The .50 BMG rifle has develop into one thing of a standing image for gun homeowners. It’s nonetheless the king of all mainstream rifle cartridges, pushing round 13,00 to just about 15,000 ft. lbs. of power on the muzzle, with bullet grain weights tipping the scales at 650 to 800 grains. The cartridge itself is bodily huge, with almost 300 grains of capability within the casing, about measuring about 5.5″ in top.
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However .50 BMG rifles (and ammo) are sometimes costly as Hell. Need to personal essentially the most recognizable .50 cal, possibly ever? The Barrett M82A1 will set you again a cool $10,000 earlier than taxes and costs. Its fashionable offspring, the M107, provides about 25% to 50% to the associated fee, coming in at anyplace between $12,600 and $17,000, relying on choices. Even ammo is dear, averaging, at publication, $6.00 per round. However should you can swing that form of money for brass, you, the typical gun proprietor, can, certainly, personal a .50 BMG-chambered rifle — and filling out that specific 4473 on the gun counter is surprisingly inexpensive in 2023. However first, some widespread myths and questions want readability.
“I assumed proudly owning a .50 BMG was unlawful!”
Flawed. Properly, largely mistaken: Some states (like California, New Jersey, and different not-so-gun-friendly-locales) have banned possession of .50-cal centerfire rifles, however on the time of this publication, it’s completely authorized to personal a .50 BMG beneath federal legislation.
“Didn’t the ATF limit .50 BMGs?”
No. In 2018, the geniuses at that company determined to, as they usually do, invent new and imaginary gun legal guidelines, despite the fact that they’re not legislators nor elected officers. The company began classifying .50-BMG chambered higher receiver assemblies as firearms. However this doesn’t limit the sale of these large brass shooters. Some makers’ .50 BMG uppers at the moment are thought-about firearms, however it depends upon the make and mannequin. If the meeting is a bolt motion, it’s possible thought-about a firearm and the maker will sometimes state this. If that’s the case, you merely have to buy by an area FFL, or order on-line and have your meeting despatched to an FFL to conduct a switch. Authorities ideocracy apart, let’s have a look at among the most inexpensive .50 BMG assemblies and rifles price shopping for.
Serbu RN-50: Most Inexpensive Rifle
The everyman’s .50. The Serbu RN-50 is a compact single-shot barreled higher meeting interfacing with what quantities to a minimize down AR-15 decrease receiver. The decrease nonetheless makes use of the AR’s grip, hammer, set off, and entrance takedown pin. It additionally retains the buffer tube housing for putting in any typical black rifle inventory you like. To supply what’s, frankly, unimaginable pricing for any .50 BMG, the RN-50 is about as stripped and primordial as a firearm will be: It’s mainly a tube with a grip, handguard, and a threaded cap for the breech. The cap hosts a pass-through firing pin to set the primer off. However the cap must be eliminated and threaded on by hand for each loading and firing sequence, so that you’ll be caught capturing at a musketeer’s tempo.
A little bit of an inconvenience, positive – however at simply over $1,600, that is nonetheless a whole .50 BMG rifle that prices lower than some “Gucci” AR-15 uppers chambered in boring previous 5.56 NATO. Customers additionally report the RN-50 boasts excessive accuracy, with a top quality barrel producing glorious groupings at lengthy distances. It additionally comes with one helluva muzzle brake to scale back felt recoil. The RN-50’s commonplace barrel measures 29.5″; loads of metal for kilometer photographs. However should you want much more vary and velocity, you possibly can shell out an additional $400 and get a 36″ barrel. Inversely, shorten it up and seize a 22″ or 18″ barrel for an additional $125. All barrels are rifled with a 1:15 twist.
Large Kahuna Raptor 50: Most Inexpensive AR Higher
Don’t desire a threaded-breech .50, however as a substitute want a bolt motion? Already personal an AR-15? If the solutions are “sure,” and “sure,” then the Raptor 50 higher from Large Kahuna Weapons is the ticket. This bolt-action .50 BMG AR higher continues to be thought-about downright inexpensive, simply glancing the $2000 worth vary. Whereas nonetheless a single-shot meeting just like the RN-50, the Raptor 50’s bolt motion receiver makes for a lot quicker and extra handy loading and firing sequences. Plus, it’s simply enjoyable to actuate the large ass bolt to extract and cargo a .50’s casing.
Customary barrels measure 30″, with 22″ and 18.5″ choices all rifled in 1:15 and costing the identical at retail. The higher options a typical Picatinny rail to host your scope and rings, whereas the 1-14 RH muzzle threads host an 8-port brake much like the Serbu’s. The Raptor’s handguard comes with a number of M-LOK slots for attachments, with an under-barrel lug for internet hosting a bipod (offered individually).
Though thought-about a firearm and thus requiring an FFL switch, the Raptor 50 pins proper into any 5.56 or .223-chambered AR-15 decrease receiver meeting, no modifications required. The higher’s bolt makes use of the existent set off, security, and hammer, although you possibly can (and may) take away the buffer and recoil spring, and the journal properly is, after all, relegated to appearing as a second grip.
Noreen ULR Mini: Most Inexpensive Bolt-Motion
The ULR Mini .50 BMG from Noreen Firearms is on my on my post-Christmas purchasing checklist, any taxes due be damned. At $1,700 with a bolt-action receiver, this compact fireball maker’s one of many downright coolest .50-cal rifles you will get your palms on at a correctly “low cost” worth. Some will chide this gun for its brief barrel (1:15 twist) and light-weight weight. It measures 16.5″ lengthy and weighing 16.5 kilos, respectively. Despite its brake, the ULR is definite to kick like a mule, and its barrel is much from being lengthy sufficient to provide nominal velocities – you’ll want at the very least 28″ to succeed in optimum velocity downrange.
Ballistics apart, the ULR continues to be a lot able to producing good accuracy. You’ll be capable to simply ring metal at 800 to 1,000 yards and, to be truthful, most shooters merely aren’t able to taking photographs past a kilometer – even when they’ve bought a cannon that’s able to reaching that far. There may be, certainly, a “meme”-like enjoyable issue that comes with proudly owning a .50 BMG rifle, and the big-bang-in-a-small-package ULR Mini Rifle from Noreen epitomizes this.
Security Harbor “SHTF” 50: Most Inexpensive Magazine-Fed Higher
Security Harbor Firearms grew to become one of many first mainstream producers of “low cost” .50 BMG uppers. Their newest creation, the magazine-fed SHTF 50, supplies the most effective performance for the bottom worth. It sports activities a side-loading, five-round field journal with a bolt motion receiver made to be suitable along with your current AR-15 decrease meeting. It capabilities like Large Kahuna’s Raptor, making use of the inventory, set off, hammer, and security, whereas ditching the buffer meeting and puny journal properly. Its 1:15-twist barrels are optioned in 22″ and 29″ lengths, with a Picatinny rail, M-LOK slots, entrance rail for iron sights, and under-barrel bipod mount with a ported brake included. Like all the opposite entrants on this checklist, you’ll nonetheless want an FFL to seize this higher. Inexpensive stuff is at all times good – however should you’re prepared to purchase a .50 BMG, cash won’t be an object. If not, try Zastava Arms’ new .50-cal “Black Bear” M12 rifle.
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