Serbu Firearms RN-50... The Affordable .50 BMG

[17 squirrel]

And you'll end up having to drop more money on a scope than the gun costs to find anything that'll survive. Look at the weight, remember the muzzle energy of 50bmg, then ask yourself what kind of scope can handle the abuse that will deliver. I'd honestly be shocked if anything could survive it..

You can easily spend 400 bucks and get a scope that will survive.
I've been shooting 50 bmg for well over 20 years, I own two of them.
I certainly understand about the abusive nature of shooting them.
How long have you been shooting 50 bmg again ??

Like another member has posted above, shooting one of my lever Browning rifles in 45-70 is ALOT more uncomfortable to shoot.

Using your analogy someone is wasting there time and money buying a 10-22 when you could buy a Kimber, Cooper or a Anschutz for five to 20 times the money..

 

[shibumiseeker]

LAR Grizzly runs about $1600 and was one of the early .50s out on the market. I preferred shooting my LAR more than my AR-50.

 

[Beowulf]

The Grizzly is north of $2k anymore. Looks like the Serbu RN-50 is the cheapest entry point, by far.

As to affording to shoot it, you can still find .50 BMG for right around $2 a round. Given the volume of rounds people typically put through the guns, it's not too crazy to afford.

 

[Tombs]

It's not hard to post up now many 1,000 dollar+ guns + optics do you own ???


Should not the lower cost firearms be available to those who don't want to spend excessive cash or can't afford higher priced firearms ???

You can easily spend 400 bucks and get a scope that will survive.
I've been shooting 50 bmg for well over 20 years, I own two of them.
I certainly understand about the abusive nature of shooting them.
How long have you been shooting 50 bmg again ??

Like another member has posted above, shooting one of my lever Browning rifles in 45-70 is ALOT more uncomfortable to shoot.

Using your analogy someone is wasting there time and money buying a 10-22 when you could buy a Kimber, Cooper or a Anschutz for five to 20 times the money..

First point, not going to play the boasting game.

Second point, not saying lower cost firearms shouldn't be available. I'm saying I don't see what the target audience is for a cheap 50bmg, that's like fuel efficient SUV, or a safe motorcycle. Plenty have been made that are obtainable by mere mortals that are a hell of a lot less crude than a pipe cap on a barrel.

As far as a scope that'll handle a light weight 50bmg for $400, I'd like to see it.

And no, your twist of my analogy falls on its face. Maybe during the great 22lr outage it would have been a little less of a joke.

I have trouble believing a 45-70 is worse than a 17lb 50bmg, I load some barn burners in my marlin and it's jarring but not painful. An old bolt action 12 gauge with 3" remington buckhammers is about the heaviest recoiling thing I've come across.

If I was looking for an inexpensive 50bmg, I'd be checking out tactilite uppers. Few bucks more for a normal action...
Primary point is that if you're trying to scrape the very bottom of the barrel, I'm baffled at how a 50bmg is appealing to you.

 

[17 squirrel]

Your Marlin peaks out at 28,000 psi
My Browning Levers and Browning Highwalls peak out at 38,000 psi.
Nothing against Marlin, but it just will not take the pressure loads that some other rifles will easily do.
Shooting 520 grain Postells in a stiff load will blacken you shoulder.

 

[17 squirrel]

As far as a scope that'll handle a light weight 50bmg for $400, I'd like to see it.

Here's one,,

The SWFA SS, or Super Sniper, is a classic design that after decades of use holds up well. The Super Sniper is a fixed 10 power optic, but don’t let that dissuade you from considering it. Using a fixed power gives the optic fewer failure points and makes it stronger and more affordable. With a fixed power, there are no issues with which focal plane the scope operates on. The price is also slashed significantly for a scope rated for the mighty .50 BMG.

The Super Sniper’s 42 mm objective lens allow the optic to be mounted low, reducing torque on the scope’s body and internals. The glass is remarkably clear and crisp, more so than one would expect from a 400 dollar optic. The scope itself is very high in quality and seems like it should cost significantly more than it does. The Super Sniper is evenly finished in matte black and is tough as nails. In the hand, the optic feels solid, but the proof is in the fact it takes the .50 BMG’s recoil without so much as a hiccup.

The glass etched reticle has a mil dot drop scale for elevation holdovers and windage compensation. The turrets are tactical fingertip adjustable models with ¼ MOA adjustments for easy zeroing at 100 yards. Looking at the world through the SWFA SS is an entirely new prospect for most shooters. There is no way a 400 dollar scope should function so well, and it’s among the best scopes for .50 BMG rifles on the market.

 

[Tombs]

Your Marlin peaks out at 28,000 psi
My Browning Levers and Browning Highwalls peak out at 38,000 psi.
Nothing against Marlin, but it just will not take the pressure loads that some other rifles will easily do.
Shooting 520 grain Postells in a stiff load will blacken you shoulder.

Not sure where you got the 28,000psi, maybe you're thinking of a trapdoor.

Garrett Cartridges Inc.

