Thoughts on putting $390 optic on a .50 BMG

[The Heretic]

i have used MK 211 through it over the years. I am sure civilian ammo might produce a bit better accuracy. I have only used it in a mil environment and through all the barrett mil courses and rarely saw anything better than the 3 moa they quote. just my experience.

Good luck finding Raufoss outside the military for less than $100 per round today.

 

[rcnpthfndr]

I was mil when I was using it. My barrett days are done. I would rather have some one kick me in the balls everytime they heard the firing pin fall than actually shoot one anymore. LOL

 

[IronMonster]

I don't have any first-hand experience and I know this is not meant to be a precision rifle..... However, 5 of the 18 longest confirmed kills listed on Wikipedia were with a M82A1. The longest of which was 2515 yards. Logic dictates sub MOA accuracy is mandatory for a man-sized target at 2515 yards right? Or is it just that they are talking so many shots that sometimes they get lucky?

 

[Boboclown]

I don't have any first-hand experience and I know this is not meant to be a precision rifle..... However, 5 of the 18 longest confirmed kills listed on Wikipedia were with a M82A1. The longest of which was 2515 yards. Logic dictates sub MOA accuracy is mandatory for a man-sized target at 2515 yards right? Or is it just that they are talking so many shots that sometimes they get lucky?

.7 MOA at that distance would roughly be it. But luck plays a big role past a certain distance.

 

[Mygrainman]

I'm sure J.M.B. didn't intend for this to happen...

But Carlos Hathcock made some incredible shots with the above setup, and yours is much more capable. I'm sure with a good steady rest, sub moa is well within reach.

 

[IronMonster]

I know this is just numbers on a page... But it gives me hope

Specifications
M82A1

• Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7×99mm) and .416 Barrett (10.6×83mm)[33]
• Operation: short recoil, semi-automatic
• Overall length: 57 inches (145 cm) w/ 29 inch (73.7 cm) barrel or 48 inches (122 cm) w/ 20 inch (50.8 cm) barrel
• Barrel length: 508 millimetres (20.0 in) or 737 mm (29.0 in)
• Feed device: 10-round detachable box magazine
• Sights: Flip up, optics vary by user preference
• Weight: 30.9 lb (14.0 kg) w/ 29 inch (73.7 cm) barrel or 29.7 lb (13.5 kg) w/ 20 inch (50.8 cm) barrel
• Muzzle velocity with 660 grain, 42.8 g projectile: 853 m/s (2,800 ft/s) with 400 grain, 26.0 g solid brass projectile: 990 m/s (3,200 ft/s)
• Effective range: 1,800 m (5,900 ft)
• Maximum Range: 6,812 m (22,349 ft)[34]
• Expected accuracy: Sub-MOA with match ammo
• Unit replacement cost: $8,900 US

 

[IronMonster]

Hey look.... I can get 25 rds for $1825.... Plus shipping


http://www.gunbroker.com/item/718238314

 

[The Heretic]

Hey look.... I can get 25 rds for $1825.... Plus shipping


http://www.gunbroker.com/item/718238314

That is the starting bid - I think.

I have seen asking prices of $100 per round?

I remember when they were about $20 per round in Puyallup gun shows. I would not be surprised that most of those I saw came from JBLM. I have read that a few came into the civilian market from DoD contractors who had overstock from tests/etc. - but I think most has come out of military members walking off with a few in their pockets after target practice.

A very effective round against hard targets, but I am not going to pay $100 each for them.

 

[IronMonster]

That is the starting bid - I think.

I have seen asking prices of $100 per round?

I remember when they were about $20 per round in Puyallup gun shows. I would not be surprised that most of those I saw came from JBLM. I have read that a few came into the civilian market from DoD contractors who had overstock from tests/etc. - but I think most has come out of military members walking off with a few in their pockets after target practice.

A very effective round against hard targets, but I am not going to pay $100 each for them.

Agreed, I would like to have some but that $75 each is plenty of reason not too.

 

[The Heretic]

Agreed, I would like to have some but that $75 each is plenty of reason not too.

Yeah - but for SHTF they might be worth their weight in gold

 

[IronMonster]

Yeah - but for SHTF they might be worth their weight in gold

I have a semi auto. For $75 I could hit the target with one Mk211 round or 35 M33 ball rounds. Which do you expect to be more effective?

 

[The Heretic]

I have a semi auto. For $75 I could hit the target with one Mk211 round or 35 M33 ball rounds. Which do you expect to be more effective?

It depends on the target. If it is light armor but thick enough to defeat ball ammo repeatedly, then the Mk211 may be a lot more effective - ball ammo won't necessarily penetrate a light truck engine.

There is a vid of a guy who shot up the engine on his F150 with a .50 BMG (if I understand correctly, he hit it with API) and it still ran for a while - he had to pick his shots on a stationary vehicle and he had to hit it repeatedly.

If someone is coming at you with light armor, then I would want at least AP/API/APIT ammo, which can be had for about the same cost as M33 ball. If a gang from Hillsboro stole a crawler and up-armored it to serve as an ad-hoc tank to go after the farmers in my area after an earthquake, then I would want to have the option of Mk211 to put it out of commission. If they got a tank going, then I would hope that someone I knew had raided an armory and got something useful because light armor is about as far as Mk211 will go.

 

[IronMonster]

It depends on the target. If it is light armor but thick enough to defeat ball ammo repeatedly, then the Mk211 may be a lot more effective - ball ammo won't necessarily penetrate a light truck engine.

There is a vid of a guy who shot up the engine on his F150 with a .50 BMG (if I understand correctly, he hit it with API) and it still ran for a while - he had to pick his shots on a stationary vehicle and he had to hit it repeatedly.

If someone is coming at you with light armor, then I would want at least AP/API/APIT ammo, which can be had for about the same cost as M33 ball. If a gang from Hillsboro stole a crawler and up-armored it to serve as an ad-hoc tank to go after the farmers in my area after an earthquake, then I would want to have the option of Mk211 to put it out of commission. If they got a tank going, then I would hope that someone I knew had raided an armory and got something useful because light armor is about as far as Mk211 will go.

I was just using M33 as an example as it was cheap, I have several hundred rounds of AP/API

 

[The Heretic]

That said, I would not pay $100 per round for Mk211 - that is just a rip off IMO. It was bad enough when it was $20 per round.