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.50 Action Express
Comparison of handgun rounds. .50 Action Express on the left.
Type	Handgun
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	Evan Whildin, Action Arms
Designed	1988
Specifications
Case type	Rebated rim, straight
Bullet diameter	.500 in (12.7 mm)
Neck diameter	.540 in (13.7 mm)
Base diameter	.547 in (13.9 mm)
Rim diameter	.514 in (13.1 mm)
Rim thickness	.060 in (1.5 mm)
Case length	1.285 in (32.6 mm)
Overall length	1.610 in (40.9 mm)
Primer type	Large pistol
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
325 gr (21.1 g) Ball	1,305 ft/s (398 m/s)	1,229 ft·lbf (1,666 J)
325 gr (21.1 g) JHP	1,400 ft/s (430 m/s)	1,415 ft·lbf (1,918 J)
300 gr (19 g) JHP	1,550 ft/s (470 m/s)	1,750 ft·lbf (2,370 J)
Test barrel length: 6 Source: Speer[1]

The .50 Action Express (AE, 12.7×33mm) is a large caliber handgun cartridge. It was developed in 1988 by Evan Whildin of Action Arms. The .50 AE is a power upgrade cartridge to the .44 Magnum.

[edit] Overview

The Magnum Research Desert Eagle was the first handgun chambered for the .50 AE. The only commercial handgun cartridges designed that exceed its ballistic performance are the .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum and the .500 S&W Magnum. The .50 Action Express was a totally new cartridge designed especially for the Desert Eagle pistol.

The actual cartridge has a .547 inch (13.9 mm) diameter base, with a rebated rim. The rim diameter of the .50 AE is the same as the .44 Remington Magnum cartridge for which the pistol was already chambered, consequently only a barrel and magazine change is required to convert a .44 Desert Eagle to the larger, more powerful .50 AE. Original blueprints had been to use .510" diameter rounds (like the .50 BMG), but the polygonal rifling of the final prototype Desert Eagle allowed the .50 caliber bore plug to drop through, thus rendering the gun a destructive device under Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) regulations (this no longer applies on current models). Nominal bullet diameter was reduced to the current 0.500 inch (12.7 mm).

Loaded .50 AE ammunition is currently available from CCI Ammunition and IMI with the latter ammunition being imported into the US by Magnum Research under the "Samson Ultra" trademark. The rounds with this cartridge are generally around 300 grains and have a muzzle velocity of around 1,380 feet per second (with a 6-inch barrel). This gives the bullet 1,260-plus foot pounds of energy, placing the cartridge well above the .44 Magnum in terms of power.^[2] The cartridge's combination of high velocity and mass results in very favorable penetration characteristics against hard cover.^{[citation needed]}

Recoil of the .50 AE in the Desert Eagle pistol is substantial, although only marginally more severe than the .44 Magnum, as the auto mechanism smooths the recoil somewhat. The cartridge is quite loud as well, and a distinct flash is apparent, even in daylight. For these reasons, the .50 AE is not a cartridge for the beginner or novice. It is also quite expensive, at over $30 per box of 20 rounds. Other firearms chambered for the .50 AE include the AMT AutoMag V, LAR Grizzly Win Mag, Freedom Arms model 555, and the Magnum Research BFR.

[edit] Performance

In order left to right; 9x19mm Parabellum, 7.62x25mm Tokarev, .357 SIG, 10mm Auto, .40 S&W, .45 GAP, .50 AE.

SAAMI specifies a maximum chamber pressure of 36,000 psi for the .50 AE. Available factory loads can produce over 1600 ft·lbf (2169 J) of energy.

Currently, only IMI (Samson) and Speer/CCI load .50 AE. New, unprimed brass is available from Starline. Bullets are available from a few different manufacturers.

Most bullets designed for the .500 S&W Magnum are too long for use in .50 AE semi-automatic pistols.

[edit] Use

Like other handgun cartridges of such magnitude, the principal uses of the .50 AE are metallic silhouette shooting and medium/big game hunting. It is unnecessarily powerful for tactical/defensive use, and the resulting heavy recoil and excessive muzzle flash actually make it less desirable than smaller cartidges for such purposes. However, like the .44 Magnum, .454 Casull and .500 S&W Magnum, it is well suited to defense against large predators, such as bears.

[edit] See also

• .50 caliber handguns
• .50 GI
• .500 Wyoming Express
• List of handgun cartridges

[edit] References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (May 2009)

[edit] External links

• The Reload Bench: .50 Action Express
• Duncan Long: The .50 Caliber Desert Eagle