50 BMG Hornady Match 750 facotry ammo equal to handloads?

[davidjoe]

As a not-yet handloader for the 50 BMG, I’m curious whether this factory match ammo is easily improved upon or not. It seems really good as shipped, and reasonably priced. One question I had is whether Hornady leaves some velocity on the table so that this loaded round does not abuse semi-autos? For the really esoteric shooter, how would you say this ammo compares at very long range to other 50 bullet options?

 

[jimbo88mm]

I don't have any experience with the 50 bmg but I've replicated a few good factory loads by shooting the factory ammo through a chronograph and then working up a handload with the same brass and same bullet to the same velocity. Should get you close.

 

[davidjoe]

The 50 takes specialized, mainly oversized, reloading equipment that I might forgo if the best factory options performed really closely. I just don’t know because I haven’t reloaded for the 50.

As powder hungry as they are, I’m guessing that hand loading eats far into the $5 or so a round that match ammo costs.

 

[deadeye4]

handloading for the 50 is a must for accuracy & cost per round. yes I have & still do.

it also is a myth about the 50 to not get great groups @ 100 or so,some say the bullet needs some downrange yardage to stabilize-BS

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

Not from what I've heard davidjoe. - Load needs to be "tailored" to the individual rifle. - I've been at it with 5 different rifles and have no experience with factory stuff and almost everyone at matches are loading their own.

- Ron -

 

[davidjoe]

Is there a favored bullet choice for ELR type distances?

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

Is there a favored bullet choice for ELR type distances?

The 750 Hornsby A-Max advertises a BC of 1.05 which is pretty high.
To get the most out of them I sort by bearing surface length and weight and try to group them accordingly..- As you probably know this is a jacketed lead core bullet with an aluminum tip. Pretty good accuracy can be obtained with them. - Cutting Edge Bullets makes Lathe turned copper solids in 762 and 802 gr that have a seal tight band that can be shot in a non-bore rider / standard chambered rifle. For bore rider type bullets, Lehigh makes some lathe turned solids from UNC3600 bronze, as well as a hybrid that works in both standard and bore rider throated chambers. Ten-X bullets in Arizona makes a 792 gr. Bore rider that hold a few records but they can be hard to get as the owner makes the bullets on his own schedule.

For a standard chambered 50 BMG, I’d try the 750 gr. A-Max for starters as they are quite readily available and also the Cutting Edge Bullets. Both are about equal in cost. Just over 2 dollars per bullet. Also another source of bullets is Randy Powell in Homeny, Ok - he runs Thunder Ammo and has 50 cal. Bullets of several types that have shot well.

Good Luck and Good Shooting, - Ron -

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

I believe the ELR SHOOTERS who are using 50’s are running what yields in their individual rifle what they’re counting on as providing the best accuracy.
All these big bullets have some pretty high BC Numbers. And some rifles prefer a certain bullet over others.
What works best is found through testing what’s available.

- Ron -

 

[davidjoe]

The 750 Hornsby A-Max advertises a BC of 1.05 which is pretty high.
To get the most out of them I sort by bearing surface length and weight and try to group them accordingly..- As you probably know this is a jacketed lead core bullet with an aluminum tip. Pretty good accuracy can be obtained with them. - Cutting Edge Bullets makes Lathe turned copper solids in 762 and 802 gr that have a seal tight band that can be shot in a non-bore rider / standard chambered rifle. For bore rider type bullets, Lehigh makes some lathe turned solids from UNC3600 bronze, as well as a hybrid that works in both standard and bore rider throated chambers. Ten-X bullets in Arizona makes a 792 gr. Bore rider that hold a few records but they can be hard to get as the owner makes the bullets on his own schedule.

For a standard chambered 50 BMG, I’d try the 750 gr. A-Max for starters as they are quite readily available and also the Cutting Edge Bullets. Both are about equal in cost. Just over 2 dollars per bullet. Also another source of bullets is Randy Powell in Homeny, Ok - he runs Thunder Ammo and has 50 cal. Bullets of several types that have shot well.

Good Luck and Good Shooting, - Ron -

That’s super information, Ron, thank you. I tended to think there were some low volume but high performing choices out there and I’ll definitely look at those. My current barrel is standard chambered with a 15 twist. Coming into handloading well after Lapua introduced 50 brass is lucky for me, but it’s also nice to accumulate some casual use supply from factory loads.

 

[deadeye4]

the 750 amax is really around .940 bc G1(my field experience) & I think iirc that was what is published by bryan litz

when one buys loaded rounds think of it for the brass reloading...

