Gain a deep knowledge of ballistic science and access our improved ballistic calculator. The higher the value, the better the bullet can travel through the air. 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. It can shoot up to ranges of 330 yards and floats in the air for about seven seconds, before dropping to the ground. If you have any feedback or question about my articles, please submit it here, it's always appreciated! 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. Please let me know how it can be improved upon. Citadel 1911 Review: Best Budget-Friendly Pistol? This is because the bullet is very large, so the wound it makes is also large and deep, but still curable. When it comes to hunting, there are great options for the .338 LM. Most of the cluster around the same amount of energy, but there is some variation. somehow. This can be useful in comparing cartridges or loads. This Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition is perfect for target shooting, competition shooting, long-range hunting, and long-range shooting. Again, this conclusions and estimates are based solely on the factory loads we have been examining here and the data that accompany them. Ammunition is sold in 80-round cases. Federal Ammunition 50 BMG Ballistic Data. This justifies the strength of the snipers and their sturdy build for heavy operation. While it travels in the air, it causes a shockwave which is equally dangerous to make a severe wound. It has a large cartridge used in anti-material for longer ranges. Usually, a 50 cal round has a diameter of 12.7 mm diameter. Some of them can also be semi auto-loading guns. 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. Fill, sign and download Ballistic Chart online on Handypdf.com Still, with the categories we have examined so far, we can infer some information in a roundabout way when it comes to the potential accuracy between the 338 Lapua Mag versus 50 BMG. There is a very small circle of people out there who have turned to the 50BMG for hunting purposes. Thank you. The .30-06 Springfield, the standard caliber for American soldiers in both World Wars and a popular caliber amongst American hunters, can produce muzzle energies between 2,000 and 3,000 foot-pounds force (3,000 and 4,000J). Muzzle Velocity - 2,952 is a screaming velocity, HSM AMAXs run around 2,680, and Barrett Ball is around 2,750. This is near impossible to handle accurately unless accessory gear is used to help absorb and stabilize the rifle. Get gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and updates on law changes daily! This weapon was used by other snipers, and eventually purpose-built sniper rifles were developed specifically for this round. Thread starter remrifle333; Start date Apr 23, 2011; Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum Become a supporting member. We are not huge advocates of its use in hunting, but if you have the desire to take it to the field, your biggest concern is how it flies, in which case check out the next section. It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. To make it as accurate as possible, it is important that you input the most accurate information that represents shooting conditions, your firearm, and cartridge. As you notice, the .50 BMG has nearly double the recoil energy than the .338 LM. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Copyright Hornady, Privacy Policy | CCPA Request | Accessibility Policy | Terms of Use, Designed and developed by IdeaBank Marketing. Hornady's original goal: "Ten bullets through one hole.". The BC of a round also plays a large role in the trajectory of a round, which we will look at next. This is the web home of Modern Ballistics: the world's most sophisticated small arms exterior ballistics program for the personal computer. My problem is that the upper came with a 30 minute rail. 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. As we mentioned earlier, the velocity has a lot of influence on other aspects of the bullets behavior such as expansion. It should already be clear that the difference just from the bullet diameter is quite dramatic. On the other hand, a 50 BMG is a type of 50 Caliber round. Each cartridge is loaded with either Hornady A-MAX bullets, our high-performance boattail hollow points, or the new, radically superior ELD Match bullets. This comparison is interesting because of how similar the sectional densities are despite the major differences in bullets. In certain aspects and certain situations, sure, there are cartridges better suited to the task than others. Some notable companies that produce 50 BMG sniper rifles include Barrett Firearms, Accuracy International, Arms Tech Ltd, Armalite, Bushmaster, Desert Tech, Serbu Firearms, etc. 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. A 50 caliber bullet is measured to be an inch. The .50 BMG (12.799mm NATO) cartridge has a capacity of 290gr (19g). 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]. 50 Cal is generally known as the bore and the nominal bullet diameter. . 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. The ability to hit distant targets is . We can estimate penetration based on the sectional density because of what the SD is derived from. Brands like Smith & Wesson, Magnum Desert Eagle, Magnum Research, Guncrafter Industries, Ruger Super, Safety Harbour, etc create the best pistols for 50 BMG. There's a reason militaries worldwide still use a 50 BMG bolt-action rifle for sniping. Most importantly, they are designed to reduce the bullets recoil. 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. But, one can also survive the wound from a 50 BMG shot if it isnt fatal. Your information will never be shared and you can unsubscribe with one click at anytime. Ballistic Coefficient - BC of 0.364 seems to be way low, standard BC for Ball Ammo should be in the 0.650-0.670 range. I doubt too many microbiologists discuss the BCs of ammunition! The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15in (380mm), with eight lands and grooves. So there is a fine line a lot of hunters try to walk when it comes to penetration. 200 yds. 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. 300 yds. Beretta 3032 Tomcat [Review]: A Worthy Self-Defense Pistol? 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. The rounds intended for machine guns are made into a continuous belt using metallic links. With modern firearms, the majority of centerfire rifle cartridges can be tolerated with regards to the recoil. Even so, its difficult to compare the accuracy of two cartridges by the means that we have. 