It has a ballistic coefficient of .730. Like most cases, there are better performing rounds for each cartridge type, but on average, the 50 BMG rounds excel in this category, and that distinction becomes clearer the greater the distance. And if you need the performance of the 50BMG, you are probably already aware of what you are in for and with todays modern gear, you are perfectly capable of using this cartridge efficiently. New reloading data must be opened as a PDF document in an up-to-date compatible PDF viewer. Federal Ammunition 50 BMG Ballistic Data. When a bullet is fired from the barrel, it carries kinetic energy that upon impact is transferred to the target. It might not compete with some hand loaded cartridges, but you cant get much better when it comes to a factory load. The 338 LM was designed and produced in the late 1980s. By doing this, perhaps we can tease apart in which situations one cartridge might be better suited over the other. Some notable companies that produce 50 BMG sniper rifles include Barrett Firearms, Accuracy International, Arms Tech Ltd, Armalite, Bushmaster, Desert Tech, Serbu Firearms, etc. 50 Cal is generally known as the bore and the nominal bullet diameter. It has a .30-06 Springfield design with a long taper case wall for various types of weapons. I love hunting, so I often have to deal with hunting equipment. FMBT bullets. We carefully select every component to ensure uniformity, then load to exacting specifications to provide pinpoint accuracy. [17] However, some other countries produce the ammunition with Berdan primers that have two flash holes. 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. and long-range bullets generally range from 0.5 all the way up to 1.0 with the .50 BMG! As the 50 BMG bullet has a high ballistic coefficient, it is used for powerful sniper rifles. Answers to Top Questions", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=.50_BMG&oldid=1139367557, Winchester Repeating Arms Co. and Frankford Arsenal, Serbu Firearms BFG-50a (magazine fed semi-automatic), Serbu Firearms RN-50 (single-shot modified break-action), This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 19:38. When it comes to hunting, there are great options for the .338 LM. '"[5], The American Rifleman further explains that development was "[r]eputedly influenced by Germany's 13.2x92 mm SR (.53-cal.) The ballistic coefficient or measure of drag for the .50 BMG is 1.05 which, is higher than any other commercially available around. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesn't necessarily mean it is a better bullet. For further comparison, you'd be hard pressed to find a 5.56 load recipe that hits 1,400 ft-lbs. For the .338 LM, we recommend the Nosler Trophy Grade AccuBond 300gr round. How To Read Remington Nylon 66 Serial Number Year Codes? The.50 BMG is quite legal for buying without the need for a special license or process. During operation or simply game shootings, it can make a significant wound in cases of accidents. Doppler radar measurement results for a lathe turned monolithic solid .50 BMG very-low-drag bullet (Lost River J40 .510-773 grain monolithic solid bullet / twist rate 1:15 in) look . The higher the ballistic coefficient, the better the bullet can resist wind drag and wind drift which would make the bullet less likely to be pulled off of its flight path and, in theory, be more accurate. In our minds, there is no one cartridge that is above and beyond better than another. Its also not the most expensive .338 LM factory load that is available. As time goes, they are becoming more popular among shooters and hunters. G1 Ballistic Coefficient Must be between 0.001 and 1.0. Muzzle 100 yds. Ballistic Coefficient - BC of 0.364 seems to be way low, standard BC for Ball Ammo should be in the 0.650-0.670 range. The email address you entered is not valid. You can find an email form and contact information here. [37][41] In Illinois, it is legal to possess a .50 caliber rifle only if it was acquired by January 10, 2023, and it is registered with the state police by January 1, 2024. When we look at the graph, it is quite a stark contrast between cartridges. Description: Lake City 50 BMG ammunition consists of Lake City brass, boxer-primers and 660 Grain projectiles. The Heat Shield tip on the ELD Match bullet creates the perfect meplat and outperforms BTHP bullets. . 