Help ID a shell casing
I found a couple of spent cartridges at the range the other day. They are .50 diameter. The (extracter groove?), is smaller then the shell case diameter, like the .41 AE. The rim is marked 50BEO ALEX-A
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance
Dean Cascio[B)]
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance
Dean Cascio[B)]
0
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I believe what you have is some brass from a "Alexander Arms .50 Cal Beowulf". It's a new "Gun Shop Commando", wet dream, phantasy gun/top end made for the AR's. Why and by who this is needed escapes me? Here's a link.
http://www.gunblast.com/50Beowulf.htm
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"rufe" ... super job you totally covered what it is and the who needs it! Just another high priced toy for the "ninja" wannabe's that have more $$$ than gray matter.[:D]
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!0 -
The ID is correct, but this was not originally intended for the militia masses. It was a competitor for the USCG contract for a large bore weapon which would be roughly compatible with the issue weapons. They lost out to LWR, whose cartridge was just slightly shorter and so turned their efforts to LEO and civilian sales. It is being marketed to the LEOs as a door-busting / armor defeating round . . . and, admittedly, to the ninja wannabes for no reason other than to recoup some costs. As others noted, it is essentially a toy - lethal, but still a toy.
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)0 -
quote:Originally posted by Iconoclast
The ID is correct, but this was not originally intended for the militia masses. It was a competitor for the USCG contract for a large bore weapon which would be roughly compatible with the issue weapons. They lost out to LWR, whose cartridge was just slightly shorter and so turned their efforts to LEO and civilian sales. It is being marketed to the LEOs as a door-busting / armor defeating round . . . and, admittedly, to the ninja wannabes for no reason other than to recoup some costs. As others noted, it is essentially a toy - lethal, but still a toy.
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the
French." (Mark Twain)
I'm not understanding this? Why would the Coast Guard be needing some kind of .50 cal phantasy gun?
The pictures, I been seeing of them show pintle mounted M 60's & Browning M 2, 50's.
This comes over like that thing couple of weeks back in the news, where there spending millions of dollars to buy AK 47's to rearm the Irak Army. What a crock of s**t, I like to have a dollar for every AK 47 thats you can buy for chickenfeed in the bazaars overthere now.
Looks like the Coasties are playing the same game. Wonder which polition is getting a under the table payoff for this fiasco?0 -
Thank you for the help.
Dean[:p]0 -
rufe-snow:
There is a lot of "proprietary information" and "classified information" smoke puffed on both the .50 Beowulf & .499 LWR. I'm going to retract my previous assertion of the Beowulf being a competitor; the more I review the documents I have at hand and think about it, the more I suspect both rounds & weapons are produced by the same outfit, albeit - perhaps! - as two different divisions. Both are operate out of Alexandria, VA.
The .499 LWR is in the upper picture, the .50 Beowulf in the lower; hard to these given the enhanced image of the Beo, but it is about .100" longer (the "magnum" version for the ninjas? [:D]) - otherwise the dimensions are identical. The .499 is the FMJ "frangible" "duty" 300gr round issued to the Coasties while the Beo is a 350gr FNSP:
Both are touted for being a "knock-down" weapon, with the LWR having a ME of 3145 ft pounds. It is not a long stretch to presume this weapon is intended for use by boarding parties when they are below or otherwise out of sight of the gunners on the USCG vessels. The LWR has burst fire (three rounds) capability and can be outfitted with a 30 round drum in place of the standard 10 round magazine.
Of all our armed services, I think the Coasties do the most with the least, often using the cast-offs of the "big four" to accomplish what is really the most complex series of responsibilities of any of the services: search and rescue, ice breaking, marine safety in many forms, environmental protection, drug / terrorist / illegal alien interdiction and - historically - in time of war, support of amphibious operations. I've probably left some things out, to boot. They are often overlooked or denigrated, but over the years as I've learned more about them, I have developed a huge respect for the USCG.
I don't think any politician was under the table here. If the Coasties asked for it, they truly needed it and that personal opinion will stand until I see direct evidence to the contrary.
The .50 Beowulf, OTOH, and again strictly JMO, is an attempt by the people who developed the .499 to make some additional profits from additional markets.
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)0 -
quote:Originally posted by Iconoclast
rufe-snow:
There is a lot of "proprietary information" and "classified information" smoke puffed on both the .50 Beowulf & .499 LWR. I'm going to retract my previous assertion of the Beowulf being a competitor; the more I review the documents I have at hand and think about it, the more I suspect both rounds & weapons are produced by the same outfit, albeit - perhaps! - as two different divisions. Both are operate out of Alexandria, VA.
The .499 LWR is in the upper picture, the .50 Beowulf in the lower; hard to these given the enhanced image of the Beo, but it is about .100" longer (the "magnum" version for the ninjas? [:D]) - otherwise the dimensions are identical. The .499 is the FMJ "frangible" "duty" 300gr round issued to the Coasties while the Beo is a 350gr FNSP:
Both are touted for being a "knock-down" weapon, with the LWR having a ME of 3145 ft pounds. It is not a long stretch to presume this weapon is intended for use by boarding parties when they are below or otherwise out of sight of the gunners on the USCG vessels. The LWR has burst fire (three rounds) capability and can be outfitted with a 30 round drum in place of the standard 10 round magazine.
Of all our armed services, I think the Coasties do the most with the least, often using the cast-offs of the "big four" to accomplish what is really the most complex series of responsibilities of any of the services: search and rescue, ice breaking, marine safety in many forms, environmental protection, drug / terrorist / illegal alien interdiction and - historically - in time of war, support of amphibious operations. I've probably left some things out, to boot. They are often overlooked or denigrated, but over the years as I've learned more about them, I have developed a huge respect for the USCG.
I don't think any politician was under the table here. If the Coasties asked for it, they truly needed it and that personal opinion will stand until I see direct evidence to the contrary.
The .50 Beowulf, OTOH, and again strictly JMO, is an attempt by the people who developed the .499 to make some additional profits from additional markets.
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
Thank you for clarifying this matter, wasn't aware of the fine points. I thought it was just so much smoke and mirrors, BS.
I to, share your regard and appreciation for the work the Coasties do.0
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