With the .338 Lapua Magnum vs .50 BMG, recoil takes on a bit more of an important role. This is the web home of Modern Ballistics: the world's most sophisticated small arms exterior ballistics program for the personal computer. Lake City 50 BMG Ammo Details. In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient (BC) of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight. 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. The minimum SD for hunting large game is .250. The eight-year-old National Guard Sniper School is the only U.S. military sniper school open to women and Jennifer was the first female graduate to complete the first counter-sniper course for the Air Guard security personnel. [34], A 1999 Justice Department Office of Special Investigations briefing on .50 caliber rifle crime identified several instances of the .50 BMG being involved in criminal activities. I was also surprised with thebackground. There are two to three inches difference between the highest performing 50 BMG round and the highest 338 LM round. I want this to be the best ballistic trajectory calculator out there. Heavier bullets with the same diameter are going to penetrate deeper than lighter rounds with the same diameter. All data created using our free ballistic calculator. Unsubscribe at any time. It has a thick casting of under 4 inches long with a primer end of 0.75-inch diameter. The ballistic coefficient or measure of drag for the .50 BMG is 1.05 which, is higher than any other commercially available around. anti-tank rifle" and that then "Ordnance contracted with Winchester to design a .50-cal. While Glock is a master of simplicity and reliability, Walther has gone for a more elaborate design. The 50 BMG is the winner of this section..50 BMG vs .50 Beowulf: Stopping Power. . We went conservative with the powder weight because these are factory loads and are not normally loaded near max capacities. While it travels in the air, it causes a shockwave which is equally dangerous to make a severe wound. Since a .50 caliber bullet is manufactured with a solid metal surface and core, it is very powerful. A 50 cal bullet has the power to cut through a human body with ease. We arrived at these numbers by using a 15lb firearm for the 338 LM rounds and a 30lb firearm for the 50 BMG rounds, which are common weights for rifles chambered for each cartridge. We also want to note that while we are taking each category and looking at them independently, all of these categories are interwoven with each other, including recoil and stopping power that we will look at shortly. cartridge. If you're looking at doing match ammo, you could be paying $5/round just for the bullet, nevermind the powder, primer, brass and other components. Sometimes, the wound may be fragile, but it may also get fatal. It has velocities that compete with the 50 BMG rounds, one of the flattest trajectories when compared to other .338 LM factory loads, and a ballistic coefficient of nearly .8. Us has made 50 BMG the standard as the largest bullet round in terms of shell size. 2023 Optics Bible - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, 50 Cal Vs. 50 BMG : Which One To Choose [ Know Differences], 223 vs 3006: What to Choose After In-Depth Comparison. Re: 50 BMG goes subsonic at 1500 Yards? The proof/test pressure is listed as 65,000psi (450,000kPa). Your email address will not be published. As for powder charges, we used conservative numbers for each round based on the hand loading specifications from Nosler. And this is simplifying the topic since we are leaving out expansion, which is also going to play a role in penetration. Velocity is key for proper penetration and expansion, which is critical for hunting. The .50 BMG Flechette rifle project was contacted out by DARPA in 1960's. The projectile consisted of a saboted depleted uranium dart weighing 11.9 gram ( 183.6 grains ). Its because 90% of their shots are coming at 250 yards or less. So , lets get down to business. The TSX has gained worldwide recognition as one of the deadliest, most dependable bullets you can buy. 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). Now, in this section, we are not looking technically at the actual felt recoil but instead at the recoil energy(ft.lb) that is generated when firing these rounds. This round is packaged in 150 CT Military Surplus ammo can. '"[5], The American Rifleman further explains that development was "[r]eputedly influenced by Germany's 13.2x92 mm SR (.53-cal.) Thread starter remrifle333; Start date Apr 23, 2011; Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum Become a supporting member. As we mentioned above, firing these rounds often requires heavy firearms and other pieces of gear that help negate this recoil. Three distinct and non-compatible metallic links have been used for .50 BMG cartridge belts. [citation needed], The .50 BMG round was used as a sniper round as early as the Korean War. . These are excellent speeds for long range shooting, especially when shot from a rifle with the proper twist rate to stabilize them in flight. As you notice, the .50 BMG has nearly double the recoil energy than the .338 LM. Another factor that goes into a cartridges stopping power is the penetration of the bullet. Although 50 cal is a very penetrating bullet, research has found something to stop it. Powder is matched carefully to each specific load for optimal pressure, velocity and consistent accuracy. The 408 CheyTac is a relatively new rifle caliber for sharpshooters. and the speed of the bullet. The mass is one of the bullets. This bullet weighs much less even with the large size. 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. . Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy; 647 gr (42 g) Speer: 3,044 ft/s (928 m/s) 13,310 ftlbf (18,050 J) 655 gr (42 g) ADI: 3,029 ft/s (923 m/s) The two most important variables are the Initial Velocity and the Ballistic Coefficient. Muzzle 100 yds. Even so, its difficult to compare the accuracy of two cartridges by the means that we have. With its trajectory and energy and bullet design options there are no limits to the type of hunting you can do with it. It will a produce a line graph showing the bullet drop and flight path of the bullet. No extra bullets are sent. This is useful to get a legalized firearm with licenses. To be able to push such large bullets to speeds that make them useful is going to take a good deal of powder and both have the casings to hold it. However, Los Angeles banned this bullet round. Copyright 2023 ShootersCalculator.comALL rights reserved. You can find an email form and contact information here. This large amount of force is very destructive to surrounding tissue and organs. