{"id":242,"date":"2019-09-29T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-29T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.gunmagwarehouse.com\/wp\/50-beowulf-the-most-fun-ar-15-caliber\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T14:26:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T20:26:20","slug":"50-beowulf-the-most-fun-ar-15-caliber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/50-beowulf-the-most-fun-ar-15-caliber\/","title":{"rendered":".50 Beowulf | The Most Fun AR-15 Caliber"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gearing up to take your AR-15 to the range? Have you thought at all about going “big bore” – as in the .50 Beowulf?<\/em><\/p>\n

If you’re looking for a sheer adrenaline rush every time you pull the trigger, know that every round isn’t created equal.<\/p>\n

The most common choice is an AR-15 in the standard .223\/5.56 NATO<\/a>. It\u2019s sufficient when it comes to stopping power, you can shoot it accurately to about 300 yards and best of all, it\u2019s inexpensive, allowing you to get more practice in without going broke.<\/p>\n

But there are many other calibers out there for the AR-15, and even though I love .223 ammunition<\/a>, I\u2019d be lying if I said it was the most fun to shoot. That honor goes to a round with some serious stopping power \u2013 the .50 Beowulf.<\/p>\n

Note: this article about originally ran in August 2017. Since we’ve seen some new caliber comparison articles pop up recently it seemed like a good time to republish this. We’ll periodically update this article with links to pertinent information on other publications. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The Numbers on the .50 Beowulf<\/h3>\n

A 400-grain .50 Beowulf cartridge hits 1,800 feet per second, making it one of the slower AR-15 cartridges.<\/p>\n

\"Ammunition<\/p>\n

It hits with a mammoth 2,878 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, and it drops 50 inches by the 300-yard mark. This is definitely a short-range round intended for close-quarters combat, as its maximum effective range is about 200 yards, and it\u2019s more fun to shoot between 50 and 150 yards.<\/p>\n

What Makes the .50 Beowulf the Most Fun Round<\/h3>\n

First, a few words of warning about shooting .50 Beowulf rounds from an AR-15 \u2013 it will be very loud, meaning you better not forget to put your hearing protection on<\/a>. Expect the recoil to be heavy, as well.<\/p>\n

Of course, the noise and the recoil are both part of the fun. Shooting is always an exhilarating experience, but that\u2019s even more true when you\u2019re firing shots that can punch a hole in a truck.<\/p>\n

If you just want a gun to shoot at the range, an AR-15 in .50 Beowulf will provide plenty of excitement, and you\u2019re sure to get people\u2019s attention while you\u2019re there. You may have people coming up to you asking what you\u2019re shooting.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re planning to go big game hunting in the near future, this round is an excellent choice. You won\u2019t find many if any, animals that can survive getting hit with one of these cartridges.<\/p>\n

The obvious drawback with this caliber is that unless you\u2019re fortunate enough to have a limitless ammunition budget, you won\u2019t be able to shoot as much. Prices for these cartridges are steep: over $1 per round and can even be over $2 per round, depending on what you choose.<\/p>\n

One way to save a little more money for that ammunition is by choosing a more affordable AR-15 model. And one of the benefits of going with .50 Beowulf is that you can still use the same magazines that you would with .223\/5.56 NATO ammunition; you\u2019ll just have a much lower capacity.<\/p>\n

The only parts you need to swap out to turn an AR-15 chambered in .223\/5.56 NATO to one in .50 Beowulf is the barrel and the bolt carrier group. You can also simply purchase an upper receiver to swap onto your lower and make it easier.<\/p>\n

Finding Your Favorite Caliber<\/h3>\n

I\u2019m obviously a fan of this .50 version, but what\u2019s nice about the AR-15 is that you can find a caliber to fit what you want to do with your rifle.<\/p>\n

If you want top-tier performance from a short-barreled rifle and less noise when you fire your gun, .300 BLK rounds<\/a> will be just what you need. For long-range shooting, 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC are both effective to almost 500 yards.<\/p>\n

Personally, I prefer other rifles for long-range shooting, and when it comes to the AR-15, I appreciate pure power. That\u2019s why when I want to have fun and I have some cash to spare, I go with .50 Beowulf.<\/p>\n

.50 Beowulf ammunition<\/h3>\n

If you’re looking to learn more about this cartridge, check out John McAdams’ article on The Big Game Hunting Blog.<\/p>\n

\"50
McAdams compares the 50 Beowulf, 450 Bushmaster, and 458 SOCOM in his article.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"50
“…hunters desiring a big bore AR…have three mainstream choices: the .450 Bushmaster, the .458 SOCOM, and the .50 Beowulf. All three cartridges are solid performers and there is quite a bit of overlap in their capabilities. That being said, each has different strengths and weaknesses that you should be aware of…” John McAdams<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

.50 Beowulf ammo from a shotgun?<\/h4>\n

Well…why not?<\/p>\n