We celebrated the Fourth by going to the "50 range." I actually shot a 50 caliber rifle from 500 yards. And, (bonus) I hit the target! I was so nervous... not because of the potential recoil, the loud bang, or the aftershocks, but because I really, really, really had to pee.
The power of the rifle is incredible. I cannot explain it in technical terms, and to be quite honest, I am not even sure of the specific make and model I shot, so here is what Wikipedia has to say about the power of a 50 BMG (close enough):
"A common method for understanding the actual power of a cartridge is by comparing muzzle energies. The Springfield .30-06, the standard caliber for American soldiers in World War II and a popular caliber amongst American hunters, can produce muzzle energies between 2000 and 3000 foot pounds of energy (between 3 and 4 kilojoules). A .50 BMG round can produce between 10,000 and 13,000 foot pounds (between 14 and 18 kilojoules) or more, depending on its powder and bullet type, as well as the rifle it was fired from. Due to the high ballistic coefficient of the bullet, the .50 BMG's trajectory also suffers less "drift" from cross-winds than smaller and lighter calibers, making the .50 BMG a good choice for high powered sniper rifles."
Holy firepower, Batman!
PS - The round that I shot was extra-special. It was loaded with love and care by the Hi-Tech Ammo team especially for me. You guys are rock stars! By the way, the shell casing is now a paper weight on my desk.
Unfortunately, I never got to fire a .50 when I was in the Marines. The M60 (7.62 mm) was the biggest I fired (blanks and live).
Posted by: Account Deleted | July 08, 2008 at 08:00 PM
Steve -
I married a Marine (which explains how I got bit by the gun bug) :) Semper Fi!
Posted by: Pretty Pistolera | July 08, 2008 at 08:23 PM
Man, the Jarheads are everywhere!
I'm planning on buying an AR-15 soon. I have a Glock 22C right now.
Posted by: Account Deleted | July 09, 2008 at 10:08 AM