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. It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. No spam. It was developed for the M2 Browning machine gun over 110 years ago, and was based on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. The majority of its use in these circles is through extreme distance shooting though there are small circles that utilize it for hunting purposes, mostly for large or dangerous game at extreme distances. With extremely tight tolerances and strict quality control, all Hornady Match ammunition features superior lot-to-lot consistency. Apart from machine guns, snipers and anti-materiel rifles use this cartridge. The mass is one of the bullets. 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! Check TopScopesfor Barrett.50 Cal. So the damages can be huge, depending on the surface it will hit. In this section, we will take a look at bullet energy and penetration for comparing the 50 BMG vs 338 Lapua Magnum. 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. 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. Caliber means the diameter of the bullet, so a 50 caliber bullet is half an inch in diameter. The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG, 12.799mm NATO and designated as the 50 Browning by the C.I.P. Steel armors can also stop it from entering. Still, we think that we can get some valuable information by examining the kinetic energy associated with our various rounds as the move from the muzzle down range to 1,000 yards. In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient (BC) of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight. 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. . KelTec Sub 2000 [Review]: Best PCC Firearm? A user can shoot easily from a distance of about two kilometers. [4] A skilled sniper can effectively neutralize an infantry unit by eliminating several targets (soldiers or equipment) without revealing his precise location. Description: Lake City 50 BMG ammunition consists of Lake City brass, boxer-primers and 660 Grain projectiles. We are not going to sit and mess around with the short range trajectory. Hi! Find load data for your cartridge. We are working on a massive list, but this list won't be ready for a few weeks or months. Required fields are marked *. Copyright 2023 ShootersCalculator.comALL rights reserved. Although 50 cal is a very penetrating bullet, research has found something to stop it. The energy is only part of the equation to stopping power, but it is an important one to examine nonetheless. These are extremely large rounds that require heavy weapons as well as other equipment to shoot accurately. Both of these cartridges are going to produce a tremendous amount of recoil. But, if you need the performance, its just something you have to deal with, especially if you dont reload. For comparison, a similar monolithic bullet in .50 BMG usually maxes out around 800 grains at 2,900 fps. So when game time comes make sure you are ready and enjoy the accuracy of Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition! A few of these include the bullet design (spitzer, boat tail, flat nose, etc.) They have barrel shrouds and a compensator to keep the gun in level. [15], A common method for understanding the actual power of a cartridge is comparison of muzzle energies. I'm Mike, one of the oldest writer of Sniper Country! SHTF 50: Safety Harbor's .50-Cal Upper Conversion for AR-15s The higher the number, the less drag the projectile will experience. We dont have a single set of data we can look at to determine stopping power. The higher the number, the less drag the projectile will experience. More importantly, we are interested in how flat a bullet flies over a given distance. If youre looking to choose between heavy, hard hitting, and far flying cartridges such as the .338 LM and 50 BMG we are pretty confident that you are well aware of the ballistic coefficient. The 7.62 is the "screw you way over there" round. The SD comes from the diameter of the bullet and the weight of the bullet. What we hope you draw from this is that both of these cartridges have a BC that corresponds with highly streamlined bullets. It is made a standard bullet for important army forces. Thank you. The Army then returned to John Browning for the actual gun. The Heat Shield tip on the ELD Match bullet creates the perfect meplat and outperforms BTHP bullets. It is inversely proportional to the negative acceleration a high number indicates a low negative acceleration. And if you need the performance of the 50BMG, you are probably already aware of what you are in for and with todays modern gear, you are perfectly capable of using this cartridge efficiently. .510 diameter. 338 LM Federal MatchKing BTHP Gold Medal 250gr, 338 LM Nosler Trophy Grade AccuBond 300gr. Well discuss this topic more in the applications section. Since a 50 cal bullet can slice through a body without protective armor, it can also kill someone. It has a .30-06 Springfield design with a long taper case wall for various types of weapons. Unsubscribe at any time. 50 BMG has a 12.7mm diameter and is also used in snipers and machine guns. This Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition is perfect for target shooting, competition shooting, long-range hunting, and long-range shooting.This American Eagle ammunition was produced by Lake City Arsenal to NATO specifications. Under STANAG 4383, it is a standard service cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. 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. They should show closer accuracy between each other however, because the form factor is constant. It runs on all modern Windows (Win98 and greater) computers. It has the power to disable the engines of vehicles and penetrate concrete walls. The cartridge itself has been made in many variants: multiple generations of regular ball, tracer, armor-piercing (AP), incendiary, and saboted sub-caliber rounds. 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. ?Ballistic Coefficient: 1.070?Sectional Density: 0.412?Special attention should . Military Requirement: due to the rounds being from Lake City Ammunition . Besides military and police organizations, the .50 BMG has gained popularity in some civilian circles. If you do not have a Shooting Chronograph, I strongly suggest you purchase one. AP (ARMOR PIERCING) M2 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. Important: Since there are thousands of bullet shapes the Ballistic Coefficient calculations made below are not 100% accurate, if you are shooting out past 400-500+ yards your going to need to get the exact BC from the bullet's manufacturer. 