Is there such a thing as a good budget .50 BMG rifle?

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goon

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I've been thinking on a .50 caliber rifle lately. I'd like it light enough that getting it from the arms locker to the car won't give you a hernia. Great accuracy potential and durability would be good, but a single shot would be fine - no need for rapid fire really. The semi-autos are way beyond my budget anyhow...

What experience do you have with .50 rifles? I'd like to be in the $2k to $3k range max. Any ideas?
 
Things you should not cheap out on :D

Hesse, Vulcan, Blackthorne, whatever they're calling themselves after the latest lawsuit...

"I've been thinking on a .50 caliber rifle lately. I'd like it light enough that getting it from the arms locker to the car won't give you a hernia."
I purchased some very inexpensive Mossberg-made barrels from Blackthorne was blowing them out at discount after abandoning their product line (I wonder why? :rolleyes:), and the barrel itself is about 20lbs, so be advised of that. I think any 50 light enough to easily carry, will result in a broken collar bone when fired.

$1600 for a legit bolt action upper is pretty good (I expected it to be a screw-on breech), but I'd be wanting very detailed pics of the design --I'm guessing it's some form of Maadi-- at the bolt head/barrel extension, and quite a few reviews confirm it is well made & properly heat treated/etc. (the theory is many Hesse/etc. bolts were not being properly hardened, so locking surfaces would distort and allow case to separate & blow the breechblock into/through the shooter's shoulder)

TCB
 
If you're worried about the cost of the rifle, the cost of the ammo is going to be a problem. The cheapest I'm seeing is $2.32/each, with just (surplus pulled) bullets being $0.60.

There are cheaper ways to plink.

BSW
 
There are also cheaper ways to take out an engine block, but dropping 3 grand into an existing AR platform doesn't sound terrible. 1600 for the upper, a grand for optics, 400 in reloading dies and components. Not too shabby.
 
Is there such a thing as a good budget .50 BMG rifle?
Click to expand...

not really, if by 'good' you mean safe and accurate.

and shooting it isn't easy on a budget either.

plenty of people disagree with me, and perhaps i'm overly cautious. no way i would put one on an AR15. i also had a serbu 50bfg. i wouldn't buy another. (though i am not implying the serbu isn't safe.

if i were you, i'd hook up with the FCSA and surf their used ads. find a single shot benchrest gun that's 'shot out' by benchrest standards. it'll still be heavy, but it will be safe and very accurate and look cool to boot
 
I built one a number of years ago using maddi griffin plans.

The most expensive part was the Lothar Walther chambered blank, they cost $350 back then.

You also need to be able to machine 8620, 4140 and 4130 as well as heat treat.

50bmg.jpg

They will make art work from 1" plate steel with AP and API.

steel1in.jpg

1insteel.jpg

The ammo I stocked up on back then is now worth more than the rifle.
 
One of my friends had a Serbu that was a pretty good rifle, I have a Bushmaster BA50 but its quite a bit more money. If you buy a .50 pm me, I have a source for really reasonably priced ammo
 
If you're worried about the cost of the rifle, the cost of the ammo is going to be a problem. The cheapest I'm seeing is $2.32/each, with just (surplus pulled) bullets being $0.60.

There are cheaper ways to plink.

BSW
Click to expand...
At least availability is no problem - the local WalMart that had no .22 rimfire in stock had several boxes of Federal .50 BMG on the shelf last week.

And . . . beware of "cheap" rifles . . . they can be VERY expensive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjCNsfghYFw
 
"The most expensive part was the Lothar Walther chambered blank, they cost $350 back then."

The Mossberg-made barrels Blackthorne was blowing out were 90$ each. Total steal (probably were stolen, knowing those crooks). Amazingly the threads for the barrel extension happen to match those custom falling-block actions you see for sale every once in a while :cool:

TCB

PS-That Vulcan video never gets old...
 
the price on 50BMG is not bad at all when you consider how much energy youre getting off it.. price out some of the more "common" magnum rifle calibers and theyre easily over $2/rd

i was thinking of getting a LONG range 1000+ yard rifle to have some fun with.. priced out cartridges like .338 lapua and no thanks, .50BMG is cheaper
 
Thanks for the advice so far.

Questions -
If $2,000 to $3,000 isn't reasonable, what is?
What criticisms are there against the Serbu .50's in that price range?
 
i posted a couple single shots and one mag fed bolt action both for under $2k, only requires an AR-15 lower you can get for like $100
 
I would buy a Serbu any day of the week, Mark stands behind all his products. Just because it looks like it was made out of old plumbing and muffler parts doesn't mean it's junk.

There's also nothing wrong with buying an upper as long as it wasn't made by one of the companies mentioned. That and BOHICA or Valley Arms, whatever they call themselves now. The lower is just there for fire control, no stress is put on it.

Look at State Arms or Eastridge Gun Co. Rebel, it used to run $1,800 and for the money hard to beat. The SA has been in the winners circle plenty of times at FCSA events. Talk to Larry if you want a great rifle built on a budget.

The other budget 50 and probably the most popular 50 on the market is the AR-50 made by Armalite. You can buy one under $3K any day of the week if you look around. There's plenty of aftermarket parts for it and you can put them on without a gunsmith.
 
"State Arms"
That's the falling block I'd love to run across someday;
50customandScarborough022.jpg
Chunky Sharps dwarfed by it on the bottom :D

TCB
 
The armalite would be a good choice. Ugly as sin but good reputation for accuracy and reasonably priced
 
im still amazed at the level of efficiency the muzzle breaks they have on those 50 cal rifles are able to shoulder fire these behemoths standing like they were 12 gauge slugs
 
12ga? My AR-50 feels like shooting a .223, you could shoot it all day and your shoulder would feel fine.

The muzzle blast is another thing, clears your sinuses every shot in the winter.
 
I've fired a State Arms rifle before and didn't find the recoil too objectionable. But like they say - the blast is quite intense.
 
bobinoregon said:
One of my friends had a Serbu that was a pretty good rifle, I have a Bushmaster BA50 but its quite a bit more money. If you buy a .50 pm me, I have a source for really reasonably priced ammo
Click to expand...

What is reasonably priced if you don't mind me asking? I usually get mine for around $2.40 or so a round.
 
Watch PSA's website, they always have Federal .50 on sale for $20 a box of 10. They had a sale recently for less then that, just have to wait.
 
Really, within reason, ammo cost isn't too huge of a concern for me because I'd probably only shoot 20 to 40 rounds maybe 4 times a year. I'd probably let friends shoot it some with decent ammo too. Eventually I'd reload some as well. I doubt I'd ever be able to shoot competitively, but that doesn't mean I couldn't own and appreciate one.
 
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