Pros and Cons of the .50 Beowulf???

M

M1A Owner

New member
Gentlemen and (Ladies),

I am interested in purchasing a .50 Beowulf and would like some input about its pros and cons. If you have a picture of yours, please attach it as well. I've been shooting AR-15 for the past 10 years with the military, but have never bought one. After learning about the .50 Beowulf upper add on, I am much more interested.

Any help/pics would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
Pros
Hard hitting
Short range Ballistics

Cons:
Ammo availability
Long range Ballistics

Pretty much that sums it up for all the big bore AR rounds...

Jimro
 
No do not have one, but have looked at picking up a large cal upper for my AR platform. This one looks awesome, but on my local forums it took a guy forever to sell his upper because no one wants to deal with finding ammo.
 
I was at a gun show a couple of weeks ago. A yute was trying to sell a Beowulf upper. Not one vendor would even give him a quote. Very hard to unload. So, unless your positive you will keep it, do not get one.
 
Given the way it's gonna kick I don't see it being a very fun for plinking so I have to ask you if you have something you will hunt with it and if you are already set up for reloading.

If so and if you want one then your decision matrix is over I'd say - just get one.

But if the answer is no to the above then I'd say you need to ask yourself how much you're willing to spend on an interesting safe queen. If the answer to that is "I don't care" then I'd say your decision matrix is again over - just get one.

Regards,
Oly
 
When I was looking at getting one for hog hunting I decided on the 458 socom. There are a lot more bullet choices for the 458 and it uses an unmodified .223 mag unlike the 450 bushmaster or 50 beo.
 
i like ar type guns. have two 223s, and one 308. however the 50 seems an awful like a 20 gauge semi auto slug gun that cost way too much. jmho bobn
 
It's a .458 but think of it more like a semiauto 45-70 with heavy bullets thats really quiet.

458socom.jpg
 
Having owned a 50 beowuld for 2 years now, my take:
I have one, and enjoy it very much. I will post pics soon (hopefully). In reguards to recoil:: I was very aprehensive about first shooting it. I put a collapsable stock on the lower, and was told by the 230lb gunsmith that the rifle was completely unshootable with the collapsable stock and i needed a fixed stock with the heavier recoil buffer. At the time i was 6'0 and 150lb with a freshly reconstucted shoulder that often gives me problems (very sensitive-i am a wrestler and it gives me lots of problems). Yet shooting it benched was absolutely no problem. I think ppl that drum up the recoil issue have never shot one. i shot 300 grain speer gold dot and 334 grain HP through it. No problem No pain. I would say it is probable 1/3 or 1/4 again as much recoil as a 12 gauge with birdshot. If i ever get a hunting license like i want to i look forwards to hunting with it. Im getting 1/4 to 1/2 inch groups at 50 yds. Due to price of ammo havn't gotten to play to much with accuracy but will more once i finally get into reloading. Fun gun to plink with too. Destroys my water filled milk jugs with authority. Ammo is not terriblly priced but ONLY if you are willing to wait. you can order it from Alexander Arms for around $1.15 a shot. But expect to wait at least 7 months!!!! All in all, having bought one and dumped LOTs of money into it. I must say i don't regret it, it is certainly a fun gun. and lots of fun to pull out at the range.
 
50 Beowulf Owner

I just joined this Forum, and it seems very active with current posting and good information. I bought one in 2004, and have both 16" Entry Gun upper and 24" W/Brake rifle upper. I know the cost of ammo is bad, if you reload it works out ok with the Rainer/Berry bullets. The brass is expensive and bought a bunch of Starline, have loaded them several times. The stright wall case makes loading this round easy and use Lil-Gun powder with great results. I have a 2X Aimpoint on the 16" and it shoots very tight groups @50 and good groups @100. I put a recoil pad on the stock and the recoil feels like a 12 gauge 3" slug, the thing is a power house will stop any thing that walks the face of the earth. For real big game the LBT hard lead around 400 grains will hit like a truck. I have been thinking of getting the 6.5 upper also made by Alexander Arms. If you want to see what this gun will do search it on u-tube, they show it in action. I have the full gun and the AA lower & upper's are well made great company.
 
50 Beowulf expensive to shoot? No way!

I know this is an old thread, but I got here searching for Beowulf information and maybe this will help others with more current information. I used a 50 Beowulf barrel and bolt from Midway and barrelled my own upper. I had to open up the ejection port on the upper quite a bit to let empties fly out, the port was less than brass diameter before machining. Magazines require slight opening of front of the tabs to feed the 50 Beowulf. Today, ammunition is available from Cabelas for $29 a box of 20, either 325 HP or 325 FMJ Alexander Arms ammo. I have ordered from them and it takes about three days to receive ammo. this is cheaper than 300 Win Mag, or Hornaday .270 light magnums, not unreasonable ammo price if you ask me. My local gunshop doesn't stock it, as I probably have one of only two Beowulf rifles in town, and handload for mine, too. That really makes it cheap shooting, and lots of fun. Even buying store bought ammo, 1.50 a round for this is cheap compared to $ 3.50 to $4.00 a round for 50 BMG!!!! And its a blast to shoot. Recoil? What recoil. Its a gentle shove. Its different from my M1A or FAL, but about halfway in between the two. Nothing even remotely close to recoil of my Remington 375 H&H I use for pigs (and much cheaper to shoot than it, too). I can't wait to take my Beowulf feral pig hunting! 50 Beowulf Rocks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top