50BMG RECOIL REDUCTION

[ReddogTeddy]

I have a problem. I have many physical problems including age and am having difficulties with the recoil of my BA50 Bushmaster. I now have a quadruple broken back with many other injuries and the recoil is not going well but I'm not ready to quit shooting my 50. I have herd that installing the AAC CYCLOPS should help but my finances are not set to deal out about $2100. So far I have went from 750 A-Max to the 690 gr. AP and will try to find lighter gr. bullets. Anyone know any light loads for the 690-695 ? Any help from you experts will be appreciated.

 

[JamesnTN]

Best recoil reducing I can suggest is the clam shell brakes. I use them in my 50 BMG and my 20 mm

 

[Kurz]

I now have a quadruple broken back with many other injuries and the recoil is not going well but I'm not ready to quit shooting my 50.

Sounds to me like a small case of stubbornness. Four times breaking your back ought to be enough to convince you to move down the scale a pinch in order to rediscover the joy of less pain while shooting. But if you just can't stand the thought of giving up on the ,50 BMG then consider this:


The four basic components to recoil reduction are:

Weight (rifle)

Redirecting the plasma (brake or suppressor)

Ejecta weight (that's powder for the rest of us)

Bullet weight

You can always increase the weight of your rifle if you shoot for pleasure but often competition rifles have weight restrictions unless you shoot unrestricted.

As above, I have had good luck with the clam shell brakes except when shooting next to another shooter.... The alternatives are the T-series brakes from New Zealand. I have used the T5 Terminator with good success on the larger caliber rifles in competition. Not as expensive as the Cyclops.

T6​

7/8×14 or 1X14 threads. 6″ long and 2″ O.D. 2 lbs 3 oz. It is a beast of a brake for your 50 BMG, 416 Barrett, Cheytac variant. Bead Blasted SS



Email me directly for inquiries Brian@Shoot-Long.com

Find a lighter, high performance load which reduces the powder weight.

Lighter weigh bullets from Cutting Edge:

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/510-660gr-mtac-match-tactical-50ct

 

[ReddogTeddy]

Best recoil reducing I can suggest is the clam shell brakes. I use them in my 50 BMG and my 20 mm

Thank you for the info. As you know the BA50 comes with a brake but just isn't enough and I don't know if adding the AAC Cyclops is worth the investment for reduction.

 

[ReddogTeddy]

Sounds to me like a small case of stubbornness. Four times breaking your back ought to be enough to convince you to move down the scale a pinch in order to rediscover the joy of less pain while shooting. But if you just can't stand the thought of giving up on the ,50 BMG then consider this:


The four basic components to recoil reduction are:

Weight (rifle)

Redirecting the plasma (brake or suppressor)

Ejecta weight (that's powder for the rest of us)

Bullet weight

You can always increase the weight of your rifle if you shoot for pleasure but often competition rifles have weight restrictions unless you shoot unrestricted.

As above, I have had good luck with the clam shell brakes except when shooting next to another shooter.... The alternatives are the T-series brakes from New Zealand. I have used the T5 Terminator with good success on the larger caliber rifles in competition. Not as expensive as the Cyclops.

T6​

7/8×14 or 1X14 threads. 6″ long and 2″ O.D. 2 lbs 3 oz. It is a beast of a brake for your 50 BMG, 416 Barrett, Cheytac variant. Bead Blasted SS



Email me directly for inquiries Brian@Shoot-Long.com

Find a lighter, high performance load which reduces the powder weight.

Lighter weigh bullets from Cutting Edge:

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/510-660gr-mtac-match-tactical-50ct

Some say the Cyclops may even be more recoil, I don't know. I looked up that t6 looks good. I haven't found any light loads for the 690-695'a I have yet, I'm using H50BMG. Anyone have a really light but safe load data for the 647 or 690-695 please let me know. And again thanks for the reply.

 

[Kurz]

I've used the 647gr. sorted and segregated for testing.

AA8700 (because I have a lot of it...)

Norma 217 (good accuracy)

VVN170 (good accuracy)

US 860 (O.K. not great)

These powders will all work just fine when you start testing at 215 and a couple will run up to about 228 for a lower velocity of nearly 2,700 fps. This is with a 29 inch barrel and T6 brake.

