Lindcott Armory Rifle · Proprietary
.50 Beowulf
Big-bore AR-15 cartridge for hunting and close-range stopping power.
- Caliber
- 0.5″ · 12.7 mm
- Introduced
- 2001
- Case
- Rebated
- Primary use
- Hunting, Self Defense
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 2001
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Bill Alexander
- Manufacturer
- Alexander Arms
- Standard
- Proprietary
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Moderate
- Case capacity
- 74 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:20
- Primer
- Large Pistol
- Case type
- Rebated
- Max pressure
- 33,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 200 yd
- Max range
- 1500 yd
- Recoil
- 10–16 ft·lb
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 1,800–2,100 fps · 24 loads
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open .50 Beowulf ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
Wikipedia · secondary source| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 12.70 | 0.500 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 13.34 | 0.525 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 13.59 | 0.535 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 11.30 | 0.445 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.50 | 0.059 | ~ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 41.91 | 1.650 | · |
| Overall length | 53.98 | 2.125 | ~ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .50 Beowulf is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 24 active loads across 19 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 24 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inceptor | ARX | 200 | ARX | 2,100 | 1,958 | — |
| G2 Research | RIP | 200 | RIP | 2,100 | 1,958 | — |
| Cutting Edge Bullets | Rapter | 285 | FBHP | 1,950 | 2,406 | — |
| Alexander Arms | HP Hunting | 300 | HP | 1,920 | 2,455 | — |
| Alexander Arms | FMJ Training | 325 | FMJ | 1,900 | 2,605 | — |
| Hornady | Custom | 300 | XTP HP | 1,900 | 2,404 | — |
| Buffalo Bore | Hunting | 325 | JSP | 1,900 | 2,605 | — |
| Corbon | DPX | 300 | Barnes XPB | 1,900 | 2,404 | — |
| Underwood | Controlled Chaos | 325 | CC HP | 1,900 | 2,605 | — |
| Big Horn Armory | Hunter | 325 | SST | 1,900 | 2,605 | — |
| Fort Scott Munitions | TUI | 300 | SCV | 1,900 | 2,404 | — |
| True Velocity | Composite Case | 300 | FMJ | 1,900 | 2,404 | — |
| Barnes | VOR-TX | 300 | TTSX FB | 1,900 | 2,404 | — |
| Alexander Arms | Hollow Point | 300 | HP | 1,900 | 2,404 | — |
| SBR Ammunition | Tipped | 300 | Tipped | 1,900 | 2,404 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
1 reloading powder listed for .50 Beowulf, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .50 Beowulf
9 models in the database chamber .50 Beowulf. Browse all →
Connected reference
History
Developed by Bill Alexander in 2001 specifically for AR-15 platform. Named after the legendary warrior Beowulf. Designed to provide big-game hunting power and barrier-penetration capability in AR-15. Uses standard AR-15 bolt face and magazines (though reduced capacity). Popular for hog hunting, home defense, and close-range hunting. Competes with .458 SOCOM and .450 Bushmaster in AR-15 big-bore market.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .50 Beowulf use?
- .50 Beowulf typically uses a 1:20 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .50 Beowulf?
- .50 Beowulf uses a 0.5″ (12.7 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .50 Beowulf still in production?
- .50 Beowulf is active; typical availability is moderate.
- What is .50 Beowulf used for?
- .50 Beowulf is primarily used for hunting, self defense.
- What are the best powders for .50 Beowulf?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .50 Beowulf include Lil'Gun.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 24 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →