Armalite AR 50 BMG
- Thread starter farmer44
- Start date
CatShooter
farmer44 said:
I have one - and I load for it.
I bought one in 2006 and in recent weeks bought all my reloading equipment and components. Also bought Jewel trigger and bipod with short and long leg sets, and monopod, from Shots Gunsmithing. That was a fast three grand. Ha ha.
Be sure to join FCSA, which is fifty caliber shooters association. The forum is for members only, and alone worth the cost of membership. Tons of guys shooting AR-50's on FCSA forum and lots of threads specific to that gun for that reason. Martin List is a famous gunsmith among AR-50 shooters, in Oklahoma as I recall.
FCSA is a must for any 50 BMG owner in my opinion. There is info, in excess, there that you won't find much of here or elsewhere. Also, quarterly magazines, fcsa 1000 yard competitions all over the country, great folks. Match in Cool Acres Georgia next month, but my first will be Williamsport,Pa in July.
It's about having fun for many and a laid back crowd. I just rejoined a few weeks back and bought about 25 back issues of the magazine with articles that interest me, primarily reloading articles. On the main FCSA page there is a back issues tab that has content listed in all old copies of the magazine. Many articles wrote by world champions, two of which I spoke with on phone last week. Unusually helpful crowd that really supports anyone that buys and shoots a 50 BMG.
Shoot me a PM if you want. Im new to reloading this caliber, but can pass on some of the good advice I've recently received. Just researched all the reloading options heavily prior to buying, that alone can be a mine field. I also started a thread last month about 50 BMG where lots of folks chimed in. You can find that by clicking my name and searching threads started.
In either case, you WILL enjoy that AR-50. Very accurate rifle. Many folks shooting 6-10" groups at 1000 yards with stock or lightly modified guns. Research scopes carefully, and mounts/rings. Nightforce is top choice, but I'm putting SWFA 20x and Nightforce 20 MOA Unimount on mine for now.
Along with Armalite 15 MOA base on gun, that will be 35 MOA which will allow zero with 100 MOA scope from around 100 yards out to 1900 yards. Might upgrade to Nightforce later. Tapped out after buying reloading gear. SWFA is a solid choice for $300. Many guys upgrade later and use the SWFA as back up scope for FCSA 1000 yard events. Heard nothing but good things, considering the price.
Badger Ordnance 50 class rings are popular as I hear. Nightforce Unimount. Barret Exrings, adjustable from 15 or 40, or 20 or 30 (depending on model) are popular with some. I used Burris XTR rings on my Burris Black Diamond 8-32 and it held zero on my AR-50. They are $55 on Amazon. Lapped and loctite of course. You don't have to spend a fortune, but you do need to do research and talk to folks in the know. Again, join FCSA, if you don't do anything else.
Dan
Be sure to join FCSA, which is fifty caliber shooters association. The forum is for members only, and alone worth the cost of membership. Tons of guys shooting AR-50's on FCSA forum and lots of threads specific to that gun for that reason. Martin List is a famous gunsmith among AR-50 shooters, in Oklahoma as I recall.
FCSA is a must for any 50 BMG owner in my opinion. There is info, in excess, there that you won't find much of here or elsewhere. Also, quarterly magazines, fcsa 1000 yard competitions all over the country, great folks. Match in Cool Acres Georgia next month, but my first will be Williamsport,Pa in July.
It's about having fun for many and a laid back crowd. I just rejoined a few weeks back and bought about 25 back issues of the magazine with articles that interest me, primarily reloading articles. On the main FCSA page there is a back issues tab that has content listed in all old copies of the magazine. Many articles wrote by world champions, two of which I spoke with on phone last week. Unusually helpful crowd that really supports anyone that buys and shoots a 50 BMG.
Shoot me a PM if you want. Im new to reloading this caliber, but can pass on some of the good advice I've recently received. Just researched all the reloading options heavily prior to buying, that alone can be a mine field. I also started a thread last month about 50 BMG where lots of folks chimed in. You can find that by clicking my name and searching threads started.
In either case, you WILL enjoy that AR-50. Very accurate rifle. Many folks shooting 6-10" groups at 1000 yards with stock or lightly modified guns. Research scopes carefully, and mounts/rings. Nightforce is top choice, but I'm putting SWFA 20x and Nightforce 20 MOA Unimount on mine for now.
