MidSouth Shooters SupplyRepackboxLee PrecisionLoad Data
Reloading EverythingWidenersInline FabricationRotoMetals2
Titan Reloading
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 45

Thread: 50 GI:....Anyone care about this round?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    159

    50 GI:....Anyone care about this round?

    Not many people shooting or even know about this round. I purchased a Guncrafter 1911 in this caliber last year and have now fired over 500 rounds without a single problem. I’ve settled on a .502” 275gr FP cast bullet at about 850 FPS. Recoil is very manageable and this bullet hits hard. Brass is easy to find because of its size and for ageing eyes leaves a big hole in the target to see. There has to be a few 50 GI shooters out there. Anyone else feeling the love for the 50 GI?

  2. #2
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    ohio
    Posts
    569
    I've eyeballed it a few times , component prices are slowly coming down making it a bit more interesting.

  3. #3
    Vendor Sponsor

    DougGuy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    just above Raleigh North Carolina
    Posts
    7,394
    A friend and CCW course instructor has two of them, both made when gold was cheaper to buy per ounce. I think it's rather comical to witness tossing a live 230gr hardball round down the barrel on the 50 and watch it bounce loosely and fall out the locked open slide.

    Many years ago a cop once asked me why I carried a 45 and I told him "because they don't make a fifty." Look on his face = priceless!

    I'll have to change that now to "because I can't afford a fifty!"
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    SW Florida
    Posts
    392
    I kinda love it.... I have several guns chambered in 50GI, I have several DI AR15 uppers a couple of encore barrels as well as a couple of Glock conversions. What mold are you using? I have several from about 250gr all the way up to 500gr for the 50GI (no the 500gr bullets don't fit in the Glock or 1911 mags, I run them in the AR15's and encore barrels.) The 50GI is a very versatile cartridge especially if you reload. Is it a 50AE or 500 S&W not even close but with 350gr to 400gr bullets it is very fun to shoot and not get beat up. Don't get me wrong I still love my 500 S&W but I shoot more 50GI and don't have sore wrist afterwards

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    Plate plinker's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    2,297
    I like it Guncrafter Industries is legit. A 50GI. Knocks the poop out of a bowling pin.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    159
    I understand the glock conversions work very well. Never heard any negative feedback on them. An AR15 in 50 GI would be fun to shoot. Kind of like a 500 linebaugh special with those 350-400gr. bullets. The factory loaded rounds get a little expensive to shoot so I decided to shoot cast bullets and since I didn't see any bullet molds I liked fired up the CNC milling machine and Lathe bored my own. I settled on a 275 grain bullet. I posted on 1911 addicts a while back about getting the 50GI to shoot and how I made my own molds.
    Last edited by krems; 02-14-2019 at 07:18 PM.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    GARD72977's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    TUPELO MS
    Posts
    1,726
    This would make an awesome carbine cartridge.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    TheGrimReaper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Fayetteville,TN
    Posts
    909
    Quote Originally Posted by krems View Post
    I understand the glock conversions work very well. Never heard any negative feedback on them. An AR15 in 50 GI would be fun to shoot. Kind of like a 500 linebaugh special with those 350-400gr. bullets. The factory loaded rounds get a little expensive to shoot so I decided to shoot cast bullets and since I didn't see any bullet molds I liked fired up the CNC milling machine and Lathe bored my own. I settled on a 275 grain bullet. I posted on 1911 addicts a while back about getting the 50GI to shoot and how I made my own molds.
    That is just too neat!!!

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Pleasant Hope MO
    Posts
    2,225
    I have shot the 50 GI during one of my visits to Guncrafter Industries, they are fun and have came close to buying one but I mostly stick with guns for IDPA matches.

  10. #10
    Moderator
    Texas by God's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    14,333
    I guess if I find something that resists my 230gr FP at 900 fps from my .45 ACP I'll look into one.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Boolit Master Handloader109's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    NW Arkansas
    Posts
    2,505
    For you guys that haven't seen the ammo, here you go. Left is a .357 Mag Hornady XTP, Center is the 50GI, and right is a 125gr 9mm
    Front is the expanded bullet they sell. Copper, Solid Copper HP.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	50gi2.jpg 
Views:	47 
Size:	38.1 KB 
ID:	236073Click image for larger version. 

Name:	50gi1.jpg 
Views:	50 
Size:	45.7 KB 
ID:	236074

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    159
    That expanding copper HP is wicked. Expands to 1” diameter. Factory Load ammo with those bullets from Guncrafter is showing:
    185 gr - 1200 FPS
    230 gr - 1000 FPS
    They do a number on watermelons and milk jugs in the videos I’ve seen.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Lincoln, Nebraska
    Posts
    6,063
    With that expansion width I would guess the penetration is rather low.

  14. #14
    Banned








    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    munising Michigan
    Posts
    17,725
    big wicked hps? We tried cast 512s in the linebaughs on buffalo that had huge hp cavitys and expanded about like that. What we found is they would MAYBE make it 6 inches into a buffalo (we shot 3 with them) and all three had to be put down by other guns. Now where that round would shine is with a good flat nosed hard cast bullet that's already as big as an expanded 357 bullets and has the weight to push in deep and is hard enough to break bone without deflecting or stopping. When bullets that big expand they turn into big parachutes.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    159
    Those CHP would be the ultimate “man stopper” rounds. I remember Jason at Guncrafter telling me that one time. I’ll Interesting comment on the Parachute effect for large HP rounds. I think I’ll make another bullet mold with a wider metplat and see how well they shoot and feed. Instead of the SWC profile maybe more of a RNFP. Sounds like a good project for the day since it’s only -8 degrees right now.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy



    tucumcari_kid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Salt Lake City
    Posts
    134
    I reload it and cast these marvelous 354 grain RFNs, hollow point in this case. Courtesy of NOE
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2019_02_24_083848.jpg 
Views:	707 
Size:	12.4 KB 
ID:	237139
    -Mike

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Laingsburg, Michigan
    Posts
    35
    I own a few 50GI guns. Hamilton Bowen converted this Vaquero to 50GI for me.
    Nice not having to chase brass when I shoot.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Bowen.50gi.VAQUERO.jpg 
Views:	28 
Size:	126.4 KB 
ID:	237386

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    993
    Quote Originally Posted by obersaber View Post
    I own a few 50GI guns. Hamilton Bowen converted this Vaquero to 50GI for me.
    Nice not having to chase brass when I shoot.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Bowen.50gi.VAQUERO.jpg 
Views:	28 
Size:	126.4 KB 
ID:	237386
    Well that’s about 75 different flavors of awesome!!

  19. #19
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Laingsburg, Michigan
    Posts
    35
    Quote Originally Posted by GARD72977 View Post
    This would make an awesome carbine cartridge.
    Yes, it does!
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	hargett.precision.3.JPG 
Views:	31 
Size:	49.7 KB 
ID:	237400

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    SW Florida
    Posts
    392
    Quote Originally Posted by obersaber View Post
    Yes, it does!
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	hargett.precision.3.JPG 
Views:	31 
Size:	49.7 KB 
ID:	237400
    Who built your upper?

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check