what would you buy in a 50 bmg

A lot of choices in that price range. I guess it depends what you want to do with it. I think my next .50 will be a repeater like the Cobb (Bushmaster). That can be had for under 5 grand.

I would build a 375 Cheytac and have superior ballistics at less cost.

I'd keep saving and buy a Barrett 82.

Single shot off a bench or bipod at targets far enough distant that I need to drive out to them.

Silly, buy a Sabatti .500 Nitro Express double rifle from Cabelas.

I agree on the DR buy, but if you wanted a BMG, get the Armalite AR50 and spend the other half on ammo.

Bill

That was the next , thing on my list or a .450

I purchased my .50 BMG last year. It's a Bushmaster BA-50, 10 shot bolt action repeater. If you are going to be choosing between the .50 BMG and the .338 Lapua, go with the .50. The reasons are many. First it is a much more common, avaliable round. .338 Lapua ammo is hard to find, and expensive as hell when you do. As much as $125.00 a box of 20. In comparison you can buy .50 BMG ammo in bulk for as little as $2.49 a round. It's a much more powerful round, and a much better value for your shooting dollars. Even if you handload the Lapua round it will cost you a fortune for components. Bullets are not that avaliable either. Remember it is really pointless to shoot anything under 300 grains in the .338 Lapua. That limits your bullet choices greatly.

In the .50 BMG bullet choices are all but limitless. Here is another reason the .50 BMG is a better choice. You can buy surplus tracer, armor piercing, incendiary, armor piercing incendiary tracer all quite inexpensively. None of that is avaliable in the Lapua. These surplus rounds are literally a blast to shoot. Standard ball ammo is avaliable in .50 BMG for under $35.00 a box of 10. That's almost half the cost of .338 Lapua, and it's avaliable at most any well stocked gun shop.

I have a .338-378 Weatherby Magnum in a Weatherby Accumark rifle. The .338-378 actually bests the .338 Lapua in velocity and range. It has nothing on the .50 Browning. On paper you can make an argument for the .338 Lapua, but trust me I own both and no .338 can compare to the fun, range, and value the .50 BMG offers. There is a reason they outsell the Lapua by an easy 20 to 1 or greater margin. Bill T.

Check Ohio Ordnance, they have Barrett M82s for $6500. I realize thats more than you were talking about but its DAMN cheap for M82s, and these have seen combat in the Middle East, heck thats a plus, worth the extra money.

Lqcal Sportsman's Warehouse has the 10-shot Bushmaster for $4,199.

I`d say a mcmillan tac 50 just my two cents
Ps I don't have 50bmg experince

quote:

Originally posted by willl:
I`d say a mcmillan tac 50 just my two cents
Ps I don't have 50bmg experince

A McMillian TAC-50 is a fine .50 BMG rifle, but you won't be buying one for $5,500.00. They run anywhere from $7,500.00 to $8,000.00 without sights.

My next one will be a "light weight" single shot rifle in the 15lb range for hunting.

I will sell my Serbu BFG 50 for a lot less than $5500.

Do you have a place to shoot the 50BMG? Not all ranges allow this round!
Peter.

There is a 1000 yrd range i Pa I can use.

I would look hard at the new Serbu 50 BFGA...for an extra grand.

Gas operated, semi auto. Apparently this guy Serbu has been working on getting this thing to market for years. With the predictable delay, and has pulled it off.

I am thinking hard about one.

My experience with .50 cals is limited to the M2 Browning and I really like those.

However, in direct answer to your question of "what would you buy in a 50 bmg" [for $5500}, I would buy the EAA Black Arrow M93. I have always been a fan of Mausers so what's not to like?

quote:

American Rifleman

At 40 pounds and nearly 60 inches in length, everything about this rifle is classic Model 98 Mauser magazine-fed, bolt action—except on a steroidal scale.

Zastava has been building mausers for a long time, to include Reminigton' lines of Mausers and the well known Whitworth rifles.

I see them listed as low as $3,584 new. That leaves some extra money for the scope.

