Is it legal to take dangerous and plains game with the BMG 50 cal? A 700 grain FMJ at 2700fps should go A to Z on just about anything! Has anyone accomplished this? If you got pictures and details, please share them with us. Are tracers, armor piercing, and incendiary rounds legal?
Crazy thoughts while on break.
Jeff in Texas

In my opinion the .50 BMG is the "Ultimate" stopper. I think the main reason that people arent using this in Africa is because of the rifle weight being 30+lbs. But im not sure if it is Legal or not.

You can get them down to about 18 pounds, but you won't get 2700 fps with a 700 gr bullet with a rifle that light (too short of a barrel). If hunting with it I can say this for sure, if the bullet doesn't get it the muzzle blast will!

I don't know the legality of hunting with it in Africa. It is illegal in most states, though.

Scott

Idaho has a 16 pound max weight limit for hunting guns. You can use a 50 BMG, but it has to weigh less than 16 pounds.

I think you posted this identical question only a couple of months ago gas57 and Rob told you of an instance where a buff was shot front on with one.
It ran off aways as they usually do before dying.Nothing spectacular.

And I also pointed out the 585/600 calibre boltaction wildcats which are still 'hunting rifles', fall short of 50BMG power by only 15-25% or so but have a frontal area 30-35% larger.
This is like comparing a 378 wby to a 404jeffery.
-The 404 is considered the better stopper.

Secondly if you can put up with the weight and barrel length of a 50, obviously any BMG wildcat necked up to 577,600 or Ed's 700 will be even more powerful.

Lastly remember the 50BMG is the smallest calibre in the next class, anti material rifles.
So you could go to a 14.5mm, or short 20mm and make the 50 look like a girls's gun- hey you wanted to bring AMR's into it!

I think if I were to use one the most fun would be to set it up and use it as it was intended- long range varminting- on whatever game you were allowed.


Karl.