.50 BMG

Rifle cartridge designed by John Moses Browning June 2026 .50 BMG Rifle cartridge comparison.jpg From left: .50 BMG, .300 Win Mag, .308 Winchester, 7.62×39mm, 5.56×45mm NATO, .22 long rifle United States Heavy machine gunAnti-materiel rifle 1921–present NATO World War II1947-1949 Palestine warKorean WarVietnam WarCambodian Civil WarWar on drugsFalklands WarPersian Gulf WarThe TroublesGlobal War on TerrorismWar in Afghanistan (2001–2021)Iraq WarColombian conflictMexican drug warSri Lanka Civil WarSyrian Civil WarWar in Iraq (2013–2017)Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Saudi–Yemeni border conflict (2015–present) Russian invasion of Ukraine Winchester Repeating Arms Co. and Frankford Arsenal 2 Rimless, bottleneck 0.511 0.498 0.560 0.714 0.804 0.804 0.089 3.910 5.450 292.80 #35 Arsenal Primer 54923 TM43-0001-27 60481 EPVAT 53664 C.I.P. 647 Speer 3044 13310 655 ADI 3029 13350 700 Barnes 2978 13971 750 Hornady 2820 13241 http://www.hornady.com/store/50-BMG-750-gr-A-MAX-Match/ 50 BMG 750 gr A-MAX Match Hornady October 8, 2016 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20161015053752/http://www.hornady.com/store/50-BMG-750-gr-A-MAX-Match October 15, 2016 mdy-all 800 Barnes 2895 14895 45 in m Ammoguide.com http://www.cip-bobp.org/homologation/uploads/tdcc/tab-i/50-browning-en.pdf C.I.P. TDCC sheet 50 Browning January 14, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170329092154/http://www.cip-bobp.org/homologation/uploads/tdcc/tab-i/50-browning-en.pdf March 29, 2017 live July 2022 The .50 BMG (.50 Browning Machine Gun), also known as 12.7×99mm NATO, and designated as the 50 Browning by the C.I.P., is a .50 in mm 1 caliber cartridge developed for the M2 Browning heavy machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. Under STANAG 4383, it is a standard service cartridge for NATO forces. The cartridge itself has been made in many variants: multiple generations of regular ball, tracer, armor-piercing (AP), incendiary, and saboted sub-caliber penetrator rounds. The rounds intended for machine guns are made into a continuous ammunition belt using metallic links. The .50 BMG cartridge is also used in anti-materiel rifles. A wide variety of ammunition is available, and the availability of match grade ammunition has increased the usefulness of .50 caliber rifles by allowing more accurate fire than lower-quality rounds.Sweeney Patrick Gun Digest Book of Suppressors https://books.google.com/books?id=9nr5CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA177 December 21, 2015 F+W Media Iola, Wisconsin 978-1-4402-4540-4 177 History In response to the need for new anti-aircraft weaponry during World War I, John Browning developed the .50 BMG. He wanted the round to be used in a machine gun based on a scaled-up version of the M1917 Browning.Skinner Stan Shooter's Bible Guide to Extreme Iron https://books.google.com/books?id=ZQYHBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT172 November 20, 2013 Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated 978-1-62873-538-3 172 The development of the .50 BMG round is sometimes confused with the German 13.2 mm TuF, which Germany developed for an anti-tank rifle to combat British tanks during World War I and against aircraft. According to American Rifleman: the Browning .50 originated in the Great War. American interest in an armor-piercing cartridge was influenced by the marginal French 11 mm design, prompting U.S. Army Ordnance officers to consult Browning. They wanted a heavy projectile at 2700 feet per second (f.p.s), but the ammunition did not exist. Browning pondered the situation and, according to his son John, replied, "Well, the cartridge sounds pretty good to start. You make up some cartridges and we'll do some shooting."The .50-cal. Browning Machine Gun—The Gun That Won The War https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-50-cal-browning-machine-gun-the-gun-that-won-the-war/ American Rifleman National Rifle Association of America 23 February 2017 8 May 2026 en The American Rifleman further explains that development was: [r]eputedly influenced by Germany's 13.2×92 mm SR (.53-cal.) anti-tank rifle, Ordnance contracted with Winchester to design a .50-cal. cartridge. Subsequently, Frankford Arsenal took over from Winchester, producing the historic .50 BMG or 12.7×99 mm cartridge. The Army then returned to John Browning for the actual gun. Teamed with Colt, he produced prototypes ready for testing and, ironically, completed them by Nov. 11, 1918—the Great War's end. The round was put into use in the M1921 Browning machine gun. This gun was later developed into the M2HB Browning, which, with its .50 caliber armor-piercing