AZ: .50 BMG Ammunition at Wal-Mart

Gun Watch ^ | 17 August, 2015 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

To any fair minded observer, gun ownership, the familiarity with and acceptance of guns, and the embracing of guns by American society, has been in a decades long resurgence.

I spotted an indicator of this reality in a local Wal-Mart a few days ago.  I often stop by the Wal-Mart ammunition counter to see what is happening.  While .22 ammunition is starting to appear on the shelves of dedicated gun stores, it is absent from Wal-Mart in Yuma, Arizona.

But .50 Browning Machine Gun ammunition is there.  The .50 BMG has been gaining popularity with American shooters for decades.  It offers long range potential at just about the limit of easily carried ordnance.  A few people have hunted with the caliber.   It makes most "elephant" guns look anemic in comparison.  But it is primarily used for ultra-long range target shooting, and of course, has military potential.  It is precisely the sort of thing the Second Amendment was written to protect.

.50 BMG, 9mm for comparison

It is tremendously fun to shoot.

I have often thought of purchasing a .50.  I have property where it could be shot at range without having to worry about bothering other shooters.  I have managed to resist the urge so far.

Seeing .50 BMG in the Wal-Mart ammunition section shows how far the celebration of American gun culture has advanced.  It is a speciality product that is hated by disarmists who wish to ban it, even though it is virtually never used in crime.  .50 caliber rifles are so large, long, and unwieldy that they would be relatively hard to commit suicide with.  I have never heard of it being done with one.

Why do the disarmists hate the .50 BMG?  Simple, really.  It is a symbol of freedom, a symbol of power in the hands of the citizen.  It is refreshing to see it prospering.

Definition of  disarmist

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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[Jet Jaguar]

Bump

[Azeem]

I shoot primarily the Russian calibers but I only shoot 1/2” AR500 with the 54R at 100m (swinging gong) and 3/8” AR500 with the 5.45 and 7.62 at 50+m (static and angled down).

Not a big fan of the 5.56mm but 7.62x51mm is the best U.S. caliber (M14) then the 30-06 (M1 Garand.) My Walmart is filled with the more interesting rounds like the 250. I would love to shoot a .45-70 and .45-110.

[Farmer Dean]

The .45-70 is a lot of fun to shoot.I cast my own bullets in weights from 292 to 500 grain.
Get one,you’ll really enjoy it.

[W.]

Oh, yes. I’d love an M-14. A lucky old guy with a perpetual grin was walking around our local gun show with a white rifle box, guess what was it? Hint: CMP. That box held a pristine M1-D Garand sniper, decked out. Luck of the CMP draw, and he only paid like $400, and its value was pegged at 6 times that. Good for him, the lucky bastard! To be so lucky we wish!

[Azeem]

I just picked up my first crossbow (Barrett Jackal) so I’m on a weapon’s diet for awhile. I also have to to finish my latest AK build first (AMD-65).

[Farmer Dean]

Is it possible to build a decent RPK from parts currently available?I’ve wanted one for years.

[Azeem]

I just finished a Romanian RPK 6 months ago. It looks like hell since I didn't repaint it and it was obviously used, but 7.62x39mm Romanian and Yugo RPKs are out there. RPK-74s are a lot more difficult to find (and more expensive) because of the lack of front trunnions.

[ABN 505]

We used jeep mounted 106 RR rifles [M-40 A 1] that had a .50 cal spotting rifle as a range finder mounted on it back in the day. It was mounted on top of the cannon and had a phosphorous tip as a spotting round , hit the target with the spotting round and pull the cannon lanyard, KABOOM! http://www.warboats.org/mst2Bremmer/Stoner_ord_notes/stonerhtml/RECOILLESS_RIFLE.htm

[ABN 505]

Better pic,https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=106+recoilless+rifle&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-003

[Farmer Dean]

Doesn’t look like hell to me,looks like a weapon that’s seen some action.How well does it shoot?

[MaxMax]

Omgosh, 660 grain. Somebody could put an eye out with that bang.
Or rather, lose their entire head and neck.

[Azeem]

I haven’t officially measured but I’d guess 2-3 MOA with irons. She eats like a hungry pig and heats up like crazy after emptying the drum.

[enraged]

$10 brick. Those were the days. Thunderbolts for the long barrel and subsonics for the revolver.

[CapnJack]

No, haven’t tried that.

I still have a few hundred pieces of brass left. Maybe i’ll give it a try and see if it helps.

[Gaffer]

Yep, I don’t think a vest would stand up to a 30’06 Black Tip AP.....

[Gaffer]

My Walmart has that in stock in Winchester brand.....Apparently, I’m the only one around hereabouts that shoots it. I’m waiting for them to mark down the lot they have now so I can get the rest of it. I use it in my Marlin 1895 GS

[nonsporting]

Why do the disarmists hate the .50 BMG?

It scares them. It can bring down airplanes. Penetrate tanks and personnel carriers, armored limos, intelligensia enclaves...

[W.]

Here's an article on annealing.

[JoeProBono]

[Azeem]

My favorite pic. Also shows the 'tough love' from the previous owners (the Romanian Army).

I would love to shoot a .50 but in Indiana, there are not many places that allow it. If I want long range, I shoot my VEPR 54R.