OT - new ground hog rifle - what scope power?

[rjohns94]

What if I happened to come across a new Ground Hog rifle, in say, ohhh, .50 BMG. Not that I nead 13,900 ft-lbs of energy, with a 790 grain bullet, (but it will penetrate punch right through those elevated burrow mounds. In order to take FULL advantage of the little bit of extra range I get out of such a set up, what would you use as a scope? 9-25X? 14-40x? Just curious

[medicdave]

I'm looking at a 5.5-22x56mm Nightforce for mine. Has the largest elevation adjustment for the big boys. Should be able to do 1000yds w/o angled bases. Look at badgers max 50 rings while your at it.....Dave

[TedH]

I've got a 4X Tasco I'd let go cheap.

Seriously Mike, you can't just slip out a teaser like that and not fill us in on the rest of the story! What's the deal?

[AJMD429]

BSA Red-dot.

[madman4570]

Leupold Mark 4 LR ( 8.5-25 x50 )

[rjohns94]

Ok Ted, here are a couple of pics:






Armalite, Ak 50 A1. Alum. Stock, Harris bipod (I have ordered the Armalite butt monopod and the bipod) - and I got got a bunch of ammo with it.

[TedH]

Holy Recoil Batman! That's a heck of a muzzle brake. I wouldn't want to be the guy next to you on the range.

That is too cool Mike. Do you have a place to shoot a loooooong way?

[AJMD429]

RANGE REPORT.....!

[rjohns94]

there are several ranges in Pa. where I can shoot it to 600 yards. I just rejoined the Quantico Shooting Club, in Va. where I can shoot to 1000 yards. I have 100 rounds of hornandy match ammo, and several cans of "other" ammo I have accumulated over the years. A range report will be forthcoming upon putting some glass on this one.

[JB]

A nice set of open sights is what you need. You never know when you'll get a close running shot in the brush.

[HEAD0001]

I would go with a straight 16X or 17X scope. For a few reasons.

#1: 16X or 17X is about as high as you can go when there is any mirage. And even if it is a cool day you will get mirage off that barrel.

#2: A fixed power scope is substantially stronger, with a lot lower price. So you get a stronger scope for less money. That alone sounds like a no-brainer.

#3: 16X is also manageable for close shooting. But more than powerful enough to shoot as far as you could want to shoot.

#4: When shooting long distance the real key is clarity and definition of the target, not the power of the scope. So when you buy a fixed power you can buy substantially better glass for less money.

#5: A scope like a USO or Mark IV Leupold in 16X or 17X would be top dog. And the optics on the USO are unbelievable. Better definition with a 17X USO than a 22X NF.

That's all folks. Tom.

[cshold]

Mike FYI that ain't no black powder gun ye got there.
Very nice, and looks like big fun.

[samb]

My little brother is running a Leupold VX-3 6.5-20x40mm on his Reminton M700 in 338 Lapua. I think he had to get a rail that was canted to run out to 1500 yards. He hit a one gallon milk jug at 1450 yards cold bore last month.

You have a real beauty there!

[madman4570]

Ok Ted, here are a couple of pics:






Armalite, Ak 50 A1. Alum. Stock, Harris bipod (I have ordered the Armalite butt monopod and the bipod) - and I got got a bunch of ammo with it.

Ah!======================Wow!

[GonnePhishin]

JUMPIN' JUDAS, That's one h_ell of a groundhog gun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alan Wood]

Are you trying to kill the ground hogs or varporize em???

Lot less pain in the wallet and shoulder if you went with 308 if you ask me. And they would be just as dead.


Have fun there!

[rjohns94]

Recoil is on par with 2 3/4 inch 12 gauge. The rifle weighs close to 34# and the muzzle break does a pretty good job for recoil reduction. You don't want to be standing to the side of it though when the rifle goes off. Its unlikely that I will use this on soft tissue critters but with the AP, API, APIT, and Raufoss rounds, I imagine it will be fun on just about anything I point the barrel at. I am amazed actually at the rounds that are available for this rifle. Hard to believe you can get Raufoss rounds on the internet but you can.