 

[Just Dave]

Definitely going to want to roll your own for the BMG .
And I believe I am loading match-quality rounds for a little over $3 each, still not cheap when doing load development.
.
I had excellent results with the A-max, shot quite a few sub-moa groups, and even took home a trophy.
This year, I have switched to Randy's (Thunder Ammo) 770grain match multi-bands.
First event of the year, I was in 3rd place the first day, until the winds got ugly, and my muzzle brake worked its way loose un-noticed.. Then I got bumped to 6th place, as a few fell out of the black before I noticed the issue with the brake, But I also shot my smallest group ever of 8-5/16".
.
I hope to do better on Labor day weekend in Alliance Nebraska ,, Come join us !

 

[davidjoe]

Definitely going to want to roll your own for the BMG .
And I believe I am loading match-quality rounds for a little over $3 each, still not cheap when doing load development.
.
I had excellent results with the A-max, shot quite a few sub-moa groups, and even took home a trophy.
This year, I have switched to Randy's (Thunder Ammo) 770grain match multi-bands.
First event of the year, I was in 3rd place the first day, until the winds got ugly, and my muzzle brake worked its way loose un-noticed.. Then I got bumped to 6th place, as a few fell out of the black before I noticed the issue with the brake, But I also shot my smallest group ever of 8-5/16".
.
I hope to do better on Labor day weekend in Alliance Nebraska ,, Come join us !

That loose brake shaved bullets I’m assuming - but they still hit the target just uncentered. (I’m thinking these barrels are thick enough that a mere change in harmonics from a loose brake won’t much change p.o.i.)

 

[Just Dave]

Never checked for strikes, and I doubt it ever came close. It only turned 45 degrees at most, and the jam nut was still snug. The lower scores had most to do with the winds switching to a 30-40mph tail wind gusts, that sent shooting mats and people's canopies airborne.
The A-max was a good bullet, but like said, you need to sort by weight, and BTO, .to group them nicely.
I've wasted some time trying to sort out any difference in turned brass solids, only to come to the conclusion that any minor deviation in a batch, could be attributed to human error when measuring. .. ..
.
What kind of gun are you shooting, and how far ? .

 

[joshb]

Bump.

 

[davidjoe]

Yeah, after I wrote that, I thought more about just how loose a brake would have to be to droop enough to shave a bullet. Physically closer to off the barrel, than merely loose. The new gun is a single shot, BAT EX 2-1/2 inch on a McMillan 50 HBR. Just getting this gun going. Paul put it on the Bulletin about a week back from Richard King’s Facebook posts, but he politely didn’t link my name to it, as it was not a submitted piece. Alhough the forend is 5 inches wide and flat, it also has a picatinny rail for a bipod when not shot off a Seb Max. This one is what I want to shoot in matches.

I’ve had and AR 50 too for about about 12 years.

 

[Tucker65]

I have a 50 built on a Bat single shot action also. It's a 2" diameter in a McMillan stock stock. I reload my own using CH4-D dies and have had good results with them. I also have been using WC-872 powder which I got from Jeff Bartlett at a very reasonable price. That powder might be leaving some speed on the table but the accuracy has been good with it plus I'm not shooting it in any matches just shooting it for fun. Here is a few pictures from working up a load.

 

[davidjoe]

I have a 50 built on a Bat single shot action also. It's a 2" diameter in a McMillan stock stock. I reload my own using CH4-D dies and have had good results with them. I also have been using WC-872 powder which I got from Jeff Bartlett at a very reasonable price. That powder might be leaving some speed on the table but the accuracy has been good with it plus I'm not shooting it in any matches just shooting it for fun. Here is a few pictures from working up a load.

Curious how much that gun pictured weighs. Very nice, and it sure can group.

 

[Tucker65]

Curious how much that gun pictured weighs. Very nice, and it sure can group.

36.5 lbs

 

[boltfluter]

That's the best shooting 50 caliber I have ever seen. Great shooting on your part. Nicely done! !!

Paul

 

[ELR Researcher]

Yeah, after I wrote that, I thought more about just how loose a brake would have to be to droop enough to shave a bullet. Physically closer to off the barrel, than merely loose. The new gun is a single shot, BAT EX 2-1/2 inch on a McMillan 50 HBR. Just getting this gun going. Paul put it on the Bulletin about a week back from Richard King’s Facebook posts, but he politely didn’t link my name to it, as it was not a submitted piece. Alhough the forend is 5 inches wide and flat, it also has a picatinny rail for a bipod when not shot off a Seb Max. This one is what I want to shoot in matches.

I’ve had and AR 50 too for about about 12 years.

The Bulletin article - http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2018/06/half-moa-with-a-50-bmg-yes-its-possible/#comments

Given 12 years of AR50 experience, seems you've been pretty happy with "factory" ammo. [BTW, there are a lot of "factory ammo" options - see http://www.elr-resources.com/page4.html]

The article did not mention what ammo was used - "factory" or reloads. Which were they? I'm guessing they were reloads, tuned to your rifle.

Were I in your shoes, I'd have the guy that made the ammo used in the article continue to load for you. Known quality/results in your own rifle. Why get into the reloading Pandora's box?