Caliber means the diameter of the bullet, so a 50 caliber bullet is half an inch in diameter. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesn't necessarily mean it is a better bullet. 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. The minimum SD for hunting medium game is .210. However, sectional density, the relationship between . Factory loads for civilian purchase are limited with most of the available rounds coming with bullet weights between 650 and 750gr. Get gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and updates on law changes daily! 50 BMG is one of the types of 50 caliber cartridges used for 50 BMG machine guns. While Glock is a master of simplicity and reliability, Walther has gone for a more elaborate design. It comes in different types like tracer, armor-piercing, usual ball, incendiary, and sub-caliber rounds. What is the best scope for a .50 BMG and what is the strongest 50 BMG? [38] Connecticut specifically bans the Barrett 82A1 .50 BMG rifle. DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) contracted with Teledyne Scientific Company to develop the EXACTO program, including a .50-caliber guided bullet. To handle these rounds in the field, youre going to have to haul around a 30+lb rifle. It will a produce a line graph showing the bullet drop and flight path of the bullet. This large amount of force is very destructive to surrounding tissue and organs. To gain more knowledge and quick learning, a comparison table is always the best form. You might be strictly a hunter or strictly a competition shooter, but the majority of us are a mixture of both. Videos published by DARPA show the guided bullet diverting to strike a moving target.[26][27][28][29]. [35], In the United States, Washington, D.C. disallows registration of .50 BMG rifles, thus rendering civilian possession unlawful. 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. We are not going to sit and mess around with the short range trajectory. For testing your limits on the range, we dont think you can go wrong with the .338 LM Hornady ELD Match 285gr. I love hunting, so I often have to deal with hunting equipment. These are factory loads that are available for purchase. Check TopScopesfor Barrett.50 Cal. As for powder charges, we used conservative numbers for each round based on the hand loading specifications from Nosler. 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. 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. Sign up to receive new product announcements, special offers, and the annual product catalog. 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. This weapon was used by other snipers, and eventually purpose-built sniper rifles were developed specifically for this round. Muzzle 100 yds. When we look at the graph, it is quite a stark contrast between cartridges. 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. PMC X-Tac Match .50 BMG Ammunition 10 Rounds 740 Grain Solid Brass Projectile 2830fps 50XM. For this article, we are going to explain the BC in the simplest of terms. More importantly, we are interested in how flat a bullet flies over a given distance. Effect? This is a hard hitting round with incredible range and power. When this is the case, we will be sure to make it clear what we are doing. Since 50 BMG cartridges are unique, these have a limited number of sniper rifles built with adequate quality. When it comes to hunting, there are great options for the .338 LM. The higher the number, the less drag the projectile will experience. The auctioneer claims that it is only one of twelve built and the only other known example resides at the Ford Benning sniper school. The .338 LM is no slouch when it comes to long range shooting. Copyright 2023 ShootersCalculator.comALL rights reserved. 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. The higher the velocity, the flatter the bullet will shoot, with less wind drift, more energy when it reaches the target, and an extended . Powder is matched carefully to each specific load for optimal pressure, velocity and consistent accuracy. Looking at just the basic physics, a .50 bmg has a muzzle velocity of about 420 meters per second (1480 feet per second). In certain aspects and certain situations, sure, there are cartridges better suited to the task than others. My first deer at the age of 45 I joined the deer hunting fraternity a little late, but the desire to hunt has always been there. G1 projectiles are flat based bullets such as spritzer bullets, where G7 projectiles are going to cover boattail spitzers. 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. . 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). However, it is restricted in California. For comparison, a similar monolithic bullet in .50 BMG usually maxes out around 800 grains at 2,900 fps. 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? 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. It boasts a BC of 0.874, and some indicators point to a 0.900 BC at 2,900 fps. You make up some cartridges and we'll do some shooting. So , lets get down to business. [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. They wanted a heavy projectile at 2700 feet per second (f.p.s. 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). Ballistic Coefficient (BC) is basically a measure of how streamlined a bullet is; that is, how well it cuts through the air. Gain a deep knowledge of ballistic science and access our improved ballistic calculator. Its really the only way either of these rounds can be fired accurately. 