a long shot for .50 BMG

Aloysius · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 12:57 pm Post subject: a long shot for .50 BMG

I do realize that this is a difficult request and putting it here is realy a long shot... on the other hand I've always been told that there are no wrong questions and what you don't ask, you sure don't get...

I have a close friend who has terminal lung cancer and one of his wishes is to shoot his .50 BMG. Yes, you read that right: HIS .50 BMG! He bought that rifle 2 years ago (when I remember it correctly it's an austrian single shot, I think a Steyr, but I have to check this.)

But it's not easy to find a range in Belgium to shoot that thing. So he was already preparing to travel to Germany and/or to England as he got the message about his terminal disease. And that stupid cancer is going so fast that I don't expect him to be able to travel anymore.
We are already asking and pushing several contacts and as a result they would allow him his fun on a militairy range near our home, but only when he would use special ammunition, a kind of training rounds that only go for about 50 % of the normal distance of a .50 BMG. This training rounds are manufactured in Canada and our local army wouldn't (or couldn't) sell it to civilians. So with his license he can buy the normal ammo here locally, but not this 50 % reduced loads and the army only allows following:

www.gd-otscanada.com/i...ique23.pdf

so: does anyone know a way to get a box of that special ammunition here to Belgium? Even a few rounds would help. You would give a very special person a very special moment, a moment he's already waiting for for about 2 years and I'm afraid that we don't have much time anymore.

And he is equiped to reload the .50 BMG, so when it's easier to send such bullets and cases separately... but only from that special round (he already has everything to load for the .50 BMG, but not for that special round)

gelandangan · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: a long shot for .50 BMG

Aloy, I am sorry to hear of your mate!

I wish I could help, but 50 BMG is not one of the allowed toy for the Ozzians.
What I can offer is to make a calculation to estimate the speed and/or pressure of the internal ballistics which may be useful if he is developing the special load.

I really hope your mate got his bucket list ticked out.
A man ought to realize their dream at least once in his life.

Vince · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 10:09 pm Post subject: Re: a long shot for .50 BMG

I'm sorry to hear about your mate Aloys...but I'm happy to hear that you are doing what you can to help him achieve his goal of firing his .50 cal BMG.

Well done mate.

Aloysius · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:22 am Post subject: Re: a long shot for .50 BMG

Geland, thanks for the offer, but you know how it goes in the army: they only compare the total picture and all its stamps and not its performance. When all the stamps ressemble the original demands, then there is a paper showing it's allowed...

And Rik is worth every efford. In my opinion he is one of the last "Old-Belgians", he could have been a partner to Asterix and Obelix.

gelandangan · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:55 am Post subject: Re: a long shot for .50 BMG

Um, he's Getafix? Vitalstatistix? Justforkix? Unhygenix? Cocafonix? ..
Um, you said old.. so Geriatrix?

Anyhow, give me a yell if you need it.

Elvis · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:01 am Post subject: Re: a long shot for .50 BMG

can you get your friend to a coast/beach??? big lake??? to hell with the rules just shoot the plurry thing at a bunny on the back lawn!!! what can they do to a terminal man??? go and see the local constabulary and ask if they can think of a way to make it happen. with all your funny/querky game laws you must be able to find something you are allowed to shoot only with a calibre above.... but maybe not below??? keep looking there will be a loophole somewhere.

Elvis · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:08 am Post subject: Re: a long shot for .50 BMG

if you do an internet search for subsonic .50bmg you will find heaps of info and maybe a solution. maybe find a armourer who will vouch for your loads that you put together with him present using said reloading gear.

Aloysius · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 3:53 am Post subject: Re: a long shot for .50 BMG

Elvis, because we don't have regulations on maximum energy, he can legally use this for a fox, roedeer or even a dove or a rabbit. But Rik was only hunter for a few years and a sportsman for already many years. And I already offered him to use it for hunting, but sportsmen are too well educated according safety rules... and look at the size of Belgium and the number of inhabitants... and now compare these numbers with an average city anywhere in the world...

And we are not looking for "a subsonic round" but only for that round that's allowed on their range...
but thanks for the suggestion.