How much recoil does a bolt 50 bmg have?
- Thread starter 460or338
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yes, and 50 with out 1 would either break your collar bone or bust your head open from the scope coming back.
i know a guy that did just this when he was testing diffrent breaks... he decided to try it with out..
it ended up in the hospital with stiches and a sling....
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
You will not and should not see a 50 BMG with a weight of under 40 lbs without some type of muzzle brake simply from a safety stand point. Held properly tothe shoulder and with a shooter properly trained to shoot a 50 BMG, even a 25 lb 50 BMG would not break bones butt it would not be all that much fun to shoot.
To the untrained shooter, it could be dangerous but likely more to the face and forhead then to the shoulder.
I have shot my 510 Allen Magnum (50 BMG improved) with custom 835 gr SPRBBTs to 2900 fps without a muzzle brake. This rifle was on an AR-50 with a heavier barrel contour, finish weight was roughly 35 lbs. IT was NOT FUN to shoot but it was not dangerous simply because I was very well trained at shooting the big rifles. With a 5 port muzzle brake I machined for the rifle, recoil was very managable.
If you look at the Barrett semi-auto rifles, their recoil is extremely comfortable for a 50 BMG class weapon but that is because there is alot of energy absorded in making that semi-auto system to function and the very aggressive muzzle brake also helps alot. Recoil is less them most 12 guage pump shotguns.
Now as to velocity of the 50 BMG. Most load data you see is out of a 45" M2 barrel length. In my experience, you will see around 2600 to 2650 fps with the 750 gr A-Max with comfortable loads. Chamber pressure can be checked by rechambering freshly fired cases. The fired case should rechamber with little to no effort to close the bolt on the fired case. If the bolt is hard to close on a 50 BMG case, your pushing pressure to hard.
It is an easy thing to push the 50 BMG to over 2700 fps with the 750 gr bullet and some rifles will do this with relatively mild pressures. I had an LAR Grizzly with 36" barrel that would do this easily but my 31" AR-50 will top out at around 2650 fps with same loads.
You also have to be careful about load data. Hodgdon lists 233 grains of H-50BMG for the 750 gr A-Max. In most single shot rifles with quality chambers, this load will lock up a bolt solid on a fired round. Most rifles will top out in the 210 to 215 gr range with this powder. If your bolt lift is sticky on a 50 BMG, YOUR WAY TO HIGH IN CHAMBER PRESSURE.
Point being, we will mostly be shooting the 50 BMG in quality single shot rifles, not the loose chambered M2 so start low and work up and pay attention to pressure. The 50 BMG does not work on high muzzle velocity. IT works because you throw a HUGE bullet with extreme BC to moderate velocities. Do not try to muscle the big 50, there is no need and in the end it will bite you back!!!
To the untrained shooter, it could be dangerous but likely more to the face and forhead then to the shoulder.
I have shot my 510 Allen Magnum (50 BMG improved) with custom 835 gr SPRBBTs to 2900 fps without a muzzle brake. This rifle was on an AR-50 with a heavier barrel contour, finish weight was roughly 35 lbs. IT was NOT FUN to shoot but it was not dangerous simply because I was very well trained at shooting the big rifles. With a 5 port muzzle brake I machined for the rifle, recoil was very managable.
If you look at the Barrett semi-auto rifles, their recoil is extremely comfortable for a 50 BMG class weapon but that is because there is alot of energy absorded in making that semi-auto system to function and the very aggressive muzzle brake also helps alot. Recoil is less them most 12 guage pump shotguns.
Now as to velocity of the 50 BMG. Most load data you see is out of a 45" M2 barrel length. In my experience, you will see around 2600 to 2650 fps with the 750 gr A-Max with comfortable loads. Chamber pressure can be checked by rechambering freshly fired cases. The fired case should rechamber with little to no effort to close the bolt on the fired case. If the bolt is hard to close on a 50 BMG case, your pushing pressure to hard.
It is an easy thing to push the 50 BMG to over 2700 fps with the 750 gr bullet and some rifles will do this with relatively mild pressures. I had an LAR Grizzly with 36" barrel that would do this easily but my 31" AR-50 will top out at around 2650 fps with same loads.
You also have to be careful about load data. Hodgdon lists 233 grains of H-50BMG for the 750 gr A-Max. In most single shot rifles with quality chambers, this load will lock up a bolt solid on a fired round. Most rifles will top out in the 210 to 215 gr range with this powder. If your bolt lift is sticky on a 50 BMG, YOUR WAY TO HIGH IN CHAMBER PRESSURE.
Point being, we will mostly be shooting the 50 BMG in quality single shot rifles, not the loose chambered M2 so start low and work up and pay attention to pressure. The 50 BMG does not work on high muzzle velocity. IT works because you throw a HUGE bullet with extreme BC to moderate velocities. Do not try to muscle the big 50, there is no need and in the end it will bite you back!!!
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Thanks Kirby !!!
Reading pressure has been one of my concerns with the M82 A1 and I'm sure you can give me some pointers as to what to look for.
I am going to use US869 because it is a little slower burning and hope it will perform better
than H 50 BMG on the 750 to 800 grain bullets.
Getting some velocities will be tricky and I may have to use a blast shield But I will try and
if anyone has any pointers on this problem I would appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks again
J E CUSTOM
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Not at all !!