[madman4570]

Mike,

You "ARE" truely Da Man!
Never know when you need to off a cape buff/elephant at 1000yds!
You start where the rest of us leave off pard! Well Done

[rjohns94]

madman,

not sure about all that, but I know these are on the president's hit list and I have wanted one for a while. I thought about going with the 338 lappua round, but this one kinda just spoke to me. Figured I would get it while I could. Stocking up on ammo is a might costly and it takes up a lot of room!!! Currently I have AP (armor piercing) API (AP incinderary), APIT (API tracer), Tracer, Raufoss, Ball, APEX, and match. Shopping for glass today.

m

[Streetstar]

madman,

not sure about all that, but I know these are on the president's hit list and I have wanted one for a while.
m

Exactly the reason i want one as well Was contemplating a BOHICA AR upper

[AJMD429]

Lots of questions:

1. What's a "Raufoss" round...?

2. I know if I were really going to 'do it right', I'd get a $5,000 Barrett semiauto with all the bells and whistles, but what are the 'entry' level guns a person can actually find out there, in stock, that are decent enough for an average shooter? I hate the idea of paying for an ultra-match gun, if I'm just an 'ordinary' shot - i.e. one who can get a five-shot, dime-sized 100-yard group, off the bench on a calm day, but never gets the 'one ragged hole' group).

3. Are the 'uppers' which use the AR trigger group all that bad? It doesn't seem like a 34-pound gun with a huge muzzle brake would 'peen to death' the lower, especially during the barely-few-thousand rounds a shooter would put through it during a lifetime. They seem WAY more affordable.

4. What about the 'lesser' rounds, like the .416 Barrett, or the .410 CheyTac, in terms of:

• a. likelihood they will evade "50 caliber" bans, vs. tradeoff in cartridge availability.
  b. power and accuracy (still seem plenty powerful, and more accurate than I could shoot).

For some reason, I too have been pondering getting a 'big gun' that I have no practical use for, but just would enjoy making holes in things with. The next lawnmower or household appliance which breaks to the point of irrepairability could be so much FUN to 'terminate'...

[rjohns94]

The raufoss ammo from Wikopedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raufoss_Mk_211

[rjohns94]

comparisons of some of the most popular: (quoted from author IAMBNY)

Some of you in the last few threads have asked about .50 bmg rifles, their performance, price, feel...ect. I will give you my honest and unbiased opinion on the more common rifles. I have shot numerous .50's, everything to the low priced ar-15 .50bmg uppers to the ultra expensive EDM Windrunner, and barrett m82's. I just want to let everyone know in the world of .50 bmg not everything is what as it seems.
I currently own a Barrett M95m bolt action repeater, a Barrett m991-a1 (a short bbl version of the single shot m99) A Serbu firearms BFG carbine, and the armalite AR-50. Each of these guns have pros and cons, however all are worthy of your money, it just depends how much you want to blow.

I first want to say, that .50 bmg is a totally different animal than anything else. I have mentioned here before that your safety is the #1 concern with these rifles. As a weld failure, an oob, or any other kaboom would be catastrophic to you the shooter, as well as people next to you. So when you buy a .50 buy as much .50 as you can. Stay clear away from cheap rifles, especially the VULCAN/HESSE V50's they are pipe bombs that look like rifles! I have witnessed a receiver crack in person on one of these guns. Stay away if you value life and your arms. Remember you are firing a 660-750+grain bullet with a few hundred grains of powder, there is no other cartridge like it, it will **** you up. You want a gun that is built strong with excellent welding, weight and fit and finish, you want something that can take the high pressures of a kaboom, and still have the shooter walk away.

The barrett m95/m95m. These are bolt action repeaters fed from an 5 round mag, in a true bull pup configuration. Cost $5000-6000 without optics, extra mags about $75-100. The build quality is excellent, the finish is impressive for a military weapon. The action is very smooth, never hangs up and is very safe, using three locking lugs. The trigger, is good not great but good, little creep, nice and crisp but tad on the heavy side, for me anyways. It has a prince .50 bipod built into the front of the gun, which is also compatible with a m60. The bipod is sturdy and can be taken completely off with one pull-pin for bench shooting, or if your daring enough to shoulder fire it, as the folded bi-pod can get in the way when shoulder firing.
Accuracy, i shoot all kinds of ammo in it, my 95 has a hybrid bbl, it will eat match and surplus ammo and function well. However, the gun is No tac driver. Accuracy is a bit wanting, even with expensive ammo i usually score about 1.5-2inch groups at 200-300 hundred yards. REMEMBER this is an antimaterial rifle, not made for pinpoint accuracy it is ultra tough, built like a tank and can fire all kinds of ammo well, it is a true military weapon. it is not accurate enough to shoot 1000yard comps with it but, remember it was never intended to do that. The recoil is like a 12ga shotgun with heavy loads, the butt of the barrett has a nice rubber pad on it which is easy on the body. The muzzle blast is WILD though! being a bullpup you will experience a blast of warm gas on your face, and it will blow everything off your bench and your neighbors bench.
The barrett m991a-1 is barretts new single shot, it is laid out in the traditional format using a three lug locking pattern. This gun has the smoothest action i have ever shot! Also it loads quicker than the m95. To load it all you do is throw a round in front of the bolt, there is no lining up or anything just simply throw it in there, it loads very fast, faster than the mag fed. Mine has the new three chamber break, which aids in the recoil reduction a bit. The m991-a1 was built mostly for law enforcement, has a 29inch fluted bbl, and will accept all types of commercial match and surplus ammo. Barrett claims the m99 is the most accurate barrett, which is sort of correct. The standard m99 has a 32inch bbl, while the m991-a1 has a shorter 29incher. same as the 95 is the quick detach bipod. The 99s also have a generous optics rail. The accuracy from my m991-a1 i experience is about the same as the 95. the trigger is about the same, recoil a bit less. It is very comfortable to shoot, and looks awesome. The whole gun is milled, unlike the 95 and the 82 which uses some stamped parts. The 99 looks awesome, and you could detonate a bomb inside of it and it will hold. Ive seen these for $3000-3500. I paid $3500 for mine and it came with a leupold 4.5-14x 30mm mk4.

