I just ordered a Hesse Arms .50BMG a couple of days ago, and should get it next week. Has anyone here shot one to give me some feed back. I was told by some, it shoots real good.

who did you get yours through?

Various posts by Winston_Wolf:

... Well, even though I ordered an Advanced Long-Range Systems, LLC upper AR15-.50BMG conversion last Friday I decide to buy the Hesse pictured above today as well. ... I'm in the engineering business and have many Stress engineering and metallurgist acquaintances. I'll magnuflux the action and remote fire some hot loads. For $1199 I guess I can always take it up in small claims if it doesn't perform. ... If it is simply workmanship not up to my expectations I'll just sell it. ... My curiosity is just too high I guess. I just have to see one up close. ... The USPS MO hasn't mailed yet (tomorrow), any last comments from the experts here?

... Out of curiosity and the inexpensive price I bought one a few days ago. My take: - Machining work was excellent from a superbly and functionally perfect brake to bolt and action. - Nice Picatinny rail - Without serious sighting time she seems to be quite accurate even with M2 Ball - Stock is ergonomically comfortable but a real shitty finish. I had the stock sanded down, walnut stained and satin finished. Had all metal Parkerized and Moly coated for a more tactical appearance. ... I must say, I too was extremely reluctant on the purchase but promised to withhold judgement until I could make an objective assessment line item by line item. My recommendation? If you're in a $1100 budget range and must have a 50BMG then this needs to be a contender in your decision process. Granted, I invested another $200 in the refinishing however I do that to most all weapons I build/own. ... Heck, you could always turn around and sell it at a funshow for $1500 if you had the strength to lug the monster around!

... I cycled only 25 rounds Saturday, mostly just to season and swab the barrel after each firing. Cannot provide a detailed range report with that few firings. She painted a 1 MOA at 150 yards with 4 of 5 last rounds shot w/o cleanings between. Upgrading the Pentax Lightseeker when I can afford. ... I even shot it offhand a couple times

B4Ctom1, I ordered it from JoeKen Firearms.

me too, with all the bells and whisles though

Thank GOD I'm far away from DE.  Good luck.

B4Ctom1, What kind of ammo are you using. It is not recommended to use the military surplus. I want to order around 100 to 150 rounds, but want to make sure it will work in the Hesse.

That was the other thing, since I ordered mine with everything back in the end of Aug, I still havent received it because they are pumping out the regular rifles to keep the bills paid. they are a two to three man operation and they sell alot of other products. Ken told me recently that he would try to have it to me before X-mas. There is a 50 BMG ammo link on the Joeken website if you look around. I got some from Watsons weapons and 20 rounds of Igman yugo ball from AIM, all as an experiment to see what will work. I know one thing, avoid ammo with the heavy dome shaped machinegun primer and ammo made in the that is like 20 years or older. there is a good article about buying ammo at the FCSA website and tom at the ammuniton store can tell you some about it. the serbus were having the firing pin retention damaged from that old WWII era heavy primer AP. Except updated ones. In retrospect the Serbu would have been a better rifle for me because I like to blast.I have two rounds of that on display on my TV that I got along time ago from TNW. TNW tells you that they're ammo is more for machineguns and they dont make any promises about consistency or function in rifles. The ammo watsons sells (I got about 100 rounds of various types) looks very nice there are two tiny linear pull marks on some of the bullets. but Im not exactly going to be competing with these rounds at a special shoot. I bought this rifle for one reason making big deep holes in stuff like old appliances, cars, and junk. I might try a few long target shots (600-1000 yard range) to make sure she is sighted in right. if some of these rounds wont fit (some of the Igman yugo looks like it might not because the bullets are seated crappily canted. but thats OK because Im gettin a puller and reloader all the ammo watson sells has a lighter newer style primer and the Yugo does too. I would like to get a Hesse action and a M2 aircraft barrel to build a cut down 20" blaster ( to shoot all ammo ) as opposed to this nicer shooter.

I will just order the ammo from JoeKen on Monday. I ordered my Hesse last Monday and was told it would be shipped out the following week. Hopefully I will get a by Friday or the following week.

Range report my friend.

I must admit that for $1100 I'm very interested in this rifle.  Tell us more...  How's the recoil compared to say a 300 Win Mag?

