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50 shooter · March 28, 2010, 06:42 PM

50 BMG ball is designated, ball M2 .50 caliber and to really confuse you, AP is also designated with M2. They also use ball M33 .50 caliber as the latest designation for .50 Cal ball ammunition. It doesn't have anything to do with the caliber, the military just slaps on a designation for it.

There are many weights for 50 BMG ball because there are many different manufacturers, I've seen it as low as 625grs. and up to 710grs. Foreign stuff will fall into the same range, current ball ammo is running right about 700grs. The reason for the changes over the years is to keep it shooting within the same arc as the rest of the ammunition being fired through the M2.

SLAP or SLAP-T is not explosive, SLAP is a Sabot Light Armor Piercing (T-Tracer) round w/o any explosive material. Mk-211 Mod 0 is Raufous which is an explosive armor piecing round that has a tungsten penetrator in it's core.

M8 API runs right around 623grs. but can vary due to different manufacturers, just like ball ammo.

The M2 will run anywhere from 450-550 RPM, ammo and headspace and timing will play a roll in how fast it will shoot. The M3 aircraft .50 is a whole other issue, FN's new M3 will run 1,200 RPM all day long. There's alot of history in the .50 and will take alot of reading to get the idea behind all the different incarnations of it.

Here's some good reading on ammo, http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/i...g/50_ammo.html http://www.olive-drab.com/od_firearms_ammo_50cal.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_BMG http://www.my-bullet.com/us/Latest/5...llet-info.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raufoss_Mk_211 http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/slap.htm

March 28, 2010, 06:42 PM	#4
50 shooter Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2002 Location: SoCal PRK Posts: 986	50 BMG ball is designated, ball M2 .50 caliber and to really confuse you, AP is also designated with M2. They also use ball M33 .50 caliber as the latest designation for .50 Cal ball ammunition. It doesn't have anything to do with the caliber, the military just slaps on a designation for it. There are many weights for 50 BMG ball because there are many different manufacturers, I've seen it as low as 625grs. and up to 710grs. Foreign stuff will fall into the same range, current ball ammo is running right about 700grs. The reason for the changes over the years is to keep it shooting within the same arc as the rest of the ammunition being fired through the M2. SLAP or SLAP-T is not explosive, SLAP is a Sabot Light Armor Piercing (T-Tracer) round w/o any explosive material. Mk-211 Mod 0 is Raufous which is an explosive armor piecing round that has a tungsten penetrator in it's core. M8 API runs right around 623grs. but can vary due to different manufacturers, just like ball ammo. The M2 will run anywhere from 450-550 RPM, ammo and headspace and timing will play a roll in how fast it will shoot. The M3 aircraft .50 is a whole other issue, FN's new M3 will run 1,200 RPM all day long. There's alot of history in the .50 and will take alot of reading to get the idea behind all the different incarnations of it. Here's some good reading on ammo, http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/i...g/50_ammo.html http://www.olive-drab.com/od_firearms_ammo_50cal.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_BMG http://www.my-bullet.com/us/Latest/5...llet-info.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raufoss_Mk_211 http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/slap.htm __________________ I see the world thru bloodshot eyes Streets filled with blood from distant lies The dogs of war never compromise, No time for rearranging.