A blast shield is a barricade with a hole just large enough to shoot through , placed in
front of the chronograph to keep the muzzle blast from disrupting the chrony.
I have constructed one before because the muzzle blast from the 416s and larger was raisin
hell with my chronagraph and even blew up the screens on one occasion.
I place the screens 10 feet from the chronagraph normally but have to move them back
when shooting the big stuff to get good readings.
Sometimes the muzzle blast it's self will give you a false reading.
J E CUSTOM
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
JE CUSTOM,
THe semi autos are much harder to read pressures on simply because its not as easy to chamber a fired case and "Feel" the pressure needed for the bolt to close on a fired case.
In all honesty, you should really just rely on data developed in bolt action rifles. Any high pressure load will be hard on the semi-auto mechanism and again, there is no need for high pressure loads. Single best pressure indicator with the Barrett will be the chrono graph.
On that topic, I have never had a real issue with a 50 BMG with a chrono as far as muzzle blast is concerned. Their muzzle brakes are very effective and divert nearly all of the escaping muzzle gas off to the sides so the chronos are generally very protected.
The main problem can come from using to short of a barrel on the 50 BMG rifles, in these cases, unburnt powder will be hard on everything. If your barrett has the standard 29" barrel length you should be fine. I would not snuggle right up to the chrono but 15 feet off the muzzle is generally plenty with a braked 50 BMG.
THe semi autos are much harder to read pressures on simply because its not as easy to chamber a fired case and "Feel" the pressure needed for the bolt to close on a fired case.
In all honesty, you should really just rely on data developed in bolt action rifles. Any high pressure load will be hard on the semi-auto mechanism and again, there is no need for high pressure loads. Single best pressure indicator with the Barrett will be the chrono graph.
On that topic, I have never had a real issue with a 50 BMG with a chrono as far as muzzle blast is concerned. Their muzzle brakes are very effective and divert nearly all of the escaping muzzle gas off to the sides so the chronos are generally very protected.
The main problem can come from using to short of a barrel on the 50 BMG rifles, in these cases, unburnt powder will be hard on everything. If your barrett has the standard 29" barrel length you should be fine. I would not snuggle right up to the chrono but 15 feet off the muzzle is generally plenty with a braked 50 BMG.
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
Chas1,
My standard load in my AR-50 was 245 grains of H-50BMG under the 750 gr A-Max and good for an average of 2935 fps. My load with that same rifle as a standard 50 BMG was 210 gr under the same bullet.
I have pushed them a bit harder but do not like to. Because the 510 AM is an improved version of the BMG, you have to be even more aware of chamber pressures or extraction will become even more of an issue compared to the VERY tapered 50 BMG case.
My standard load in my AR-50 was 245 grains of H-50BMG under the 750 gr A-Max and good for an average of 2935 fps. My load with that same rifle as a standard 50 BMG was 210 gr under the same bullet.
I have pushed them a bit harder but do not like to. Because the 510 AM is an improved version of the BMG, you have to be even more aware of chamber pressures or extraction will become even more of an issue compared to the VERY tapered 50 BMG case.
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
460or338,
Those powders you list are far to slow in burn rate for the BMG. The BMG is a very old, very inefficent case design. WHen it was designed, with the powders they had at the time, it needed this huge capacity. Now days, my 50 Allen Tactical based on a modified 408 CT necked up to 50 cal will come within 50-75 fps of matching standard 50 BMG loads and do so with around 145 grains of RL-19 compared to 215 grains of H-50BMG in the BMG case.
Simply put, its a good design but its an old design and much larger then it really needs to be for the modern powders we have available to us today.
Still, its a hell of alot of fun!!! Holding onto a round with a 6" OAL is always impressive.
Those powders you list are far to slow in burn rate for the BMG. The BMG is a very old, very inefficent case design. WHen it was designed, with the powders they had at the time, it needed this huge capacity. Now days, my 50 Allen Tactical based on a modified 408 CT necked up to 50 cal will come within 50-75 fps of matching standard 50 BMG loads and do so with around 145 grains of RL-19 compared to 215 grains of H-50BMG in the BMG case.
Simply put, its a good design but its an old design and much larger then it really needs to be for the modern powders we have available to us today.
Still, its a hell of alot of fun!!! Holding onto a round with a 6" OAL is always impressive.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Thanks again Kirby .
As always your replies are honest and based on real experience(I didn't think you
picked Fifty Driver as a user name based on age) I figured it might have something to
do with with the big fifty.
Also My barrel is the 29" version and I do not expect or need the same velocities as the
loads listed with the 45" barrel because in reality even the slowest loads will stay supersonic
past 2,000 yards, and that's good enough for the girls I go with.
Thanks to all that posted because I always learn something on this site, so in return I try to
share what little I know in hopes that it will help others.
J E CUSTOM
As always your replies are honest and based on real experience(I didn't think you
picked Fifty Driver as a user name based on age) I figured it might have something to
do with with the big fifty.
Also My barrel is the 29" version and I do not expect or need the same velocities as the
loads listed with the 45" barrel because in reality even the slowest loads will stay supersonic
past 2,000 yards, and that's good enough for the girls I go with.
Thanks to all that posted because I always learn something on this site, so in return I try to
share what little I know in hopes that it will help others.
J E CUSTOM