Good point on the super sniper from swfa, I forgot those were still around.

 

[17 squirrel]

Not sure where you got the 28,000psi, maybe you're thinking of a trapdoor.

Garrett Cartridges Inc.

Good point on the super sniper from swfa, I forgot those were still around.

A Trapdoor is 18,000
Marlin and import reproductions vintage Winchesters 28,000
Modern Highwalls, Browning 45-70 1896's, Ruger single shots, modern falling, rolling and Sharps along with so.e others 38,000.
I don't think your Marlin will chamber a 520 Postell bullet.

 

[17 squirrel]

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[shibumiseeker]

Good point on the super sniper from swfa, I forgot those were still around.

Yeah, it's not like it wasn't mentioned before in this thread

and for $300, not $400.

And they come in 10,16, and 20x, though I found the 20x was too much magnification for the quality of glass in a 42mm objective. I run a 10x on an LR308 currently.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The Grizzly is north of $2k anymore. Looks like the Serbu RN-50 is the cheapest entry point, by far.
.

No argument on the new Serbu being cheapest, but the LAR was always MSRP above $2k, and can often be found new under $2k, usually in the $1800 range but occasionally as low as $1600.

 

[17 squirrel]

Tooms, if you have a Speer manual it will break down 45-70 into three different sections.. Trapdoors, some modern levers and vintage rifles and modern single shots, along with Browning 1896's and modern bolt action and single shot rifles.

 

[17 squirrel]

Yeah, it's not like it wasn't mentioned before in this thread

and for $300, not $400.

And they come in 10,16, and 20x, though I found the 20x was too much magnification for the quality of glass in a 42mm objective. I run a 10x on an LR308 currently.

Yes it was, I should have mentioned that in my post, I apologize sir..
How do you like the 10 power please,
I have a PSS in 223 that I have thought more than once about putting one on it..

 

[shibumiseeker]

How do you like the 10 power please,
I have a PSS in 223 that I have thought more than once about putting one on it..

CB19 had one in 10x on the Rem700 .308 we did our brass life vs annealing test on and I got to spend a fair amount of time behind the trigger as we ran around 1500 shots of which I did about half. So I got one when I had the LR308 I picked up to be a battle rifle and wanted something bombproof to stick on it. The 20x I had on an AR50 wasn't very usable except in good light, but the 10x performs quite acceptably in lower light and I've shot it out to 400 yards and in the same light it is comparable to my Leupold Mark 3 at the same magnification.

I think though for $300 I might get something variable to put on a .223 unless the intention is to beat the gun as it is pretty heavy. I think the SS still has a role in heavy recoiling calibers or where simplicity is desired, but otherwise it is a little long in the tooth.

 

[Beowulf]

No argument on the new Serbu being cheapest, but the LAR was always MSRP above $2k, and can often be found new under $2k, usually in the $1800 range but occasionally as low as $1600.

I did some looking before I pre-ordered the Serbu. I couldn't find one below $2000, but perhaps they've gone up in value?

Regardless, as a left handed shooter, I have to shy away from the bull pup designs anyway. I just ordered a few hundred rounds of the American Eagle 660gr rounds ($2.50 a round, shipped) and an entry level Barska SWAT Sniper 10-40x50. Hopefully, it will make a nice entry level package to .50 BMG.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I did some looking before I pre-ordered the Serbu. I couldn't find one below $2000, but perhaps they've gone up in value?

Regardless, as a left handed shooter, I have to shy away from the bull pup designs anyway. I just ordered a few hundred rounds of the American Eagle 660gr rounds ($2.50 a round, shipped) and an entry level Barska SWAT Sniper 10-40x50. Hopefully, it will make a nice entry level package to .50 BMG.

I wouldn't mind if it's gone up in value, I've been considering selling mine to help fund a Barret M82. But they also aren't real common so you have to look around over time. I got the Grizzly specifially because I shoot rifle left handed and my RH AR50 was not comfortable since you can't shoot it LH. But I really like my LH Ferret50.

 

[1911ly]

I did some looking before I pre-ordered the Serbu. I couldn't find one below $2000, but perhaps they've gone up in value?

Regardless, as a left handed shooter, I have to shy away from the bull pup designs anyway. I just ordered a few hundred rounds of the American Eagle 660gr rounds ($2.50 a round, shipped) and an entry level Barska SWAT Sniper 10-40x50. Hopefully, it will make a nice entry level package to .50 BMG.

Can you PM me with where you found the AE at that price. That's a great deal. I am down to a hundred or so rounds right now.

 

[Beowulf]

PMed

 

[1911ly]

TY very much sir!!

 

[Tombs]

Tooms, if you have a Speer manual it will break down 45-70 into three different sections.. Trapdoors, some modern levers and vintage rifles and modern single shots, along with Browning 1896's and modern bolt action and single shot rifles.

The load data I was using from my loading manual for modern lever actions showed a 405gr hardcast at 1900fps using hodgdon H4198. Are you telling me that's not safe?