I am looking at an older Serbu .50 rifle that has a serial # below 30.  I have heard that there have been improvements in the Serbu and was wondering this.

Can the upgrades be added to older rifles ?

Yes, give Mark a call when you get it and then send it to him to have all the stuff you want done to it.

What are all the upgrades ?  

I know about the "shark" brake and the brittle bi-pod lug on some models.  Are there any more upgrades ?

The Shark brake and trigger were the only two that I know of. As far as the bipod, he now makes his own instead of trying to find surplus M60 bipods. I didn't hear anything about the lug being brittle.

Yeah, I found a old post that Mark Serbu made explaining the problem with the bi-pod lugs being brittle and said he was sending it "new' lugs to anyone that experienced the problems.

I GOT A NEW .50 BFG YESTERDAY,I ORDERED IT WITH BIPOD AND IT HAS THE NEW SHARK BRAKE,CAN'T WAIT TO SHOOT IT THIS WEEKEND.I'AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE SMOOTHNESS OF THE BOLT AND OVERALL
CONSTRUCTION.I PUT A SPRINGFIELD MILDOT ON IT.
TALKED TO MARK SERBU SEVERAL TIMES,HE IS A FIRST CLASS ACT.    

What ammo are you using?

There's some ammo out there to look out for,
TNW-???'s about where it's from and how old.
Maine Cartridge Company-People have said it's to hot or under loaded.
Dominican Rep. Yellow Tip-This stuff is so bad that the FCSA won't even let you into a match with it!
Yugo IK Headstamp-There were tests done on it and found to be slightly corrosive, so if you shoot it, make sure you clean your rifle with hot soapy water. That will neutralize the corrosive salts from the primer. Make sure to do the muzzle brake and bolt also.


Just remember, buyer beware! Talon,HSM and Ammunition Store have good stuff. Ammoman sells Talon if you need a source. If you buy from a gunshow just make sure your getting good ammo as most of it is remanufactured. Right now Botach Tactical is having a sell on IMI .50 ammo 10rds for $17. This is a good deal if you reload or plan to, IMI .50 brass usually sells for $1 a piece.

Have fun and make sure you have someone take a pic of you right after the first shot.

I GOT SOME YUGO AND SOME API FROM TNW,I PLAN ON
TAKING GREAT CARE OF MY .50 AND WILL CLEAN AFTER EVERY OUTING,NO MATTER WHAT MY WIFE SAYS!
THE API IS REMANUFACTURED SOME OF IT LOOKS EXCELLENT SOME POOR.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY VELOCITIES OR BALLISTICS ON ANY OF THIS AMMO?
I WILL CRONY SOME BUT IT MAY BE A WHILE.

Give us a range report, brother.

SHOT 5 ROUNDS LAST NIGHT AT 100 YARDS,KICKED LIKE A 20GA.MY .300 ULTRAMAG KICKED HARDER.
I DIDN'T HAVE ALOT OF TIME,RANGE CUTOFF IS 5PM
HAD NO REAL TARGET JUST A PIECE OF CARDBOARD SOMEONE HAD LEFT,GROUPED 3",TOMORROW I'AM GOING OUT EARLY TO ZERO MY SCOPE AND PUT SOME HOLES IN SOME REAL TARGETS.WHEN I WAS LOCKING UP THE GATE I CAUGHT MY REFLECTION IN MY TRUCK MIRROR,MAN DID I HAVE A BIG ASS GRIN ON MY FACE!

Good for you man....keep us posted.

akethan.  Where do you shoot at?  I live in Indy, but I am a member of a club near New Pekin (south of Salem, north of New Albany) that goes out to 500 yards and no limit on caliber.

If you ever need a place to really try it out, I would be happy to have you as my guest and maybe pay for a few shots for myself?  I am kind of getting interested in these 50's, and I have NEVER even seen one shot before.

Dude, be careful, cuz one shot is all it takes and you will HAVE to have one!  Believe me

Quoted: akethan.  Where do you shoot at?  I live in Indy, but I am a member of a club near New Pekin (south of Salem, north of New Albany) that goes out to 500 yards and no limit on caliber. If you ever need a place to really try it out, I would be happy to have you as my guest and maybe pay for a few shots for myself?  I am kind of getting interested in these 50's, and I have NEVER even seen one shot before.

That would be great,I live near Southbend and don't get down by Indy much.I have a 3 month old son so my time is spent close to home I have a 100 yard range about 1/4 mile from my house. I'am going to join a club across the border in MI that has a 200 yard range.I shot 10 rounds yesterday to get a starting zero.I put 5 rounds in 2" at 100 with the yugo.It  is a 12' lane with 6' high railroad ties on each side.I was shooting from the prone.The back blast off the ties really pounded my head! Yes USMC_LB everyone that loves shooting big guns should have one.  

akethan, Southbend huh?  Maybe in spring after you get good with it.  I just joined this club thsi year.  They have a full bank of the official long range targets.  Like the Army uses, in the bunker, targets can be moved up and down.  And the berms are nice and raised at each distance.

The neat thing, the club is private, it takes a 4 wheel drive to get back to it, and then you find yourself standing in an old flat river bottom, flat farm country surrounded by steep ridges in all directions and you can see for miles.  Kind of standing in a falt circualr bowl, nothing but tall wooded limestone ridges.

Now the really cool part, On a quiet day, when the wind is not blowing, you sit back enjoy the scenery and your friends, the club property is large, never really that busy, you let off a shot with a 12 gauge slug or large rifle, and the sound just echos all over from ridge to ridge.  What would a 50 do???  Probably close to a religious experience to hear that.

Drop me an e-mail if you find yourself coming towards Indy.  I usually get up to the Rochester area during hunting season, but may not this year.

I know a cool club outside of Winimac I use to be a member of, I just don't get up there much anymore.  I don't know if he could handle 50's there.  I will get you the phone number if you want it.