Please bear with the illiterate and un-informed (me)

I' ve seen some where on this site a 50BMG necked to .375. I imagine that this is a huge over-bore and would kill at both ends. My question is, what about a 50bmg, shortened to let say 3" and necked to .375.

(I actually dreamed this last night... I spend too much time reading these forums..)

It would sort of look like a WSM type cartridge, allowing more performance than a conventional .375 cartridge, allow a standard length action etc to be used and drop recoil to a healthy but managable force.

The downside I can imagine is a limit to magazine space and possible shortage of "short" actions cabable of handling the .50bmg cartridge diametre.

[This message has been edited by Hunter - DownUnder (edited 05-08-2002).]

The problem is that the case head size of the 50 bmg prevents you from using any sporting actions. You would have to get a BMG action made in a short version which would be costly in the extreme.

Sorry to be a naysayer.

The full length .50BMG/.375 was built by Horstkamp for awhile and generally considered a failure. I've only seen one and it's 1000yrd groups were ah how shall I say this-unimpressive. It hit's some impressive velocities, but barrel life is very very short.Through a borescope the barrel looked like the craters on the moon after only 200 rounds! There is A fellow up in Alaska named Monte Kyser who built a whole slew of shortened varients of the .50 BMG with Improved shoulders and I've talked to him. He has written up his experiments in VHP. He was relatively impressed with his .375 varient, and his .700 which I think OVERKILL calls the .700 Jugernaught. But, when all is said and done unless your after a sort of one of a kind gun and are willing to spend the$8000- $10,000 on a gun and custom dies( about $500).You will also need a hydraulic press to form your cases) or can do the work yourself, this is another project probably best left alone.
I don't want to discouarge you, but I'm involved in a similar project and have a pretty good operational knowledge of what is required.These are just the facts.-Rob

I belive .375PGW based on .505 Gibbs could perform well not far from .375/.50 short in hunting barrel lengths. High pressure brass will be aviable soon, dies too and not big problem with action . . . it is my opinion . . .

Jiri