So after a couple years of being back and forth on it I finally bought an Armalite AR-50.  It should be at my FFL next week.  Going to order some ammo for it.  I won't be shooting it for a while with hunting season then Winter coming up, so I'll have some time to save up some money for a good scope.  Thinking a Trijicon Tenmile or Nightforce NX8.  I am stockpiling some ammo for it now.

Anyone have any good recommendations for a case that will fit this pig?  I have a Pelican Vault that I could drop it in if it is apart, but I am wondering what other cases out there are good.  Also what ammo do you owners shoot that it seems to like?  It comes with the GG&G bipod.  I've seen some pictures of them with a carry handle - anyone know where I can source one of those from?

Awesome!  It's on my list of someday guns

Welcome to the AR-50 club.  You can get bipod, carry handle and rear monopod from Allied Precision Arms.  I was able to get a sturdy soft sided case for mine that fit the rifle and scope on extra high mounts.  No having to take it apart to fit in.  It wasn't cheap but the only one on the market that I could find.  Case and safe problem arise when your rifle is five feet long!   I'll try to get you a link to the case in a few hours as I have to look through my files for the receipt.  They come in black and desert tan.  Please feel free to PM me if you need anything.  Again, welcome to 50 Fun.

This is the case I have and love it!

Galati Gear GL6414 Heavy Weapons Rifle Case Black, 63. You're in luck as they have gone down in price quite a bit since bought mine. There are others out there that claim they fit the AR50...but you have to take the buttstock off.

Thank you!  Yeah I will need to take the buttstock off to fit it in the safe.  About the max length I can get into it is a gun that is 58" overall length.



Thank you for that as well!



You'll get there man.  It was on mine as well for a while, along with a SCAR.  Ended up finally getting both this year.

I have never been able to get Allied Precision Arms to reply to my attempts to order.  Are they still in business?

Thank you!  I look forward to some good info on the AR-50.

Thank you for the great info!  Definitely will try replacing the stock screws with thumbscrews.  I'll need to remove the buttstock from the chassis to fit it in my safe and in my Pelican if I use that, so thumb screws would be easiest for disassembly and re-assembly.

As for the scope, at this point, I am considering the Trijicon Tenmile 4.5-30x56 FFP, Nightforce NX8 4-32x50 FFP, or Vortex Razor Gen II 4.5-27x56 FFP.

And thank you for the heads up on the ammo.  Pretty much everything I have right now is PMC Bronze.  I'll likely buy some Hornady A-Max to feed it as well.  But I like letting other people shoot my guns if they want so if a guy wants to shoot it with his own ammo I will be sure to check it for those types you mentioned.

Any recommendations for scope rings for it?  I use Warne Mountain Tech rings on all my regular bolt guns but those may be a bit light for a .50.

I did not see a GG&G  carry handle on their site.

I use Burris Extreme Tactical extra high.  They hold a Burris Black Diamond right where it needs to stay.  You can get them at SWFA for about, IIRC, $65.

Dunno, got my bipod and monopod from them about six years ago.  Haven't bought anything from them since.

Cool!  I have never been able to get them to reply to me.  Do you like their carry handle?

Greetings to ALL who own or want to buy an AR-50 - its an excellent choice of 50BMG firearm. I bought mine back in 2006 and have over 10,000 rounds fired thru it. Starting out I fired a lot of surplus thru the stock barrel and I saved all my brass because I'm a dedicated reloader of all rifles I shoot. Accuracy with surplus SUCKS but I had purchased some at $0.79 each and most at $1.59 each and the final 2000 at $2.019 each with shipping included free. I started reloading this cartridge early not knowing truly how to make accurate ammo - learning became expensive due to mistakes I made with equipment or processing of cases. First stock barrel lasted 3800 rounds before replacement. I bought 2 Feddersen Chrome Moly 34" barrels which I gun-smithed myself due to my machinist background which was extremely rusty. I borrowed a reamer from a friend (ended up buying it) and chambered it after turning and threading to fit the action. Several attempts were made before achieving a correct fit with GO gage. Then I turned and threaded for the muzzle brake, again several attempts were required to get it correctly done. Barrel ended up being 31" long and was replaced after 2400 rounds. (2nd barrel was mounted on a State Arms Action.) Third barrel was a SS K&P 1.75"dia 1:14 twist 34" long that finished at 33" long. It lasted 1 season and only 450 rounds - nothing wrong with it, just wanted to try something new. Fourth barrel is a SS, K&P, 1.75" dia, 1:14" twist (was to be 1:13 but ......), 38" long finished. Light amount of fluting on barrel allowed rifle to make FCSA weight class at 49 pounds 12 ounces of allowed 50 pounds. This combination with my "magnum" reloads generates 2968 fps using Lehigh Products 510-170 808 grain brass solids as Match Ammo. Loading was developed in 55 degree weather and shot at Blakely GA ARENA Training Facility FCSA 1000 yard match with 90 degree weather.  Firing ammo created a slight over-pressure with primers falling out of brass upon ejection, but accuracy was great permitting me to win the match after two days of competition.
The AR-50 has served me gallantly through all my mistakes and long learning curve over 15 years of being a FCSA Member (I highly recommend being a FCSA Member).
The rifle is extremely strong to be able to hold pressures of loads I have tested.
I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the "Sporting use of the 50BMG".