500 yds. With two decades of chasing all manner of upland game, hooved mammals, strutting gobblers, and any small game that can fit in his Dutch oven, he hopes to offer new ideas and viewpoints on hunting and firearm concepts and traditions. [4] The Barrett M82 rifle was developed during the 1980s and, along with later variants, has upgraded the anti-materiel power of the military sniper. By adding trajectories to the panel on the right you may produce charts and graphs that show the different trajectories side by side. It has an aluminum color tip with a heavy build. It is a scaled up version of the venerable .30-06 (standard issue in infantry rifles for the U.S. in both World Wars). We will shortly look at the averages of these cartridges, but want to point out again that while some of the numbers might seem like drastic differences, and technically they are, its critical to observe the individual rounds, specifically the .338 LM. It runs on all modern Windows (Win98 and greater) computers. There are various types of weapons used for 50 caliber bullets. a 50 caliber bullet weapon is considered violent. Zero Range (yd) This is especially true if that bullet also has a high ballistic coefficient. 50 BMG is one of the types of 50 caliber cartridges used for 50 BMG machine guns. 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. A 290 grain 50 BMG is a relatively robust round. Another factor that goes into a cartridges stopping power is the penetration of the bullet. You would be surprised how many of them have never given their rounds BC a thought. There are several variants of this 50 caliber round. .30/06 165-gr./.490 ballistic coefficient 5.56x45 mm 55 gr./.246 Ballistic coefficient Usually the higher the ballistic coefficient the greater the effective range of the round. It is used mainly in machine guns for various shooting and personal uses. TMI50BMG ammunition is loaded to precise standards, using only the finest components, and processes. Subsequently, Frankford Arsenal took over from Winchester, producing the historic .50 BMG or 12.7x99 mm cartridge. The mass is one of the bullets. This is why it is used in heavy-duty shootings. The .50 BMG (12.799mm NATO) cartridge has a capacity of 290gr (19g). We are not going to sit and mess around with the short range trajectory. As the 50 BMG bullet has a high ballistic coefficient, it is used for powerful sniper rifles. While it travels in the air, it causes a shockwave which is equally dangerous to make a severe wound. Lets first take a look at the recoil energy (ft.lb) of these two rounds in general. Decades later, the .50 BMG was chambered in high-powered rifles as well. The minimum SD for hunting large game is .250. Stringent quality control ensures proper bullet seating, consistent charges and pressures, optimal velocity, consistent overall length and repeatable accuracy. This is roughly the same as saying that the projectile in question possesses low drag, although some meaning is lost in the generalization. Inside the cartridge consists of a core made of manganese molybdenum steel, a point filler, and a seal of the lead-antimony base. Still, with the categories we have examined so far, we can infer some information in a roundabout way when it comes to the potential accuracy between the 338 Lapua Mag versus 50 BMG. The time for a .50 calibre bullet to travel one mile at a constant speed of 1400feet per second is around four seconds. Copyright 2023 ShootersCalculator.comALL rights reserved. Muzzle 100 yds. But they are also dangerous and must be used with caution during operations to avoid fatalities. Most people who are using a .50 BMG are not hunting and are looking at extreme distance shooting. In addition, these snipers will have less drift from the winds of the bullet. PMC X-Tac Match combines all the performance of world class ballistics with a price point that is friendly for your wallet. for the the South African 690gn. Usually, these can leave a severe wound. If youre looking to choose between heavy, hard hitting, and far flying cartridges such as the .338 LM and 50 BMG we are pretty confident that you are well aware of the ballistic coefficient. Try these all-copper . They do have some pull marks. G1 projectiles are flat based bullets such as spritzer bullets, where G7 projectiles are going to cover boattail spitzers. The .338 Lapua Magnum has a much shorter history than the other cartridge we will be examining in this article. ), but the ammunition did not exist. As far as the BCs go for these two cartridges, both show phenomenal numbers. Smith and Wesson Serial Number Lookup: 7 Pre-Model Number Versions, Marlin Serial Number Lookup: Learn All About Factory Records, How to Install Zastava M70 Scope Mount: 4 Things You Should Know, 0.50-inch diameter and 5.5-inch long casing. anti-tank rifle" and that then "Ordnance contracted with Winchester to design a .50-cal. To gain more knowledge and quick learning, a comparison table is always the best form. Higher velocities, with a stable bullet, also aid in long range performance, which is critical for both hunting and competition shooting. The Bullet Has a Superb Ballistic Coefficient compared To Other 50 Caliber Bullets That Have separately Formed driving bands . It is still a good idea to check legality before making a purchase. The TSX has gained worldwide recognition as one of the deadliest, most dependable bullets you can buy. Some of them can also be semi auto-loading guns. 300 yds. This e-mail address is already subscribed. ?Ballistic Coefficient: 1.070?Sectional Density: 0.412?Special attention should . I highly recommend him and his product. 