I got to shoot an AMAC at the range a few weeks ago and have had the 50 bug since.

As soon as gun and ammo get here I will go to the range, weather permitting... And I will give feedback.

I got the Hesse today. Everything looked good except the finish work on the stock. Real rough and requires some work. Waiting on ammo to see how it shoots.

Thanks for the up date.

Quoted: I must admit that for $1100 I'm very interested in this rifle.  Tell us more...  How's the recoil compared to say a 300 Win Mag? I got to shoot an AMAC at the range a few weeks ago and have had the 50 bug since.

People ask me all the time how it kicks, I have fired an M95 Barrett but it had a very efficient brake on it and it didnt kick too hard. I havent recieved my Hesse yet but when people ask me if it will kick hard, I just tell them "I hope so, I certainly hope so..." But then again Im kinda sick that way. Now I look at that picture of the south african/Russian 20mm rifle and its huge shells and say "Hmmmm, I wonder...."------ SOME 20MM RIFLES CLICK HEREhttp://club.guns.ru/images/ntw/ntw2-sm.jpg

I have 2 rounds for the .50BMG, one is ball and one is a incendiary round. The ball ammo goes right in but the incendiary round won't let the bolt close??? I have measured both with my micrometers and they appear the some dimension?? There is no dents or anything that looks like it would cause it not to work. I hope JoeKen gets in there ammo, I have 200 rounds on order there.

B4Ctom1,I hope all the work you are getting on your Hesse comes out good. The stock I received is in need of wood working.

where did you get the ball round? I hope it does too (have a nice finish)because I have had to wait since the end of august (back when I ordered it) to get it. Mine cost over $2k because of the premium options (all the bells and whistles). I would recommend against any ammo with the dome shaped brass primer (older ammo)I have a few rounds of this and it has a very thick primer which is prone to hang fire and piercing (both bad)I intend to use them for display and may tear them down for reload someday.

B4Ctom1, I got the 1 ball round at a local gun show a year ago. I have been waiting for another to come around but not enough venders to have one this year.

the FCSA "very high power magazine next mo is going to address the fit and quality of the yugo ball (Igman)

The Yugo .50 is fine but there was the question about it being corrosive. Keith Pagel from FCSA ran tests on the '88 stuff and said it was slightly corrosive, took two weeks to show any signs. There's nothing wrong with corrosive ammo, you just need to clean accordingly when you get home from the range. That means using hot soapy water to neutralize the corrosive salts from the primer. Make sure you clean the barrel, muzzle brake, bolt....

The stuff that I shot through my AR-50 seemed a little on the hot side, remember that it's loaded for a M2. If you want some good remanufactured surplus stuff to shoot, buy some Talon from Ammoman.

Ive been curious about that. I have been looking at some of the new 62 gr. blacktip AP 223 Igman just imported too. The Igman 50 I have is '98. I am going to test it because I have an allergy to alot of the com-bloc ammo's sulfides (hives). I have to fire expensive ammo in my SKS :-( I want to test some of the central african Cheetah 7.62x39 to see how it is too.

Haven't heard about the '98 stuff yet, hopefully in the next FCSA issue he'll have alot more info.

Buyer beware, there's some places that are selling Danish .50 BMG. It's not Danish, it's Yugo stuff. Keith bought some and when he got it, it had the IK headstamp for Yugo.

Wonder if the people that sell the Cheetah stuff have any access to .50 BMG?

The way I understand it the cheetah is only 7.62x39 made in liberia or somewhere around central africa on russian machinery with some combloc cmponents and some south african

Hozer, a small range report. I shot 20 rounds of talon ammo. 100 yds due to snow. Sighted in rifle. great groups, most groups under 1 1/2 inches at 100 yds. My last 3 shot all grouped touching, a great end to a shoot. (Nice Clover Leaf) I am very impressed with my Hesse .50 BMG.

Glad to here its good to go! How is the fit and finish to the receiver? Picts please!!

The receiver fit is real good. When I first operated the bolt it was a little tight, but after working it and lubricating the bolt it is smooth now. The finish on the receiver looks very good also. The stock needs a little work though. I will have to take some pics to post.