.50 BMG Sniper Rifle

.50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG)

Caliber:           .50 BMG

Magazine:          10-shot detachable box magazine

Barrel:            29"

Weight:            32.5 lbs

Length:            57" overall

Stock:             Composite with Sorbothane recoil pad.

Sights:            Scope with ironsights.

Max Eff. Range     1830 meters

Features:

I do not consider .50 BMG rifles true sniper rifles, they are much too large and heavy to be carried easily and effectively while a sniper team operates. I do feel they have an important role and should be in the inventory, but don't fool yourself into thinking they are an everyday sniper rifle. Use them when the mission dictates, which might include overwatch positions (where little movement is involved), defensive positions, small hunter teams searching hard targets (where more then just the sniper team goes out), etc. Because I do not consider the .50's a true sniper rifle.

Ammo

Just the mention of a .50 cal sniper rifle conjures up the imagination of 2500-meter kills on human targets. We need to be honest, due primarily to the lack of some really good quality match ammo for the .50, there is no hope of hitting a human at 2500 meters. The sole purpose for the big .50 sniper rifles is to engage hard targets at extreme range, much like the British SAS used Barrett M82A1's to engage Scud missile launchers in the Gulf War. In this realm, nothing can touch the .50 when it comes to extreme range. There really is not a lot of purpose engaging human targets with a 750gr bullet. Of course, the recoil of the rifle, and the bulk and weight of a .50 sniper rifle (usually in excess of 30 lbs.) prevent it from being used as a serious sniper's rifle, stalks wouldn't be much fun and a hot exfiltration would be a very physical activity. But put that 30lb rifle 300 meters behind the lines in a defensive position, and you can really cause some havoc. There is great accuracy potential, but there is a lack of Match grade ammo (Rumor has it that Hornady might be loading some match rounds???).

Recommendation: Don�t bother using this rifle against human targets, focus on hard targets, its no problem to take out an APC a mile away (of course with proper ammo, only available to Law Enforcement and the Military), and chances are they'll have no clue as to where the shots are coming from (Provided the team does what its suppose to). Of course, unless an agency needs an anti-armor weapon, the .50 has no Law Enforcement applications.

Military Applications:

Note: The following is the data for the standard U.S. M2 .50 BMG ammo. This is not the ammo to use if you're expecting any degree of good accuracy, but it will do just fine against hard targets out past a mile (1600 meters)

U.S. M2 .50BMG - 709gr FMJ-BT at 2850fps

Bullet Drop (Inches)

Wind Drift (Inches) 10mph Crosswind

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