cartridges, went on to function as an anti-aircraft and anti-vehicular machine gun, capable of penetrating 0.9 inch mm of face-hardened armor steel plate at 200 meters yards flip,MCWP 3-15.1 Machine Guns and Machine Gunnery https://archive.org/details/milmanual-mcwp-3-15.1-machine-guns-and-machine-gunnery/page/n183/mode/2up archive.org US Marine Corps 1 inch mm of rolled homogeneous armor at the same range,Browning Machine Gun Caliber .50 HB, M2 https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-archive/FM23-65C2%2802%29.pdf bits.de Headquarters Department of the Army April 15, 2020 August 19, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200819212746/https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-archive/FM23-65C2%2802%29.pdf live and 0.75 inch mm at 547 yards meters.Barnes, Frank C. (1989), "U.S. Army .50 BMG Cartridge Specifications", Cartridges of the World, DBI Books, p. 432, 978-0-87349-033-7. During World War II, the .50 BMG was primarily used in the M2 Browning machine gun, in both its "light barrel" aircraft mount version and the "heavy barrel" (HB) version on ground vehicles, for anti-aircraft purposes. An upgraded variant of the M2 Browning HB machine gun used during World War II is still in use today. Since the mid-1950s, some armored personnel carriers and utility vehicles have been designed to withstand 12.7 mm machine-gun fire, thereby limiting the destructive capability of the M2. It still has more penetrating power than lighter weapons such as general-purpose machine guns, though it is significantly heavier and more cumbersome to transport. Its range and accuracy, however, are superior to light machine guns when fixed on tripods. It has not been replaced as the standard caliber for Western vehicle-mounted machine guns (Soviet and CIS armored vehicles mount 12.7×108mm NSVs, which have similar dimensions to .50 BMGs). Decades later, the .50 BMG was chambered in high-powered rifles as well. The Barrett M82 rifle was developed during the 1980s and, along with later variants, has upgraded the anti-materiel power of the military sniper. Typical uses The primary military use of this round is in the M2 Browning machine gun and anti-materiel rifles such as the Barrett M82.McNab Chris The Barrett Rifle: Sniping and Anti-materiel Rifles in the War on Terror Bloomsbury Publishing 2016 9781472811028 The U.S. Coast Guard uses .50 BMG rifles onboard armed helicopters to disable the engines on boats during interdictions. Similarly, .50 BMG weapons have attracted attention from law enforcement agencies; they have been adopted by the New York City Police Department and the Pittsburgh Police. A .50 BMG round can effectively disable a vehicle when fired into the engine block. A .50 BMG round will penetrate most commercial brick walls and concrete cinder blocks.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX05bSn59uo 50 BMG vs Concrete Wall 2017-12-14 Kentucky Ballistics 2025-02-19 YouTube The .50 BMG round was used as a sniper round as early as the Korean War.Senich Peter R. U.S. Marine Corps Scout-sniper: World War II and Korea 1993 Paladin Press Boulder 978-0-87364-710-6 225–227 Several world records for the longest confirmed kills were set with the .50 BMG. Eventually, purpose-built sniper rifles were developed specifically for this round.Walter John The Sniper Encyclopaedia: An A-Z Guide to World Sniping 2019 en-US In addition to long-range and anti-materiel, the U.S. military uses .50 BMG weapons to detonate unexploded ordnance from a safe distance. It can disable most unarmored and lightly armored vehicles.Cutshaw Charles Q. Tactical Small Arms of the 21st Century: A Complete Guide to Small Arms From Around the World February 28, 2011 Gun Digest Books Iola 978-1-4402-2709-7 322–323 Some civilians use .50 caliber rifles for long-range target shooting: the US-based Fifty Caliber Shooters Association holds .50 BMG shooting matches.Fifty Caliber Shooters Association, Accessed: December 10, 2022 Cartridge dimensions thumb|right|upright|12.7×99mm NATO cartridge dimensions in inchesthumb|upright|12.7 x 99mm NATO dimensions converted to millimeters The .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) cartridge has a capacity of 290 gr on. The round is a scaled-up version of the .30-06 SpringfieldKriss Megan Best .50 BMG Rifles & Ammo https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-50-bmg-rifles-ammo/ 8 May 2026 Pew Pew Tactical © 2026 Pew Pew Media, Inc. 11 April 2023 but uses a case wall with a long taper to facilitate feeding and extraction in various weapons. