While Glock is a master of simplicity and reliability, Walther has gone for a more elaborate design. Thus, to begin zeroing on an optically centered scope, you have to come down 30 minutes at the start. 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. Velocity fps: 2940: 2806: 2677: 2551: 2428: 2309: Energy ft lbs: 12666: 11541: 10499: 9534: Steel armors can also stop it from entering. Citadel 1911 Review: Best Budget-Friendly Pistol? New reloading data must be opened as a PDF document in an up-to-date compatible PDF viewer. 50 BMG (12.799) 647 Grain API Match Grade Ammunition This ammunition is manufactured in the USA by FedArm. 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. Still, some might be unfamiliar, so we want to touch on what exactly a ballistic coefficient is before we move on to the comparison. 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. For simply comparing two different cartridges, we are going to omit it for the sake of clarity. Although 50 cal is a very penetrating bullet, research has found something to stop it. How To Read Remington Nylon 66 Serial Number Year Codes? How much energy is required to take down an animal varies and the amount that actually gets transferred to the target varies. 500 yds. The 7.62 is the "screw you way over there" round. My first deer at the age of 45 I joined the deer hunting fraternity a little late, but the desire to hunt has always been there. Even so, its difficult to compare the accuracy of two cartridges by the means that we have. Lets take a look at the velocities of each round from the muzzle out to 1,000 yards. While it is only two factors that go into stopping power, they are the best for comparing two cartridges besides comparison in the field. Availability: Out of Stock. The 338LM rounds under our specifications have recoil energies ranging between 29 and 33ft.lb. 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) Done (0.63 seconds). 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. Lake City 50 BMG Ammo Details. 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. As the 50 BMG bullet has a high ballistic coefficient, it is used for powerful sniper rifles. It might not compete with some hand loaded cartridges, but you cant get much better when it comes to a factory load. For a lot of cartridge comparisons we have done, recoil is usually not that huge of an issue. Gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and news on law changes, every day! Pull-out cloth belts were also used at one time, but have been obsolete since 1945. If you have any feedback or question about my articles, please submit it here, it's always appreciated! A high number also means that the bullet will retain MORE velocity as it moves down range. SHTF 50: Safety Harbor's .50-Cal Upper Conversion for AR-15s 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. Use this ballistic calculator in order to calculate the flight path of a bullet given the shooting parameters that meet your conditions. Bullet velocity is a very important ingredient of successful long-range shooting. You make up some cartridges and we'll do some shooting. 50 BMG Ballistic Coefficient. DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) contracted with Teledyne Scientific Company to develop the EXACTO program, including a .50-caliber guided bullet. You might be strictly a hunter or strictly a competition shooter, but the majority of us are a mixture of both. It possesses the ballistic performance to reach out to game at a distance and still carries the energy needed to aid in bringing down big game cleanly. It also has a strong recoil force as the cartridge is filled with powder. Trajectory follows a similar trend where both show very flat trajectories, though the 50 BMG excels in this category as well. [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. How important the ballistic coefficient is with shooters often depends on the distance of shots they are taking. Since a 50 cal bullet can slice through a body without protective armor, it can also kill someone. Unsubscribe at any time. Even so, computer generated data is a proven and safe means for comparing two cartridges as we will do here. A wide variety of ammunition is available, and the availability of match grade ammunition has increased the usefulness of .50 caliber rifles by allowing more accurate fire than lower quality rounds. 300 yds. They can easily enter through light armors and hit targets. 50 BMG is one of the types of 50 caliber cartridges used for 50 BMG machine guns. What is ballistic coefficient (BC)? However, the strength depends on the sturdiness and power of the rifles used for this bullet. This is the best ballistic coefficient of any bullet to date. 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. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesn't necessarily mean it is a better bullet. 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. 300 yds. These are used by both civilians and military forces for various purposes. By doing this, perhaps we can tease apart in which situations one cartridge might be better suited over the other. [11] Before that, a British sniper in Afghanistan held the record at 2,475 meters (2,707yd; 1.538mi) using a .338 Lapua Magnum (8.5870mm) rifle. 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. We dont have a single set of data we can look at to determine stopping power. The TSX has gained worldwide recognition as one of the deadliest, most dependable bullets you can buy. 