Firing the legendary .50 Browning Machine Gun (BMG) round (which is actually .510)
smaller than actual size
For when an S&W 500 is just not enough.
S&W 500 case is 1.625" long
(The Maddi-Griffin fires the .50 BMG military round while the .500 S&W fires S&W's .50 cal. handgun round.)
The person who sold the plans for building Maddi-Griffin rifles and pistols was raided and convicted by the Feds. But, the plans (and guns built from them) are still floating around out there. You're not liking to find who has one of these pistols (leading some to falsely assume they never existed). Believe that if you like. Those having them would prefer you do.
1305Z SUN 02JAN05
Comparing the .50 BMG to the .500 S&W
The two rounds don't really compare. The .50 BMG is a large individual firearm round, exceeded only by the old 20mm anti-tank guns from WWI. The .50 S&W is a handgun round (albiet the largest with handguns and ammo offered by major manufacturers).
The two rounds compare only in the nominal diameter of their bullets. (Actually, the .50 BMG uses a .510 bullet, while the .50 S&W is a true .50 caliber.)
The .50 BMG with a 750gr bullet can be loaded to leave the muzzle (of a rifle with a long barrel) at 2900 fps, giving it a muzzle energy of 13,000 ft-lbs. It still has 7404 ft-lbs at 1000 yds, 3321 at 2000 yds, and 2085 at 2500 yds. (Obviously, the short barrel of the M-G pistol shown above would severely compromise muzzle velocity, but it would still be substantial.)
The .50 S&W with a 400gr bullet has a muzzle energy of 1675 fps and a muzzle energy of 2500 ft-lbs. (less than the .50 BMG has at 2000 yds). Most shooters will probably prefer the lighter 275gr bullet, with a muzzle velocity of 1665 fps and a muzzle energy of 1688 ft-lbs. (less than what the .50 BMG provides at 2500 yds).
There's no comparison in terms of range. A .50 BMG can be fired well past a mile with enough energy left to do some damage. A .50 S&W should be fired within 150 yards of the target.
Wise .50 BMG shooters use a heavy rifle with at least an 18" barrel (30-36" is better) with a brake, firing from a bench rest or prone position. Firing a .50 BMG handgun with two hands borders on being foolhardy. A .50 S&W revolver with a compensator can be fired standing with a firm one-hand grip (though two hands are recommended).
More on the Maadi-Griffen firearm kits and the man who built them
Bob Stewart (of Mesa, AZ), a devout Mormon, named his .50 cal. kits (a low-cost package of parts which one could assemble with some machining to build a .50 cal. firearm -- more typically a rifle -- without a serial number) ‘Maadi-Griffin,’ in reference to the powerful mythical creature of ancient Egypt often used to symbolize Christ’s ascension. Cynics have referred to the Maadi-Griffin (mostly in rifle form) as the "Jesus Cannon."
The long saga of Stewart's run-in with the authorities (which came to a head with a raid on his home shop in 1999) is beyond the scope of this post. A.C.E will probably post on it eventually, after doing more thorough research.
Here's the latest news A.C.E has seen, as of this posting.
The unregistered firearms made from his kits are still out there, and the authorities don't know the whereabouts of many of them.
The authorities are not as worried about the "militias" (who have most of the assembled M-G kits) as they are the "lone wolves" like Timothy McVeigh who interpret the message and mission of the militias incorrectly and commit terrorist acts which kill innocents.
Firing Tips
Ladies, please grip firmly when firing, to avoid breaking your nails.
See a spoof video of a Nuke .50 BMG.
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