Along with Armalite 15 MOA base on gun, that will be 35 MOA which will allow zero with 100 MOA scope from around 100 yards out to 1900 yards. Might upgrade to Nightforce later. Tapped out after buying reloading gear. SWFA is a solid choice for $300. Many guys upgrade later and use the SWFA as back up scope for FCSA 1000 yard events. Heard nothing but good things, considering the price.
Badger Ordnance 50 class rings are popular as I hear. Nightforce Unimount. Barret Exrings, adjustable from 15 or 40, or 20 or 30 (depending on model) are popular with some. I used Burris XTR rings on my Burris Black Diamond 8-32 and it held zero on my AR-50. They are $55 on Amazon. Lapped and loctite of course. You don't have to spend a fortune, but you do need to do research and talk to folks in the know. Again, join FCSA, if you don't do anything else.
Dan
CatShooter
farmer44 said:
At $520 for 100 rounds, you won't be shooting it very much - on a good day, I shoot ~150-ish rounds. That is the cost for a loading setup (with enough left for a few cheeseburgers).
What he said^^^
Hornady or Hunting Shack, premium ammo with 750 gr Amax, is about $7-8/shot as I recall.
Although I would never shoot 150 rounds of 50 BMG a day. Catshooter lives on a different planet than most of us and has many resources. I can see shooting 20-40 rounds on a typical day at range. Dragging 50 BMG out with my AR15, and another target rifle of sorts, having fun with all at different distances. But still, if paying $7-8/shot, will sting quite a bit.
Many folks buy the $250 Lee 50 BMG reloading kit. Tons of options on projectiles that are more affordable than the Amax, which are $2/each. Some pulled, varying types of ball, API, etc. I've heard lots of talk about South African 690 gr ball, from Wideners perhaps. Read just the other day on FCSA about some bulk powder, 872 perhaps, at Pats Reloading for $48/8 lb jug. Compare that to $140-160 jug for Reloder 50 or H50BMG.
Lake City brass, once fired and polished, is 45 cents each from guy I bought my Barrett IMI cases from. Might be cheaper elsewhere. CCI primers from Powder Valley are much more affordable than the RWS primers I bought from TenX. Depends on your goals, but 50 BMG components don't have to be terribly expensive.
Making high quality 50 BMG ammo for $1.50-2/shot should be very doable. Just guessing as I don't know exactly what those projectiles cost. My reloads are going to be about $3.50/each, but I have a specific goal in mind. Point being, you can reload 50 BMG quite affordably, relatively speaking of course.
Dan
Hornady or Hunting Shack, premium ammo with 750 gr Amax, is about $7-8/shot as I recall.
Although I would never shoot 150 rounds of 50 BMG a day. Catshooter lives on a different planet than most of us and has many resources. I can see shooting 20-40 rounds on a typical day at range. Dragging 50 BMG out with my AR15, and another target rifle of sorts, having fun with all at different distances. But still, if paying $7-8/shot, will sting quite a bit.
Many folks buy the $250 Lee 50 BMG reloading kit. Tons of options on projectiles that are more affordable than the Amax, which are $2/each. Some pulled, varying types of ball, API, etc. I've heard lots of talk about South African 690 gr ball, from Wideners perhaps. Read just the other day on FCSA about some bulk powder, 872 perhaps, at Pats Reloading for $48/8 lb jug. Compare that to $140-160 jug for Reloder 50 or H50BMG.
Lake City brass, once fired and polished, is 45 cents each from guy I bought my Barrett IMI cases from. Might be cheaper elsewhere. CCI primers from Powder Valley are much more affordable than the RWS primers I bought from TenX. Depends on your goals, but 50 BMG components don't have to be terribly expensive.
Making high quality 50 BMG ammo for $1.50-2/shot should be very doable. Just guessing as I don't know exactly what those projectiles cost. My reloads are going to be about $3.50/each, but I have a specific goal in mind. Point being, you can reload 50 BMG quite affordably, relatively speaking of course.
Dan
CatShooter
farmer44 said:
The recoil is not real badd... but the muzzle blast, especially to the left and right side of you, is friggin' Godawful! Don't let your friends stand on the sides - make them stand directly behind you.
That's a fact! The concussion is impressive. First time I shot my AR-50 it blew cleaning supplies and soda cans ten feet in both sideways directions. With that said, the weight of the gun at about 35 lbs, along with an extremely well designed muzzle brake, offers a smooth recoiling gun.
Dan
Dan
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