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. [39] However, .50 BMG rifles registered prior to the enacted bans remain lawful to possess in California[37][40] and Connecticut. In certain aspects and certain situations, sure, there are cartridges better suited to the task than others. Federal Ammunition 50 BMG Ballistic Data. R. remrifle333 Member. 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. To gain more knowledge and quick learning, a comparison table is always the best form. [14], Some civilians use .50 caliber rifles for long-range target shooting: the US-based Fifty Caliber Shooters Association holds .50 BMG shooting matches. Similarly, .50 BMG weapons have attracted attention from law enforcement agencies; they have been adopted by the New York City Police Department as well as the Pittsburgh Police. In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient (BC) of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight. The rigidity and strength are used to penetrate tough surfaces easily. With two rounds that are extremely popular in long distance shooting, accuracy is, of course, going to be a category that generated a lot of interest. A .50 in caliber cartridge developed for the M2 Browning heavy machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. It has an aluminum color tip with a heavy build. The bottom line is this. [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. The bigger the ballistic . We are not going to sit and mess around with the short range trajectory. The Barrett Mk. 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. Maybe even more so when looking at these two rounds. These bullets are magnetic. I doubt too many microbiologists discuss the BCs of ammunition! I want this to be the best ballistic trajectory calculator out there. 50 BMg bullets have a high ballistic coefficient of more than 1.0 to resist drifts from wind in flight. On 14 April 2001, 19-year old Senior Airman Jennifer Donaldson, from the Illinois Air National Guard, made history. It couldnt be more clear that the 50BMG carries exponentially more kinetic energy with it than the .338 LM rounds. This weapon was used by other snipers, and eventually purpose-built sniper rifles were developed specifically for this round. All of them but one .338 LM round break the .55 mark. Lake City 50 BMG Ballistic Data. Get gun deals, hand's on reviews, educational content and updates on law changes, daily! 50 caliber bullets can easily enter through a thick, concrete, or brick wall, a large tree, or even a person from a long distance. Cartridge dimensions The 50 BMG 12.7 99 NATO cartridge has a capacity of 290 grains H2O (19 ml). In addition to the usual tables and graphs of drop, velocity, and windage, Modern Ballistics has these unique features: Sight Angle. Before we get into our comparisons, there is one more note that we would like to make. While this is important to understand, its equally important to remember that the SD, while a good means for comparing two cartridges, only tells part of the story when it comes to penetration. Zero Range (yd) They should show closer accuracy between each other however, because the form factor is constant. Usually with the sniper comes some accessories to clean and use effectively. It has a ballistic coefficient of .730. Regardless, a round with a higher BC is going to maintain a higher BC than a second bullet since both would be effected in the same way. They are widely used by civilians as well as military forces. Thank you. The 50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun) is a large 50 caliber cartridge packing some serious long-range firepower in a 12.7 x 99mm NATO round. The .50 BMG cartridge is also produced commercially in a wide range of specifications, including armor piercing, tracing, and incendiary. We have compiled the ballistic coefficients for all ten rounds and graphed them here. 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. If the bullet passes through cleanly, remaining relatively intact, not all of the energy is transferred to the target. 50 BMG has a 12.7mm diameter and is also used in snipers and machine guns. Hi! The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG, 12.799mm NATO and designated as the 50 Browning by the C.I.P. Caliber means the diameter of the bullet, so a 50 caliber bullet is half an inch in diameter. 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. somehow. Its tough for us in this situation because the 50 BMG is such as unique round and it makes it seem as if the .338 LM falls short in most categories and this is not the case. Brands like Smith & Wesson, Magnum Desert Eagle, Magnum Research, Guncrafter Industries, Ruger Super, Safety Harbour, etc create the best pistols for 50 BMG. 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.[16]. Barrel Lengths & Velocities for the 50 BMG. Its because 90% of their shots are coming at 250 yards or less. .50 BMG 100yd Drag Function: G1 Ballistic Coefficient: 1.050 Bullet Weight: 750 gr Initial Velocity: 2820 fps Sight Height : 1.5 in Shooting Angle: 0 Wind Speed: 0 mph Wind Angle: 90 Zero Range: 100 yd Chart Range: 200 yd Maximum Range: 10201 yd Step Size: 20 yd International Standard Atmosphere Altitude: Sea Level (0 ft) This is useful to get a legalized firearm with licenses. Some of them can also be semi auto-loading guns. This can be useful in comparing cartridges or loads. As you can imagine, the bigger the game, the more energy you are going to need to cause enough damage for a clean kill. Copyright 2023 ShootersCalculator.comALL rights reserved. A bull moose needs a bullet that can hold together and penetrate deeper than a bullet that is going to be used for whitetail. 