Muzzle 100 yds. It is a scaled up version of the venerable .30-06 (standard issue in infantry rifles for the U.S. in both World Wars). 50 Caliber has different types of rounds, while 50 BMG is a particular one. Recoil is also a component to accuracy though most will deny it has any effect on them. My problem is that the upper came with a 30 minute rail. Sometimes, the wound may be fragile, but it may also get fatal. Best Mossberg 500 Heat Shields [Ultimate Buying Guide], Best 9mm Ammo in 2021 [Self-Defense & Target], 6.5 Creedmoor vs .243 Win Cartridge Comparison. 100rds - 50 BMG Lake City 660gr. FMJ M33 Ammo - AmmunitionToGo.com A high number also means that the bullet will retain MORE velocity as it moves down range. The bottom line is this. The higher the value, the better the bullet can travel through the air. Though they also carry quite a significant amount more powder and as we saw previously, you pay for it with the recoil. The Federal Ballistics Calculator lets you quickly determine the trajectory for any rifle or handgun load, and save data for an unlimited number of loads. Bullet Battle: .338 LAPUA VS .50 BMG (Which Is Deadlier?) Granted, if youre firing these rounds, you most likely have gear that aids in absorbing the recoil and stabilizing the firearm. Since a 50 cal bullet can slice through a body without protective armor, it can also kill someone. So , lets get down to business. There is no doubt that both are designed exclusively for successful performances in the field. 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! Firearm Setup. 50 Cal is generally known as the bore and the nominal bullet diameter. Again, these numbers can vary based on the variables, but with our consistency, we think the comparisons are more than valid. 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. 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. Even so, its difficult to compare the accuracy of two cartridges by the means that we have. The trajectory is what just about every hunter or competitive shooter of every skill level will be interested in when comparing two different cartridges. Obviously, this would be an advantage for shooting round out at 1,000 yards or more. Ballistics Coefficient (abbreviated "BC") is a bullet's ability to resist air friction and stay airborne. In some cases you might be surprised. G1 projectiles are flat based bullets such as spritzer bullets, where G7 projectiles are going to cover boattail spitzers. For example, the G1 BC of a standard 5.5645 55gr FMJ roundusually falls at around 0.243. This line of ammunition is 100% Lake City made. For two cartridges that are touted as extreme distance shooters, the ballistic coefficient is going to be an important factor for potential users. The ballistic coefficient is derived from an equation that uses several bullet and cartridge variables. I doubt too many microbiologists discuss the BCs of ammunition! Get my premium 550+ pages handbook that compares all cartridges, for free (worth $199!) kilojoules). In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient is used to measure the ability of something to withstand air resistance. 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. This large amount of force is very destructive to surrounding tissue and organs. The rigidity and strength are used to penetrate tough surfaces easily. 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. The 50 BMG is another caliber with . 50 BMg bullets have a high ballistic coefficient of more than 1.0 to resist drifts from wind in flight. The 338LM rounds under our specifications have recoil energies ranging between 29 and 33ft.lb. While these two cartridges might overlap in some shooting applications, we think there are niches where they stand apart as well. 300 yds. When this is the case, we will be sure to make it clear what we are doing. We are working on a massive list, but this list won't be ready for a few weeks or months. The price for both is about equal per 20 rounds, though the 50BMG factory loads often come in boxes of ten rounds. Each cartridge is loaded with either Hornady A-MAX bullets, our high-performance boattail hollow points, or the new, radically superior ELD Match bullets. The bigger the ballistic . So the damages can be huge, depending on the surface it will hit. 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. A bullet's BC is typically less than 1 and recorded to the thousandth decimal place (with notable exceptions; the 50 BMG's BC exceeds 1.000). In the case of the 338 Lapua vs 50 BMG, we still feel the same. The proof/test pressure is listed as 65,000psi (450,000kPa). As far as the BCs go for these two cartridges, both show phenomenal numbers. We also see that all rounds for both cartridges leave the muzzle at more than 2,500fps and maintain supersonic speeds out to the 1,000-yard mark. What Is 50 BMG? A Brief Explanation - Aiming Expert During wartime, especially WW2, the US coast guard, and military used 50 BMG rifles towards helicopters. Ballistic coefficient - formulasearchengine For this article, we are going to explain the BC in the simplest of terms. While Glock is a master of simplicity and reliability, Walther has gone for a