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 1 in 15 in on, with eight lands and grooves. The primer type specified for this ammunition is a boxer primer with a single centralized ignition point (in the U.S. and NATO countries).NATO Infantry Weapons Standardization, Per G. Arvidsson, Chairman, Weapons & Sensors Working Group, Land Capability Group 1 - Dismounted Soldier NATO Army Armaments Group https://web.archive.org/web/20121201183951/http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2008Intl/Arvidsson.pdf December 1, 2012 However, some other countries produce the ammunition with Berdan primers that have two flash holes. The average chamber pressure in this round as listed in TM43-0001-27,http://www.dtic.mil/dticasd/sbir/sbir032/a044a.pdf Army Ammunition Data Sheets for Small Caliber Ammunition Defense Technical Information Center 150 April 1994 August 27, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20071202134237/http://www.dtic.mil/dticasd/sbir/sbir032/a044a.pdf December 2, 2007 dead the U.S. Army Ammunition Data Sheets — Small Caliber Ammunition, not including plastic practice, short cased spotter, or proof/test loads, is 54923 psi on. The proof/test pressure is listed as 65000 psi on. Power A common method for understanding the actual power of a cartridge is the comparison of muzzle energies. The .30-06 Springfield, the standard caliber for American soldiers in both World Wars and a popular caliber amongst American hunters for medium to large game animals, can produce muzzle energies between 2,000 and 3,000 ftlbf 1 in. The .50 BMG round can produce between 10,000 and 15,000 ftlbf, depending on its powder and bullet type, as well as the weapon it is fired from. Due to the high ballistic coefficient of the bullet, the .50 BMG's trajectory also suffers less "drift" from crosswinds than smaller and lighter calibers, making the .50 BMG a good choice for high-powered sniper rifles.Michaelis Dean The Complete .50-caliber Sniper Course: Hard-Target Interdiction March 1, 2000 Paladin Press Boulder, Colorado 978-1-58160-068-1 26–34 Military cartridge types thumb|upright=1.2|Left to right, rear: lightgray green green/gray tip Raufoss Mk 211 HEIAP (high-explosive incendiary armor-piercing) yellow red yellow/red tip (M48 spotter) silver silver tip (M8 armor-piercing incendiary) steelblue light blue tip (M1 incendiary) black black tip (M2 armor piercing) red silver silver tip/red sabot (M962 SLAP-T) #CC9900 silver silver tip/amber sabot (M903 SLAP) red red tip (M17 tracer) #B87333 unpainted copper (M33 ball) Front row are 5.56×45mm NATO and .500 S&W Magnum, for size comparison thumb|upright=1.2|.50 BMG rounds and projectiles. Left to right: M2 ball M1 tracer M2 armor piercing M17 tracer M8 armor piercing incendiary M20 armor piercing incendiary tracer M1 incendiary M903 SLAP M962 SLAP-T XM156 spotter tracer The .50 BMG cartridge is also produced commercially in a wide range of specifications, including armor-piercing, tracing, and incendiary: Cartridge, caliber .50, tracer, M1 This tracer is used for observing fire, signaling, target designation, and incendiary purposes. This bullet has a red tip. Cartridge, caliber .50, incendiary, M1 This cartridge is used against unarmored, flammable targets. The incendiary bullet has a light blue tip. Cartridge, caliber .50, ball, M2 This cartridge is used against personnel and unarmored targets. This bullet has an unpainted tip. Cartridge, caliber .50, armor-piercing (AP), M2 This cartridge is used against lightly armored vehicles, protective shelters, and personnel, and can be identified by its black tip. Cartridge, caliber .50, armor-piercing incendiary (API), M8 This cartridge is used, in place of the armor-piercing round, against armored, flammable targets. The bullet has a silver tip. Cartridge, caliber .50, tracer, M10 Tracer for observing fire, signaling, target designation, and incendiary purposes. Designed to be less intense than the M1 tracer, the M10 has an orange tip. Cartridge, caliber .50, tracer, M17 Tracer for observing fire, signaling, target designation, and incendiary purposes. Can be fired from the M82/M107 series of rifles. Cartridge, caliber .50, armor-piercing incendiary tracer (API-T), M20 This cartridge is used in place of the armor-piercing round against armored, flammable targets, with a tracer element for observation purposes. It is effectively a variant of the M8 armor-piercing incendiary with the added tracer element. Can be fired from the M82/M107 series of rifles. This bullet has a red tip with a ring of aluminum paint. Cartridge, caliber .50, tracer, headlight, M21 Tracer for use in observing fire during air-to-air combat. Designed to be more visible, the M21 is three times more brilliant than the M1 tracer. Cartridge, caliber .50, incendiary, M23 