The 50 Browning Machine Gun (50 BMG, 12.7X99mm) cartridge was developed by John Browning in 1918. His heavy machine gun was adopted in 1923 and, amazingingly, has been in service ever since. The current military M2 cartridge uses a 720-grain .510-inch bullet at 2810 fps, developing 12,600 ft-lbs of energy and offer an effective range of at least 3000 yards. In a heavy machine gun the 50 BMG is simply awesome, but in recent years Ronnie Barrett's big bolt-actions designed around the 50 BMG cartridge have given this old warhorse an entirely new dimension. Spurred by feats of military snipers in Southwest Asia, civilian long-range shooters are now enjoying the 50 BMG. With new interest and new uses 50 BMG ammunition is getting a much-needed facelift, with both match-grade ammo and bullets designed for hunting being added to the mix.
