Anyone have .50Beowulf info?

I'm trying to decide if I want to finish the lower I have in .300AAC or .50Beowulf. I really want to go the .50Beowulf route however.... But, the fact that Alexander Arms in the ONLY mfg making ammo for it and is reluctant to publicize the information for making the ammo, is whats stopping me. Do any of you guys that may be more informed than me, see any other MFG's getting the info and making the ammo anytime soon?

2 years ago when I started looking for a big bore AR, ammo selection was a big factor.
I went with the 458 SOCOM just for a better loaded ammo selection and availability of reloading components. The Beowulf has some draw just because it’s a .50 cal.

Doctor481 said:

2 years ago when I started looking for a big bore AR, ammo selection was a big factor.
I went with the 458 SOCOM just for a better loaded ammo selection and availability of reloading components. The Beowulf has some draw just because it’s a .50 cal.

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yeah. being .50cal is a big thing for me with this one. I basically want the hardest hitting, round I can go with. I'm pretty much building this rifle to be a "my dick is bigger than yours" bragging right type thing. And of course to have some fun with. lol

Wow..... Sounds quieter than a pellet gun, and knocked the **** out that guy.....that video is valid argument to persuade me towards the .458 along with bullet options... I've already pretty much ruled out the .300 blackout... I'll shoot my 5.56 rifle if I want to burn cheap ammo. Lol...

At a public range several years ago some nimrod picked up my Beowulf and started handling it. Yes I was pissed, but I asked if he wanted to shoot it. He replied that he had shot lots of those "***** guns". I popped in a loaded mag without him noticing the shells and hit the bolt release. He held it up somewhere near his shoulder and pulled the trigger. WHAM! This was before I took off the "meat tenderizer" buttplate and added the Limbsaver. The movie quote "Rub a butt on him" came to mind. Ha ha ha.

Just got my stamp for my suppressor this week. From ordering the suppressor to taking possession only took 16 months. 12 months and 17 days after the check was cashed until the form was approved and stamp applied. Only fired 1 supersonic 350 grain round Monday night about 9PM, wife heard it inside the house but I shot without ear pro and it didn’t ring my ears. Getting a Labradar for Christmas and going to start on a 405 grain cast subsonic load.

Now if they ever make a 45/70 AR, You may have something!

Gator 45/70 said:

Now if they ever make a 45/70 AR, You may have something!

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They already make a 45-70 AR.

http://www.recoilweb.com/phoenix-weaponry-produces-45-70-government-ar-132226.html

Nice idea, but just assume shoot the .450/.458 ... They would have somthing if they didn't make it a modified "rimless" 45/70, makes it pointless to me... A dead round

Bigchillin83 said:

Nice idea, but just assume shoot the .450/.458 ... They would have somthing if they didn't make it a modified "rimless" 45/70, makes it pointless to me... A dead round

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Yeah, I can't see buying one and then turning down the brass.

Not to mention the price of the rifle is exorbitantly high.

Here’s my observations on the Beowulf. Bear in mind this is based on ONE upper receiver that I picked up at a gun show.

It’s not just another .45, it’s a FIFTY!

You better plan on reloading for it, factory ammo is expensive and must be ordered. Go with dies from CH4D. Lee’s dies suck. You WILL need a Sheridan case gauge. As it’s a tapered case, the diameter will change the length and like M1 Carbine they will grow. Resize the brass then check the length and trim if necessary. You will need some really good case lube, just be sure to clean it all off. Lubed cases are really bad here!

Reloading data is available from Alexander Arms website. Do not trust software that *predicts* the powder charge as they will be over the maximum pressure. You are limited by the relatively thin barrel where it goes through the upper receiver.

Metal magazines work best. Beowulf feeds differently than 5.56 so take a ½* wooden dowel with very fine sandpaper (1,000 grit or finer) and deburr the underside of the feed lips. Otherwise the lips will leave scratches down the side of the case. Depending on the bullet you may need to remove ¼* or so from the front of the magazine. I used the Rainer 335 plated HP’s and they fed fine from unmodified mags. The old GI 20 round mags hold seven rounds and worked perfectly fine for me. Plastic mags didn’t work so well, the Beowulf rounds will try to spread the lips and give you problems.

Don’t work about accidently feeding it 5.56, they simply fall through the barrel. Not the bullets, the entire rounds.

I checked Midway’s web site, they carry Starline brass and there are several new & interesting bullets available now. Not like when I started 10 years ago. There is other loaded ammo available besides Alexander Arms.

