50 BMG or 338 LM

Both! I currently have an "economy":rolleyes: .50 (Barrett 99) and I am having a blast with it. I have shot a number of .338's and will have one of them soon too. Just have to decide between the Barrett MRAD and the PGW.
 
I say go for a 50!! I was at wolverine last weekend and they have a new mrad with the tiniest scuff on the hand guard (I would not notice unless they pointed it out) that they are selling it as a used gun for a great price. They sure are beautiful rifles it I had the funds at the time it would have been mine.
 
From everything I have seen, the Lapua has more accuracy potential than the BMG, likely due to the projectile size, design, and BC, although I am sure that some people with a better knowledge of ballistics than I can elaborate on this point.

I own and have shot my fair share of .338's and .50's, both mine and guns of friends of mine, and I love both calibers to death, but my .338's come out to the range 5 times for every one time my .50's come out. The .50 is a big deal to move around and bring to the range. It is awesome no doubt, but it does get tiring after 20+ rounds in a bolt gun, although semi's are a bit easier to take due to the generally smaller and less aggressive muzzle brakes they come with, owing to the fact that the semi-auto action sucks up a lot of recoil.

If you are looking for a gun to shoot and get to know very well, and shoot extremely well at long range, go for the .338. If you are more looking for a range toy to impress range guests and blow the hats off guys at the range, go for the .50. Most people I know that own .50's never put enough time behind them to actually become proficient with them and really get to know the gun. Of course you can still get very good with a .50, but just know what you are getting into.

Just my .02.
 
Here ya go. 3 Shots. A DCB and 2 follow ups. No sighters. 250gr Scenars on 93 grains of Retumbo. 1000M with a 20kmh wind from the 4 oclock. Less than 5 inch spread. Buy a 338!

 
Kelly Timoffee said:
Okay, just reading into other stuff I have researched, is it found that the 338 is much more inherently accurate than the 50?
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I am at a loss here. I have several of both calibers and do not understand how 1 rifle in 338 that shoots sub 1/2 MOA can be more accurate than another rifle that is chambered in 50BMG that also shoots sub 1/2 MOA?

Both calibers are capable of extremely good accuracy. Are you possibly using different qualities of rifles or components as the bar? Some of the 50s are not renowned for extreme accuracy as they were designed for anti material rifles, not precision rifles. The 338 Lapua is considered more of a precision type rifle simply as the payload and destructive power is considerably less.

From over 40 years of shooting 50s and the last 12 shooting 338 Lapua I can tell you getting getting very proficient with the 338 is easier than it is with the 50s.
 
Kevin M. said:
I own and have shot my fair share of .338's and .50's, both mine and guns of friends of mine, and I love both calibers to death, but my .338's come out to the range 5 times for every one time my .50's come out. The .50 is a big deal to move around and bring to the range. It is awesome no doubt, but it does get tiring after 20+ rounds in a bolt gun, although semi's are a bit easier to take due to the generally smaller and less aggressive muzzle brakes they come with, owing to the fact that the semi-auto action sucks up a lot of recoil.

If you are looking for a gun to shoot and get to know very well, and shoot extremely well at long range, go for the .338. If you are more looking for a range toy to impress range guests and blow the hats off guys at the range, go for the .50. Most people I know that own .50's never put enough time behind them to actually become proficient with them and really get to know the gun. Of course you can still get very good with a .50, but just know what you are getting into.

Just my .02.
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Well said. I don't know of too many guys who shoot their 50s as much as I do. I find after about 100 rounds I am done, where the 338 I can shoot all day. I agree totally with you that my smaller rifles like the 338 get more range time, partly because I can shoot the 338 at the various ranges I belong to that are not a few hour drive to get to. There are virtually no 50 friendly ranges that have distance in southern Alberta, so the 3 hour trek each way for a place to exercise the 50 cuts down on the opportunities.

I also agree that many guys who own 50s are never as proficient with them as they could be as simply it is a much more expensive caliber to shoot.
 
Just some of the articles I was reading did refer to the 50 as being not as accurate, whether it be shooter or equipment they didn't say, not sure of the date of the article(s) I was reading either.I have zero experience with a 50 , so I figured I'd ask for s h its and giggles.

I only have one .338 and just getting it re-barreled so my experience with these are minimal.

I do not really see going to a 50 for numerous reasons(retooling the reloading room, areas to use and cost)

alberta tactical rifle said:
I am at a loss here. I have several of both calibers and do not understand how 1 rifle in 338 that shoots sub 1/2 MOA can be more accurate than another rifle that is chambered in 50BMG that also shoots sub 1/2 MOA?

Both calibers are capable of extremely good accuracy. Are you possibly using different qualities of rifles or components as the bar? Some of the 50s are not renowned for extreme accuracy as they were designed for anti material rifles, not precision rifles. The 338 Lapua is considered more of a precision type rifle simply as the payload and destructive power is considerably less.

From over 40 years of shooting 50s and the last 12 shooting 338 Lapua I can tell you getting getting very proficient with the 338 is easier than it is with the 50s.
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Being that equipment is a factor for sure in accuracy along with the shooter and ammunition! Does anyone have experience with the Savage 10/110 ba in .338 LM? Do you think it would be satisfactory as a starter in this caliber?
 
bobdbldr said:
Being that equipment is a factor for sure in accuracy along with the shooter and ammunition! Does anyone have experience with the Savage 10/110 ba in .338 LM? Do you think it would be satisfactory as a starter in this caliber?
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Although I would never own 1 of these, firmly believing that life is far too short to shoot an ugly gun, it pains me to say they do shoot incredibly well.
One of my buddies shoots 1 and certainly has no problem keeping it inside .5 MOA with hand loads.
They are a good value just ugly and heavy. The 2 repairable faults I see with the 110BA is the brake and scope rail. The brake is abusive and the rail forces 1 to mount the scope in the clouds which is less than ideal for cheek weld.
 
The McMillan guys at the show were telling me that the 50s are just as accurate as the 338s now that they have components from companies like Lapua.

They showed me a neat new hydraulic recoil buffer that cuts the recoil down to next to nothing, even with a can on the end. It only compresses 5/8". Apparently, Furlong's comment about it was "this changes everything". Should lessen the need for having a really aggressive brake... if they make the stock with it available to the public.
 
The 110 FCP HS Precision shoots well, and it's a nicer looking rifle. It fits a 50mm objective scope with Vortex low rings, no riser required. It's even less money, too!

Shameless plug, I know...
 
alberta tactical rifle said:
Although I would never own 1 of these, firmly believing that life is far too short to shoot an ugly gun, it pains me to say they do shoot incredibly well.
One of my buddies shoots 1 and certainly has no problem keeping it inside .5 MOA with hand loads.
They are a good value just ugly and heavy. The 2 repairable faults I see with the 110BA is the brake and scope rail. The brake is abusive and the rail forces 1 to mount the scope in the clouds which is less than ideal for cheek weld.
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Great esthetic review. :rolleyes: The rail is perfect and can be useful for night vision. the brake do his job. so :)
 
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