400 yds. However, bullets shot from pistols are slower as the gunpowder takes longer to burn. 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. There is no doubt that both are designed exclusively for successful performances in the field. [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. Different 50 caliber bullets are used for various purposes that have individual compositions. In this way, the user can know how much recoil the 50 BMG round has due to impact. From a hunting perspective, the advertised ballistic data confirms that all three cartridges have both the necessary sectional density (SD) and initial muzzle energy for both medium and large game hunting applications. Even so, its difficult to compare the accuracy of two cartridges by the means that we have. It is made a standard bullet for important army forces. There is no doubt that the cartridge has the power and the trajectory to take on this challenge, but there is always the ethical question of taking shots at animals from these ranges. Before we get into the meat of the article with our comparisons, we want to briefly touch on how these two cartridges look up next to each other. Since 50 BMG cartridges are unique, these have a limited number of sniper rifles built with adequate quality. Please let me know how it can be improved upon. Any armor with composite metal foam is strong to stop a 50 cal bullet. [citation needed], In June 2017, a McMillan Tac-50 was used by a sniper with Canada's Joint Task Force 2 to kill an Islamic State insurgent in Iraq, setting the new world record for the longest confirmed kill shot in military history at 3,540 meters (3,870yd; 2.20mi). When this is the case, we will be sure to make it clear what we are doing. KelTec Sub 2000 [Review]: Best PCC Firearm? AP (ARMOR PIERCING) M2 The purpose of this cartridge was to was to provide snipers with a long range round that had incredible terminal ballistics and could penetrate several layers of body armor at extreme distances. We have no desire to act as a moral compass, you do what you want, but the arguments are out there, and we wanted to address it. By sticking with this 120-year-old non-aerodynamic standard, bullet companies ensure their BCs will be as large as . A .50 BMG round can effectively disable a vehicle when fired into the engine block. . In this cartridge comparison, we are going to take a look at two cartridges, the .338 Lapua and the .50 BMG, two rounds that separate the men from the boys. From over 4,000ft.lb of energy out of the muzzle to between 1,000 and 2,000ft.lb at 1,000 yards, it too has incredible range when it comes to having the energy needed for most game animals in the world. It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. Federal Ammunition 50 BMG Ammo Details. And like we said, if you need a large cartridge like both of these are, you probably already knew you were going to be dealing with recoil. Weapons such as machine guns, rifles, and regular hand pistols are easily compatible with this bullet. The proof/test pressure is listed as 65,000psi (450,000kPa). Put me on the Waiting List. . Steel armors can also stop it from entering. Firearm Setup. Those values would be correct if you were shooting the ammo out of a "military weapon system" at the upper end of the velocity spectrum in the 3,000 fps range. I doubt too many microbiologists discuss the BCs of ammunition! (We'll get to the meaning of "G1" in a moment.) 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. . Military Requirement: due to the rounds being from Lake City Ammunition . This shows most dramatically in the case capacity where the .50 BMG can hold nearly 200 more grains of powder than the 338LM. [30][31] The M15-series metal "push-through" links were used in the M85 machine gun. Specs. If you have any feedback or question about my articles, please submit it here, it's always appreciated! For a lot of cartridge comparisons we have done, recoil is usually not that huge of an issue. If we look at the sectional densities of the ten rounds we see that there is not a huge advantage to one cartridge over the other in this regard though the 50BMG cartridge does have two rounds above the .4 mark. They wanted a heavy projectile at 2700 feet per second (f.p.s. It can shoot up to ranges of 330 yards and floats in the air for about seven seconds, before dropping to the ground. . Since 50 BMG cartridges are unique, these have a limited number of sniper rifles built with adequate quality. 