Some *experts* will say it’s only accurate out to 100 yards. With an Eotech 512 zeroed at 100 yards I was ringing the steel at 400 by holding over. I didn’t hit it every time, but I’m certain that topped with a magnified scope it would have.

I put the original butt plate on the milling machine and took off the meat tenderizer. I then glued on a Limb saver pad. At the range people would ask why I put a pad on an AR-15. I’d hand them a round and say because it shoots this. The response was usually *Holy Chit*!

Don't get me wrong I LOVE MY BLACK RIFLES!!!!! But with just a tiny bit of practice I would imagin with "shots on target" not just "spray and pray", with xs/skinner sights I am just as fast with my lever action's Marlin 1895/1894's than I am with "accurate" on target shots with my ar10, and I would imagine the 450/458 would have more recoil than the .308...in other words I see no reason to get a high $ gun with a trimmed 45/70 case taking it outta Sammi spec when I'm shooting 300gr @2200fps with 40,000 cup pressure on a case that I might have trimmed .001 off to much, lol Just my thoughts

Bigchillin83 said:

Don't get me wrong I LOVE MY BLACK RIFLES!!!!! But with just a tiny bit of practice I would imagin with "shots on target" not just "spray and pray", with xs/skinner sights I am just as fast with my lever action's Marlin 1895/1894's than I am with "accurate" on target shots with my ar10, and I would imagine the 450/458 would have more recoil than the .308...in other words I see no reason to get a high $ gun with a trimmed 45/70 case taking it outta Sammi spec when I'm shooting 300gr @2200fps with 40,000 cup pressure on a case that I might have trimmed .001 off to much, lol Just my thoughts

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Bingo!

Doctor481 said:

Getting a Labradar for Christmas and going to start on a 405 grain cast subsonic load.

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I think you'll like the Labradar, I'm having a blast with mine. A few things I've learned (so far).

Even with the external triggering microphone, I had some trouble getting it to trigger using a can, not loud enough but you can use the doppler trigger.

Some bullets are hard for the radar to lock on to, basically anything with a concave base is a problem. I couldn't get a return off of 5.56 Ball ammo, but when I switched to soft nose (with a flat base) it tracked every one. I had no problems locking on to .17 HMR bullets (the flat base is about .14).

The radar has to be pointed at the target and they provided a notch on the top of the unit to sight along. I found a 3d printed sight that bolts on top (you use a longer screw) and it's a big help getting it pointed the right direction. If you would like one, I'll make it the next time I have red filament in the printer. Sorry, I don't have any orange filament on hand.

I found the table mount a lot more useful that a camera tripod.

It tracked some .300 Blackout subsonic rounds from 5.43 out to 60.85 yards with a velocity every .7 yards (give or take a little). This was using the pistol velocity setting. BTW, one of my shooting buddies (who likes to find fault) complained that it "only" tracked out to 60 yards, of course his chronograph only tracks one spot.

Thanks for the radar tips, might get to play a little Monday. Been reading all the reviews and watching the vids.
The SOCOM isn’t a turned down 45/70, it’s a unique case; balistically they are very similar

Ok, I so I've ordered everything to build my weapon. I ended up going not nearly as big as .458 or the .50B. I decided to the .300AAC for several reasons. Cost of ammo, availability, my purpose for it, etc...Going to start it out as a 10.5" .300AAC Pistol, but will be filing all the needed goobermint ******** to SBR it in the future. I'm actually kind of excited about this weapon. I only wish it wasn't X-Mas time so shipping wasn't so slow. lol.

I love my blackout. The beavers, not so much. I spotted one in the pond Saturday night and as they say in the Navy, "Target sunk by gunfire". My wife was asleep in the living room and never stirred. CMMG AR, ATN Thor thermal sight, Yankee Hill Phantom can, powder coated cast lead subsonic.

KDerekT83 said:

Ok, I so I've ordered everything to build my weapon. I ended up going not nearly as big as .458 or the .50B. I decided to the .300AAC for several reasons. Cost of ammo, availability, my purpose for it, etc...Going to start it out as a 10.5" .300AAC Pistol, but will be filing all the needed goobermint ******** to SBR it in the future. I'm actually kind of excited about this weapon. I only wish it wasn't X-Mas time so shipping wasn't so slow. lol.

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Your going to love the 300, There are about 14K load combinations you can work with.