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. Designed for long range training and target practice. The bottom line is this. Ammunition is sold in 80-round cases. 50 BMG Ballistic Coefficient. 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. We do know that the recoil energy is nearly double even with the 50BMG using a 30lb firearm compared to the 15lb for the 338. This is roughly the same as saying that the projectile in question possesses low drag, although some meaning is lost in the generalization. The bullet type and powder make the recoil force different between bullets. This justifies the strength of the snipers and their sturdy build for heavy operation. .338 Lapua Mag vs .50 BMG Cartridge Comparison. Some of them can also be semi auto-loading guns. We will see more drastic differences between our selected rounds, and we cannot comment on the exact variables used for this result. Looking at it another way, if one is off by 5%, they're probably all off the same amount, making our comparison valid. [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." ?Ballistic Coefficient: 1.070?Sectional Density: 0.412?Special attention should . 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. 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. In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient ( BC, Cb) of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight. Almost all rounds have a ballistic coefficient of less than 1.0, but large rounds like the 50 BMG can exceed this normal BC. Instead, we want to take an unbiased look at the data in several ballistic and other performance category and compare them. In some cases, it is used to detonate mounted guns or cannons. 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. Ballistic coefficients were originally defined by Ingals as a number indicating velocity erosion due to air drag for a given bullet compared to a standard projectile of the same shape- 1 inch in diameter and weighing 1 pound. Any thoughts on where I can find an unbiased comparison? They are of premium build to make precise targets with less recoil. 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 do this, we have selected several rounds for each cartridge we are comparing. With such differences in cartridge specs, we can assume that the ballistic performances are going to be quite different as well. They have various models for different cartridges. Most .50 BMG rounds are not designed for much expansion. Encased in Barrett head-stamped brass, every cartridge is loaded with noncorrosive powder and primers as well as a 661 gr projectile using state-of-the-art machinery. Usually, a 50 cal round has a diameter of 12.7 mm diameter. This American Eagle ammunition was produced by Lake City Arsenal to NATO specifications. If you decide to make a go with the .338 or the 50 BMG, with some practice, youre going to have an accurate cartridge. 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 is useful to get a legalized firearm with licenses. It also has a strong recoil force as the cartridge is filled with powder. It was developed for the M2 Browning machine gun over 110 years ago, and was based on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. We will bring this up several times throughout our discussion but keep in the back of your mind that your ultimate choice should consider all of these results together rather than focusing on one independent category. In some cases you might be surprised. 300 yds. So, here is a table below: During the war, 50 calibers were used against light armor vehicles and aircraft due to their penetration power. This line of ammunition is 100% Lake City made. 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. 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. Users can easily use them for personal use. The 50 BMG is the winner of this section..50 BMG vs .50 Beowulf: Stopping Power. And this is simplifying the topic since we are leaving out expansion, which is also going to play a role in penetration. The ability to hit distant targets is . 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. But thats the case with just about every round and is one of the many reasons that a lot of us have fallen in love with the sport. And seeing the stopping power in action, we leave that to you. 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. Ballistic coefficient is typically measured with a 3 digit expression. It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. For the 50BMG, we are not going to give a specific round. American interest in an armor-piercing cartridge was influenced by the marginal French 11 mm design, prompting U.S. Army Ordnance officers to consult Browning. Since 50 BMG cartridges are unique, these have a limited number of sniper rifles built with adequate quality. Properties. As time goes, they are becoming more popular among shooters and hunters. Before we wrap up the article, we wanted to pick a round from each cartridge that we really like for certain applications. This bullet is 0.50 in diameter and typically 2.25-inch long. The two most important variables are the Initial Velocity and the Ballistic Coefficient. As the 50 BMG bullet has a high ballistic coefficient, it is used for powerful sniper rifles. It has the power to disable the engines of vehicles and penetrate concrete walls. 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. 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. Encased in Barrett head-stamped brass, every cartridge is loaded with noncorrosive powder and primers as well as a 661 gr projectile using state-of-the-art machinery. We dont have a single set of data we can look at to determine stopping power.