Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
The ballistic advantage of the 50 BMG is certainly not in bullet drop. In fact, a 50 BMG will have a trajectory nearly identical to a 300 Win Mag. Not bad but nothing special either. Where they do shine is in wind drift and kenetic energy payload. With the right bullets you get into the .9 to 1.0 BC class and the better loads will carry 6000 ft/lbs of energy out to 1000 yards or close to it.
That said, compared to some of our more modern magnums of smaller caliber, there really no comparision as far as drop or drift numbers. Consider using an aluminum tipped bullet in something like my 338 Allen Magnum. Then you have a .9 BC bullet at +3500 fps!!! Kenetic energy loads are much less but in every other catagory, they make the 50 BMG look rather silly ballistically.
But, as has been mentioned, the 50 BMG just has that fun AWE factor as they are so big, so loud and just all around impressive.
Barrel life, A 50 BMG on a bolt action has a very long barrel life. I have seen some that had well over 3000 rounds still shooting very well. At least thats what the owners said theyhad through them. Consider this however, for those 3000 rounds, you would have nearly $10,000 in loading componants if you used Hornady 750 gr A-Max bullets, H-50BMG powder and CCI-35 primers.
Simply put, most will not put a high volume of shooting through a 50 BMG unless they have alot of money. You can certainly lower cost with surplus componants but generally accuracy and consistancy drops off as well.
Keep the barrel cool and you will never have much of a barrel problem.
That said, compared to some of our more modern magnums of smaller caliber, there really no comparision as far as drop or drift numbers. Consider using an aluminum tipped bullet in something like my 338 Allen Magnum. Then you have a .9 BC bullet at +3500 fps!!! Kenetic energy loads are much less but in every other catagory, they make the 50 BMG look rather silly ballistically.
But, as has been mentioned, the 50 BMG just has that fun AWE factor as they are so big, so loud and just all around impressive.
Barrel life, A 50 BMG on a bolt action has a very long barrel life. I have seen some that had well over 3000 rounds still shooting very well. At least thats what the owners said theyhad through them. Consider this however, for those 3000 rounds, you would have nearly $10,000 in loading componants if you used Hornady 750 gr A-Max bullets, H-50BMG powder and CCI-35 primers.
Simply put, most will not put a high volume of shooting through a 50 BMG unless they have alot of money. You can certainly lower cost with surplus componants but generally accuracy and consistancy drops off as well.
Keep the barrel cool and you will never have much of a barrel problem.