Bullet: 661 gr M33 Ball Bullet Weight: 661 gr Bullet Diameter: 0.510 No one knows who and why is producing these strange slugs in Tarkov, but they just work. 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. Thank you. The increased interest in the .338 LM in civilian circuits has resulted in more round options though still limited compared to other competition and hunting rounds. 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. 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. Usually, a 50 cal round has a diameter of 12.7 mm diameter. 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 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. For simply comparing two different cartridges, we are going to omit it for the sake of clarity. Its range and accuracy, however, are superior to light machine guns when fixed on tripods, and it has not been replaced as the standard caliber for Western vehicle-mounted machine guns (Soviet and CIS armored vehicles mount 12.7108mm NSVs, which have similar dimensions to .50 BMGs). Most .50 BMG rounds are not designed for much expansion. The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG, 12.799mm NATO and designated as the 50 Browning by the C.I.P. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15 in (381 mm), with 8 lands and grooves. Best Sniper Ammo To Make Every Shot Count (Long Range Shooting) 50 BMG (12.799) 647 Grain API Match Grade Ammunition This ammunition is manufactured in the USA by FedArm. Thus, to begin zeroing on an optically centered scope, you have to come down 30 minutes at the start. Decades later, the .50 BMG was chambered in high-powered rifles as well. It is a great investment if you want to get into long range shooting and will be especially useful if you handload. This line of ammunition is 100% Lake City made. Its really the only way either of these rounds can be fired accurately. Contrary to a persistent misconception within the United States Armed Forces, using .50 BMG directly against enemy personnel is not prohibited by the laws of war. We can estimate penetration based on the sectional density because of what the SD is derived from. On the other hand, 50 BMG is designed for machine gun operations, which belongs to 50 Cal. Since a .50 caliber bullet is manufactured with a solid metal surface and core, it is very powerful. . Ballistic Coefficient Estimator The average chamber pressure in this round as listed in TM43-0001-27,[18] the U.S. Army Ammunition Data SheetsSmall Caliber Ammunition, not including plastic practice, short cased spotter, or proof/test loads, is 54,923psi (378,680kPa). Your information will never be shared and you can unsubscribe with one click at anytime. Muzzle 100 yds. 50 BMG M33 BALL - ammoterra.com Granted, if youre firing these rounds, you most likely have gear that aids in absorbing the recoil and stabilizing the firearm. We are not going to sit and mess around with the short range trajectory. A 50 cal bullet has the power to cut through a human body with ease. Even after the differences between 50 Cal vs 50 BMG, we see that they are quite similar in various features. 50 Cal 647 Grain Ball pulled bullets. About the previous point, a clean kill means you are not going to have to track a wounded animal sometimes a couple hundred yards and possibly in the dark and cold. Hornady's original goal: "Ten bullets through one hole.". However, it is restricted in California. ShootersCalculator.com is in the process of being massively overhauled. You will be sent the quantity of bullets that are ordered. Subsequently, Frankford Arsenal took over from Winchester, producing the historic .50 BMG or 12.7x99 mm cartridge. Informative, interesting and well written. Out to 400 yards, there is little to no difference between the two cartridges. We carefully select every component to ensure uniformity, then load to exacting specifications to provide pinpoint accuracy. Velocity fps: 2940: 2806: 2677: 2551: 2428: 2309: Energy ft lbs: 12666: 11541: 10499: 9534: .50 BMG Ballistics Variables Bullet Weight: 661 grain Ballistic Coefficient: 0.62 (G1) 338 Lapua vs 50 BMG - Long Range Cartridge Comparison If you do not have a Shooting Chronograph, I strongly suggest you purchase one. Besides military and police organizations, the .50 BMG has gained popularity in some civilian circles. There is a very small circle of people out there who have turned to the 50BMG for hunting purposes. It can disable most unarmored and lightly armored vehicles. Machine guns use it as a continuous belt of rounds. While it travels in the air, it causes a shockwave which is equally dangerous to make a severe wound. [3], In response to the need for new anti-aircraft weaponry during World War I, John Browning developed the .50 BMG. 400 yds. It was developed for the M2 Browning machine gun over 110 years ago, and was based on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. Your email address will not be published. [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. It might not compete with some hand loaded cartridges, but you cant get much better when it comes to a factory load. To test the power, we see that a .50 BMG cartridge can cross the .9 mark, with a flat projectile motion. They all can kill any game animal in the world. All About Ballistic Coefficient | Airgun Depot This Federal American Eagle 50 BMG ammunition is perfect for target shooting, competition shooting, long-range hunting, and long-range shooting.This American Eagle ammunition was produced by Lake City Arsenal to NATO specifications. But thats the case with just about every round and is one of the many reasons that a lot of us have fallen in love with the sport. The cartridge itself has been made in many variants from armor piercing to tracer rounds, though most factory loads that can be accessed by civilians are the typical bullets. For testing your limits on the range, we dont think you can go wrong with the .338 LM Hornady ELD Match 285gr. Ballistic coefficient is typically measured with a 3 digit expression. Join 212,000 avid gun enthusiasts and claim your print-at-home shooting drills. The energy is only part of the equation to stopping power, but it is an important one to examine nonetheless. Users can easily use them for personal use. 