Questions: ............
I teach reloading specializing in the 50BMG at my facility near Osceola Wisconsin.   Training is FREE.  You only pay for components used and hopefully will make a donation to my heating fund.
Through my training you will save many dollars because I will tell you what works and what doesn't.

I use Burris Extreme rings with my Leupold Mark IV 8.5-25 X 50 scopes.

The GG&G bipod works well but not best - it has a habit of coming loose during firing.

I made my own bipod and monopod from State Arm equipment. Weight is a concern.

I highly modified the cheekpiece to fit my needs.

I recommend a proper Jewell trigger, but I used a modified stock Shilen trigger.

Learn to reload for best performance and least cost.

Have FUN - Be SAFE.

Congrats on the purchase.
Targetsports still has ball for $2.99 shipped.  Tough to beat that these days for plinking ammo.  Save your brass!
For a scope I recommend and use a Sightron SIII 6-24 or 8-32 in Burris Sig XTR rings.  Use the plastic inserts to bottom your scopes travel just under your zero leaving your entire scopes travel available.
A $50 trigger job if necessary is money well spent.  Or a $100 Timney or $200 Jewell if you're really after accuracy.
I have 3 Lee classic presses lined up.  Decap/size on one, prime on the next, seat on the third one and by then the chargemaster has 215 gains of powder ready for the next round.
I keep mine in a Tac-Force TTS 62" case that is great and pretty cheap.
Have fun!

Picked it up from my FFL yesterday.  This gun looks like it was a piece of artillery removed from a naval warship.  It's gigantic.

Thank you for the ring suggestions, everyone.  Now I need to save up for an optic.  Leaning towards the Nightforce NX8 4-32 or Sightron SVIII 5-40x56.

First impressions... gun is obviously monstrous.  I had to modify the barrel crevices in my safe and turn two into one to fit the gigantic heavy barrel in it.  The gun obviously has to go in with the stock removed.

Trigger is somewhat heavy but has a crisp break.  It feels like it has sharp edges, too.  May end up wanting to swap it to a Timney or something.

Fit and finish is nice.  Bolt is very smooth and locks up tight.  The bolt would also double as nightstick if you run out of ammo.

GG&G bipod feels a bit flimsier than I thought it would be.  I assumed it'd be some all metal powerhouse.  It has some plastic on it and feels kind of light which concerns me a bit.  May have to replace it.

Got 130 rounds of ammo.  100 rounds of Lake City ball, 10 PMC, and 20 Hornady A-MAX.

Took it out to the range and put 10 rounds through it.  Wasn't really trying to shoot accurately, just hitting some cardboard.

All of my .50 time prior to owning the Armalite is behind a Barrett M82, so a bolt is a new experience to me.  The recoil is almost negligible.  It's a very comfortable gun to shoot.

The blast on the Armalite is worse than the Barrett from what I remember.  I seem to remember not being affected at all by the blast from the Barrett when I shot it.  Even with the blast diverter on the brake I still get a lot of concussion back to me from the Armalite.  Recoil impulse seems to be about the same... maybe the Barrett recoiled a little more but I can't recall for sure.  Both guns are comfortable to shoot regardless.

I let a couple guys at the range shoot it and one thing that is always cool is to see a big smile on someone's face after they shoot it.

Overall it's an awesome gun, and I find the crazy concussion to be kind of exciting.  Probably the best money I've spent on a gun.  The excitement of shooting a .50 BMG just cannot be replicated by anything else.  I moved a scope on to it from another rifle to shoot it, but will be buying a Nightforce NX8 for it eventually.

Nice Rifle
You will like it.
One solid and accurate rifle.

I had one with a Nightforce scope- RCBS reloading press- about 80 pounds of powder, 2,000 pieces of brass , 2,500 CCI primers and thousands of military pulled projectiles and around 500 Hornady Amax  bullets.

