[Rich Z]

I've thought for a long time now that I wish someone would make a .50 short and put it in a self defense handgun package. A .50 diameter, 325 grain bullet being spit out at only 850 fps would be plenty enough power.

So I'm at the grocery store the other day, and the cover of American Handgunner (July/August 2004) catches my eye. Hot damn! I'm sure all the old ladies there seeing me staring at the centerfold and salivating thought I had one of the girlie magazines instead.

But looks like a company called Guncrafter has come out with close to what I want. They have it in a 1911 package, which is too big for me to carry comfortably. Heck, I want something about the size of a Kahr, even if it only carrys three rounds.

This .50GI is about the length of a standard .45 ACP, but fatter, of course. I'm hoping like hell that this catches on and some other gun manufacturers tool up some hardware for it. I think maybe so, since .50s are apparently getting a lot of attention and there is a marketing window open right now.

Oh yeah, another drawback to the Guncrafter's model they are offering. Price really stings. HARD. List price is $2,895!!!!

Heck, I could by another Barrett model 99 instead.

Oh well. At least maybe things are heading in the right direction.

Now if only someone would come out with a domestic .224 Boz equivalent......

 

[andy]

hell Rich, a 6" barreled 9x19 will get

a hollowbased 55 gr bullet to 2250 fps, no problem. So the Boz is a joke. what makes you "think" a 325 gr bullet, at 850 fps is EITHER controlable in a ccw pc, OR much of a manstopper? It wont' expand a jhp reliably in flesh, I can tell you that much. So it will WASTE at least 1/3rd, probably 50% of its 550 ft lbs. It will have the same recoil as 160 grs at 1700 fps, which is a real, REAL bitch to control in a lw compact ccw gun, as you can imagine. 42% more recoil than .45 ACP ball amno. Full charge .45 ACP military ammo is already plenty hard to control in a 24 oz, 7" long gun. Doable, but only by those who REALLY work at it. You want to make it 40% worse, it will be about as "controlable" as a 24 oz 357 Mag, with full charge ammo. Which is to say, not controlable at ALL. It will recoil like a 230 gr bullet at 1200 fps. You aint gonna like that, in anything lighter or more compact than a 1911, I guarantee it.

 

[Rich Z]

So what is meant by "controllable"? The ability to fire mulitple shots in rapid succession? For a self defense situation, with the distances usually involved, how many shots could the average person get off anyway? Didn't someone here get into this discussion recently in relation to a question about reliability?

Instead of firing three 9mm slugs, if I could just get one 325 grain bullet traveling at 850 fps with a half inch frontal cross section into an attacker, I think it would really ruin his day. Is anything perfect? No, not likely. Will it stop him instantly? Maybe, but probably not. But what IS a 100 percent sure thing in a situation like that?

But I sure would feel comfortable, realistically or not, with something like that as my carry gun. Heck with any luck, the bad guy would look down that BIG hole and save me from having to pop my eardrums when I fired the damned thing by just deciding to have a change of plans. In some things, BIGGER is BETTER.

 

[andy]

if seeing a .22 doesn't stop them, they

are too deranged, doped, or desperate to care about a .50,either. Count on that. The number of shots can vary from 1 to 14, depending upon speed of draw and skill and controlability of the load. For instance, say some bozo hasa 357 snub stuffed in his pocket, and his hands are at his sides, and he's no faster on the draw and hit (even from a ccw belt rig) than is the average cop. It will take him over 3 full seconds to react to the beep of the electronic shooting timer, get his hand in his pocket, and get a chest hit at 10 ft, average of 5 tries. Say the guy is in his store, where he can legally wear his P35 Browning IWB, in the open, in a "speed rig" position,muzzle forward rake, in front of his hip. A truly fast man,with such a set up, can react, draw and hit in .70 second,and get repeat hits in an average of .17 second Same 3 seconds, 14 hits.

You know what the cops average, for GOOD chest hits, Rich? One in 6 shots. Look at the Diallo incident. 41 shots fired, by 4 cops, from 5-15 ft, WITHOUT the guy having a weapon, and they hit him 22 times, ONE of which was a solid hit, and killed him. I seriously doubt that your "one good shot" is a reflection of your reality, ya see.

 

[12XLR8]

Hey Rich

Did you try the .50 gi ?
I got the 21sf glock conversion and shot around 200 rds ( well between my friends and I) It shoots great no stopages!

 

[Rich Z]

No, never did follow up on that. Just didn't want to spend $3K for it. Plus I imagine ammo was rather pricey.

So Glock has a conversion for that caliber? Now that might interest me...

 

[12XLR8]

Not really that bad for about $600. bucks for the conversion kit ( Glock 21 ) Upper, barrel, spring included and $.39 cents each for brass and about $100. bucks for 500 bullets it's not that bad.

 

[gripper]

I believe that they are making/soon to be making a Glock 21 conversion unt for this underapprieciated thumper.....just think of it as the Sling of David-albeit with a bigger stone.
Are you listening,Goliath?

 

[Rich Z]

Yeah, I would be interested in something like that to play with.

 

[12XLR8]

The Gun Crafters industries 21 glock conversion is now out. I got mine Janurary 09. Talk to Alex or Jason they're really professional, and send it out fast.

 

[12XLR8]

What's also good about it is it fits in the Glock 21 holster, and the quality and detail is awesome. They really take pride in their work. I can just imagine the quality of the 1911 they make!

 

[NRA UR2]

.50 GI

You can save yourself alot of money and get better results by purchasing a .45 Suoer which will also shoot 45 ACP. The 50 at its speed has no advantages over anything. Its a novelty with no new purpose similiar to th 45 GAP. At least that animal is practically defunct. One of my gunshops has had a 50 in the shop for 2 years and no one has made an offer.:rofl::santa:

 

[12XLR8]

Have you seen the 50GI 230gr. solid copper hollow point?
Before you judge what it can and can't do please check out the SCHP.
MHO half inch hole no matter if it does not expand is a half inch hole.
45ACP ball ammo is still an effective stopper shot thru a 1911.
So wouldn't a 50 ball ammo be a little more effective?
Just my .02 cents worth.

 

[Rich Z]

You can save yourself alot of money and get better results by purchasing a .45 Suoer which will also shoot 45 ACP. The 50 at its speed has no advantages over anything. Its a novelty with no new purpose similiar to th 45 GAP. At least that animal is practically defunct. One of my gunshops has had a 50 in the shop for 2 years and no one has made an offer.:rofl::santa:

Maybe they are asking too much for it......

If a local shop around here had one with a decent price, I'd be REAL tempted to pick it up myself.

 

[12XLR8]

BTW what is the price they're asking for it?