50 BMG!

[Greyhawk]

Well the day has arrived that my youngest son has been waiting for. 6 months ago he ordered a single shot 50 BMG from a company in Florida. The interesting thing is, is that when it arrived at the gun shop in town last week he couldn't take it because he didn't have an AR purchase permit. (although it is a single shot, because it has a pistol grip and muzzle brake it is considered an AR (go figure)). Well he got his permit yesterday and he is now the proud owner of a 50 bmg! I don't know, 660 grains being pushed at 2940 FPS is pretty intimidating to me! He and his wife were able to get out to the range this morning, and he loves it. He saved a few rounds for me and is excited for me to shoot it, kind of scary!

[Bugs]

What company in FL? I live here and may go check it out.

[RanchRoper]

Wow....I'd have to check the range rules for our little cowboy range, don't recall seeing "tankbuster ammo" in the handbook....

[Greyhawk]

What company in FL? I live here and may go check it out.

The company is called Serbu Firearms. They are based in Tampa Florida.

[dddrees]

Congrats, but how much per round is that?

At some point cost per round kind of sinks in.

[Greyhawk]

Congrats, but how much per round is that?

At some point cost per round kind of sinks in.

Ha! you aren't a kidding. I've thought the same thing. He's a hand loader and he's definitely saving his brass!
But even that isn't going to be cheap.. The average 50 BMG round in my Hornady reloading manual takes 200 grains (compared to 50 grains in my 45-70 rounds)

[BrokenolMarine]

Go to the Dillon site and look at the cost of the set up to reload the fifty... OMG. I thought about a Barrett once... Just once.
If I win the lottery... Yeah buddy.

The beginner set.. $1195
Full length carbide sizing die $985
Case trimmer $420
Mounting post (i think this is a steel stand) $310
Hardware kit $10

So... The dillon setup...
About $2925

Might be cheaper to buy bulk surplus military, but I haven't priced it lately.
When I was shooting 50 cal out helo windows, the Corps paid for it.

[BrokenolMarine]

But, the rifle looks really cool.

[JEBar]

just curious .... what distances does he plan to fire .... the public ranges I've been to allow pretty much everything up to a 50 but none allow firing a 50 .... that is sure one heck of a rifle

[dddrees]

Congrats, but how much per round is that?

At some point cost per round kind of sinks in.

Ha! you aren't a kidding. I've thought the same thing. He's a hand loader and he's definitely saving his brass!
But even that isn't going to be cheap.. The average 50 BMG round in my Hornady reloading manual takes 200 grains (compared to 50 grains in my 45-70 rounds)

Well it's not like I haven't made my share of mistakes, but just so happens that isn't one I''ll be making. I think in theory it's sounds cool to some but practical it sure aint. Wish him luck.

[Henry88]

My dad who was in the army from '38 to '45 kept a string of 50 caliber; just for beer talk..............

I just don't remember them being THAT BIG. I guess they were...............

[BrokenolMarine]

I looked at the ammo costs just because I had gotten curious. It runs between $3.00 and $7.00 per round, not including shipping. You might find some on sale, discounted in the $2.75 range... Might. That I saw marked at that price had a big red SOLD OUT banner across the listing.

Wow...

"Cool gun Tommy, can I pop off a few rounds?"

" Sure Brother, five bucks a round, cash up front, let me know how many you wanna pop off. "

"Ah, two."

[220]

Go to the Dillon site and look at the cost of the set up to reload the fifty... OMG. I thought about a Barrett once... Just once.
If I win the lottery... Yeah buddy.

The beginner set.. $1195
Full length carbide sizing die $985
Case trimmer $420
Mounting post (i think this is a steel stand) $310
Hardware kit $10

So... The dillon setup...
About $2925

There is a reason my reloading room has equipment from almost every manufacturer apart from Dillon.
Shop around and you will pick up a Lee 50BMG load kit (press dies etc) for around $250.

