Thread: Anyone shooting .50 BMG target rifles?

Got this cool toy from my local gun shop a few weeks ago. Been fun. I consider it to be one of the 'ultimates' as far as hobbies go - along with straight razors and Japanese hones. Also goes well with cigars This is a Steyr HS-M1 with Nightforce scope.

That's a serious chunk of steel, wish they would let us get something like that where I live but New Jersey is pretty restrictive. How far out do you shoot with that beast?

Years ago when I was into target shooting I used to have a newly made Sharps replica. Mine was chambered for 50/70 but they made them up to 50/140, same as the buffalo hunter used to use. These were black powder cartridge rifles, the 50 was the caliber, the second number, 70, 140, etc... was how many grains of black powder the brass cartridge held.

Quite the even when you squeezed the trigger. Everyone on the range would stop and wonder what had just happened and where all the smoke came from. One's right shoulder was usually rather surprised as well!



Much easier on the body was my Remington Rolling Block replica chambered in 45/70.

Tony

Is that for rabbit hunting? Or Dove?...

Its good out to about 2000 yards from what I hear. Longest shot the dealer has made was about 2700 m with his swiss made AMSD Nemesis rifle (owner of alberta tactical rifle.com). This one is probably not as accurate though - more of a military grade thing. So far this one has made it to 200 yards The Sharps certainly did not have the benefit of a massive muzzle break!

I retired from the Army as a sniper. THe key phrase for any weapon is "shooter dependant"..If you can read wind and mirage than you can go pretty far out..In Afghanistan that Brit made a 2.47 kilometres (8120 ft) shot....And in Iraq at Anaconda the Canadian with a .50 made a 2.43 KM shot. Personally I used a M24. I hated the .50..I was never very good with it.

I believe the largest legal civilian calbre here is .458. At least, we certainly aren't allowed anywhere near the .50. The largest I have is my 30.06.




Mick

Originally Posted by Wintchase

I retired from the Army as a sniper. The key phrase for any weapon is "shooter dependant"..If you can read wind and mirage than you can go pretty far out..In Afghanistan that Brit made a 2.47 kilometres (8120 ft) shot....And in Iraq at Anaconda the Canadian with a .50 made a 2.43 KM shot. Personally I used a M24. I hated the .50..I was never very good with it.

I completely agree. You can't miss fast enough!!

I mush prefer the .338 Lapua. Point of fact is that it now holds the long distance kill record over the Canadian team with the 50. Both are fantastic weapons but the 50 is just not my "cup o' tea".

"god grant me the serenity to except the people I can not shoot, the courage to shoot the people I can, and the wisdom to bury the bodies...."

JohnnyNorth,

Nice rig

The main obstacles in the UK for rifles chambered for 0.338 Lapua & 0.50 BMG is not the legislation but cost of the powder (and projectiles)

The powder I use in my tight necked 0.308 W is Vihtavuori N140 and this costs the equivalent of 55 USD per pound in the UK

Just looked on Sinclair Intl and 1 lb is 29 USD in the States !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Impressive rifle.
I have to ask though: at those long distances, how much depends on the shooter and how much on the rifle?
Is there still a big difference between different rifles?

The reason I ask is that from the outside, it seems that there is a great amount of skill involved in a shot, whereas the differences between rifles are smaller than the differences between shooters.

In case it was not obvious, I've never shot anything else than handguns or double barreled shotguns. And only a couple of times at that.