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Alexander Arms 50 Beowulf

Related discussion forum: http://www.50beowulf.com/

To answer the most frequently asked questions about the Beowulf:

• Ballistics and penetration: The rounds drop like very quickly after 200 yards, which greatly reduces the risk of collateral damage in shooting scenarios, but this is offset by the massive kinetic energy each round carries at short distances. In short, the Beowulf will happily punch through multiple walls and is not a good choice for an apartment complex home defense round, however its relatively short range does mean it's a fairly safe choice for shooting where you don't have enough visibility to shoot a conventional high-velocity rifle round. For the record, the Coast Guard has used Beowulf rounds to shoot out the engines on fleeing drug runner motorboats.
• Cleaning: The Beowulf is a regular .50 caliber barrel, which means that you can use any boresnake (or other cleaning kit) meant for a 50cal rifle on it. I personally use one that I bought for my 50cal Desert Eagle, because the 50cal rifle boresnakes tend to be made for longer barrels (i.e. 30"+ barrels).
• Cost of operation: Although the ammunition is (presently) single-sourced and expensive, it's pretty economical to reload.
• Recoil: It feels like firing slugs out of a semi-auto shotgun, and it's quite fun.

Precise statistics can be obtained from Alexander Arms, which is the company that developed this caliber.

Only Alexander Arms presently makes completed uppers for the Beowulf.

• Impact Guns frequently has Beowulf uppers.

Satern Machining does make 50 Beowulf barrels, so that folks can build their own upper assemblies.

-- SeanNewton - 28 Jan 2006