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50 cal what would you buy what's your favorite
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"IF" I could purchase one in CA, I think I would go with the AI over the Barrett. I own a few Barrett's and an AI but the weight of an AI might be an issue if you are somewhat recoil sensitive. The price is about the same. You looking for bolt (DBM/single) or semi?
50 is good for payload rounds. Api and such. 338 is better for most everything else. 50 bore riders in a super accurate gun are interesting. 416 Barrett is also fun
A good .338LM is easy to shoot all day whereas a .50BMG can really beat the shit out of you. Generally, if you're only shooting to a mile or so, .338LM is more beneficial and doesn't require a large 30lb rifle. Beyond that, .375CT makes more sense and is a true intermediate cartridge between .338LM and .50BMG. But there's no denying that .50BMG is fun to shoot and for civie applications it's much easier to spot splash at 2.5km than other cartridges.
Off the top it would probably depend on brake installed on 50. I own two 338 LM's (Savage 110 BA & Custom with Badger FTE Brake). I find Savage to kick a bit more even with 2.8 grains LESS (same powder) than my Custom. FTE brake is a very good!
I have shot a Barrett 50 and Barrett 416 which, IMO, did not have much more kick than my Savage. I was expecting much more of a kick. I'm sure those Barrett Brakes they had installed helped a whole lot with reducing recoil. From what I recall reloads were around 220 grains or so of powder under 750 grain Hornady's.
It is really all based per person. I have shot ~220 .338 LM rounds in three straight days with no complaints.
Note: The .338 LM happens to be my favorite caliber to shoot. Its recoil has become negligible at this time.
look up the New ANZIO 20/50 Rifle you did say a 50 cal
Features:
750 or 800 grain solid going 3200 to 3600 fps
Overall length 5' 8"
Barrel length 40" Optional 36" or 45"
Take-down barrel
Maximum range 3500 yards
Includes fitted Pelican case
Optional:
Camo patterns add $300
45" barrel add $300
Suppressor add $1800
Features:
750 or 800 grain solid going 3200 to 3600 fps
Overall length 5' 8"
Barrel length 40" Optional 36" or 45"
Take-down barrel
Maximum range 3500 yards
Includes fitted Pelican case
Optional:
Camo patterns add $300
45" barrel add $300
Suppressor add $1800
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Does it come with help to carry it?
may need to get some wheels put on the muzzle brake to move it! LOL
While both the Windrunner and the Barret are both fun, they have a different purpose.
The barret mags like mil spec ball..
Load up amax750's and they are too long for the magazine
Or they are seated way off of the lands.
The wind runner is better in the accuracy department and the workmanship is top notch.
Edm billet vs sheet metal.
Both work, both are fun- different purpose behind the two platforms.
The barret mags like mil spec ball..
Load up amax750's and they are too long for the magazine
Or they are seated way off of the lands.
The wind runner is better in the accuracy department and the workmanship is top notch.
Edm billet vs sheet metal.
Both work, both are fun- different purpose behind the two platforms.
Yup, really depends on how and what you'll use it for. I ran with the McMillin guns when I had my Armalite AR-50. Factory AMAX rounds or handloaded bore riders produced amazing results and for a gun in the $3k range it's hard to beat for accuracy. There are a lot of tube design single shot bolt action guns, Serbu, Anzio, to name a couple. I've got one of ten Idaho Light Weight .50BMGs that Anzio produced and it's a very nice weapon, again, for around $3k. It's become a safe queen and I've now got my eye on a Bushmaster BA-50. Probably the best buy out there for what it ships with, and it being a mag fed gun, for around $4k. If money wasn't an issue, McMillin TAC-50 all day and your done. EDM is also a very nice rifle as are the DTA but for us left eye dominant shooters the are a slow-go/no-go rifle.
Or you can choose the HTI from Desert Tech and have the choice of both .50 and .375ct, as well as some future choices like .416, .408. I love mine, and have had hits on sub MOA targets past 2300 yards.
Ps I sold my Barrett 99, and only use my '82 to please crowds. The.375ct HTI is all I really shoot now past 1500yds.
I have a Mcmillan single shot, Barrett M107a1, an EDM and recently sold a full auto M2HB. M2 aside, If firepower is your priority the Barrett can lay some serious energy down range. No bolt gun can compete with 10 rounds in 10 seconds! Accuracy from the Barrett can be sub 2 MOA. If accuracy is most important, a single shot McMillan is stupid accurate. Mine is .5 MOA with 808 grain solids. A mag fed bolt is a nice compromise between the 2. In this category I would skip the EDM all together and get the AI or the Macmillan. Both are great but the fit, finish, indestructibility, and consistency of any AI rifle is the best in the world!
When Talon was shut down, food really became expensive.
I can't imagine feeding a class 3 Ma Deuce at $3-$3.50 a round.
When you could pick up Talon for $1.25 a round delivered... It made me smile.