Lost my job about 14 years ago and sold it off to pay the bills.

How I got my screen name - AR-50 goes BOOM.

FCSA - I remember the Oldman from Wisconsin with all his posts.
He is good info- join FCSA

BoomerMike

Enjoy

Thank you Mike.

I went with Leupold Mk4 rings as 50_Shooter mentioned.  For the scope I put on the Sig Tango6 5-30x56 FFP with MRAD DEV-L reticle.  I also ordered a TriggerTech AR-50 trigger.

Anyone have any recommendations on how to make the ejector stronger?  It's probably not that big of a deal, but I'd prefer cases come out with more authority.  Most of the time when I pull the bolt back the case just sits in the action unless I really pull back on the bolt hard.

Since I roll my own, I like the fact that the ejector doesn't toss them away like a Russian weapon.   I wonder if it was intentional?

Sorry everyone !!!
I haven't been here much lately as I have been dealing with health issues. Currently in process of healing from two surgeries on both legs with addition of stem cells to promote better skin growth on my previous burn tissue which was removed due to failure to remain viable skin. Getting old sucks but beats the alternative.

My AR-50 has been ABUSED and is still going strong and will definitely outlive me.
Each Winter now I disassemble it completely verifying each and every part is in excellent shape and condition.  Some would call this a blue-printing process. The action gets indicated and recoil surfaces are verified to be true to action bore, the face of action is indicated and re-trued as required, the bolt head is chemically checked for cracks and re-lapped to recoil surfaces upon assembly, the barrel gets extensive treatment.

First the barrel is "thoroughly" cleaned over several weeks of attention. After cleaning it is bore-scoped for overall condition. If not excessively heat-checked, typically I would remove 5/8" to 1" and re-chamber using a current designed Manson Reamer for my remaining 808 grain brass solid bore-riders (Lehigh was sold and 808's will not be available again.). Threads can be "picked-up" and extended as needed. On the other end of barrel,, I re-crown and verify rifling exits cleanly. I have found a true 90 degree crown works best for the bore-riders. A clean burr-free exit is required - I verify by checking for burrs with a cotton swab.

I've learned a lot over the years and have tried to help others to the best of my ability. A retired surgeon friend of mine is learning to become a machinist - his attention to detail has taught me a few things also.
In the 2022 FCSA World Championship Match, he WON "Rookie of the Year" and well deserved it with all the work he put into it. (I shot poorly due to fighting health conditions - that's my excuse.)

IF anyone wishes to contact me directly, e-mail me at [email protected] and send your questions and phone number if you want a return call.

I am not a Gunsmith and am not licensed as such. I am a Manufacturing Engineer RETIRED with machinist skills and a good LeBlonde tool room lathe and a BridgePort mill. Both pieces of equipment have been restored and modified for my needs. Installation of digital readouts have been a great addition to both, 2-axis plus 1-axis on tailstock quill on lathe, 4-axis on mill.

Due to reloading techniques requiring minimal damage or change to fired brass casings, I set my extractor and ejector to remove case from chamber only. I reach forward each time to remove the casing, place it in my display block and place a new round in port to be chambered after wind conditions have been re-verified. I full-length resize with 0.002" shoulder bump, Expand necks to 0.002" neck tension, and use "secret" techniqes to "lube" projectiles prior to seating in case neck. I make case comparators and special gages as needed for precise reloading. My full-length resizing dies have been modified for minimal neck sizing on neck-turned fired, cleaned, RUAG PECA brass cases.

More later as needed.      (Off to see the Doctors again today.)

Welcome to the Big 50 Club, I got my AR50 last year myself, so far I have been shooting the PMC Bronze and LC stuff. Love my AR50 and the 50 BMG, it is a blast to shoot, pun intended.

Steve.........

Well, I'm back and it's good to see that there's some more AR-50 owners here.

Been a crazy year, only been out a few times to the range to shoot.




Formally known as 50_Shooter

Good to have you back, man!

Why the new born on date? And name?

So.... are we mod-less in this forum now? Anarchy reigns?

Still shows on the main page for the Armory section as 50_Shooter being the mod. I guess admin needs to move the permissions to his new name

Well, I tried to log back in, forgot my password, tried the password reset...

Emailed to try to get it straight, heard back but still got nothing.

Guess it had been long enough that it took my different profile?

So now, I'm formally known as 50_Shooter, yes, I would like my former self back. I can live with Mk-211, the Raufous round is badass! LOL

I have one of these on the way. Any news or updates anyone cares to share? Will be initially shooting an ammo can of mk33 ball.

Scope is planned to be an Arken EP5.