YMMV based on several variables including but not limited to barrel length and Lot #.

I have been shooting the Lehigh Defense 650 gr. Match solids for better accuracy.

 

[ReddogTeddy]

View attachment 1264858

I've used the 647gr. sorted and segregated for testing.

AA8700 (because I have a lot of it...)

Norma 217 (good accuracy)

VVN170 (good accuracy)

US 860 (O.K. not great)

These powders will all work just fine when you start testing at 215 and a couple will run up to about 228 for a lower velocity of nearly 2,700 fps. This is with a 29 inch barrel and T6 brake.

YMMV based on several variables including but not limited to barrel length and Lot #.

I have been shooting the Lehigh Defense 650 gr. Match solids for better accuracy.

Thank you for the info, I will give them a try. Not many try to load down the 50 but as said I have my reasons to do so. Thanks

 

[ronemus]

I highly recommend the XXX Bastard Brake by APA. I have their Fat Bastard on my Ruger Magnum Precision Rifle in .338 Lapua, and there is a night and day difference vs. the 2-port tank brake supplied by Ruger. It's very effective, reducing the recoil to approximately that of my unbraked .284. As with any really effective brake, nobody will want to occupy the area 2 lanes on either side of you.

 

[wwbrown]

Reducing the recoil of a 50 BMG is hard, Physics works against you.

 

[wbm]

243 Winchester

 

[matthias]

I picked these up a few years back for my 50 based project. Mercury recoil reducers. 12" x1"

 

[DiffEQ]

Reach out to Nathan Wright at Muzzle Brakes and More.
Look at his 6-port Super Beast, $140

Muzzle Brakes and More

muzzlebrakesandmore.com

 

[rockrat]

Have you tried trail boss powder? I believe someone also produces powder coated cast bullets that should work well with Trailboss for a 1600fps ish load. Maybe an Armalite AR50 type brake also would work better.

 

[Matches]

The K-P Clamshell muzzlebrake is excellent at reducing recoil.
H50BMG at 218 grains with a 650 grain bullet will also reduce recoil.
Adding a brass bar or stainless bar anywhere on your rifle will reduce recoil.

 

[cuznguido]

I can relate to your situation, having several old injuries, and can offer nothingconstructive except an opinion. I am not exactly what they are calling "clam shell" brakes, but I have a Barrett M99 with a 32 inch barrel, and IMO the brake that came on that rifle does a really good job. I had a custom 338 LM that had the same type of brake that Armalite uses. It also was lots better at managing recoil than an otherwise identical rifle with the usual drilled holes. FWIW. Good luck with your rifle and your search for solution.

 

[Ggmac]

Everything has been listed but a tripod !

 

[Walt Krafft]

How bout a .22 long rifle chamber insert and barrel liner.

 

[Matches]

I can relate to your situation, having several old injuries, and can offer nothingconstructive except an opinion. I am not exactly what they are calling "clam shell" brakes, but I have a Barrett M99 with a 32 inch barrel, and IMO the brake that came on that rifle does a really good job. I had a custom 338 LM that had the same type of brake that Armalite uses. It also was lots better at managing recoil than an otherwise identical rifle with the usual drilled holes. FWIW. Good luck with your rifle and your search for solution.

Here is a K-P Clamshell muzzlebrake. The shape looks like a clamshell hence the name and the ports are swept rearward for more efficiency.

 

[uda123cat]

I shoot the 416 Barrett at fairly hot loads and found two things that actually make a difference:
1) Look into the Terminator brakes from New Zealand, this guy knows what he is doing, they are a work of art and he has a lot of youtube videos comparing his brakes to others. I found these brakes to be a game changer: I tried a ton of different brakes and found these to be very very good.
2) I used to use the mercury recoil reducers (three 1" diameter 12" long: special order) but found that you can order a solid lead rod of the same dimensions and significantly increase the weight. I put them in quick disconnect scope mounts (1" diameter) and can easily put them on and take them off to make the rifle more easy to transport. Works for me.

Good Luck.