I can't imagine feeding a class 3 Ma Deuce at $3-$3.50 a round.
When you could pick up Talon for $1.25 a round delivered... It made me smile.
I had a McMillan for a long time. Sold it (and all my MCM stuff) a few years back and bought a Barrett 82. Fun but not accurate. I still have it but dont shoot it that often.
Now days I shoot my AI-X more. It kicks more but is just as accurate as my MCM bench gun.
Now days I shoot my AI-X more. It kicks more but is just as accurate as my MCM bench gun.
338 more accurate and fun to shoot. Trigger on my 338 is 2 lbs, but have never found a 50 cal with less than 8 lb trigger. Do yourself a favor and forget the 50. After the novelty wears off, you'll find it becomes a real pain! Many other better ELR calibers available.
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If you've got the $$$$ to blow on a .50 -- I'd say get an MRAD if you want a Barrett.
Had one when they initially dropped...Got tired of waiting for the 300win/308 conversions...
You could do an AI -- AI AXMC goes 308/300/338.
I'd really stay away from the 50 though...It's awesome for that belly-laugh when you blow away your wife/girlfriends stupid shit at 1000 but, beyond that -- A 338 just has better ballistics IMO.
Had one when they initially dropped...Got tired of waiting for the 300win/308 conversions...
You could do an AI -- AI AXMC goes 308/300/338.
I'd really stay away from the 50 though...It's awesome for that belly-laugh when you blow away your wife/girlfriends stupid shit at 1000 but, beyond that -- A 338 just has better ballistics IMO.
Being in Australia we don't get too many fun toys..but after shooting the AI, a DSR, the Steyr Hs50 and a DTA is .. the award goes to the DTA.
Why all the 50 haters?
It's such a great caliber with many great platforms available. A 50 cal with high B.C bullets blows the doors off a 338 ballistically. My McMillan is sub MOA and supersonic out to 2500 yards with 808 grain solids using a G1 BC of 1.10! I can load plinking 50 cal for UNDER $1 a round and match ammo for $3.50. I don't think thats much, if any more expensive than 338. Brass lasts many reloads also. There is ammo for any job! I can load armor piercing rounds, incendiary rounds, tracer rounds, plinking rounds, match ammo, and buy factory ammo all day long. I really like owning, shooting, and competing with 50s. In 10 years I have 15,000+ rounds of 50 cal loaded and fired under my belt along with 6 different rifles, so I feel like I somewhat know what i'm talking about. Just my humble opinion.
It's such a great caliber with many great platforms available. A 50 cal with high B.C bullets blows the doors off a 338 ballistically. My McMillan is sub MOA and supersonic out to 2500 yards with 808 grain solids using a G1 BC of 1.10! I can load plinking 50 cal for UNDER $1 a round and match ammo for $3.50. I don't think thats much, if any more expensive than 338. Brass lasts many reloads also. There is ammo for any job! I can load armor piercing rounds, incendiary rounds, tracer rounds, plinking rounds, match ammo, and buy factory ammo all day long. I really like owning, shooting, and competing with 50s. In 10 years I have 15,000+ rounds of 50 cal loaded and fired under my belt along with 6 different rifles, so I feel like I somewhat know what i'm talking about. Just my humble opinion.
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P.S. Are there better dedicated ELR rounds out there? Yes. Is there a more versatile ELR platform? I don't think so.
I don't think its an issue of people "hating" the 50 as much as the argument that there are better choices depending upon what you intend to do with it. I would argue that many purchase a 50 for the sheer novelty of it and once they had it for a while, they don't shoot them that often. Yes, they are fun to shoot at stuff and knock holes in some things but your average 50 only maintains this advantage out to around 900 - 1000 yards then it drops off and others out there carry more energy and shoot flatter with less drop when compared to a 50. Now for those that need to hold off the SHTF forces and think they will disable vehicles coming down the road then that's on them and I say good luck with that but to each their own. Another issue is finding a place to shoot it. If you have access to open land you may not have an issue but finding a local range that will allow 50's is getting harder to locate. I know a few folks that owned 50's over the years and never took them past 300 yards and all but one of them has sold their rifle and the one guy that still has one (M82) is trying to find someone to trade an MRAD for it but seeing as he lives out here, we can't pass the 50 on to others in the state so he is looking outside of CA.
I see some of your points. People just unfortunately judge a 50 with cheap ball ammo. This is very unfortunate.
Just for some reference, these are some ballistics for my friends 338 trg-42 with 300 grain scenars, my McMillan 50 with ball, then match solids. And finally my 408 Cheytac with Cutting Edge 415 grain solids.
800 msl, 85 degrees, 29.92
caliber drop and 10 mph 90 degree wind drift at 1000 yards, 2000 yards, 3000 yards.
