Last updated March 2026 · By Nick Hall, big-bore rifle shooter who has fired calibers from .338 Lapua to .50 BMG
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The legend. Simply put, the Barrett 50 BMG has become an icon in the US military and for collectors who just like cool shit.
That’s why the armed forces often say this is the best sniper weapon system. And military and Law Enforcement love that legendary 50 Caliber rifles’ ability to crack an engine block at long distance.
This is an ‘anti-material’ gun, which basically means vehicles, walls, doors and armor-plated, well, anything.
If you really want a 50 BMG Barrett Model, this is the one. Should you want to leave comedy dark spots in the ground where deer used to be, if you want to take pot shots at old cars in the middle of the desert, if you want to blow holes in your own house, well you can do that. But nice things cost money.
2. Christensen Arms Modern Precision 338 Lapua
- Caliber: 338 Lapua Magnum
- Barrel: 27″
- Length: 39-47 inch, folding stock
- Weight: 8.1lb
- Velocity: 3,000fps
- Muzzle Energy: 4,768 foot pounds
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Do you want a portable sniper? Do you want to go deer hunting, big game hunting from a distance maybe?
Then you might want to forget the heavy 50 Cal rifles and go for a lightweight rifle in a smaller caliber…
Now you get super accurate rifles for long range hunting or to get tighter shot groups on paper targets.
This complete bolt action rifle tips the scales at around 7-8lb, depending on your choice of caliber and barrel. It also costs less than $3,000, which is a bargain in this company. You have to think the US Marine Corps would love it too…
A carbon fiber barrel sleeve saves weight and steel. A carbon-fiber handguard is precision engineered and there is more CF on this cutting edge firearms technology.
The carbon fiber barrel is just the start here, there’s a lot of new tech.
CNC machined from billet aluminum, this chassis rifle is available in 308 Winchester Magnum, 6.5 Creedmoor and pretty much every major caliber.
So if you’re deer hunting, or big game hunting, you can find the right carbon-fiber dressed rifle for the occasion. The full line is here:
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The Accuracy International AX50 bolt action rifles are pure military hardware that you just happen to be able to buy.
It’s not a gun you need to justify, then, it’s just the best 50 Caliber sniper rifle in the world. This is widely considered the most accurate 50 Cal. rifle of all time, although the McMillan might have a word or two to say about that.
It’s a beautiful looking thing and you can buy one, but the price might make you cry. If it does, you need to take a closer look. This is craftsmanship, durability, explosive force and a near force of nature in rifle form. Here it is working on a train track rail in a massively popular video.
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The Barrett M82 is the face of the 50 BMG rifle movement and a Gulf War hero. It’s a semi-automatic, shoulder fired 50 cal rifle, and that is just about as awesome as you’re likely to get.
If the big kid inside of you wants a 50 Cal rifle, the Barrett M82 is the one they want. So don’t disappoint the little kid inside yourself with inferior firepower this Christmas, or something…
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Well this is a refreshing change. It’s a traditional hunting rifle, chambered in 450 Marlin, with a lever action and a 3-round magazine.
You might recognize it from Jurassic World in the hands of Chris Pratt and it’s the only hunting rifle on Browning’s site rated for a Tyrannosaurus Rex…
The high-powered 450 Marlin cartridge is a development of the Wildcat 458×2. It has similar ballistic properties to the much-loved 45-70 Government and it’s a joint venture between Hornady and Marlin.
So you know this cartridge is a peach in the best lever action rifle and more.
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Now this isn’t for everybody, and it may not be California Legal. But if you want the world’s most powerful rifles that you can sort of buy, well you can make a case for the Browning M2.
You can buy a semi auto version of this, which is pretty damned cool. Look out for the Ohio Ordnance M2 SLR.
This is the what the 50 Browning Machine Gun cartridge was originally designed for. John M Browning answered the United States military’s call for a larger caliber by redesigning his .30-06 M1917, and the ammunition it needed to fire. Since then it has become a standard NATO round.
Related: Read our best 30-06 rifles.
Unleashed on an unsuspecting world in 1933, this gun took inspiration from German tank barrels. Ma deuce still serves as the American military’s attack dog to this day.
Seriously, this is the longest serving firearm in the military. It’s the high-powered gun fixed to helicopters strafing the swamps in the Vietnam war and lighting up the desert sky. But snipers have also used these for precision shots from more than a mile away. Ma Deuce has simply been the best sniper weapon available regularly.
This gun can fire 600 rounds per minute, of 50BMG. I mean… That’s $3600 a minute on ammo alone, just if you’re trying to figure it out. A World War gets expensive…
Well those and assault rifles. Real ones… You can still buy an assault rifle in a lot of North American States, but you will need a Class III license or certain types of FFL license that can be easier to obtain. So if you want an assault rifle, you can have one.
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You can still order a McMillan Tac-50 direct from the company, but it isn’t the same rifle that you remember.
Now you get a rifle based on a Cadex chassis. But for nostalgia’s sake we decided to include the rifle that first appeared in the late 80s and became a star in the early 1990s. That’s because it’s a legend in the United States Marine Corps, and a standard issue rifle for armed forces round the world.
This long-range anti material rifle first appeared in the late 80s. It was a time of Miami Vice, Pablo Escobar and MASH. It was also the start of the 50 BMG sport shooting scene.
Wild times…
McMillan Tac-50 Holds Record For Longest Sniper Kill
This is a 0.5 MOA rifle that holds the record for the longest kill shot by military snipers in active service. A Canadian sniper used this rifle to kill an ISIS fighter from 3,540 meters away. That’s 2.2 miles, so it’s a highly accurate sniper weapon. I mean Damn…
The Canadian sniper may have walked over to apologize afterward…
Now the standard issue gun for the armed forces has evolved into a precision rifle with a chassis supplied by Cadex. It’s a different beast, if we’re honest and doesn’t hold quite the same charm as the old anti-material rifle. Especially when the Cadex 50 BMG on which the new McMillan Tac-50 is based is $3000 cheaper…
Military specialists remain loyal, though, together with special forces around the world. And that means that one of the most respected rifles in the world also gets that same military endorsement as Barrett. But it’s unofficial, so it’s maybe even better.
Where to Buy Ammo
Not all of these are standard NATO rounds, or even freely available on the open market. But if you’re looking for specialist ammo for your hunting rifles, then you might want to take a look here.
- Firearms Depot – Awesome ammo supplier, from standard NATO through to unique cartridges.
- Lucky Gunner – A Great ammo store.
What About the New Breed of Air Rifle?
Now to be clear from the off, we shouldn’t really be comparing a 50 cal air rifle and a 50 BMG or Beowulf.
They are not the same.
With that said, 50 Cal air rifles are all kinds of fun. So yeah, here we go, talking about the best air rifles…
What is the Most Powerful Air Rifle?
The most powerful production air rifle we can find on the mainstream sites is a single shot monster that draws heavy inspiration from vintage shotguns. But your quest to find the most powerful production air rifle will eventually lead to another partner of ours: Airgun Depot.
There you can pick your poison between pellet weight and velocity. Inevitably there’s a trade off, but here are our picks.
Consider these big bore airguns and the best air guns in the world as an alternative to the best hunting rifles. Because they really are. The Airforce Texan SS and Seneca 50 Cal are both among the best hunting rifles that can take hogs, go deer hunting and also bigger North American game.
These air rifles go African game hunting too, and some of them have a carbon fiber barrel.
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