Rifle · Proprietary
.50 Beowulf
Big-bore AR-15 cartridge for hunting and close-range stopping power.
- Caliber
- 0.502″ · 12.75 mm
- Introduced
- 2001
- Case
- Rebated
- Parent
- .50 AE
- 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
- 34,809 psi, CIP transducer
- Eff. range
- 200 yd
- Max range
- 3350 yd
- Recoil
- 38.3–45.9 ft·lb
Introduced by Alexander Arms
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for .50 Beowulf. Parent case: .50 AE.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · secondary source| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 12.75 | 0.502 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 13.26 | 0.522 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 13.82 | 0.544 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 11.35 | 0.447 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.45 | 0.057 | ~ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 42.04 | 1.655 | · |
| Overall length | 57.15 | 2.250 | ~ |
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
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
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
Lineage
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 0.502″ (12.75 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 is .50 Beowulf based on?
- .50 Beowulf is derived from the .50 AE case.
- 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 →