This cartridge is used against unarmored, flammable targets. The tip of the bullet is painted blue with a light blue ring. Cartridge, caliber .50, ball, M33 This cartridge is used against personnel and unarmored targets. Can be fired from the M82/M107 series of rifles. Cartridge, caliber .50, saboted light armor penetrator (SLAP), M903 This cartridge has a 355 – 360 gr on tungsten penetrator that is sabot-launched at a muzzle velocity of 4,000 ft/s m/s. The 0.50 in (12.7 mm) diameter sabot is designed to separate after leaving the muzzle, releasing the 0.30 in (7.62 mm) penetrator. The sabot is injection-molded from a special high-strength plastic and reinforced with an aluminum insert in the base section. The cartridge is identified by an amber sabot (Ultem 1000). Used only in the M2 series of machine guns. This round can penetrate 19 mm in on flip of steel armor at 1500 yards meters.http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/FEDE_EL_SOMALI/1-15.jpg albums/oo255/FEDE_EL_SOMALI/1-15 i381.photobucket.com July 28, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140806085116/http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/FEDE_EL_SOMALI/1-15.jpg August 6, 2014 live Cartridge, caliber .50, saboted light armor penetrator tracer (SLAP-T), M962 Like the M903, this is a SLAP round, with the only difference being that the M962 also has a tracer element for observing fire, target designation, and incendiary purposes. It has a red plastic sabot for identification and is used only in the M2 series of machine guns. Cartridge, caliber .50, ball, XM1022 A long-range match cartridge specifically designed for long-range work using the M107 rifle. Cartridge, caliber .50, M1022 long-range sniper The .50 caliber M1022 has an olive-green bullet coating with no tip ID coloration. The projectile is of standard ball design. It is designed for long-range sniper training and tactical use against targets that do not require armor-piercing or incendiary effects. It exhibits superior long-range accuracy and is trajectory matched to MK211 grade A. The M1022 is ideal for use in all .50 caliber bolt-action and semi-automatic sniper rifles.http://www.atk.com/ammo_PDFs/smallcaliber.pdf Small Caliber Ammunition ATK August 27, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20070824081519/http://www.atk.com/ammo_PDFs/smallcaliber.pdf August 24, 2007 live The bullet remains supersonic from 1500 m yd 0 on flip to 1600 m yd 0 on flip.Cartridges for Long-Range Sniping Rifles by Anthony G Williams https://web.archive.org/web/20130314044046/http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/Long%20Range%20Sniping.htm March 14, 2013 thumb|Raufoss Mk 211 Mod 0 HEIAP projectile Cartridge, caliber .50, high-explosive incendiary armor-piercing (HEIAP), Mk 211 Mod 0 A "combined effects" cartridge, the Raufoss Mk 211 Mod 0 HEIAP cartridge contains a .30 caliber tungsten penetrator, zirconium powder, and Composition A explosive. It can be used in any .50-caliber weapon in the U.S. inventory, except the M85 machine gun. A green tip with a gray ring identifies the cartridge. Cartridge, caliber .50, armor-piercing incendiary dim tracer (API-DT), Mk 257 The .50 caliber Mk 257 API-DT has a purple bullet tip. The bullet has a hardened-steel core and an incendiary tip. It is used in the M2, M3, and M85. Dim tracer reduces the possibility of the weapon being located during night fire and is visible only with night-vision devices. Cartridge, caliber .50, armor-piercing (AP), Mk 263 Mod 2 The .50-caliber Mk 263 has a black tip. The bullet has a hardened-steel core and features double valleys to reduce bearing surface, thereby decreasing friction and increasing stability. It is used in the M2, M3, and M85. Cartridge, caliber .50, armor-piercing incendiary tracer (API-T), Mk 300 Mod 0 As per the Mk 211 Mod 0, but with a tracer component. Cartridge, caliber .50, armor-piercing explosive incendiary (APEI), Mk 169 Mod 2 This cartridge is used against hardened targets such as bunkers, for suppressive fire against lightly armored vehicles, and ground and aerial threat suppression. It is generally fired either from pilot-aimed aircraft-mounted guns or anti-aircraft platforms, both produced by FN Herstal.12.7x99mm https://fnherstal.com/en/defence/ammunition/127x99mm/ FN HERSTAL 23 November 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20221123160045/https://fnherstal.com/en/defence/ammunition/127x99mm/ 23 November 2022 It is identified by a gray over yellow tip.http://www.igman.co.ba/ammunition.htm#10 https://web.archive.org/web/20080325084040/http://www.igman.co.ba/ammunition.htm dead Igman Ammunition Cal. 12.7 x 99 mm, APEI, M 02 March 25, 