Just to make sure were all on the same page when it comes to the .50 Beowulf and its namesake, we all studied Beowulf in high school, right? For 450 Bushmaster ammo, inexpensive Remington UMC factory loads can be had for as low as $1.50/round while premium hunting ammo like Federal Fusion or Barnes VOR-TX will cost around $3/round and up. Honestly if you reload, I think I would look at the 375 SOCOM, the power of the 458 SOCOM or the 50 Beuwolf, and the longer distances that you seem to want for hunting. I use a Leupold VX-R 1.25-4X20 HOG scope with FireDot illuminated reticle and it turns a .50 Beowulf into just the most amazing carbine/rifle (mines a 16 barrel) you could ever imagine for wild hogs, elk, moose, bison, brown bear, Sasquatchs, Yetis, Wooly Mammoth, great white sharks, rogue elephants, hippos, rhinosauruses and flying tryranasauruses. 2. Designed for shots within 250 yards or less (<150 yards for the Beowulf), these three rounds deliver crippling kinetic energy that can transform any AR-15 into a capable hog and deer hunting rifle. Monday I got an email saying I had to send paperwork from a dealer. 450 Bushmaster vs 30 06: Heavy Recoil Hunting Cartridges Collide My 300BLK suppressed sbr is a bit more than just a "fun gun" for me. estimation of destruction; yes, when youre running this round youre truly on the Eve of Destruction. 350 Legend vs 5.56 - Recommended by Experts at Ammo.com The .50 Beowulf and .458 SOCOM use a .50AE parent case and are almost similar in overall length and case capacity. 50 beowulf or 6.5 grendel - Rifles - New Jersey Gun Forums | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Should You Carry Your Gun With an Empty Chamber? However, this massive case capacity is needed for the massive 0.458" diameter bullets that the SOCOM round fires. Pull the rifle in tight and theres a big shove awaiting your glenohumeral joint. However, the 450 Bushmaster has a flatter trajectory as it fires lighter bullets at higher muzzle velocities. Dont insult the cartridge, please. The Beowulf clocks in with 18 to 30 with most ammunition coming in around 25 foot-pounds. I would also guess that .45-70 Government factory ammunition is less expensive than .50 Beowulf as well. Not only do they hit hard on large game, but they impart stout recoil on the shooters shoulder as well. I love my AA 50 Beowulf overmatch rifle! The 223s flat trajectory and low recoil is great for varmint hunting, plinking, and target shooting; however, it lacks the kinetic energy needed for taking down larger animals like whitetail and hogs. TWO SHOTS, TWO JAMS. 300 Blackout already has a massive fan base and a monstrous logistics machine behind the gun. At the muzzle, a 350gr XTP .50 Beowulf will have about 2,440 ft.lbf of energy. .50 Beowulf AR-15: A Home Defense Option? | An Official Journal Of The NRA Thanks again folks. On the other hand, the 450 Bushmaster and 458 SOCOM can remain supersonic past 300 yards. . Whats not as obvious is that the Alexander Arms upper receivers include a bolt carrier and bolt compatible with that 7.62x39 mm rebated cartridge rim. Finally, theres no dust cover on the receiver port door, which I hardly missed. Hogzilla? It's fun to shoot. Not my wallet, though. Both very capable at 150-200yds. The 450 Bushmaster dominates in terms of muzzle velocity as it leaves the barrel at a whopping 2,200 fps, which is 300 fps faster than the 458 SOCOM and 425 fps faster than the 50 Beowulf. Recoil, while prodigious when compared to the light 5.56, is manageable. .50 Beowulf ballistics are similar to the venerable .45-70. Most of the excess weight will be forward, as this carbine starts out muzzle-heavy and only gets worse from there. or 16in. Cant wait to try them out. As a matter of fact Bill Alexander built it for hog hunting. Their more conventional offerings include FMJ, 100-percent brass, jacketed hollow-point, and soft-point bullets ranging from 335 to 400-grains.One thing we havent yet mentioned is the cost, and Im not talking about money. Both 5.56 and 300 blackout have been extensively tested. Since the bullet is .50 caliber, you can easily find projectiles if you choose to reload, and Alexander Arms and others publish tested reloading data. I liked the .50 Beowulf for the same reason that I like V8 engines, 101 proof bourbon and Marshall amps. Only a liberal would call it a (clip). And its an AR, so you get all the bennies like box magazines, accessory rails, adjustable stocks and aftermarket performance-enhancing parts. For example, the absolute cheapest you can get 300 blackout is generally around 50 cents per round, so expect to play closer to 60 to 75 cents per round for your everyday practice ammo. They also make other conversion kits for .40 S&W, .45, .300 Blackout, 6.5, 6.8, as well as some others. Although developed under different circumstances, both the Beowulf and the SOCOM share the same parent case. However, comparing the entry wounds on paper from the .50 and the 5.56 