We’ve talked about the Old-English-named 6.5 Grendel cartridge, but did you know there’s another one that’s named for the man who defeated Grendel? It’s the largest diameter AR-15 caliber available and we’re doing a deep dive into it today.
Big Bad Beowulf
For those unfamiliar with the .50 Beowulf, let’s start with the cartridge’s namesake, which stems from the common literary epic of the same name. If you don’t remember the story (or just cut class) Beowulf, a warrior for the Geats (a Swedish tribe) takes on a host of monstrous villains, including Grendel, Grendel’s mom, and a dragon, and comes out on top every time. SPOILER ALERT: Yes, Beowulf technically dies at the end of the story, but he kills the dragon before it kills him, so he still wins; his goal being, much like most of us, to stop the threat.
See, there’s a lesson for gun guys and gals even in ye olde literature. Anyway, much like the hero of the story, who relied on might, the .50 Beowulf operates in the same way, as it’s the largest commercial (I use that term lightly in this context) cartridge that will fit in the AR-15’s semi-auto action. Bill Alexander of Alexander Arms designed the cartridge to do what other cartridges like the .450 Bushmaster and .458 SOCOM were supposed to do, but even bigger. So, what was that goal?
Harder – Better – Slower – Stronger
To say there were some shortcomings of the 5.56 NATO round would be an understatement, which is why, for a time, the military was looking at modifying the capabilities of its firearm system by fielding a big-bore cartridge. This wasn’t a new concept. A big, heavy projectile doesn’t need a lot of speed to be effective because what it lacks in velocity it makes up for in energy, permanent wound diameter (larger diameter bullets leave bigger holes), and momentum thanks to its extra mass.
You don’t need to be fast if you hit like a truck on impact, especially when shots aren’t far, and you need to get through a barrier to make contact.
Think about it like a hyper car versus a loaded-down semitruck. Yes, the hyper car is faster out of the gate and gets up to top speed fast, but when it comes to plowing through material, the semitruck will drive deeper, just like a big, kinda fast (almost 2,000 FPS isn’t slow by any means) bullet will when it hits a target. Speed can make up for a lot of trajectory, but it can’t hold a candle to sheer force.
After all, let’s keep in mind that the threshold for the speed of sound is roughly 1,125 FPS, meaning a “slow” .50 caliber Beowulf round is still pushing a massive bullet almost twice as fast as the speed of sound.
Math aside, even from a historical perspective, we’ve relied on the concept of “big and slow” in our firearms for centuries. Look at what the .45-70 did back in the day with the cowboys – and we were still using blackpowder back then!
On that note, big and slow won the Revolutionary War, too. And that principle is still used today in big-game hunting in Africa; for dangerous game, many consider a .375-caliber a minimum (some places even make it a law) for hunting animals like Cape buffalo, hippos, and other animals, though many of those cartridges are “slow” by modern speed-demon rifle cartridges like many of the massive magnums.
All that to say, there is a purpose in the .50 Beowulf, and that is to put big holes in bad things, and because it runs in the AR-15 platform, it just takes an upper and a magazine change, and you’re in business. Plus, that puts it in a semi-auto at that point, so if you need to dispense pain quickly, there’s no better gun. Just look out for Newton’s Third Law of Motion; what shoots that kind of projectile is going to have some kick.
Ammo Arithmetic
While all of this sounds great in concept, the kicker to it all is ammo, and I say that in a few different contexts; when it comes to the .50 Beowulf, remember the three C’s: capacity, cost, and convenience.
When it comes to capacity, the .50 Beowulf is going to have to take the L against basically every cartridge. Because it’s so large, the volume a single cartridge takes up in its magazine is significant compared to its counterparts like the 5.56. One magazine (and this is the largest variant offered by Alexander Arms) can only hold about 10 rounds tops, meaning that a single mag of the same size has a third the capacity as your average 5.56. Sure, it’s a lot of lead coming out of the muzzle, but 10 rounds isn’t a lot. Think of it like the AR-15 version of the 1911.
Secondly, consider cost. Your average box of 5.56 ammo will be half to two-thirds as much for the same quantity of ammo. And if you reload, sure, that cost can go down compared to factory ammo, but component cost for .223 or 5.56 ammo goes down, too. The upside is there are some nifty combos out there for reloading.
Lastly, consider availability. Honestly, I’ve never seen .50 Beowulf on shelves; you’ll need to order it online. I found 10 offerings (seven from Underwood ammo, and three from the parent of the cartridge, Alexander Arms) with projectiles ranging from 275-grain bullets to 420-grain bullets going.
Again, you can reload and make your own (Alexander Arms provides reloading data, so that’s nice), but even components are tough to come by; Starline and Alexander Arms are pretty much the lone brass manufacturers. The .50 Beowulf shoots the same bullets as the .500 S&W Mag, which helps, but those aren’t exactly high-volume sellers for companies like Hornady, Barnes, Sierra, Leigh Defense, or other major manufacturers. Still, reloading is possible and makes shooting the cartridge much easier.
Is it a Dog?
So, is the .50 Beowulf a dog that should be put down? Not necessarily, as it does have its place. In hunting, for instance, it’s great medicine for pigs or bears, or anything else that soaks up energy like a sponge. And because it runs in semi-autos, it’s solid for not just one pig, but a whole sounder, provided you have fewer than 10 targets of opportunity and can manage recoil like a boss.
And for the reloader, I’ve got to say, it is a cool niche cartridge that has a lot of potential when looking at bullet availability. Personally, I’m experimenting a bit with the .50 Beowulf, and I found some Barnes 275-grain bullets I’m trying soon, so I’m excited to see what they’ll do out of my .50 Beowulf pistol. If niche cartridges, or dangerous-game hunting is your thing, the .50 Beowulf might be the beast of a cartridge you need for the task.