338, 26.3moa drop and 4.2moa drift at 1000, 91.1moa drop and 10.4moa drift at 2000, 214.5moa drop and 14.7moa drift at 3000. (subsonic at 1800 yards)
408, 19.2moa drop and 2.6moa drift at 1000, 58.5moa drop and 6.0 moa drift at 2000, 128.3moa drop and 9.8 moa drift at 3000. (subsonic at 2800 yards)
50 ball, 27.2moa drop and 4.7moa drift at 1000, 100.3moa drop and 11.7 drift at 2000, 236.7moa drop and 15.9moa drift at 3000. (subsonic at 1650 yards)
50 match, 23.4moa drop and 2.6moa drift at 1000, 68.7moa drop and 5.8 drift at 2000, 144.9moa drop and 9.2 moa drift at 3000. (subsonic at 2750 yards)
As you can see, HUGE difference in the bullet! The 50 match is right on the heels of the 408 in drop and out performs it in drift. It kills the 338 in every aspect.
Just for some reference, these are some ballistics for my friends 338 trg-42 with 300 grain scenars, my McMillan 50 with ball, then match solids. And finally my 408 Cheytac with Cutting Edge 415 grain solids.
800 msl, 85 degrees, 29.92
caliber drop and 10 mph 90 degree wind drift at 1000 yards, 2000 yards, 3000 yards.
338, 26.3moa drop and 4.2moa drift at 1000, 91.1moa drop and 10.4moa drift at 2000, 214.5moa drop and 14.7moa drift at 3000. (subsonic at 1800 yards)
408, 19.2moa drop and 2.6moa drift at 1000, 58.5moa drop and 6.0 moa drift at 2000, 128.3moa drop and 9.8 moa drift at 3000. (subsonic at 2800 yards)
50 ball, 27.2moa drop and 4.7moa drift at 1000, 100.3moa drop and 11.7 drift at 2000, 236.7moa drop and 15.9moa drift at 3000. (subsonic at 1650 yards)
50 match, 23.4moa drop and 2.6moa drift at 1000, 68.7moa drop and 5.8 drift at 2000, 144.9moa drop and 9.2 moa drift at 3000. (subsonic at 2750 yards)
As you can see, HUGE difference in the bullet! The 50 match is right on the heels of the 408 in drop and out performs it in drift. It kills the 338 in every aspect.
I went with the DTA HTI. It's not as nice as an AI but it's reportedly more accurate than a Barrett and much lighter (though they compare their bolt gun with Barrett's semi auto --not a fair comparison IMO). However, a 5 shot bolt repeater in .50BMG that's fairly damn accurate and at that weight isn't bad at all. I like it. It has a great barrel, the part that really counts, and the bolt and chassis get the job done quite well while keeping the cost down. Trigger is PHENOMENAL for a bullpup, hell, it's nice for ANY single stage trigger! Yes, it is single stage.
My next one will be an M2HB, M3HB or maybe a Stellite with a couple spare barrels. Leaning towards the M3HB for the upgrades the chassis has on it. No sniper rifle or any shit like that, but you gotta admit a belt fed .50 is a lot of fun.
Loading ammo for the .50 isn't THAT bad once you have all the gear for doing it. Components are actually cheaper than you think, considering the size of the round. And available.
Payload rounds are where the .50 shines, but there are some solid brass slugs that perform well out of a good bolt gun.
The 20mm rifle, the Anzio, is a giant 100lb. single shot that's 6' long. Okay for a toy, but not much else. It's a DD, they make it around here, and the ammo is not only expensive it's also the basic blue practice load (as this round was originally designed to fire HE and other payload rounds itself). However, 2000gr. of practice load ain't no joke.
I'd get the DTA HTI if you want flexibility in changing cartridges (.50BMG and .375CT would be my choice) but if you want a top notch dedicated .50, I'd save for the AI if I could, if I were you. But I'm more than happy with my DTA.
My next one will be an M2HB, M3HB or maybe a Stellite with a couple spare barrels. Leaning towards the M3HB for the upgrades the chassis has on it. No sniper rifle or any shit like that, but you gotta admit a belt fed .50 is a lot of fun.
Loading ammo for the .50 isn't THAT bad once you have all the gear for doing it. Components are actually cheaper than you think, considering the size of the round. And available.
Payload rounds are where the .50 shines, but there are some solid brass slugs that perform well out of a good bolt gun.
The 20mm rifle, the Anzio, is a giant 100lb. single shot that's 6' long. Okay for a toy, but not much else. It's a DD, they make it around here, and the ammo is not only expensive it's also the basic blue practice load (as this round was originally designed to fire HE and other payload rounds itself). However, 2000gr. of practice load ain't no joke.
I'd get the DTA HTI if you want flexibility in changing cartridges (.50BMG and .375CT would be my choice) but if you want a top notch dedicated .50, I'd save for the AI if I could, if I were you. But I'm more than happy with my DTA.
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