Ok, I will be picking up my new AR-50 next week, with 40 minute base.

I'll be shooting 200 to 1000 yards.

What scope do you recommend?

I have an older Tasco that I have used as my load work up scope that I could use its something like 8-24 power.  I also have a Leupold 6.5X 20 I could use.  

What about the Super snipers SWFA is selling?  What power?

What bases?

Which bipod?  Harris ok?

Ammo rec's for brake in?

What 50 cal specific cleaning supplies?

Please forward any sources suggestions along with your rec's.  I want to get everything together before I pick up the rifle.  There's no Hell like looking at a new rifle while waiting for parts before you can shoot it...

Thanks,
Jim

Congratulations on buying a great rifle. For the short ranges you are talking about you may have been better off with the 15 MOA scope base. The 40 MOA is for extended ranges but if you get a scope with enought elevation adjustment you'll be fine.

Most guys "talk" about Leupold and Night Force scopes, but the majority I've seen are sporting everything else with the Tasco Super Sniper seemingly the popular favorite. I personally had a Super Sniper 20X on my AR50 for over two years and 1200 rounds with 100% satisfaction. I recently replaced it with a Springfield Gov't Gen 3. A friend had a SS 10X on his Serbu but replaced it with a 20X just because he wanted more magnification. The AR50 is fairly mild in the recoil department so you may be ok with about any good scope you go with.

I've got the Harris bipod but will replace it with an M-60 bipod some day. The Harris works, just not that well. You can't drag the gun around the table without the legs folding.

For Break-in any ammo should do as long as it isn't corrosive. Talon, Yugo, etc. It is all good plinking ammo. Stay away from Maine Cartridge Company,TNW,Yellow Tip Dominican, and anything make prior to 1954 (corrosive). Yugo is said to be mildly corrosive but no one has reported having any trouble with it.

I clean mine with a USGI M2 cleaning kit. Paid $19 on ebay for it. For the chamber I went to Home Depot and bought a refrigerator coil cleaning brush. Works great.  

You bought a top of the line .50 so why put a $300 scope on it? Buy a Nightforce.

My AR-50 with a 8.5x32x56 Nightforce

The Armalite is Top of the Line? I'd say its more of an entry level gun. Robar, Windrunner, Accuracy International, McMillan, etc. Those are upper grade rifles. The $1300 Night Force is a nice scope but it can't do anything a $600 Springfield can't do plus with the saving you can buy a lot of accessories and ammo. Not trying to start an arguement, just my opinion.  

McMillian, Windrunner and all of those are a waste of money IMHO, the AR-50 for the money is better than the Serbu and Barrett which are in it's class. Nightforce optics have the reticle etched on the glass, the crosshairs can't break like in a Springfield.

Check this site out www.50cal.cjb.net for some AR-50 stuff, click on the pics to see a bigger picture. Armalite sells his stuff, go to their website and check it out, look for the "Prince" products. I'm not sure if they still sell the bolt release thumbscrew, if not contact him off the website. It's probably one of the best things to get, trying to mess with the stock release bolt while breaking it in will drive you nuts! The bipod adaptor, bipod and monopod are all great features, the Harris bipod is to wimpy for the AR-50!

Try Lock, Stock and Barrel www.lockstock.com for your cleaning supplies. I got a 60" Boretech cleaning rod from them, you'll need a long one or you'll drag your knuckles on the stock, trust me, been there done that. Make sure to get plenty patches, copper solvent (I prefer Boretech), a good jag and some bore brushes. Don't waste your time on a boresnake, for the amount of cleaning you'll be doing while breaking it in, you'll regret it.

I think you meant 50 MOA rail right? I know of only the 15 and 50 MOA rails that Armalite makes. So if you have the 50 MOA rail, your going to have a hard time using it at close ranges. My NF is 8 clicks up from the bottom and is on at 700 yards with the 50 MOA rail. If your max range is 1000 yards, you might want to order the 15 MOA rail and use that. If your Leupold has Mil-dots, you could always hold under for targets that are closer.

You can use your Leupold, it will handle the recoil and they have a lifetime warranty. I use the Leupold Mk-IV rings in super high and they work great. You'll need the SH rings so that the bolt will clear the cheekrest.

Go to Ammoman www.ammoman.com and pick up some Talon .50 for your break-in. It's good plinking ammo and if you want to move up to something better try HSM AMAX www.thehuntingshack.com as they seem to have the best price.

Quoted: McMillian, Windrunner and all of those are a waste of money IMHO, the AR-50 for the money is better than the Serbu and Barrett which are in it's class. Nightforce optics have the reticle etched on the glass, the crosshairs can't break like in a Springfield.

I suppose its possible for the reticle to break on the Springfield, but its also highly unlikely. I guess this is a point in the Super Sniper's favor since it too has etched glass. So, spend $300 on the SS and you have $1000 to spend on a Lieca 1200yd range finder, Prince 50 Bipod, Soft Case, and about 3 cans of ammo from the Ammo Man.