2008 A tracer variant of it also exists. Cartridge, caliber .50, ball, Mk 323 Mod 0 Created by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, this cartridge uses M33 ball projectiles in polymer cases instead of brass. It has a clear polymer case with a standard brass head fused at the bottom. The Mk 323 can be fired from M2HB/M2A1 machine guns and GAU-21/A aircraft guns with the same performance. It gives a 25 percent weight saving over brass-cased ammunition, allowing 40 percent more ammunition to be carried for the same weight. The Mk 323's polymer casing is applied to tracer, AP, API, and SLAP projectiles.Crane Using Lightweight .50 Cal Ammo https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053332/http://kitup.military.com/2011/09/crane-using-lightweight-50-cal-ammo.html September 21, 2013 - Kitup. Military.com, September 11, 2011.http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2012armaments/Wednesday13983stoll.pdf May 21, 2012 Advancements in Lightweight .50 Caliber Ammunition Jarod Stoll and Kathryn Hunt July 28, 2014 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130719181537/http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2012armaments/Wednesday13983stoll.pdf July 19, 2013 DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) contracted with Teledyne Scientific Company to develop the EXACTO program, including a .50-caliber guided bullet. Videos published by DARPA show the guided bullet diverting to strike a moving target.Cox Matthew http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/12/15/dod-wants-bullet-that-can-change-direction-after-being-fired.html DoD Wants Bullet That Can Change Direction After Being Fired Military.com December 15, 2014 April 11, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160422101545/http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/12/15/dod-wants-bullet-that-can-change-direction-after-being-fired.html April 22, 2016 live http://armyrecognition.com/weapons_defence_industry_military_technology_uk/exacto_guided_bullet_demonstrates_repeatable_performance_against_moving_targets_2904152.html EXACTO Guided bullet demonstrates repeatable performance against moving targets 2904152 | weapons defence industry military technology UK | analyse focus army defence military industry army Armyrecognition.com April 29, 2015 April 11, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20150912011504/http://armyrecognition.com/weapons_defence_industry_military_technology_uk/exacto_guided_bullet_demonstrates_repeatable_performance_against_moving_targets_2904152.html September 12, 2015 live http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2015-04-27 EXACTO Guided Bullet Demonstrates Repeatable Performance against Moving Targets Darpa.mil April 27, 2015 April 11, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160422125546/http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2015-04-27 April 22, 2016 live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoOaJclkSZg EXACTO Live-Fire Tests, February 2015 DARPAtv April 27, 2015 September 29, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171004060458/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoOaJclkSZg October 4, 2017 live Belt links Three distinct and non-compatible metallic links have been used for the .50 BMG cartridge belts. The M2 and M9 links, "pull-out" designs, are used in the Browning M2 and M3 machine guns.http://www.arex.si/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/link_M9_12.7mm_R1.pdf Metal link M9 for cal. 12.7×99mm Technical data September 14, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20181223035224/http://www.arex.si/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/link_M9_12.7mm_R1.pdf December 23, 2018 live https://books.google.com/books?id=msoIAQAAIAAJ&q=m2+link+.50&pg=PA9 Technical Manual Small-Arms Ammunition, TM9-1990, U.S. War Department February 20, 2020 May 23, 1942 live https://web.archive.org/web/20210106201533/https://books.google.com/books?id=msoIAQAAIAAJ&q=m2+link+.50&pg=PA9 January 6, 2021 The M15-series metal "push-through" links were used in the M85 machine gun. Pull-out cloth belts were also used at one time, but have been obsolete since 1945. Legal issues United Kingdom Within the United Kingdom, it is legal to own a bolt-action .50 BMG rifle with a section 1 Firearms Certificate.http://www.fcsa.co.uk Home Fifty Calibre Shooters Association UK July 28, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140818200126/http://www.fcsa.co.uk/ August 18, 2014 live Applications requesting firearms in this caliber are assessed by the same criteria as smaller calibers, with the applicant having to prove they have a valid reason for owning such a weapon.