# Anyone hunt hogs with a .50 Beowulf?



## idsman75 (Dec 18, 2008)

It seems like a real powerful cartrige for a semi-auto package.  There's a local store that has an Alexander Arms "Overwatch" package (free float, long heavy barrel, etc).  It's basically what I just described but it's just the upper receiver.  I already have a lower.  It comes with a set of reloading dies and two boxes of ammo.  I'm debating the $1200 price-tag.  Considering that there is about a 5-month wait and NO ammo to speak of on the free market, I'm giving this long hard consideration.  

Maybe I'll wait utnil the tax return hits.  I was just wondering if anyone here has hunted big pigs with the .50 Beo.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Dec 18, 2008)

I know a guy who bought one a couple years ago specifically to hunt hogs.  

I shot about 10 rounds out of it one afternoon.  We set up a couple of thick blocks of firewood as targets.  It blew chunks out the back of them very impressively.  Quite a bit of recoil for a semi auto.  Maybe like a 20ga turkey load.  

Even then, ammo was crazy expensive.  I can't imagine what it is now.  You would absolutely have to reload your own.  

My final verdict... very neat toy, way too expensive to justify purchasing one myself.


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## idsman75 (Dec 18, 2008)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> I know a guy who bought one a couple years ago specifically to hunt hogs.
> 
> I shot about 10 rounds out of it one afternoon.  We set up a couple of thick blocks of firewood as targets.  It blew chunks out the back of them very impressively.  Quite a bit of recoil for a semi auto.  Maybe like a 20ga turkey load.
> 
> ...



A friend of mines owns a Weatherby in .300 Wby Mag.  That's an expensive rifle to shoot too.  It's not a plinker for him.  He fires three rounds to confirm the previous year's zero and uses it as his 'beanfield' rifle during deer season.  His shots are consistently between 200 and 300 yard and takes and average of 3 - 5 deer every year.  This is the manner in which I would approach the .50 Beowulf.  Zero, confirm zero before the hunt, and then hunt.  A couple boxes of cartriges could last a good while.  

You're right though.  VERY expensive toy!  I'm just thinking about expanding the possibilities of the lower receiver that I own.  I still have to wait a few months before my .223/5.56 upper shows up.


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## ATLRoach (Dec 18, 2008)

Look at a 458Socom before the Beowulf. If you reload it will give you more options.


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## idsman75 (Dec 18, 2008)

ATLRoach said:


> Look at a 458Socom before the Beowulf. If you reload it will give you more options.



Roger.  I've looked at the .458 Socom and the .50 Beowulf and the .450 Bushmaster.  It's hard to get ammo for all of them and upper receivers are hard to come by all around.  I've just been considering the .50 Beo because there is an upper receiver, reloading dies, and 2 boxes of cartriges locally that will provide me brass for reloading.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Dec 18, 2008)

I'm certainly not trying to talk you out of buying it.  I believe if you want something, and can afford it, go get it!

But the Beowulf is a totally different platform than, say, your buddy's 300 Weatherby.  

I think the whole purpose of the AR platform is rapid fire fun!  It's like Lays potato chips... no one can eat just one.  If you just plan to zero the rifle, and then shoot at a couple of deer/hogs each year, there are plenty of other rifles with equal knockdown to the Beowulf and come with a much smaller price tag.  

For instance, I own an AR-15, but if I want a big-bore rifle with great knockdown capabilities, I'll take my Marlin 1895 45-70 with LeverRevolution rounds.  
If a lever gun isn't  your cup of tea, and you just have to have the semi-auto capability, how about an automatic shotgun with a slug barrel?  For the price of a Beowulf, you could really set up a dream gun in either of the other two platforms.  

Just throwing some ideas your way.


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## idsman75 (Dec 18, 2008)

I appreciate any and all suggestions.  I just picked up a nearly new Marlin 1895 GS (stainless guide gun) in .45-70.  It's seen 40 rounds and I only paid $475.  I'm stoked!  I guess I'm merely looking to gratuitously expand my AR platform.  I was just comparing my buddy's Wby to the Beo in terms of how many rounds I would shoot.  5.56/.223 is much cheaper to shoot!  

You're right though.  For $1200 I can get a sweet bolt-action gun with a very nice scope.  My heart skips a beat when I look at pictures of the Remington Sendero SF II in .300 Win Mag.


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## curdogsforhogs (Dec 18, 2008)

I had one of the upper receivers that I bought a while back. It was a blast to shoot and accurate considering, shoot through a phone pole. I never had the chance to try it on hogs before iI sold it. I never shot it much and my daughter wanted a new browining micro hunter in 7-08. I only paid 650.00 for the receiver and sold it for 750.00. I also have the .450 marlin in the gide gun. It is much better and more handi to carry. That is what I would use if I was going to hunt hogs with a gun intsead of a dog and big knife


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## BreamReaper (Dec 18, 2008)

U may consider using your hands, its alot cheaper to reload


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## idsman75 (Dec 18, 2008)

BreamReaper said:


> U may consider using your hands, its alot cheaper to reload



The Army may have a problem paying for the medical bill if I got slashed up although hunting with a dog, knife, and rope sounds one one heck of an adventure!


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## curdogsforhogs (Dec 19, 2008)

*Hand to Hog Tactics*

Being a retired 1SG, Just tell them you were practicing on your hand to hand combatives. If you can handle a big boar without a bulldog for backup you should have no problems.


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