200 yds. For comparison, a similar monolithic bullet in .50 BMG usually maxes out around 800 grains at 2,900 fps. The AccuBond bullet used is perfect for the proper expansion needed while not sacrificing penetration for large game animals. 338 LM Federal MatchKing BTHP Gold Medal 250gr, 338 LM Nosler Trophy Grade AccuBond 300gr. Reply. The auctioneer claims that it is only one of twelve built and the only other known example resides at the Ford Benning sniper school. 12.7 x 99mm, APEI, M 02, "Advancements in Lightweight .50 Caliber Ammunition", "DoD Wants Bullet That Can Change Direction After Being Fired", "EXACTO Guided bullet demonstrates repeatable performance against moving targets 2904152 | weapons defence industry military technology UK | analyse focus army defence military industry army", "EXACTO Guided Bullet Demonstrates Repeatable Performance against Moving Targets", "Metal link M9 for cal. While the .338 rounds have a much smaller diameter than the huge .50 cal rounds, the exponentially heavier bullet weights of the 50BMG rounds make up for the large size. I enjoyed reading it. 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. and the speed of the bullet. I love hunting, so I often have to deal with hunting equipment. Apr 23, 2011 #1 Does anyone know the B.C. No spam. [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." Copyright 2023 ShootersCalculator.comALL rights reserved. The SD comes from the diameter of the bullet and the weight of the bullet. 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. Its also not the most expensive .338 LM factory load that is available. Spitzer. Introducing the latest products from the worldwide leader in ammunition. 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 So, here is a table below: During the war, 50 calibers were used against light armor vehicles and aircraft due to their penetration power. As far as availability goes for the 50 BMG vs 338 Lapua Magnum, both are going to be harder to come by then smaller, more traditional hunting and target cartridges. When a bullet is fired from the barrel, it carries kinetic energy that upon impact is transferred to the target. We went conservative with the powder weight because these are factory loads and are not normally loaded near max capacities. In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient is used to measure the ability of something to withstand air resistance. This limitation was entirely tactical in nature and was intended to hide the vulnerable M40 and its crew from the enemy until the main anti-tank gun was ready for firing; however, Parks concludes that some U.S. troops assumed the existence of a legal limitation on the use of .50-caliber projectiles more generally. But they are also dangerous and must be used with caution during operations to avoid fatalities. 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. While the .50 BMG round is able to deliver accurate shot placement (if match grade ammunition is used) at ranges over 1,000-yard (910m), smaller caliber rifles produce better scores and tighter groups in 1,000-yard (910m) competitions. For hunters, stopping power is a critical factor in choosing a certain cartridge. Usually, these can leave a severe wound. Velocity fps: 2940: 2806: 2677: 2551: 2428: 2309: Energy ft lbs: 12666: 11541: 10499: 9534: Any round from this bullet produces between 10,000 and 15,000 foot-pounds force muzzle energies. It runs on all modern Windows (Win98 and greater) computers. 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. A ballistic coefficient is a value that is assigned to a bullet type to signify how well it can cut through the air. The primer type specified for this ammunition is Boxer primer that has a single centralized ignition point (US and NATO countries). The bullet type and powder make the recoil force different between bullets. So when game time comes make sure you are ready and enjoy the accuracy of Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition! And this is simplifying the topic since we are leaving out expansion, which is also going to play a role in penetration. This is the web home of Modern Ballistics: the world's most sophisticated small arms exterior ballistics program for the personal computer. PMC X-Tac Match .50 BMG Ammunition 10 Rounds 740 Grain Solid Brass Projectile 2830fps 50XM. Now I am curious about the comparison between the LM 338 and the 30-378 weathering magnum. It will a produce a line graph showing the bullet drop and flight path of the bullet. The ballistic coefficient gives you an idea of how streamlined a bullet is. We also know that this bullet can enter very tough materials easily. Velocity is key for proper penetration and expansion, which is critical for hunting. Different snipers have different ranges depending on their design. At present, some US law enforcement use 50 BMG weapons, as well as snipers. Both are considered powerful and unique bullet rounds. However, Los Angeles banned this bullet round. 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. "[5], The round was put into use in the M1921 Browning machine gun. .510 diameter. You would be surprised how many of them have never given their rounds BC a thought. By sticking with this 120-year-old non-aerodynamic standard, bullet companies ensure their BCs will be as large as . Caliber Multi: .50 BMG Application: Hunting . The long range (over one mile) between firing position and target allows time for the sniper to avoid enemy retaliation by either changing positions repeatedly, or by safely retreating. Federal Ammunition 50 BMG Ammo Details. There is a very small circle of people out there who have turned to the 50BMG for hunting purposes. The higher the number, the less drag the projectile will experience. Get My Cartridge Comparison Handbook! 