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesn't necessarily mean it is a better bullet. Get My Cartridge Comparison Handbook! 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. Please let me know how it can be improved upon. They have barrel shrouds and a compensator to keep the gun in level. Our 50 BMG ammunition is ready for action. [4] A skilled sniper can effectively neutralize an infantry unit by eliminating several targets (soldiers or equipment) without revealing his precise location. 50 caliber bullets can easily enter through a thick, concrete, or brick wall, a large tree, or even a person from a long distance. This graph should give you a good idea about the major differences we are looking at here. As we have done in previous sections, we are going to look at our ten selected rounds. When dealing with more obscure cartridges that dont have a huge market and takes quite a lot more material to make and you have the trifecta for expensive rounds. You make up some cartridges and we'll do some shooting. Keep in mind this is an approximation and although it is quite accurate it should never replace first-hand experience of shooting your specific firearm and ammunition to determine the bullet drop and windage at different ranges and conditions. The numbers with the 50BMG rounds are astounding, especially to some who might only be familiar with the more common hunting rounds. Granted, if youre firing these rounds, you most likely have gear that aids in absorbing the recoil and stabilizing the firearm. Since the mid-1950s, some armored personnel carriers and utility vehicles have been made to withstand 12.7mm machine gun fire, restricting the destructive capability of the M2. 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. If we take a closer look at the averages of the round, we see that the 50BMG rounds carry from 200fps (Muzzle-700yds) to 300fps (800-1,000yds) more than the 338LM rounds, which is quite remarkable given how much heavier the 50BMG rounds. Huge bullets with enough powder to send them downrange at supersonic speeds are going to produce enough kick to knock you down. We also hope that we have made clear that the BC is not a point for comparing which bullet is better or worse than others. Availability: Out of Stock. When it comes to hunting, there are great options for the .338 LM. 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. Specs. This is why it is used in heavy-duty shootings. There are several variants of this 50 caliber round. 400 yds. The ballistic coefficient is derived from an equation that uses several bullet and cartridge variables. The primer type specified for this ammunition is Boxer primer that has a single centralized ignition point (US and NATO countries). We can estimate penetration based on the sectional density because of what the SD is derived from. We will see more drastic differences between our selected rounds, and we cannot comment on the exact variables used for this result. 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]. Typically, long range rifle bullets have a ballistic coefficient of 0.5 (G1) or above. Different 50 caliber bullets are used for various purposes that have individual compositions. The .338 Lapua Magnum has a much shorter history than the other cartridge we will be examining in this article. For a lot of cartridge comparisons we have done, recoil is usually not that huge of an issue. Almost all rounds have a ballistic coefficient of less than 1.0, but large rounds like the 50 BMG can exceed this normal BC. How important the ballistic coefficient is with shooters often depends on the distance of shots they are taking. No spam. A ballistic coefficient is a value that is assigned to a bullet type to signify how well it can cut through the air. The firearm has been zeroed in at 200 yards. After four seconds, the bullet will have dropped around 256 feet. The guns that use these bullets were used to target troops to save from enemy guns. In this section, we will take a look at bullet energy and penetration for comparing the 50 BMG vs 338 Lapua Magnum. If we have two bullets with the same weight, but different diameters, the smaller diameter localizes the force to a smaller area and gives you deeper penetration. Each cartridge is loaded with either Hornady A-MAX bullets, our high-performance boattail hollow points, or the new, radically superior ELD Match bullets. 50 BMG Ballistic Coefficient. Think of it paired with the energy of the bullet. Caliber means the diameter of the bullet, so a 50 caliber bullet is half an inch in diameter. 50 BMg bullets have a high ballistic coefficient of more than 1.0 to resist drifts from wind in flight. The .338 LM is no slouch when it comes to long range shooting. 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. During wartime, especially WW2, the US coast guard, and military used 50 BMG rifles towards helicopters. 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. Join 212,000 avid gun enthusiasts and claim your print-at-home shooting drills. 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. Its also not the most expensive .338 LM factory load that is available. This data was taken from the standards used by the ballistic calculator for the .338 LM and the .50 BMG rounds. Apart from machine guns, snipers and anti-materiel rifles use this cartridge. When this is the case, we will be sure to make it clear what we are doing. So the damages can be huge, depending on the surface it will hit. I love hunting, so I often have to deal with hunting equipment. You would be surprised how many of them have never given their rounds BC a thought. Inside the cartridge consists of a core made of manganese molybdenum steel, a point filler, and a seal of the lead-antimony base. Access features of the Reloading Handbook on your mobile device with the Reloading App. . They are intended mainly for long-range shooting. Looking at it another way, if one is off by 5%, they're probably all off the same amount, making our comparison valid. Both of these cartridges are going to produce a tremendous amount of recoil. The surface is dirt and water-resistant. Teamed with Colt, he produced prototypes ready for testing and, ironically, completed them by Nov. 11, 1918the Great War's end. 