Your serious? $300 on the scope and a $1000 rangefinder?

For a great scope keep an eye out for a used L&S MK4, 10x or 16x, thay can be found in the area of $700-900. I prefer the 16x since it has 140 minutes of elevation. 10 to 20 power work best on 50's, when you go over 20x mirage becomes a big problem. The AR50 is a super buy for the dollar and they shoot great with low recoil, less that some of my other 50's.

Quoted: Your serious? $300 on the scope and a $1000 rangefinder?

Nope. Three hundred for the scope with $1000 left over for the range finder plus the other goodies. I just got back from Knob Creek and saw plenty of 50's topped with Super Snipers.

Thanks for all the good info folks!

Scopes:

I'm still stuck between fixed and variable power.  When target shooting I never seem to need to dial down my scopes, except the boosted leupold (by premier)if the mirage is bad.  However, when we go 'rock and stick hunting' (400-1000+yards) I find myself dialing down to scan and then to dialing up to max when in the general target area.  While I mentioned in my post that I would probably shoot some close range stuff (200yds) this will be done mostly when I'm just too lazy (or the truck is clean) to drive to my buddy's 1000+ range about 15-20 minutes away or taking one of my "guns scare me" inlaws from the big city.  So I'm stuck between variable and fixed - I really dont shoot anything with a fixed power scope, but I have a few rifles that I almost never change the magnification on.  So...  My thoughts are Nightforce - nice glass, but very pricey, leupold - some questions as too how well it will hold up on other boards but hell having broke there scopes before, they will fix them.  Nikon - nice glass, decent price. Tasco - fixed or variable power, not as clear as leupold, nightforce, but damn close, CHEAP, may have warrentee issues, but at the price may be worth the chance. Zeiss -great glass, theyve never let me down before, and price is very close to leupold.

Rings - I think Im going with standard height Badger rings.  Will these work?  Or do I need more height?

Cleaning stuff:  I think Im going to wait until I go to the gunshow this coming weekend so I can 'see it in the flesh' before I commit.

Bipod - Planning on using a harris for now.  At least, until I find an adjustable height 'pod that's beefier (is that a word).

Ammo - buddy from TN, just sent me 50 rounds of yugo and some spotter/tracer hand loads.  Buddy from NE, is sending me some a-max loads.  So I think I'm good to go there for a bit.

Well let me know your thoughts and if I'm getting the right stuff.

Thanks,

Jim

Yugo has been tested and found to be mildly corrosive, tracer compound is corrosive also, be sure to clean accordingly.

If your using a scope with a 30mm body and an objective lens bigger then 40mm you'll need rings high enough for the bolt to clear the cheekrest. If the scope sits to low, when you open the bolt the handle will hit the cheekrest.

You can also look at IOR Valdada scopes, their glass is excellent and I've never heard of anyone having a problem with them. If you want a deal on a scope, go to Biggerhammer and look up "Don". He seems to get some good deals for the guys on the board.

Personally I wouldn't shoot milsurp ammo through it, I buy mine from Arizona Ammunition.

www.arizonaammunition.com/

Russell from Cav-Arms says it best "Why buy an expensive American gun and run cheap overseas ammo through it".

I have the Harris bipod on my AR-50 and it just isn't up to the task, you can get the one made for Armalite from a guy on Biggerhammer that makes them for Armalite for $20 cheaper than you would spend if you got it from them Armalite...did that make sense??

Don't forget "eye relief."  Get a scope that has enough.

Quoted: Personally I wouldn't shoot milsurp ammo through it, I buy mine from Arizona Ammunition. www.arizonaammunition.com/ Russell from Cav-Arms says it best "Why buy an expensive American gun and run cheap overseas ammo through it". I have the Harris bipod on my AR-50 and it just isn't up to the task, you can get the one made for Armalite from a guy on Biggerhammer that makes them for Armalite for $20 cheaper than you would spend if you got it from them Armalite...did that make sense??

Prince is the guy he means.  do a search for his name when you get to biggerhammer and email him

The folks at Fair Deal Gun actually manufacture a bipod for the AR-50 / AR-30 that is pretty close to the Prince bipod for only $150. Found them on GunsAmerica. Had bipod in 4 days after order. Their E-Mail [email protected]

Wednesday after work is the big day - Im going to pick up the beast.

I'm going to order the monopod and thumbscrew set from 'Prince' tommorow.  He's out of bipods for a few weeks so I'm going to continue the search (well, that and the fact that I'm fast approaching the 'sell your plasma level' buying 50 gear).  The heavier duty bipods look nice but are they height adjustable?  It always seems that I end up having to move one leg up or down on my harris bipods.

Im down to leupold 8.5X25 vs. the nightforce 5.5X22 but I think I'll wait until the guns show this weekend to decide.

Make sure to check SWFA's

www.samplelist.com/

He has really good deals on like new scopes.