.50 BMG Black Tip AP Load

Tucker 1371 · September 21, 2014, 01:05 PM

I'm trying to come up with a good, very accurate, load for my Barrett M82A1. I currently have on hand some Hogdon H50 powder and 100 black tip AP bullets (690gr I believe?). Has anyone loaded for this particular bullet and if so what were your results? What worked best?

I'm also thinking about loading up some 750gr AMAX rounds, I've heard they can be loaded to fit in the M82A1s magazine.

Marco Califo · September 21, 2014, 09:39 PM

That is the U.S. Military small arms ammo technical manual.
Your load is on page 72.
I do not load for the 50.

The TM calls for WC860. That is a Western Cannon military powder, currently available from GIBrass.com:
WC860 Original application is U.S. .50 Cal. BMG ammo, used for the Ball
M33 and API M8 projectile. A ball powder which can be loaded using
Hodgdon H870 or AA8700 data. Just received a limited supply.
This is pulldown ball powder from Lake City.
$56/8# jug; $216/4-8# jugs ($54/jug); $300/6-8# jugs ($50/jug)
No HAZ MAT fee ($28.50) on orders of 6 jugs only (or multiples), mix-or-match
http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html

**44 AMP** · September 21, 2014, 10:37 PM

I don't load for the .50BMG but I do know something about their use in service.

The important thing to remember about USGI .50 BMG ammo is that it was designed to be fired from the Browning M2 series of machineguns.
Obvious, right?

Ok, now here's the subtle part. The Browning M2 is one of the most accurate machineguns ever made. Essentially rifle accurate. This did not provide the area of impact dispersal (cone of fire) desired by the military. SO, they built sloppiness into the ammo.

The range of acceptable weight for the slugs is huge, compared to regular small arms ammo. This was done deliberately, so the guns would not give a tight group, but a beaten zone...

This is mostly found with ball ammo, but you could find a range of bullet weights in AP or API, or at least, potentially.

Since you are loading for a rifle, and using GI bullets, looking for an accurate load, I would suggest weighing and sorting your bullets. Then, look to a powder charge...

Tucker 1371 · September 22, 2014, 10:01 PM

Ahh, great info 44AMP, most appreciated. And thanks for the link to that components retailer Marco, I may buy some primers from them.

Marco Califo · September 22, 2014, 10:16 PM

"Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock (Vietnam war) – achieved 93 confirmed kills but believed to have over 200 unconfirmed kills. With a telescopic scoped .50 caliber M2 Browning heavy machine gun, he set a world record for the longest recorded sniper kill at 2,286 m (2,500 yd) which stood for 35 years until 2002.[96][97][98]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sniper#20th_century

**44 AMP** · September 23, 2014, 09:33 AM

A little more background on Hathcock's .50 cal shot (not provided in the linked material).

The VC had been running supplies (on bicycles) on a trail that at one point could been seen from a firebase. For some reason (I no longer recall) artillery wasn't an option. The M2 was (of course) tripod mounted. Most M2HBs of the era had a rear sight assembly that included a mount for an infrared scope (the infrared scope intended for the mount was no longer in use at the time).

Firing semi auto mode (single individual shots) using both the T&E mechanism in the tripod and the adjustments in the scope, Hathcock zeroed the gun for a specific spot, and a day or so later, when a VC crossed into it, he fired, making the longest confirmed kill record that stood for many years.

September 21, 2014, 01:05 PM	#1
Tucker 1371 Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: East TN Posts: 2,649	.50 BMG Black Tip AP Load I'm trying to come up with a good, very accurate, load for my Barrett M82A1. I currently have on hand some Hogdon H50 powder and 100 black tip AP bullets (690gr I believe?). Has anyone loaded for this particular bullet and if so what were your results? What worked best? I'm also thinking about loading up some 750gr AMAX rounds, I've heard they can be loaded to fit in the M82A1s magazine. __________________ Sgt. of Marines, 5th Award Expert Rifle, 237/250 Expert Pistol, 382/400. D Co, 4th CEB, Engineers UP!! If you start a thread, be active in it. Don't leave us hanging. OEF 2011 Sangin, Afg. Molon Labe

September 21, 2014, 10:37 PM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,820	I don't load for the .50BMG but I do know something about their use in service. The important thing to remember about USGI .50 BMG ammo is that it was designed to be fired from the Browning M2 series of machineguns. Obvious, right? Ok, now here's the subtle part. The Browning M2 is one of the most accurate machineguns ever made. Essentially rifle accurate. This did not provide the area of impact dispersal (cone of fire) desired by the military. SO, they built sloppiness into the ammo. The range of acceptable weight for the slugs is huge, compared to regular small arms ammo. This was done deliberately, so the guns would not give a tight group, but a beaten zone... This is mostly found with ball ammo, but you could find a range of bullet weights in AP or API, or at least, potentially. Since you are loading for a rifle, and using GI bullets, looking for an accurate load, I would suggest weighing and sorting your bullets. Then, look to a powder charge... __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

September 22, 2014, 10:01 PM	#4
Tucker 1371 Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: East TN Posts: 2,649	Ahh, great info 44AMP, most appreciated. And thanks for the link to that components retailer Marco, I may buy some primers from them. __________________ Sgt. of Marines, 5th Award Expert Rifle, 237/250 Expert Pistol, 382/400. D Co, 4th CEB, Engineers UP!! If you start a thread, be active in it. Don't leave us hanging. OEF 2011 Sangin, Afg. Molon Labe

September 22, 2014, 10:16 PM	#5
Marco Califo Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2011 Location: LA (Greater Los Angeles Area) Posts: 2,598	M2 Sniper weapon "Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock (Vietnam war) – achieved 93 confirmed kills but believed to have over 200 unconfirmed kills. With a telescopic scoped .50 caliber M2 Browning heavy machine gun, he set a world record for the longest recorded sniper kill at 2,286 m (2,500 yd) which stood for 35 years until 2002.[96][97][98]" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sniper#20th_century __________________ ............

September 23, 2014, 09:33 AM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,820	A little more background on Hathcock's .50 cal shot (not provided in the linked material). The VC had been running supplies (on bicycles) on a trail that at one point could been seen from a firebase. For some reason (I no longer recall) artillery wasn't an option. The M2 was (of course) tripod mounted. Most M2HBs of the era had a rear sight assembly that included a mount for an infrared scope (the infrared scope intended for the mount was no longer in use at the time). Firing semi auto mode (single individual shots) using both the T&E mechanism in the tripod and the adjustments in the scope, Hathcock zeroed the gun for a specific spot, and a day or so later, when a VC crossed into it, he fired, making the longest confirmed kill record that stood for many years. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

September 21, 2014, 09:39 PM	#2
Marco Califo Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2011 Location: LA (Greater Los Angeles Area) Posts: 2,598	Google: tm 43-0001-27.pdf That is the U.S. Military small arms ammo technical manual. Your load is on page 72. I do not load for the 50. The TM calls for WC860. That is a Western Cannon military powder, currently available from GIBrass.com: WC860 Original application is U.S. .50 Cal. BMG ammo, used for the Ball M33 and API M8 projectile. A ball powder which can be loaded using Hodgdon H870 or AA8700 data. Just received a limited supply. This is pulldown ball powder from Lake City. $56/8# jug; $216/4-8# jugs ($54/jug); $300/6-8# jugs ($50/jug) No HAZ MAT fee ($28.50) on orders of 6 jugs only (or multiples), mix-or-match http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html __________________ ............ Last edited by Marco Califo; September 21, 2014 at 10:02 PM.