As I have said i dont support it but wouldnt stop it from being done in a controlled state, but the one thing i do want to clear up is at the great distances they shoot it is NOT overkill and usually leads to a quick kill ( the one thing i do agree with) Its not like the animal is exploding or something from what i have read it is just like a shotgun at close range.

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dont knock it till you try it, once you shoot one you will be figureing ways to save the 2 and a half K to buy yourself one, and thats just the cheap models. Then another grand or two for the high quailty opitcs you would have to put on top of it to see something that far. I am still trying to figure that one out you would have to set on a moutain top or open ridge and glass for your intended target, its max range is 2000 yards. And at 30 lbs theres no packin it around in the woods. That bullet is moving so fast (2,700 fps at the muzzle and produces 12,000 ft-lbs of energy, and at a 1000 yards is 1,913 fps and 6,100 ft-lbs of energy) it would pass clean through a elk at a 1000+ yards, even though its a 720 grain bullet, and has a FMJ. you would have a half inch hole were the bullet went in and a half inch hole were the bullet went out. Now if I could just quit buyin other guns with the money I have saved up It would be fun if you lived out west and were super rich to afford the 4 or 5 K for a gun that you would use once a year, and costs around $5.50 a round to shoot.

This thread has me imagining hunting with this weapon. To far from being reality in my humble world but fun to daydream about. My world is shotguns and regular loads and that's enough for me. I think that is the point of Field and Stream articles like that since few of us will ever get a chance to fire anything like this or travel the world on big adventures. Always fun to read about these things though and hope somebody can do it somewhere.

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Gotta have hounds in heaven!

it would probably be very impractical to hunt with in the East, but I would never stop anyone else from doing so in places where it would be a possibility and a practicality.

I have a rule: Any gun ban that doesn't affect you today, will alway affect you tomorrow, either directly or indirectly. Never forget that eventually you, too will be on the hot seat, so always support others and you'll have the same in return.

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Raven Gunsmith
Sales and Service of Fine Firearms and accesories
http://www.RavenGunsmith.com
Member NRA Business Alliance
NRA Benefactor Member

YUP, good point.

thanks,

Don't ever let anyone ever buffalo you into thinking that it will not effect you. At some point it always will. I've heard it all before: We are going to protect hunter's right's and still ban handguns: You can't hunt with them. My response: wanna bet? Where legal, people hunt deer with .44 Mags all the time. I also never go into the woods with my Ruger Redhawk. Alot of bears around now and that is my last line of defense. That idiotic "assault weapons" ban. Again "people cna't hunt with them, so it is Ok to ban them". First of all, an assault weapon is, in fact full auto and therefore considered a class II destructive device. second, those semi auto rifle's that are cosmetically similar to an assault weapon is functionally no different than a BAR or any other semi-auto hunting rifle. therefore it would be no stretch to ban both. In fact Browning made a pump rifle in case they did end up banning all semi-auto's.

I could go on, but I think you get my point. You cannot give the liberals an inch, they will try to take it all.

I am really suprised how well this topic has taken off... lets hear some more!

I know this is old but I just wanted to add my 2 cents. I have not read the article but I do know people who own .50 BMG's are usually some of the most cautious and good judgement people. I know there are a few but there is always that few in any thing. Now that being said they usually have deep pockets and like the best so they get priority in my shop. There are many sanctioned BMG shoots in my area and I like to attend them to see the weapons. As far as ultra long shots are concerned you are not going to beat a BMG I think it has a ballistic coefficient of 1.0. And they hold all the rcords on longest kill shots of any conventional shoulder fired centerfire in history. I believe Carlos E. Hathcock killed an NVA enemy at a range of 2350 yards with one shot from a M-2 BMG topped with a 10 power unertl scope with external adjustments. That record was beaten in Iraq buy I believe a canadian sniper who killed an ememy insugeant at a range of 2600 yards with a BARRETT M-82 I do not know the typr of telescopic sight he used but I am sure it was top quality. I took a guy ground hog hunting with me who wanted to use his .50 caliber FERRETT. I said I don't know about that but we will see. We were in the back of a truck overlooking a pasture that was in the bottom of two big hills. The range to the bottom was 600 yards. There was a ground hog down there playing peek-a-boo with us all day. As soon as you would glass his head in the hole and switch to the rifle he would be gone. Now this guy took sight at the hole with the .50 and said he jsut went down do you mind if I shoot? I said sure as soon as he comes BBBBAAANNNGGGG.... I thought what the hell is this guy doing. He said I got him. I looked at the hole with my spotting scope and there was a new hole at bottom of the hogs mound. Sure enough dead hog looks like just the dirt and rocks flying killed him though. It was impressive indeed but exreme caution should be used with such a firearm. Now in Colorado or montana where there is nothing for miles. That is a place where you could really have some good ole fun with the .50. My question to you guys is how many times have you shot a .22 in the air counless times almost and usually at the perfect 45 degree angle when shooting a coon out and think nothing of it? Well you are far more likely to kill someone doing that than a responsible .50 caliber owner.