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. With a degree in Microbiology and several years of doctoral work manipulating bacterial genes, he attempts to merge the rational and unbiased thinking of scientific research with the passions of hunting and fishing. 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. FMBT bullets. With modern firearms, the majority of centerfire rifle cartridges can be tolerated with regards to the recoil. This graph should give you a good idea about the major differences we are looking at here. . While it is one of the more expensive rounds on our list, you are paying for incredible performance that comes close to matching hand loaded rounds from the experts. Its really the only way either of these rounds can be fired accurately. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15 in (381 mm), with 8 lands and grooves. This is the Ferret .50; a top-end attachment to an AR15 lower. They all can kill any game animal in the world. [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. 200 yds. To handle these rounds in the field, youre going to have to haul around a 30+lb rifle. [17] However, some other countries produce the ammunition with Berdan primers that have two flash holes. 50 BMG ammo is a large, round sniper bullet. We carefully select every component to ensure uniformity, then load to exacting specifications to provide pinpoint accuracy. 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. A 50 cal bullet has the power to cut through a human body with ease. The .338 LM is no slouch when it comes to long range shooting. You can find an email form and contact information here. I agree with Michael. As for powder charges, we used conservative numbers for each round based on the hand loading specifications from Nosler. Be aware you may consider some of them unusable. [35], In the United States, Washington, D.C. disallows registration of .50 BMG rifles, thus rendering civilian possession unlawful. Re: 50 BMG goes subsonic at 1500 Yards? Full Metal Jacket, with boat tail and cannelure. The longest recorded kill using a .50 BMG was over 2 miles away. 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. only today ! He wanted the round to be used in a machine gun, and wanted the machine gun to be based on a scaled-up version of the M1917 Browning. The time for a .50 calibre bullet to travel one mile at a constant speed of 1400feet per second is around four seconds. The difference between the two rounds is as followed with the 50BMG showing a flatter trajectory. It is made a standard bullet for important army forces. The .50 BMG is a bigger, heavier bullet that delivers a reliable killing shot up to an astounding range of about 3300 yards. [15], A common method for understanding the actual power of a cartridge is comparison of muzzle energies. The two most important variables are the Initial Velocity and the Ballistic Coefficient. The 50 BMG is the winner of this section..50 BMG vs .50 Beowulf: Stopping Power. . Can a 50 cal rip your arm off? Still, by looking at the sectional density (SD) of the rounds, we can get an idea of how well these different bullets can penetrate and gives us a basis for comparison. The energy is only part of the equation to stopping power, but it is an important one to examine nonetheless. 50 BMG basic cartridge dimensions-All sizes in inches (in). Barrel Length inches 36 Ballistics Coefficient (G1) 0.707 Ballistics Coefficient (G7) 0.350 Sectional Density 0.362. This bullet is 0.50 in diameter and typically 2.25-inch long. It has a .30-06 Springfield design with a long taper case wall for various types of weapons. These include heavy stopping power that can be carried over incredible ranges. The ballistic coefficient is derived from an equation that uses several bullet and cartridge variables. 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 . Most hunters also want enough stopping power to be able to make a clean and humane kill of the animal with causing unneeded suffering and risk losing it in the field. With such differences in cartridge specs, we can assume that the ballistic performances are going to be quite different as well. And seeing the stopping power in action, we leave that to you. ?Ballistic Coefficient: 1.070?Sectional Density: 0.412?Special attention should . It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. Military Applications: Note: We have selected two different 50 BMG loads to demonstrate here. More importantly, we are interested in how flat a bullet flies over a given distance. [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]. . 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. A very interesting and well written article by an educated man with a surprising background. [4] A skilled sniper can effectively neutralize an infantry unit by eliminating several targets (soldiers or equipment) without revealing his precise location. 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. A lot of competitions wouldnt allow a .50 caliber round, but if you just enjoy taking shots upwards and beyond 1,000 yards, the 50 BMG is hard to beat. [1]) is a .50in (12.7mm) caliber cartridge developed for the M2 Browning heavy machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. The Hornady 750gr AMAX bullet has become popular with its very high ballistic coefficient and is typically the choice for extreme ranges beyond 1500 meters. The price for both is about equal per 20 rounds, though the 50BMG factory loads often come in boxes of ten rounds.

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