I did entertain the idea of buying one but having shot a few apart from ringing steel the only reason I can come up with to own one is the novelty.

[Bugs]

What company in FL? I live here and may go check it out.

The company is called Serbu Firearms. They are based in Tampa Florida.

Thanks I'll check them out.

[BrokenolMarine]

Go to the Dillon site and look at the cost of the set up to reload the fifty... OMG. I thought about a Barrett once... Just once.
If I win the lottery... Yeah buddy.

The beginner set.. $1195
Full length carbide sizing die $985
Case trimmer $420
Mounting post (i think this is a steel stand) $310
Hardware kit $10

So... The dillon setup...
About $2925

There is a reason my reloading room has equipment from almost every manufacturer apart from Dillon.
Shop around and you will pick up a Lee 50BMG load kit (press dies etc) for around $250.

I did entertain the idea of buying one but having shot a few apart from ringing steel the only reason I can come up with to own one is the novelty.

To be fair... I started out reloading on a single stage RCBS press, and the complete setup, with dies, was about the cost of a set of Dillon carbide dies. But when I started shooting state level competition, loading more than 10k rounds a year, the investment in the Dillion progressive press made sense. Plus, slow and steady was the way to go for a beginning loader anyway.

The base cost of $1200 for the Dillon is a progressive press. RCBS, and Hornady presses on Amazon run $700 and $950 respectively. Keep in mind, the Lee press at $250 is a Single stage press. However, I see your point. Yes, you can load the 50 for a LOT less... And at the low rate you are likely to shoot it... the single stage Lee makes sense. I don't see the single shot 50 as a competition rifle, with which one would be pouring rounds downrange.

[wingnut]

Greyhawk-

For the milsurp ball pulls (647-655g), they have an iron core. Most ranges (100+ yards) will allow them to be shot on paper but not on their steel targets. Hornady makes a great 750g Amax target bullet that does not hurt "hard" steel (much).

Lee has a large single stage press and dies that work well.

... but practical it sure aint.

Practical is not necessary for fun.

[BrokenolMarine]

If I remember correctly, Serbu was one of the companies making quality short barreled shotguns based on your choice of the Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 pumps. They were fairly priced, shot well, used MOSTLY stock parts except for the custom mods, and required the any other weapon fee of... What? $5 I think Hickock45 did a very positive review on them.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m_pXTItRtkc

From everything I read, they manufacture quality, your son appears to have made a good choice.

[dddrees]

Greyhawk-

For the milsurp ball pulls (647-655g), they have an iron core. Most ranges (100+ yards) will allow them to be shot on paper but not on their steel targets. Hornady makes a great 750g Amax target bullet that does not hurt "hard" steel (much).

Lee has a large single stage press and dies that work well.

... but practical it sure aint.

Practical is not necessary for fun.

True, but often this is why you see these kind of guns being resold after actually only being fired very little.


I did have my opportunity to fire a M2 during live fire once. I can't remember the round count but it was fairly significant. We never did get that melted sandbag off that barrel when we got done. Sandbags where used for right and left limits on our M113 and we fired it at night with tracers. The mount we used may have kept it on the track but it certainly didn't keep it from shaking all to heck and back. Man, talk about some fire power. The barrel got pretty red, I know I remember that and the part about it shaking pretty violently. I got the chance, I can say I did it, but luckily I didn't have to pay for it.

[Greyhawk]

Well guys, I don't think practicality or cost was in anyway part of his thinking! (Oh, to be young again!) I think he just plain thinks it is fun and cool. As for the range, they don't have a restriction and he's not shooting any of the steel, just two liter bottles, and paper.

[wingnut]

This is what can be done (handloaded) with .mil surplus pulled bullets and powder. Rifle is a single shot "California compliant" 50 BMG wildcat cartridge. Groups even better with 750g Amax bullets and commercial RL-33 or RL-50 powder.

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