.50 BMG (12.7×99 mm NATO)
Anti-materiel
NATO standard anti-materiel cartridge: from WWI to today, the round of the heavy caliber.
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Overview
Developed by John Moses Browning during World War I (1918) by scaling up a .30-06 and inspired by the German 13×92 mm TuF. Designed for anti-aircraft and light anti-tank machine guns; today it uses API (Armor-Piercing Incendiary), SLAP (Saboted Light Armor Penetrator) and Raufoss Mk 211 multipurpose projectiles.
Specifications
- Bullet diameter
- 12,98 mm (.510")
- Case length
- 99,0 mm
- Overall length
- 138,4 mm
- Bullet weight
- 42–52 g (650–800 gr)
- Typical muzzle velocity
- ≈ 890 m/s
- Typical energy
- ≈ 18.000 J
- Max pressure
- 370 MPa
- Introduced
- 1921
Pros
- +Defeats light vehicles, radars and materiel at 1800 m.
- +Wide range of specialized projectiles.
Cons
- −Very heavy weight and bulk (weapon + ammo).
- −Recoil requires muzzle brakes or mounts.
History and use
Adopted with the Browning M2 machine gun in 1933, still in service worldwide. Also the basis of the Barrett M82/M107 anti-materiel rifle and the GAU-19 minigun.
Weapons adopting it (8)
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