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"Do not argue about guns with a gunsmith"
P.S I am a gunsmith

AMMEN

I shot a deer with my 7mm 08 that was for sure two miles away from me. Only took me one fella to do it. I hiked in with my treestand and my pack on back after strapping my 7mm 08 across my chest two miles, climbed a tree and shot a deer later in the day at 60 yards. Wish I had brought two other fellas draggin it out If you enjoy the BIG calibers be safe and have at it. I know I can't shoot anything bigger than a 308 comfortably myself. I know I know, but I'm not missing anything, really, I'm not. Where I used to hunt deer some fellas decided to shoot long ranges from one mountainside to another. I supposed it to be 500 to 800 yards (but it could have been more for sure) from one small moutain to another. This was public land. They must have been ex-military cause they cleared a landing zone big enough to safely land four or more helicopters at a time on the area they were shooting into. If you gotta do that to shoot long range best you do so on your own private property. Other than that have at it. Paul Conway.

I do not for the world understand the saftey factor difference between a 50Bmg or a 12 guage slug or a .22LR .How many shots are fired into the air that miss coon in a tree,Where do those bullets go? How about 400 yd antelope with no backstop , This could go on and on if you dont like the fifty dont shoot it.But dont condem something you know nothing about.As far as range that is a mute point as Ive pointed out. Any High powered rifle will shoot a bullet 2500 yds the only difference would be BC and that translates to less downrange accuracy.You can start in on me about this post but I,m not the loose screw here. Wiley

I'll bet more animals are missed or wounded from hunters shooting at running game then someone who has taken the time and spent the money to make those long range shots. These people who shoot long range spend a lot of time at the range and know thier equipment a lot better then those who just shoot a couple of rounds before the season starts. I think the most important thing is knowing your limitations. I wonder how many hunters have been killed from another hunter thinking they were a deer compared to how many have been killed from LR shooters?

Just a thought

The Fifty BMG comes in a lot of models and some are not 18# it is not nessissarily a machine gun nor a single shot it is no more dangerous in capable hands than a .22 LR The bullet size has very little to do with damage to meat bullet constuction on the other hand does, A 600grn FMJ will leave a Quarter size in and out if you dont connect to heavy bone Some .22 center fires with ballistic tips will do much more damage. If you dont have experience with this firearm I dont see why your pouring in a bunch of negative crap. This is a right just like every other right we have and it can be taken away. Most of you sound like Anti Gun nuts. So lets lay off the fifty and gripe about whats going to happen in the next four years. Wiley

i have a 50 cal its a muzzleloader and i wont shoot anything over 200 yards. hunting is bein in the world of your prey. if your a mile away there is no way that animal knows your there. i say take em with a bow then at least they have a chance and if a compound is too easy go witha recurve i mean look at the guy that just did a super slam of U.S. big game that was awesome and all he had was a recurve bow an arrow and some awesome hutning knowledge, experience, and SKILL which i lacked when shootin an animal from 500 yards or more like the 50 cals do.

To be honest, I am very surprized at how many hunters got on and said they DON'T support this method of hunting. Certainly there are many issues that each of us have to consider when choosing a rifle caliber to hunt with... however, I know far more hunters who pick up a .270 or .30-.06... bore sight it and go hunting with the cheapest box of ammo they can find... Or buy a bow, set it up, shoot it a few times in the summer and then go fling arrows at game in the fall... Anyone who does this does not have my respect, I believe you should take time to know the weapon you've chosen, shoot it until you can use it accurately and responsibly so that you can responsibly harvest game with your firearm. I believe this can be done with a .50 bmg. Issues vary depending on conditions and areas you hunt.. but if you're a hunter, be a supporter of responsible practices and law-abiding sportsman, NOT an advocate against the use of firearms! I live in Montana and the state of Montana does not allow baiting for game. It is my tendency to say that baiting an animal is far less ethical than shooting it at 800 yards with a high caliber rifle. At least I'd take more pride in skilled shooting then a nice bait pile. BUT, I support hunters who use bait legally in their state, because I don't want to be part of the problem for hunters ANYwhere. I hope you agree that we must support responsible hunting practices instead of standing in the way.