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
In direct answer to your question, "what would you buy in a 50 bmg" [for $5500}, I would buy the EAA Black Arrow M93. I have always been a fan of Mausers and what's not to like?

quote:

American Rifleman
At 40 pounds and nearly 60 inches in length, everything about this rifle is classic Model 98 Mauser magazine-fed, bolt action—except on a steroidal scale.

When I bought my Bushmaster BA-50 I was told by a Davidson's representative they quit selling them, (EAA Black Arrows), because they were getting so many of them back with issues. They haven't gotten one Bushmaster .50 cal back yet. That made up my mind for me.

I have heard of problems with the version in 7.62. Problems with magazines and the wood stock swelling. However, the 50 BMG rifle is a different animal. It uses a different action and does not use a wooden stock.

The M93 is also "proven on the battlefield". If you are interested in specs you can get those in Zastava's military catalog: http://www.scribd.com/doc/6239...rms-MIL-Catalog-2011

quote:

This is from an article in Tactical-Life that discusses several 50 cal weapons:


The M93 Black Arrow (Crna Strela) is a product of Zastava Arms of Kragujevac, Serbia. The rifle entered service in 1998 and immediately saw extensive use in Kosovo and later in the Macedonian insurgency. Aside from its use at home, the Black Arrow has been a popular regional export and limited numbers have been distributed to other countries, including the U.S. Production of variants that fire Russian 12.7 x 108mm and NATO BMG rounds clearly enhances global exportability. Unlike most large-caliber sniper rifles, the Black Arrow includes an 8 x 32 scope [civilian version comes with mounts only] and can accommodate other optical sights. In addition, back-up iron sights with a folding front blade are included. The large rifle carries a 39.4-inch, free-floating fluted barrel with a muzzle brake that reduces felt recoil by 62 percent, a folding carrying handle and an adjustable bipod. The polymer adjustable stock contains two spring buffers. Effective range is comparable to many similar designs, and its price is less than other heavy rifles, making the rifle competitive, especially in the Third World.

One other issue with the EAA Black Arrow is the location of the bipod. It is too far rearward, and allows the gun to tip forward on it's muzzle because of this. This can and will lead to a disaster if you are shooting the weapon off a short bench.

Armalite; it is cheaper and mine shoots sub moa with 1943 TW AP ammo. And doesn't kick at all. You can shoot a single shot as fast as you want or need to with a 50 BMG.

The Windrunner would be worth a look -- the cool briefcase broken down size has a majour league cool factor.
That said I do not have one nor any nifty fifty -- still looking
G

I have also been an admirer of the Zastava Black Arrow, and am quite a fan of it coming in a crate for some reason as well. I have not heard good things about their accuracy, however, and they supposedly have quite a heavy trigger as well. Obviously it works, or it would not be made though.

I just acquired an awesome package deal (I like it anyways). I received the Barrett M99-1 with the 29" fluted barrel with Titanium Brake. Sitting on top is a Konus (not my choice either) scope. It also came with 61 rounds of ammunition, and has been shot <10 times, and is not yet broke in. I paid $3500 out of the door, and I am quite impressed with the Barrett quality of manufacturing, trigger feels good, and action is smooth as can be.

I am looking at getting another .338 Lapua, and am considering another Barrett, because of how impressed I am with the 99.

Hope this helps......Good Luck.

DTA HTI...with 50 and 375CT barrels......baddest MOFO on the planet.....you are not safe under 1.5 miles with this gun.....

quote:

Originally posted by EDELWEISS:
Check Ohio Ordnance, they have Barrett M82s for $6500. I realize thats more than you were talking about but its DAMN cheap for M82s, and these have seen combat in the Middle East, heck thats a plus, worth the extra money.

THIS...No Freaking Question!

I would buy just what I did buy. First an AR50 then a Bluegrass Armory Viper in 50BMG.
Like them both but shoot the AR50 the most.
Both very accurate out to 1400 yards which is the longest I have shot them.

I'll second what dpcd said. The only experience I have with a big 50 is an Armalite AR50A1 that I recently bought and I really love to shoot it. $4 to $6 a round (factory & surplus) is a bit much so it looks like I'll be reloading for it too.

Steve.......

I actually have the first AR-50 produced, as well as the first AR-10, and AR-30 in 338 Lapua. All the same serial number.
And I also, named the AR-50. For real.