Today Bob, the city cop, and I went out and shot .50 BMG Ferret 50 upper.  Boy.  Bob and I kept joking about what would happen when we touched the unit off and kept nervously yucking about it as we drove out to the range.  Neither one of us has had any experience with rifles of this caliber.  I mounted a Leupold 6.5 x 20 scope on it which has plenty of eye relief, and I had taken a Pachmeyer slip-on shotgun recoil pad and put it on the stock of my Bushmaster lower.  Still, I have been sitting here all summer looking at one of those .50 rounds on my desk and trying to imagine what this was going to be like.  Beside some linked surplus South African ball ammunition, I brought along a dozen spotter rounds that Eric the Ammoman has been selling.

We set up a target at 50 yards for starters, folded down the sturdy bipod that comes on the Ferret 50 and got ready to go, screwing in earplugs under our earmuffs.  Bob stood back, way back on the left side of the gun as far away from that bolt as he could get.  I shoved one of those giant bullets in the chamber and closed the bolt down behind it, hunkered down, got the crosshairs on the target, held my breath, and pulled the trigger.

WHAM!  Some of the video we reviewed later showed two flames, both about as big as the end of a 50 gallon drum on each side of the muzzle.  The sight picture was completely lost, either because of my flinching or the recoil.  The impulse back to my shoulder wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but I was happy I had been smart enough to put that recoil pad on the rifle.  I could see a huge hole in the target, about four inches out from the bull’s eye.

We eventually got the gun dialed in so that the shots were touching on the 50 yard target, but our shoulders were giving out so we called it quits at that point.  We did run the dozen spotter rounds (tracer, followed by a big puff of smoke when the target was hit) downrange at tufts of grass on the backstop.  We also shot some full cans of orange soda, which looked like they had been ironed out flat when we could find enough of them to examine.  Aside from a couple of screws that hold the bipod on loosening, no malfunctions were seen in the Ferret 50 upper.  After shooting it, I have perfect confidence in the manufacture of the upper; both as far as safety and accuracy go.

Now, sitting here nursing my shoulder, what do I do with this thing?  I can’t say it was a pleasure shooting this unit, although the spotter rounds were kind of cool.  Is it worth knocking your shoulder?  Bob said he thought it felt like asking some big guy to punch you in the shoulder, and we were speculating on how blue, black, green and yellow our shoulders would be tomorrow.  I don’t know.  The Ferret 50 is quite a novelty act, and I think it is more capable of accuracy than I am of holding it.  I think I would entertain offers for it and the large number of .50 BMG rounds I have accumulated.  Guess a look in the bathroom mirror tomorrow morning will tell the tale.

This sounds like it belongs out west some place with wide open spaces to use the full potential of the round .. but it sure sounds like one hell-of-a toy! Hummm, prairie dogs at 1000 yards. Are you thinking about selling, maybe trades?

Yeah, I am kind of thinking about selling or trading the upper, the hammer that goes with it, and the ammunition, and keeping the scope. Shipping the upper together with the ammunition I have for it would cost a fortune, though.

And you're right, even a hundred yard range like I am limited to doesn't really do this thing justice.

I forgot to mention you can see some pictures at the Ferret 50 web site, ferret50.com.  Sorry no live link.

I've been to the site and the Ferret 50 is the one I like. I was at a local range when one of the gun dealers showed up with a 50 (not a Ferret) and let some of his friends shoot it at the 250 yard range. Seems the shockwave from (I think) the bullet would would bounce off the berm and come back at us sounding like a hand-clap. Later we checked the target and there were these nice big round holes that looked like they were cut with a tiny cookie cutter.

Shooting a .50 is definitly not like any other shooting experience I have had.  My inpression is of being marginally in control of one hell of an explosion a few inches in front of your face.  The hole made in the paper is impressive, but so is the knowledge that the projectile would probably go right through your car or your house or almost anything else handy and hardly slow down.  I guess it is a demonstration of raw power that commands a lot of respect.  At least from me.

For starters how about a .44 Mag upper and two Tromix lowers?

Tirador223,
   How's the shoulder? Thinking about shootin lefty for a while?

Tirador223, Just curious.....what length barrel is your Ferret? I have the 36 inch version and I don't find it nearly as uncomfortable to shoot as you are describing. In fact, I regularly shoot while wearing only a T shirt and I don't have a recoil pad on the rifle. I also have the 3.5 pound lead weight in the stock to help tame recoil. Lastly, I shoot off a small portable bench which allows my upper body to move farther under recoil than if I was shooting in the prone position. The fact that I am a big guy also helps. I find my Remington 870 Home Defense 12 gauge shotgun to be more punishing while shooting slugs than shooting the Ferret. Sorry to hear that the Ferret wasn't your cup of tea. I hope you are able to recover most of your investment. Here is a shot of me parked behind my Ferret.

Lumpy, I seem to recall you anxiously awaiting your Ferret and the agony being recorded on a Barret board.  For the record, this is an 18 inch barrel version of the Ferret.  The weight in the stock sounds like a good idea, and we were shooting off a table.  Thought I had it made with that slip-on shotgun pad.  As for my shoulder, it is oddly not really brused but something has certainly taken a pounding on the inside.  Maybe it's just me.  Oh yeah, and the long-suffering Bob who went with me to the range.

Keep in mind that Lumpy223 is also pictured wrestling a bear.

I'm interested in a possible trade.  E-mail me so we can talk.
Patrick

I cant believe a Bushmaster lower can handle the force of a .50!!!  Its gotta be at least 6-7 times the recoil.