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. 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. Usually, these can leave a severe wound. 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. 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? If you have any feedback or question about my articles, please submit it here, it's always appreciated! A .50 BMG round can effectively disable a vehicle when fired into the engine block. These are excellent speeds for long range shooting, especially when shot from a rifle with the proper twist rate to stabilize them in flight. Inside the cartridge consists of a core made of manganese molybdenum steel, a point filler, and a seal of the lead-antimony base. The bullet length, shape, and weight all positively contribute to a much higher BC than the 50 Beowulf bullet. Military use 50 caliber in machine guns and snipers, as well as regular shooters. The 7.62 is the "screw you way over there" round. Barnes Bullets TSX .50 BMG 647 gr BTHP Rifle Bullet, 20/box - 30700 Our .50 BMG ammunition is ready for action. The .50 BMG, the 30-06 and the 5.5645mm appear (to me) to be - Quora 50 BMG Ballistic Coefficient | Long Range Hunting Forum When we look at the graph, it is quite a stark contrast between cartridges. A sniper consists of the bipod, handle, brake, and removable magazine. 50 BMG is one of the types of 50 caliber cartridges used for 50 BMG machine guns. It should already be clear that the difference just from the bullet diameter is quite dramatic. .338 Lapua vs .50 BMG: Are They Really Comparable? - Rangerexpert These include heavy stopping power that can be carried over incredible ranges. This round is packaged in 150 CT Military Surplus ammo can. A 290 grain 50 BMG is a relatively robust round. As far as the BCs go for these two cartridges, both show phenomenal numbers. They should show closer accuracy between each other however, because the form factor is constant. [14], Some civilians use .50 caliber rifles for long-range target shooting: the US-based Fifty Caliber Shooters Association holds .50 BMG shooting matches. And besides, were talking a .5 diameter wound size; you dont need a whole lot of expansion anyway if you want any meat left over. PMC X-Tac Match combines all the performance of world class ballistics with a price point that is friendly for your wallet. ), but the ammunition did not exist. This is why it is used in heavy-duty shootings. 338 Lapua vs 50 BMG | The Hunting Gear Guy If we take a closer look at the averages of the round, we see that the 50BMG rounds carry from 200fps (Muzzle-700yds) to 300fps (800-1,000yds) more than the 338LM rounds, which is quite remarkable given how much heavier the 50BMG rounds. Sign up to receive new product announcements, special offers, and the annual product catalog. .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. The .50 BMG cartridge is also used in anti-materiel rifles. I'm Mike, one of the oldest writer of Sniper Country! Pull-out cloth belts were also used at one time, but have been obsolete since 1945. . Gain a deep knowledge of ballistic science and access our improved ballistic calculator. 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. Ballistics Coefficient (abbreviated "BC") is a bullet's ability to resist air friction and stay airborne. Thank you. [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. The mass is one of the bullets. Find load data for your cartridge. Calculating Trajectories . This is why they fit perfectly to any automatic or belt-fed snipers, machine guns, or pistols designed for this cartridge. It is inversely proportional to the negative acceleration a high number indicates a low negative acceleration. The incredible energy of the 50BMG overshadows the .338 Lapua Magnum, which in its own right possesses a great deal of kinetic energy. It is when we move out from this marker that we begin to see a general trend between the 338 LM vs 50 BMG. [17] However, some other countries produce the ammunition with Berdan primers that have two flash holes. External Ballistics - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc They are both quality handguns, but their makers have taken two very different approaches to the designs. We went conservative with the powder weight because these are factory loads and are not normally loaded near max capacities. 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. A user can shoot easily from a distance of about two kilometers. You would be surprised how many of them have never given their rounds BC a thought. It still has more penetrating power than lighter weapons such as general-purpose machine guns, though it is significantly heavier and more cumbersome to transport. To measure the ballistic coefficient, we need the BC projectile that is equivalent to the ballistic coefficient in a point mass trajectory of below 20 degrees. This is because the bullet is very large, so the wound it makes is also large and deep, but still curable. 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. It has a .30-06 Springfield design with a long taper case wall for various types of weapons. The ballistic coefficient is derived from an equation that uses several bullet and cartridge variables. Before we get into our comparisons, there is one more note that we would like to make. Ballistic Coefficient: 0.572 Diameter: 0.51" Material: Copper Length: 1.892" Features. In all aspects of the case proportions, the .50 BMG is much larger than the .338, which is a big round when compared to other popular hunting /shooting rounds.