The armalite ar-50 is a single shot bolt action priced about $2400 is a very heavy long big gun. It is the heaviest, biggest .50 I have, and I have seen. But all that weight equates to a really soft recoil, like a 30-06, or .303 brit. The muzzle brake is the most efficient in reducing recoil, but has the largest muzzle blast out of the group. You will knock pelosi off your neighbors bench with it, it will blow the hat off your head as well. Accuracy wise I get the best results with it, it is a real driver. It shoots better than I do. I can shoot half inch or even better with some of the match ammo. The action is smooth, but not as smooth or as fast as the barrett bolts. The trigger is more responsive than any of the barretts and slightly smoother. The fit and finish is impressive, but not as impressive as a barrett. It has a black phosphate finish, as opposed to the glossy smooth finish on the barretts. Some of the edges on the rifle are slightly sharp as well. By far this is the most comfortable 50 you can buy, the stock is adjustable and the cheek rest has a nice feel to it.
The gun does not come stock with a bipod, but can be bought from armalite.

The serbu rifles are similar to Anzio ironworks, safty harbor firearms, ferret firearms, they are all tube like guns, which originate from the maddi design. The serbu cost about $2000-2200. They are a good buy. They have the shark, or gilled break which while not as intimidating looking as the barrett or armalite break, its function does rival them. Recoil is about a 20ga with slugs, with manageable muzzle blast, less than the ar-50. The gun has a thinner profile than any of the other guns, which makes it really maneuverable and easy to shoulder fire. The action is smooth, safe and fast. It is easier to load than the armalite, but not as quick ,smooth and easy as the barretts. The only complaint is the trigger, the trigger is a bit unrefined, and creepy, however I think there is some fixes for it, it really does not bother me to much. Accuracy wise it is very accurate, it is a sub moa gun. On a good day I can shoot as good as the armalite. The serbu comes in two versions the bfg, and the bfg carbine, the carbine is slightly shorter and lighter. They come with a high rise rail atop the receiver, it is a bit short but I have no problems with it. Mine came with a bipod, as I bought it through a 3rd party, im not shure if they come stock with one.
The serbu is the best value out of any .50 for the money, it cannot be beat. The welding is excellent and the finish is a grayish/black matte. The gun is safe accurate and is worth every penny.

If you really want to pee money you can go for the EDM arms windrunner takedown. It has a uzi like bbl which unscrews and removes like the uzi. The whole gun breaks down to the size of a laptop case, except the bbl. Ive shot is a few times and it is nice, but I dunno if its worth 7k.

Ive have some experience with the ar15 uppers. Ive shot a ferret upper, and it handled nicely. I still do not trust the integraty of the lower of an ar15 shooting .50, no matter what anyone says.

All .50’s I have mentioned break down eaily and are cleaned easily. But remember the .50 is a huge bore, it is prone to copper fowling, so get used to seeing and scrubbing copper.

They are really fun guns, but are really expensive, you need a really good scope. I use leupold and nightforce, so you will have to spend a few bucks in optics that can withstand the recoil of a .50.

[rjohns94]

as far as the lesser rounds:

I think they are going after rifles capable of shooting the 50 BMG. not sure what means for the "lesser" calibers. All are great long range shooters.

[rjohns94]

and another good article on the AR upper conversions:

http://demigodllc.com/articles/battle-o ... mg-rifles/