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. somehow. Even so, computer generated data is a proven and safe means for comparing two cartridges as we will do here. Instead, we want to take an unbiased look at the data in several ballistic and other performance category and compare them. A .50 in caliber cartridge developed for the M2 Browning heavy machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Copyright Hornady, Privacy Policy | CCPA Request | Accessibility Policy | Terms of Use, Designed and developed by IdeaBank Marketing. Get gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and updates on law changes daily! 500 yds. Effect? Full Metal Jacket, with boat tail and cannelure. In addition, these snipers will have less drift from the winds of the bullet. Spitzer. The difference between the two rounds is as followed with the 50BMG showing a flatter trajectory. 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. In context of the 338 Lapua vs 50 BMG where both are popular long distance rounds and to a smaller extent hunting rounds, velocity is a key component to our comparison. You will be sent the quantity of bullets that are ordered. This is the Ferret .50; a top-end attachment to an AR15 lower. At present, some US law enforcement use 50 BMG weapons, as well as snipers. 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. 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. If you do not have a Shooting Chronograph, I strongly suggest you purchase one. Barrel Lengths & Velocities for the 50 BMG. An upgraded variant of the M2 Browning HB machine gun used during World War II is still in use today. While there are parties who will place one cartridge over the other, we are not looking to do that in our comparisons. 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. The biggest issue we have with the 50 BMG is the sheer weight of the rifle. This can be useful in comparing cartridges or loads. Ballistics Coefficient (abbreviated "BC") is a bullet's ability to resist air friction and stay airborne. 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. ShootersCalculator.com is in the process of being massively overhauled. 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. Its ballistic coefficient is 1.050. The velocity of a bullet is key for both hunting and range shooting purposes. [14], Some civilians use .50 caliber rifles for long-range target shooting: the US-based Fifty Caliber Shooters Association holds .50 BMG shooting matches. This bullet is 0.50 in diameter and typically 2.25-inch long. We think a flat trajectory also gives you a little more room for mistakes when it comes to judging distance quickly, as is sometimes the case when hunting. 50 Cal 647 Grain Ball pulled bullets. G1 projectiles are flat based bullets such as spritzer bullets, where G7 projectiles are going to cover boattail spitzers. (We'll get to the meaning of "G1" in a moment.) During operation or simply game shootings, it can make a significant wound in cases of accidents. [39] However, .50 BMG rifles registered prior to the enacted bans remain lawful to possess in California[37][40] and Connecticut. [32] Applications requesting firearms in this caliber are assessed by the same criteria as smaller calibers; with the applicant having to prove they have a valid reason for owning such a weapon. I'm Mike, one of the oldest writer of Sniper Country! The minimum SD for hunting medium game is .210. The Spitzer is a very popular and aerodynamic bullet shape. [citation needed], The U.S. Coast Guard uses .50 BMG rifles onboard armed helicopters to disable the engines on boats during interdictions. It saw service with the military in both Afghanistan and Iraq and is still in use with military personnel today, but it has also found a loyal following among civilians. Thus, to begin zeroing on an optically centered scope, you have to come down 30 minutes at the start. Customer Reviews. Ballistic Coefficient (BC) is basically a measure of how streamlined a bullet is; that is, how well it cuts through the air. Get gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and updates on law changes, daily! SHTF 50: Safety Harbor's .50-Cal Upper Conversion for AR-15s The .50 BMG was developed during World War I when looking for an effective anti-aircraft round. Different snipers have different ranges depending on their design. Description. R. remrifle333 Member. Put me on the Waiting List. This is why their weapons are hard to find and limited in number. Hornady's original goal: "Ten bullets through one hole.". In this way, the user can know how much recoil the 50 BMG round has due to impact. 50 Caliber has different types of rounds, while 50 BMG is a particular one. 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. 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. Before we get into our comparisons, there is one more note that we would like to make. Required fields are marked *. 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. Can a 50 cal rip your arm off? Recoil is also a component to accuracy though most will deny it has any effect on them. Some of them operate by recoil principle, while others use gas. Of course, looking at averages might not be fair as there are .338 LM rounds that carry similar or even higher velocities than some 50BMG rounds. [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." Machine guns use it as a continuous belt of rounds. Though they also carry quite a significant amount more powder and as we saw previously, you pay for it with the recoil. 200 yds. When comparing the 9mm handguns available, two models that always top the discussion are the Walther PPQ and the Glock 19. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15 in (381 mm), with 8 lands and grooves. With modern firearms, the majority of centerfire rifle cartridges can be tolerated with regards to the recoil. Muzzle 100 yds. Joined Feb 9, 2010 Messages 6. The TSX was introduced in 2003 and has become Barnes' most popular hunting bullet. 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! Since the .50 BMG (23.00 23.33 g tungsten with muzzle velocity of 4,000 ft/s (1,219 m/s)) is very large it needs heavy weapons to support it. It has the velocity, the BC, and the trajectory to make shots of even 1,500 yards. [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.

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