Building an AR...how about the .50 Beowulf?

[RiverRider]

So, yeah...I somehow found myself in the middle of building an AR15 lower. I guess that's the danger of having a few extra parts on hand---it can quickly get out of hand!

Anyway, I've been looking around at completed upper receivers. At first I had given no thought to an alternative to the .223/5.56, but I've come to realize there are a few options.

I have NO interest in the .300 AAC or Whisper, and almost as little interest in the 6.8 SPC. But when I realized I could build something in .50 Beowulf, my lil ol' heart went "pitter-patter" and I've been intrigued with the idea. The idea of ambushing that group of fifteen or so hogs that has been eating most of my corn with such a thumper is VERY highly appealing!

So, I'd like the benefit of any real-world experience any of you fellows might have with this cartridge in an AR15 platform, positive or negative. Any suggestions or ideas are most welcome!

 

[Dwh7271]

RR,
No experience but must be a "pig-gun" AR flu going around. I've had the same thoughts for a couple months. :lol:
Been researching the 50 Beowulf , 458 Socom, and 450 Bushmaster.
I've kind of decided on the 458.
Bullet availability , AR mag usage w/o major mods (one of the guys here helped me w that)etc.
Although I'm certainly going to watch this thread. :grin:
Dewey

 

[SJB358]

Yeah, I'd likely run a 458 of some kind. Just to be able to use .458" bullets.

 

[RiverRider]

Oh, I think there's swine flu going around, Dewey. Two versions. One gives you sniffles and is caused by a virus. The other is caused by the end of deer season, and for me it was a season of frustration and I'd like to take it out on some hogs now. :evil:

I'm leaning toward the Beowulf, just because it's the biggest and baddest, but I'm listening to the guys who suggest the .458 cartridges too. They're not quite as fast, but the .50 is no .257 Weatherby itself, now, is it? :lol:

Scotty, which .458 bullets do you have in mind?

 

[Woodycreek]

Any good hunting bullet that you would use in a 45-70 would work in the 458 SOCOM. The 300gr Speer would be my pick for supersonic rounds. For subsonic I would look at these two.

http://outlawstatebullets.com/4.html

http://www.lehighbullets.com/products.asp?cat=26

 

[Dwh7271]

Swift has a 350 gr A-Frame for the 45/70 that might be fun.
Dewey

 

[SJB358]

I am with Brian, the 458's aren't super fast, well, faster than the lower spec'ed 45-70 rounds, so I'd likely stick in the 300-350 range. Brian nailed it with the 300 grain Speer. It is an awesome bullet and pretty affordable as well. Another good one at that speed would be the 300 grain Nosler BST..

 

[salmonchaser]

R R. I have a 450 bushmaster and I love it. The only problem is a shortage of .452 bullets for loading, though there are as I learned here, several good ones and some .451 such as Barnes work well. The potential problem is pushing pistol bullets too fast for what you're hunting. If I had it to do over again I would have gone with the 458. Socom just for bullet selection.

 

[RiverRider]

Thanks for the input, fellas. I didn't really get the answer I wanted at the outset, but that's just the way it goes when you ask folks for advice.

I'm definitely leaning toward the .458 SOCOM now, so it's going to be that one, or I may end up with another 5.56 before it's all over since I can see the point in having another.

I finished my lower the other night, and it came out okay except for a couple of blemishes I inflicted on it through thoughtlessness. I think I may disassemble it, blast it, and refinish it with Poly-Resin. Or I may just leave it like it is---it's not that bad.

I used an LPK from PSA, and all I did was very lightly polish the engagement surfaces of the hammer and trigger and it came out very nice. The weird thing is that it actually feels like a 2-stage trigger---a short and very smooth movement taking up the slack, and then a definite stop followed by an icecicle-like break. For the life of me I can't figure out how/why it came out like that, but I'll take it.

Hopefully I'll be able to mate it to an upper in the next couple of months.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Yeah go with the .458 all I know about those calibers is they have some punch on the back end.