specs, we can assume that the ballistic performances are going to be quite different as well. The .338 Lapua Magnum has a much shorter history than the other cartridge we will be examining in this article. ", "How Will Illinois Law Banning Some Firearms Affect Gun Owners? Sight Height (in) Must be a number greater than 0. Properties. Apr 23, 2011 #1 Does anyone know the B.C. And this is case when comparing most cartridges. 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. I was also surprised with thebackground.