I'm currently saving up to buy a 50 BMG and am wondering if the M82a1 is worth the considerable cost?  It definitely looks cool.  No doubt about that.  I've also looked at the McBros Tac 50. What are you guys' thoughts?
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I like the Barret myself, one bad assed gun. Bou Cou Bucks, but a semi .50 come on man, get it.

I hear Serbu is making a semi auto .50! Hopefully it will be more affordable than the Barret.

Back when Barrett first introduced the 82's they were going for $2000! I guess it just demonstrates supply and demand.

I don't think the M82 shoots MOA, correct? For long range, you may want something more accurate.

Sharkey, mattja is correct, the M82 is bitchin' squared, but it's got a lot of moving parts.

Check out the Windrunner, McBros has a great rep, the Armalite AR50 looks promising.

I shoot a precision semi 7.62, but it's a 800-100 yard gun.  .50s are good for a lot better than that, so you need to start with the most accurate platform.  

I've got a Barrett M82, a State Arms KC2k and an Armalite AR-50 (coming to me soon).  

Having not shot the Armalite, I cannot verify the accuracy (reportedly VERY good) of the gun.

The State Arms is much more accurate than I am--with good ammo, you are talking 6" groups at 1000 yards with someone who knows what they are doing behind the gun (that would not be me, however).

 That being said, the Barrett is still the gun that catches everyone's eye, is the most fun to shoot, and is still fairly accurate (in the 1.5-2.0 MOA range with good ammo, a good scope, etc).  That equates to roughly all 11 rounds in a 15-20" circle at 1000 yards.  Of course, that means you can dump 130,000 Foot Pounds of energy into a target at closer range VERY quickly (take out the calculator and see how many rounds of .223 are needed to reach that energy level).

The McBros is an excellent gun, and it wins accuracy competetions pretty regularly (as do the State Arms and the Armalite 50's).  

It all depends on what it is worth to you to spend for fun.  There are others--the EDM Windrunner, the LAR, the Serbu, the Ferrett upper, etc.  You may want to see if you can find some .50 shooters nearby to try out what they have to offer.

AFARR

One further point--the gun is only as accurate as the shooter.  How well can you shoot with an AR-15?  The gun is important, along with the ammo and scope (not to mention the environmental conditions), but the shooter is the most important variable in the accuracy equation.

And--even after you get a good .50, don't forget to get a good scope and mount/rings.  You are talking $200 just for a premium quality mount and rings.  Scopes start at $300 (Tasco SS--some like them, some don't) for a bottom of the line scope, and go up from there ($700 Leupold or IOR, $1200 Nightforce, $2000 for US Optics).

They are really cool and all, but I think I would go with the bolt.  If you must, get the repeater bolt and you will still save a few grand.

Thanks for the insight, guys!  As always, your opinions are informed, valued, and appreciated!

No matter what .50 I get, I'll be saving up for it for awhile--just got done paying for my MP5K-PDW!  Unless, of course, they are seriously in jeopardy of being banned, in which case I'll put it on the card!  I'll let you guys know what I get!

Call Kent Lomomt in Idaho, he is a class 3 dealer with a cool selection of 50BMG's.  I have a friend who got an AMAC 50cal from him for 3200.00  I was not impressed with the Barret acccuracy, it has a reciprocating barrel and shot about 3 MOA at any distance making it really lousy at 1000 yds and beyond.  Good for shooting trucks and crap that was about it.