[PeteZaHut]

I've heard that a 5.56 has had trouble knocking down the enemy for American soldiers. How does the 7.62 compare to the .50 Beowulf round in this?

[JonM]

well the simple fact is that humans are about as difficult to dispatch as a coyote. we simply arent very tough. when hunting deer its all about shot placement. the rounds you mention it is the same thing. the 5.56 is an excellent round for warfare. it is lightweight compact and the average soldier can carry quite a bit of them with little trouble. i toted an m60 in the army when i was doing field duty. the ammo is 7.62 nato it weighs a LOT. a 100 round belt weighs about the same as a m16. less weight means more can be shipped in the same space. up the weight to a bigger round and big logistics problems pop up. a lighter bullet makes the rifle easier to shoot.

the reason the military sticks with the 5.56 is it is a happy medium of compromise between weight, effectiveness, and lethality.

my personal pref is the 5.56 in 55grn out of a 1in12 twist barrel. i also like the 458 socom.

[HKSlinger]

The .50 Beowulf is a mid power cartridge. Its really a modified .50 A&E,as used in the Desert Eagle. However, I believe the company that makes the rifle,Alexander I think,redid the round,and messing with the gas system,has approached the stats of a 45-70. IMO, would be a hard hitting, short range, round.

[Sniper03]

Pete,

You may want to look into a 6.8 SPC AR or Upper. IF you have an AR Presently or purchase the standard 223/5.56 all you need to do is get a 6.8 SPC upper and a magazine and you have a 6.8 SPC. I have killed deer with it and its ballistics are better than the 223/5.56. However ammunition is a little more expensive but now available. Re the Beowulf ammo is only made to my knowledge by the inventor and maybe one other. Rock River has a 458 SOCOM rifle and upper that will also fit on the standard AR Lower and in fact uses a standard AR Magazine. Ammunition is now available through several sources and dies are also available. Has about the same ballistics as a 45-70 at 100 yards. But a lot of bullet. I have shot a pig with it using a 340 gr. Bullet and he was DRT. A lot of choices out there it is mostly what your application is. With good bullet placement the 223/5.56 will do the job. Keep in mind the military has to use the full metal jacket bullet! We do not!
I also have a 6.5 Grendel AR Light Varmint in 18" that is a DRT weapon.

[rguard]

Actually the .50Beo is a completely independent custom engineered round. The brass is made by starlite from the uncut 50AE brass but the bullets and energy output are closer to the 500 Smith and Wesson (I actually use 350gr SW500 bullets when I reload).
The energy is right around 2000-3000 ft./lb at the barrel, depending on bullet and barrel length. But what really separates the Beo from a traditional AR round is frontal area, it is *like* the difference between a needle flying at you vs someone swinging a baseball bat (obvious energy difference there but I am trying to paint a mental picture not compare physics).
Short ver. is Beo is a flying sledgehammer at 200yds or less but quite a liability after that. Oh, and far less rounds fit in a mag (same mag, but where 30 rds of AR fit only 7 rounds of Beo will .. oh, but what fun those 7 rounds are

[WickedEnzo]

What about the .458 Socom? I think that Alexander Arms holds all the ammo for the .50 Beowolf and there are plenty of .458 manufacturers out there. I bought the .458 upper from RR and built the lower with the 2-stage and live it. Ammo is expensive, but this thing rips!

[JonM]

Originally Posted by WickedEnzo

What about the .458 Socom? I think that Alexander Arms holds all the ammo for the .50 Beowolf and there are plenty of .458 manufacturers out there. I bought the .458 upper from RR and built the lower with the 2-stage and live it. Ammo is expensive, but this thing rips!

start loading your own. makes the 458 very shootable.

[canebrake]

If you are thinking big bore, stopping power AR read this:

My AR-45

The Build Time Has Come!