Barrett M82 .50BMG for Squirrels?

Rick in Oregon · Post by **Rick in Oregon** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:59 pm

Right after the first Gulf War, a certain scope company received some Barrett M82 .50BMG sniper rifles back from the Navy SEALS that needed new M4 scope cams recalibrated for bullet drop for the ammo they were using.

The SEALS were using the Barrett's to take out SCUD missles, as one shot from a sniper team from long range would penetrate the missle fusalage and render it unoperable.

When the rifles came back (two of them), my buddy who is a liason to the Teams, brought them up to my place so we could test the drop cams at long range, and we thought we'd try them on squirrels, as the season was in full swing. The shots below are from that day....the squirrels were in some deep doo-doo, let me tell you.

Here's a shot of my buddy's son holding one of those beauties.

Here's how the Navy has them cased; in Mil-Spec Pelican Cases.

We were plinking squirrels right at the base of that butte in the background, just over 1,200 yards away by Geovid laser.

Here's one of the beauties ready to rock.

And just for comparison, here's a .223 Remington alongside a .50BMG round.

Another day of varmint fun I'll never forget. We looked around for coyotes, but I think the noise from that session had them all headed for the next county.

trdtoy · Post by **trdtoy** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:39 pm

Holy crap!

Nice shootin! I've always wanted a 50bmg for long range shootin.....but on squirrels.....

.....can you say overkill!

Ryan S Albright · Post by **Ryan S Albright** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:45 pm

Only in America! Let Freedom Ring! Yahoo! God Bless open Space!

Varmonter · Post by **Varmonter** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:27 am

1200 yards

Don't ya think that was kinda close>>>LOL

Murphy · Post by **Murphy** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:26 am

What scope is on it??

MK4 10x40 ??

Rick in Oregon · Post by **Rick in Oregon** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:57 am

Well, 1200 yards could be considered "mid-range" for the .50 BMG, as it's effective combat range is 2500 yards.

The scope is a Mk-4 16x40mm w/mil-dot reticle. Pretty effective rigs. I can only imagine the rush torchng one off and nailing a SCUD hidden away from our air support. It sure saves on JP-5 jet fuel.

Murphy · Post by **Murphy** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:52 pm

How big did the squirrels look on 16X at 1200 yards??
I would imagine you just put the crosshairs on them and they vanished?!!

Rick in Oregon · Post by **Rick in Oregon** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:19 pm

We had to use a spotting scope to even find them initially, then once you knew the general area to look at, they appeared as the tiniest dot imaginable. You're right though, they disappeared in a huge cloud of dust at impact. We have no idea at all if we even hit one, but that was not why the 50's were there.

We did shoot a few quartz deposits on that bluff, and we could clearly see those impacts at 1200 with bino's.

Rugerdogdog · Post by **Rugerdogdog** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:10 pm

God Bless the U.S.!!! And I wish I was made of money!!!

MrPillow · Post by **MrPillow** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:45 pm

I opened this expecting a M28a1.

Good fun none the less. I wish I was you >.<

Ruger No. 1 · Post by **Ruger No. 1** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:33 am

The 50. BMG's are so cool I sure wish I had one.

Verminator2 · Post by **Verminator2** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:04 pm

Wouldn't your shoulder get sore after all that? How much do they kick?

WrzWaldo · Post by **WrzWaldo** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:52 pm

Not all that bad with a compensator.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9MeJRAT8dc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDbvyJPULmk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJZKSF3kRZQ

Other examples of recoil.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/phot ... 30,00.html

Rick in Oregon · Post by **Rick in Oregon** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 11:53 am

Ver2: No, no worries on that score. As the Barrett M82 was designed primarily for military use, the buttstock has a well designed recoil reducing mechanism that virtually reduces recoil to a very manageable level. With the addition of that, and a very effective and efficient muzzle break, recoil is reduced to that of about a .30-06, and is quite comfortable to shoot for extended periods.

We shot that puppy all day at ranges from 300 yards, well past 2,000 yards, and both the comfort level, and the first shot hit probability at extended ranges were both surprising to me. I had previously had some experience in SE Asia in '66 with the Browning M2 .50BMG, but this weapon is a whole new ball game.

The only person I'm aware of that used the M2 for deliberate accurate shooting in a combat environment, was Gunnery Sargent Carlos Hathcock, USMC, in '66 on Hill 55 in the Central Highlands, with the aid of a Unertal 8X scope, with the weapon set on single shot. He recorded a first shot hit on the enemy at a measured 2,600 yards. THAT, my friend, is shooting!