more elaborate design. Muzzle Velocity - 2,952 is a screaming velocity, HSM AMAXs run around 2,680, and Barrett Ball is around 2,750. The .50 BMG round can produce between 10,000 and 15,000 foot pounds (between 14 and 18 kilojoules), depending on its powder and bullet type, as well as the rifle it was fired from. Citadel 1911 Review: Best Budget-Friendly Pistol? A very interesting and well written article by an educated man with a surprising background. Both are going to penetrate just about any hide or armor that is out there, its what they were designed to do, and we have seen from the velocities that they are going to speed and power behind them to get the job done. What Does 50 BMG Stand For? A Brief Explanation - Optics Bible It excels in all of the ballistic categories that we have covered in this article. (We'll get to the meaning of "G1" in a moment.) Use this ballistic calculator in order to calculate the flight path of a bullet given the shooting parameters that meet your conditions. [33], The specified maximum diameter of an unfired .50 BMG bullet is 0.510-inch (13.0mm); while this appears to be over the .50 inch (12.7mm) maximum allowed for non-sporting Title I firearms under the U.S. National Firearms Act, the barrel of a .50 BMG rifle is only .50 inch (12.7mm) across the rifling lands and slightly larger in the grooves. Introducing the latest products from the worldwide leader in ammunition. .50 BMG Ballistics Variables Bullet Weight: 661 grain Ballistic Coefficient: 0.62 (G1) It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. . [39] However, .50 BMG rifles registered prior to the enacted bans remain lawful to possess in California[37][40] and Connecticut. The Spitzer is a very popular and aerodynamic bullet shape. While there are parties who will place one cartridge over the other, we are not looking to do that in our comparisons. Beretta 3032 Tomcat [Review]: A Worthy Self-Defense Pistol? 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. On the other hand, a 50 BMG is a type of 50 Caliber round. I VLD was designed from the start to be as efficient as possible, remaining supersonic past 2,150 yards. ShootersCalculator.com is in the process of being massively overhauled. Think of it paired with the energy of the bullet. [14], Some civilians use .50 caliber rifles for long-range target shooting: the US-based Fifty Caliber Shooters Association holds .50 BMG shooting matches. Barrel Lengths & Velocities for the 50 BMG - Lilja : Lilja The energy is only part of the equation to stopping power, but it is an important one to examine nonetheless. Typically, long range rifle bullets have a ballistic coefficient of 0.5 (G1) or above. For comparison, a similar monolithic bullet in .50 BMG usually maxes out around 800 grains at 2,900 fps. Properties. 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. 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. Almost all rounds have a ballistic coefficient of less than 1.0, but large rounds like the 50 BMG can exceed this normal BC. The .50 BMG (12.799mm NATO) cartridge has a capacity of 290gr (19g). 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. With the .338 Lapua Magnum vs .50 BMG, recoil takes on a bit more of an important role. .50 BMG | Panthera Armory LLC 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. 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. The cartridge itself has been made in many variants: multiple generations of regular ball, tracer, armor-piercing (AP), incendiary, and saboted sub-caliber rounds. 50 BMG has a 12.7mm diameter and is also used in snipers and machine guns. A common way of comparing ammo power is checking their muzzle energies. We have hunted a long time and talked to a lot of our fellow outdoorsman. When a bullet is fired from the barrel, it carries kinetic energy that upon impact is transferred to the target. They are widely used by civilians as well as military forces. [citation needed], The U.S. Coast Guard uses .50 BMG rifles onboard armed helicopters to disable the engines on boats during interdictions. Effect? For testing your limits on the range, we dont think you can go wrong with the .338 LM Hornady ELD Match 285gr. Hi! Ballistic Coefficient Tables - Fr. Frog's Pad 12.799mm Technical data", "Technical Manual Small-Arms Ammunition, TM9-1990, U.S. War Department", "SHOT Show 2006 New Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols Offer Enhanced Performance", "Weaponry: .50 Caliber Rifle Crime," GAO Office of Special Investigations letter", "CHAPTER 943 OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC PEACE AND SAFETY", "Are .50 BMG rifles legal in California? Besides military and police organizations, the .50 BMG has gained popularity in some civilian circles. and the speed of the bullet. The first 50 BMG ammunition was the 13.2mm TuF to attack against armored targets. What is ballistic coefficient (BC)? The .50 BMG is a bigger, heavier bullet that delivers a reliable killing shot up to an astounding range of about 3300 yards. Browning pondered the situation and, according to his son John, replied, 'Well, the cartridge sounds pretty good to start. 