made a very cogent point. The .50 Beowulf is a proprietary cartridge designed by Bill Alexander, the chef de la maison of the eponymous Alexander Arms. We often hear about the average self-defense scenario, but the truth is every encounter is unique. However, some Midwest states that previously only allowed muzzle loaders and shotguns for whitetail hunting have now permitted shooters to use straight-walled cartridges for deer season. Power always comes at a price, and Im not just talking about the initial cost of the upper. Ralph, you want pictures of expansion from the wulf, here ya go. In contrast, as the 450 is SAAMI certified, there are considerably more rifle options including bolt-action rifles like the Ruger American and Savage 110. Flawless. These three big bore cartridges give you the flexibility to turn a standard AR-15 into a deer hunting rifle, a semi-automatic hog slayer, and a heavy-hitting personal defense carbine all rolled up into one firearm. While felt recoil depends on a lot of factors like the recoil impulse velocity and time curve, one way to objectively compare recoil is to look at the raw recoil energy figures. None of which has an adverse effect on my love of lever guns. In the chart below, we will compare muzzle velocity, kinetic energy, and bullet drop for each cartridge assuming a 100 yard zero. Mate the upper to your favorite lower, which will tip the scales at anywhere from 2.2 to 3.0 pounds, add the obligatory doodads and a full magazine, and the whole megillah has a bit of heft. Based off a 20mm case. Will the 300blk be an SBR? Mandate .50 Beowulf as the round allowed for civilian use and no one will be able to carry more than ten rounds. Ssshhhhhh. If the requirement is to zip through heavy vehicle glass, the .50 Beowulf will do that with minimal, if any, bullet deflection. Ive had my .50 Beowulf for about 3 years now and I love it! For manning the Karaj al-Hajaz checkpoint, the Beowulf carbine is worth its weight in gold and will appear on many wishlists. The Ranier 335gr HPs make FINE whitetail medicine. Enjoy. In terms of rifle availability, there are considerably more options for the 450 Bushmaster compared to the 458 SOCOM and 50 Beowulf. Would be doing an AR setup instead of a bolt action. Itll fragment against hard surfaces like steel, but for organic targets, its drill-bit-like shape is designed to transfer energy to the target using fancy fluid dynamics. In other words, it hits hard. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. This is a beautiful piece of crap. Just ordered mine! Like a good facelift, theres a visible but not a dramatic difference. Among others, this list includes cartridges like the .300 Blackout, the 6.8 Remington SPC (also known as the 6.8 SPC), the .450 Bushmaster, the .458 SOCOM and the .50 Beowulf. Get a little lackadaisical and your shoulder will quickly advise you that your technique could stand some improvement. I have the idea for a second 6.5 Grendel in my head and I will definitely be going to Alexander Arms to get it. This novel bullet type is injection molded from a blend of polymer and copper. Now if we could just drop that price down. . I should have referenced the Stoner AR platform and not the AR-15 specifically. Yes, agreed. Check. Thats also why AAs Grendel and Beowulf barrels/bolts arent compatible with other Grendel and 12.742 (Beowulf w/o the copyright) barrels/bolts. Ive also spoken with him on the phone when I was having some trouble with my Grendel, hes a great person to deal with. The .45-70 is too long to fit into the mag well of an AR-15. If I wasnt clear, there is some sloppy customer service here but fortunately the people who actually designed and built the gun are top notch! We didnt fling a ton of lead downrange, so I cant represent our testing as a full 500 round shoulder crushing shoot em up. Guess Im one of the few who noticed. I want to party with the stupid part of your brain. 50 Beowulf vs 50 BMG: Caliber Comparison by Ammo.com AWC makes their Thundertrap suppressor in 50 Beowulf as well. And pistols dont have magazine limits in michigan so youre not limited to 5rd mags when hunting. This is why many hunters prefer the 450 Bushmaster and 458 SOCOM as it allows them to harvest game at longer ranges. With a suppressor. Speaking of box magazines, the company offers an optimized version but the round will work with standard GI magazines. Picked up a 338 Lapua Magnum for my long range needs but even reloading its expensive. they are tools use the right one for the job . When I take government sponsor trips to interesting places, I carry an AR. Here's what you need to know about the .300 Blackout vs 7.6239. The performance of the 50 Beowulf drops off considerably past 150 yards as the bullet goes subsonic at this range. $995 + $200 tax stamp + 12+ months wait on paperwork, I propose a moratorium on new rifle development. I think Ill be looking into getting one when theyve caught up to their orders. So