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/262215/Guidance_on_Firearms_Licensing_Law_v6_Nov_2013.pdf June 2014 Guide on firearms licensing law Home Office July 28, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20131221031617/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/262215/Guidance_on_Firearms_Licensing_Law_v6_Nov_2013.pdf December 21, 2013 liveNovember 2017 United States The specified maximum diameter of an unfired .50 BMG bullet is 0.510 in mm; while this appears to be over the .50 inch (12.7 mm) maximum allowed for non-sporting Title I firearms under the U.S. National Firearms Act, the barrel of a .50 BMG rifle is only .50 inch (12.7 mm) across the rifling lands and slightly larger in the grooves. The oversized bullet is formed to the bore size upon firing, forming a tight seal and engaging the rifling. Despite political controversy over the cartridge's great power (it is the most powerful commonly available cartridge not considered a destructive device under the National Firearms Act), it remains popular among long-range shooters for its accuracy and external ballistics. While the .50 BMG round can deliver accurate shot placement (if match grade ammunition is used) at ranges over 1000 yd on, smaller-caliber rifles produce better scores and tighter groups in 1000 yd on competitions.http://www.gunweek.com/2006/feature0420.html SHOT Show 2006 New Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols Offer Enhanced Performance GunWeek.com April 10, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080521043310/http://www.gunweek.com/2006/feature0420.html May 21, 2008 dead A 1999 Justice Department Office of Special Investigations briefing on .50 caliber rifle crime identified several instances of the .50 BMG being involved in criminal activities. None of the cited cases has confirmed domestic violent criminal use of a .50 BMG firearm, and a majority of the domestic cases were possession charges.http://www.gao.gov/products/OSI-99-15R Weaponry: .50 Caliber Rifle Crime," GAO Office of Special Investigations letter OSI-99-15R General Accounting Office August 4, 1999 February 13, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20120111191722/http://www.gao.gov/products/OSI-99-15R January 11, 2012 live In the United States, Washington, D.C. disallows registration of .50 BMG rifles, thus rendering civilian possession unlawful.https://www.atf.gov/file/117186/download District of Columbia Code ATF October 4, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181004185640/https://www.atf.gov/file/117186/download October 4, 2018 livehttps://lawcenter.giffords.org/gun-laws/policy-areas/hardware-ammunition/machine-guns-50-caliber/ Machine Guns & 50-Caliber 2018 lawcenter.giffords.org Giffords Law Center October 5, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181006035032/https://lawcenter.giffords.org/gun-laws/policy-areas/hardware-ammunition/machine-guns-50-caliber/ October 6, 2018 live California prohibits the private purchase of a rifle capable of firing the .50 BMG through the .50 Caliber BMG Regulation Act of 2004.http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=200320040AB50 Assembly Bill No. 50 CA Legislature October 4, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181004230108/http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=200320040AB50 October 4, 2018 live Connecticut specifically bans the Barrett 82A1 .50 BMG rifle.https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/pub/chap_943.htm Chapter 943 Offenses Against Public Peace and Safety Connecticut General Assembly October 4, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181004230120/https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/pub/chap_943.htm October 4, 2018 dead However, .50 BMG rifles registered before the enacted bans remain lawful to possess in Californiahttps://www.shouselaw.com/are-50-bmg-rifles-legal-in-california Are .50 BMG rifles legal in California? Shouse Neil July 17, 2017 shouselaw.com Shouse California Law Group October 5, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181006000203/https://www.shouselaw.com/are-50-bmg-rifles-legal-in-california October 6, 2018 live and Connecticut.https://www.ct.gov/despp/cwp/view.asp?a=4213&q=494616 Special Licensing and Firearms September 6, 2018 ct.gov Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection October 5, 2018 ...any person who has a Certificate of Possession issued by the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit may possess the Assault Weapon listed on their certificate.... a Certificate of Possession must be obtained prior to January 1, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20180203092746/http://www.ct.gov/despp/cwp/view.asp?a=4213&q=494616 February 3, 2018 dead In Illinois, it is legal to possess a .50 caliber rifle only if it was acquired by January 10, 2023, and it was registered with the state police by January 1, 2024.Meredith Howard January 12, 2023 https://www.bnd.com/news/state/illinois/article271046422.html How Will Illinois Law Banning Some Firearms Affect Gun Owners? Answers to Top Questions Belleville News-Democrat https://web.archive.org/web/20230111203626/https://www.bnd.com/news/state/illinois/article271046422.html January 11, 2023 live January 14, 2023 Maryland imposes additional regulations on the sale and transfer of .50 BMG rifles and other weapons classed as "regulated firearms", and limits purchases of any firearm within this class to one per month, but does not impose registration requirements or any form of categorical ban. Contrary to a persistent misconception within the United States Armed Forces, using .50 BMG directly against enemy personnel is not prohibited by the laws of war. http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/killing-myth Killing A Myth Parks Maj W. Hays January 1988 Marine Corps Gazette February 20, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140228114414/http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/killing-myth February 28, 2014 dead mdy-all Writing for the Marine Corps Gazette, Major Hays Parks states: "No treaty language exists (either generally or specifically) to support a limitation on [the use of .50 BMG] against personnel, and its widespread, longstanding use in this role suggests that such antipersonnel employment is the customary practice of nations." Parks theorizes that the misconception originated in historical doctrine discouraging the use of the M8C spotting rifle—an integral .50-caliber aiming aid for the M40 recoilless rifle—in the antipersonnel role. This limitation was entirely tactical and intended to hide the vulnerable M40 and its crew from the enemy until the main anti-tank gun was ready to fire; however, Parks concludes that some U.S. troops assumed the existence of a legal limitation on the use of .50-caliber projectiles more generally. Partial list of .50 BMG firearms Carbines Barrett M82CQ (a carbine version of the M82A3) Rifles 20em Accuracy International AS50 Accuracy International AW50 Accuracy International AX50 ArmaLite AR-50 Arms Tech Ltd. TTR-50http://www.armstechltd.com/products.php?id=ttr-50_rifle Arms Tech Ltd. TTR-50 October 6, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131103214900/http://www.armstechltd.com/products.php?id=ttr-50_rifle November 3, 2013 live Barrett M82/M107 Barrett M95 Barrett M99 Bushmaster BA50 Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor Desert Tech HTI DSR-50 Gepárd anti-materiel rifle McMillan TAC-50 OM 50 NemesisChris L. Movigliatti http://www.amsd.ch A.M.S.D. Sa Amsd.ch August 27, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100913231638/http://www.amsd.ch/ September 13, 2010 PGM Hécate II Pindad SPR-2https://pindad.com/spr-2-kal-12-7-mm February 14, 2022 SPR-2 Kal. 12.7 mm https://web.archive.org/web/20210427120910/https://pindad.com/spr-2-kal-12-7-mm April 27, 2021 Ramo M600http://www.securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/2500/2540.htm RAMO DEFENCE M650 and M600 Securityarms.com August 27, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100905151948/http://www.securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/2500/2540.htm September 5, 2010 Robar RC-50 Snipex M Snipex Rhino Hunter Steyr HS .50 WKW Wilk Zastava M93 Black Arrow Machine guns 20em GAU-19 GAU-21 FN M3M Kord machine gun - export variant M1921 Browning machine gun M2 Browning machine gun M85 machine gun MAC-58 - only built as a prototype NSV machine gun - export variant of the original West Kazakhstan Machine Building Company NSV machine gun WKM-B - Polish version of the NSV machine gun Profense PF 50 Rolls-Royce Experimental Machine Gun - only built as prototype STK 50MG XM218 XM312 XM806 (LW50) Zastava M87 - Serbian export variant of the NSV machine gun Pistols Triple Action Thunder See also .50 Caliber BMG Regulation Act of 2004 .50 caliber handguns .510 DTC EUROP .510 Whisper 12 mm caliber 12.7 × 108 mm (Russian equivalent) 14.5 × 114 mm Gun laws in the United States (by state) List of firearms List of rifle cartridges NATO EPVAT testing Table of handgun and rifle cartridges References External links .50 BMG Category:.50 BMG firearms 50 BMG 50 BMG 12.7×99mm Category:NATO cartridges Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1921 Category:Winchester Repeating Arms Company cartridges