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. If you do not have a Shooting Chronograph, I strongly suggest you purchase one. [9] The former record for a confirmed long-distance kill was set by U.S. Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock in 1967 during the Vietnam War, at a distance of 2,090 meters (2,290yd; 1.30mi);[10] Hathcock used the .50 BMG in an M2 Machine Gun equipped with a telescopic sight. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air drag. [38] Connecticut specifically bans the Barrett 82A1 .50 BMG rifle. Other than armed forces, civilians use this bullet round for target shooting and sports. Rifles chambered for the .338 LM are a bit heavy to haul around the backcountry for most people, but it is much more manageable than a rifle chambered for a .50 BMG. 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. Apart from machine guns, snipers and anti-materiel rifles use this cartridge. Almost all rounds have a ballistic coefficient of less than 1.0, but large rounds like the 50 BMG can exceed this normal BC. Lake City 50 BMG Ballistic Data. The .50 BMG is a bigger, heavier bullet that delivers a reliable killing shot up to an astounding range of about 3300 yards. The longest recorded kill using a .50 BMG was over 2 miles away. The .50 BMG was developed during World War I when looking for an effective anti-aircraft round. Your email address will not be published. Velocity fps: 2940: 2806: 2677: 2551: 2428: 2309: Energy ft lbs: 12666: 11541: 10499: 9534: Reply. Three distinct and non-compatible metallic links have been used for .50 BMG cartridge belts. The primer type specified for this ammunition is Boxer primer that has a single centralized ignition point (US and NATO countries). A .50 in caliber cartridge developed for the M2 Browning heavy machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. 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. . While Glock is a master of simplicity and reliability, Walther has gone for a more elaborate design. 50 Caliber has different types of rounds, while 50 BMG is a particular one. The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG) was developed for the Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the late 1910sas countries began producing armored vehicles leading up to WWI. It comes in different types like tracer, armor-piercing, usual ball, incendiary, and sub-caliber rounds. Like all Federal American Eagle ammunition, the 50 BMG provides reliable feeding and great ballistics. Loaded specifically for precision big bore rifles, a wide variety of ammunition is available, including ball, tracer, armor-piercing, incendiary, and A-MAX rounds, with accuracy being priority number one. You might be asking yourself if the velocities shown here are enough for proper expansion of such a large bullet such as the .50cal. Even if we had all of the rounds and a couple days to generate some MOA measurements it still might differ on another day in someone elses hands. [36][37] California prohibits the private purchase of a rifle capable of firing the .50 BMG through the .50 Caliber BMG Regulation Act of 2004. Out to 400 yards, there is little to no difference between the two cartridges. We dont have a single set of data we can look at to determine stopping power. For this article, we are going to explain the BC in the simplest of terms. They have barrel shrouds and a compensator to keep the gun in level. [42] Maryland imposes additional regulations on the sale and transfer of .50 BMG rifles and other "regulated firearms", and limits purchases of any firearm within this class to one per month, but does not impose registration requirements or any form of categorical ban.[37]. And like the 50BMG rounds, we will revisit this shortly. By understanding these different parameters, we can not only better adjust to specific shooting conditions and be aware of our limitations, but we can also begin to tease apart certain situations each of these cartridges might be better suited. Bullet: 661 gr M33 Ball Bullet Weight: 661 gr Bullet Diameter: 0.510 Us has made 50 BMG the standard as the largest bullet round in terms of shell size. R. remrifle333 Member. 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. The bullet length, shape, and weight all positively contribute to a much higher BC than the 50 Beowulf bullet. Seriously, these are heavy duty rounds that fill a very specific niche in the shooting world. [15], A common method for understanding the actual power of a cartridge is comparison of muzzle energies. [14], Some civilians use .50 caliber rifles for long-range target shooting: the US-based Fifty Caliber Shooters Association holds .50 BMG shooting matches.
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, Puns For The Name Sam, Moon Square Pluto Composite, Articles OTHER