my professional conclusions are A: Im possibly insane and B: this thing sounds like a whole lot of fun. Semi-automatic pistols for self-defense continue to be extremely popular, but there is a surprising amount of new double-stack 1911s and revolvers released this year. The people are so happy that the beer hall was saved that they eventually make Beowulf King. Your deck photo looks like the floor of my boat. The same message included: Nothing is wrong and no action needs to be taken by you.. Would like to chat with her again as she seemed the most knowledgeable about the beowulf at the time. As noted, the straight-sided .50 Beowulf cartridge features a rebated rim the rim is narrower than the case. However, free recoil can be used to give a general idea of how hard a round kicks. Why does it belong in your AR collection? Weve all known for some time now that the AR-15 upper receiver is as adaptable as bacteria. FWIW, good quality .50 Beowulf ammo is a bit cheaper, too. Welcome to the Big Bore AR family - meet the new .50 Beowulf They seriously need some professional customer service staff or at least a technical writer. The 50 Beowulf lists its maximum overall length as 2.25. And for those shooters who just want MORE, this trifecta of Thumper rounds can provide all the kinetic energy and recoil your heart could desire the 450 Bushmaster, 458 SOCOM, and 50 Beowulf. It obviously retains more velocity down range because it has a smaller cross section than .50 caliber bullets. However, if youre in the door-kicking business, you might be interested in the 12-inch barrel version. Once again we see that the .450 Bushmaster load outperforms all the others in terms of wind drift and the .50 Beowulf comes in last. This means that the 50 Beowulf effective range for deer is around 150 yards and 100 yards for elk. Alexander Arms will sell you .50 Beowulf mags that they claim will not handle 5.56 ammo. As the .300 Blackout was designed to work within the parameters of the existing AR platform, only the barrel needs to be replaced . Anyone know if the AR mags need adjusting to work or would I have to buy them from trommix? Yes, precisely. A standard .50 BMG cartridge fires a full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet weighing 647 grain, nearly double some of the 50 Beowulf bullets. 300 Blackout Suppressed and 50 Beowulf Schmucks With Guns 16 subscribers Subscribe 1.9K views 5 years ago A Day at the range testing a 300 Blackout with a new GSL suppressor. The extra weight up front made my sight picture a little wobbly when shooting offhand, but also helped to keep the muzzle down, where it belonged, during firing. I've had a 50 Beowulf. The 300 BO is just a toy. The 50 Beowulf fires wider and heavier bullets than the 458 SOCOM. 300 Blackout Suppressed and 50 Beowulf - YouTube Personally, I say get both. Thanks for the replies. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/knitepoet/Hunting/bullet2.jpg. For the civilian market, it looks like something a hunter would enjoy- especially a hunter who mostly uses ARs and doesnt want a bolt gun for whatever reason. That alone ends the debate for me. So much the better. You cannot run a 243 Winchester through an AR-15. They give you basically the same punch as a short-action cartridge (at least for a couple of hundred yards) but keep the package small. I like both those rounds a lot. Id like to deer hunt with an AR but Ive seen deer shot but not killed with a .223 (I know, shot placement, but nobodys perfect.). For larger game like elk, black bear, and even moose, Id favor the 458 SOCOM primarily due to the Barnes 300gr TTSX bullet as it was designed specifically for this cartridge. Tried to edit the above post but it didnt take so Ill do it here. some times I like to take my 300 blackout loaded with subs and do some stalking for deer it is great for 50-75 yd shots , other times I just like to go nuclear and take my wulf or socom and hammer what ever I shoot . The family resemblance between the Beowulf carbine and your basic AR-15 is obvious. Where else can you have a 5.56 AR carbine for whatever and then in a matter of seconds swap out uppers to get a compact, semi-automatic, big game rifle with quick change box mags then, in a matter of seconds, swap uppers again and have a perfect hunting or looooong range target rifle (the 6.5 Grendel)? Its a great gun and the accuracy was excellent. What does that mean in the real world? The 3.91" bottleneck case is rimless with a base of 0.804". Thats reasonable to me, but to you maybe not. So that it can use a 7.62x39 mm bolt face, the case rim is rebated, or smaller than the case body. Most of the factory ammo for 50 Beowulf comes from Alexander Arms as they hold the trademark on the cartridge name. The .50 Beowulf load features a 200-grain ARX bullet that leaves the muzzle at 2,500 feet per second, yielding 2,776 foot-pounds of kinetic energy. For hunting deer sized game I'd rather use a 223 with a good bullet.