338 LM Federal MatchKing BTHP Gold Medal 250gr, 338 LM Nosler Trophy Grade AccuBond 300gr. The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG, 12.799mm NATO and designated as the 50 Browning by the C.I.P. 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. In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient (BC) of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight. 50 Beowulf vs 50 BMG: Caliber Comparison by Ammo.com [citation needed], The .50 BMG round was used as a sniper round as early as the Korean War. 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. Thread starter remrifle333; Start date Apr 23, 2011; Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum Become a supporting member. 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. They have barrel shrouds and a compensator to keep the gun in level. How much energy is required to take down an animal varies and the amount that actually gets transferred to the target varies. You can find an email form and contact information here. Seriously, these are heavy duty rounds that fill a very specific niche in the shooting world. Spitzer. 338 Lapua vs 50 BMG | The Hunting Gear Guy We have compiled the ballistic coefficients for all ten rounds and graphed them here. 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. The incredible energy of the 50BMG overshadows the .338 Lapua Magnum, which in its own right possesses a great deal of kinetic energy. [12][13], In addition to long-range and anti-materiel, the U.S. military uses .50 BMG weapons to detonate unexploded ordnance from a safe distance. Hornady's original goal: "Ten bullets through one hole.". .50 BMG Archives - Ballistic Magazine This is why it is used in heavy-duty shootings. 50 BMG basic cartridge dimensions-All sizes in inches (in). The firearm has been zeroed in at 200 yards. 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. Both 50 BMG rounds leave the muzzle with over 13,000 ft-lbs of kinetic energy compared to about 4,700 ft-lbs for the 338. However, sectional density, the relationship between . Ballistic Coefficient: 0.572 Diameter: 0.51" Material: Copper Length: 1.892" Features. Now I am curious about the comparison between the LM 338 and the 30-378 weathering magnum. 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. The Barrett Mk. [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. As we mentioned earlier, the velocity has a lot of influence on other aspects of the bullets behavior such as expansion. Still, some might be unfamiliar, so we want to touch on what exactly a ballistic coefficient is before we move on to the comparison. Each cartridge is loaded with either Hornady A-MAX bullets, our high-performance boattail hollow points, or the new, radically superior ELD Match bullets. The .50 BMG was developed during World War I when looking for an effective anti-aircraft round. Both of these rounds are going to shoot flat at 300 yards, but the real reason is that if you are using these cartridges to take shots at that range, there is no helping you anyway. In some cases, it is used to detonate mounted guns or cannons. Pull-out cloth belts were also used at one time, but have been obsolete since 1945. Get My Cartridge Comparison Handbook! PDF .50 BMG - Ammunition Store 400 yds. 50 BMG M33 BALL - ammoterra.com Powder is matched carefully to each specific load for optimal pressure, velocity and consistent accuracy. It answered a lot of my questions. We also know that this bullet can enter very tough materials easily. [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. Some notable companies that produce 50 BMG sniper rifles include Barrett Firearms, Accuracy International, Arms Tech Ltd, Armalite, Bushmaster, Desert Tech, Serbu Firearms, etc. In addition, these snipers will have less drift from the winds of the bullet. PMC X-Tac Match .50 BMG Ammunition 10 Rounds 740 Grain Solid Brass It can disable most unarmored and lightly armored vehicles. They can easily enter through light armors and hit targets. American Marksman: 50 BMG M33 BALL 660 GR FMJ - 150 AC As the 50 BMG bullet has a high ballistic coefficient, it is used for powerful sniper rifles. The 7.62 is the "screw you way over there" round. A .50 in caliber cartridge developed for the M2 Browning heavy machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. 338 Lapua vs 50 BMG - Long Range Cartridge Comparison And we know we have harped on this several times throughout the article, but we are going to talk regarding cartridge versus cartridge rather than round to round. 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. Users can easily use them for personal use. Huge bullets with enough powder to send them downrange at supersonic speeds are going to produce enough kick to knock you down. Before we get into our comparisons, there is one more note that we would like to make. anti-tank rifle" and that then "Ordnance contracted with Winchester to design a .50-cal. Description: Lake City 50 BMG ammunition consists of Lake City brass, boxer-primers and 660 Grain projectiles. Out to 400 yards, there is little to no difference between the two cartridges. The 408 CheyTac is a relatively new rifle caliber for sharpshooters. 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.