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. In some cases, it is used to detonate mounted guns or cannons. anti-tank rifle" and that then "Ordnance contracted with Winchester to design a .50-cal. Looking at it another way, if one is off by 5%, they're probably all off the same amount, making our comparison valid. As the 50 BMG bullet has a high ballistic coefficient, it is used for powerful sniper rifles. If we look at the sectional densities of the ten rounds we see that there is not a huge advantage to one cartridge over the other in this regard though the 50BMG cartridge does have two rounds above the .4 mark. A.50 Caliber is a large bullet round with a 12.7mm diameter. Bullet: 661 gr M33 Ball Bullet Weight: 661 gr Bullet Diameter: 0.510 While these two cartridges might overlap in some shooting applications, we think there are niches where they stand apart as well. These ballistic coefficient values are said to be accurate to within about 5%. It couldnt be more clear that the 50BMG carries exponentially more kinetic energy with it than the .338 LM rounds. Most hunters also want enough stopping power to be able to make a clean and humane kill of the animal with causing unneeded suffering and risk losing it in the field. Get my premium 550+ pages handbook that compares all cartridges, for free (worth $199!) Ballistic coefficient is typically measured with a 3 digit expression. . This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it does include some of the more popular rounds for each cartridge. [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. 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. What is ballistic coefficient (BC)? As far as availability goes for the 50 BMG vs 338 Lapua Magnum, both are going to be harder to come by then smaller, more traditional hunting and target cartridges. To measure the ballistic coefficient, we need the BC projectile that is equivalent to the ballistic coefficient in a point mass trajectory of below 20 degrees. 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. For simply comparing two different cartridges, we are going to omit it for the sake of clarity. Specs. [9] The former record for a confirmed long-distance kill was set by U.S. Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock in 1967 during the Vietnam War, at a distance of 2,090 meters (2,290yd; 1.30mi);[10] Hathcock used the .50 BMG in an M2 Machine Gun equipped with a telescopic sight. 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. Similar to snipers, 50 BMG pistols are also made of hard materials to support the powerful cartridge. PMC X-Tac Match is developed around several award winning loads replicating performance down to a tee. The .50 BMG cartridge is also produced commercially in a wide range of specifications, including armor piercing, tracing, and incendiary. The fact is, both of these cartridges produce large amounts of recoil that can easily cause the shooter to flinch during a shot. 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. According to the American Rifleman: "Actually, the Browning .50 originated in the Great War. For this article, we are going to explain the BC in the simplest of terms. [4], The development of the .50 BMG round is sometimes confused with the German 13.2mm TuF, which was developed by Germany for an anti-tank rifle to combat British tanks during WWI and against aircraft. The higher the velocity, the flatter the bullet will shoot, with less wind drift, more energy when it reaches the target, and an extended . The auctioneer claims that it is only one of twelve built and the only other known example resides at the Ford Benning sniper school. Muzzle 100 yds. 500 yds. Get My Cartridge Comparison Handbook! Lets take a look at the velocities of each round from the muzzle out to 1,000 yards. And this is case when comparing most cartridges. 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. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15 in (381 mm), with 8 lands and grooves. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesn't necessarily mean it is a better bullet. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air drag. Most .50 BMG rounds are not designed for much expansion. Any thoughts on where I can find an unbiased comparison? 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. Our .50 BMG ammunition is ready for action. 300 yds. The oversized bullet is formed to the bore size upon firing, forming a tight seal and engaging the rifling. Its ballistic coefficient is 1.050. 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. The .50 BMG is a bigger, heavier bullet that delivers a reliable killing shot up to an astounding range of about 3300 yards. Even so, computer generated data is a proven and safe means for comparing two cartridges as we will do here. You might be strictly a hunter or strictly a competition shooter, but the majority of us are a mixture of both. ", "How Will Illinois Law Banning Some Firearms Affect Gun Owners? 50 BMG was designed for anti-aircraft weapons during World War I. Military use 50 caliber in machine guns and snipers, as well as regular shooters. Velocity fps: 2940: 2806: 2677: 2551: 2428: 2309: Energy ft lbs: 12666: 11541: 10499: 9534: In our minds, there is no one cartridge that is above and beyond better than another. 500 yds. They have various models for different cartridges. So, it is evident that the bullet is dangerous and needs care while in use. Both of these cartridges are capable of accuracy at extreme distances, and both have enormous stopping power. The guns that use these bullets were used to target troops to save from enemy guns. And this is simplifying the topic since we are leaving out expansion, which is also going to play a role in penetration. They can easily enter through light armors and hit targets. This large amount of force is very destructive to surrounding tissue and organs. The .50 BMG round can produce between 10,000 and 15,000 foot pounds (between 14 and 18 kilojoules), depending on its powder and bullet type, as well as the rifle it was fired from. These are excellent speeds for long range shooting, especially when shot from a rifle with the proper twist rate to stabilize them in flight.
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