Rugged, precise and with brute power to spare, the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter is ready to tangle with the nastiest game North America can throw at you.
“This rifle makes me feel like Thomas Jefferson,” exclaimed my friend Cody, ret. U.S. Marine Corp., after he blasted seven rapid-fire rounds of .50 Beowulf into the Arizona dirt. “I might as well have a bald eagle perched on my shoulder right now; there’s a whole lot of freedom going on here,” said Cody as he gazed into the vast desert of the Prescott National Forest with the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter.
Cody was not alone in his charismatic reactions from shooting the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf rifle for the first time. The brute power of the Beowulf cartridge results in a dramatic report that seems to make shooters howl like a werewolf after every trigger pull.
The rifle produces a distinct thumping muzzle blast that literally makes shooters feel the hair on their head move. Surprisingly, although the .50-caliber cartridge produces a whopping 2,400 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, its felt recoil is comparable to a 12-gauge shotgun with 2-3/4-inch bird shot.
Howl at the Moon
Exotic as it may be, the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter AR-15 still oozes practicality. Chambered for .50 Beowulf, the beastly cartridge undoubtedly has the ability to harvest every big game animal in North America. According to Alexander Arms, “The heavy bullets from the Beowulf are quite capable of breaking both shoulders of a moose.”
Retaining the familiar dimensions and ergonomics of a standard AR-15 carbine, this rifle’s big bore is one of the only components that distinguishes it from typical ARs. In fact, the .50 Beowulf is compatible with standard AR-15 upper and lower receivers, handguards, buffer systems and small parts.
The only major differences between the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter and a standard AR-15 are its barrel, bolt, gas block and magazine. In fact, it is entirely possible to slap a complete .50 Beowulf upper receiver onto a standard AR-15 lower receiver and maintain total functionality.
A standard AR-15 buffer and buffer spring do not even need to be replaced to effectively handle the .50 Beowulf’s increased recoil, as the Beowulf cartridge was designed to work specifically with standard lower receiver components.
While the .50 Beowulf cartridge adds an extraordinary “wow” factor, the rifle comes packed with more mouth-watering features right out of the box.
Most notably, its stylish and functional Kryptek Highlander Camo finish makes this rifle a true hunting tool. Hunters will also enjoy the lightweight G10 composite mid-length free-floating handguard that includes a built-in sling swivel stud and rail attachment points at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-o’clock positions.
Under the handguard, a 16.5-inch chrome-moly button-rifled barrel with a 1-in-20-inch twist rate launches massive 335-grain projectiles at 1,800 feet-per-second.
Threaded to the barrel for recoil reduction and muzzle rise mitigation is an Alexander Arms Millenium Compensator, which disperses energy through an oversized four-port design that billows visible flames in daylight conditions. At the rear of the rifle, a B5 Systems SOPMOD adjustable buttstock provides counterbalance to the rifle and offers ample comfort for the shooter, despite the Beowulf’s significant recoil.
Specifications:
Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf Hunter
Caliber: .50 Beowulf
Action: Direct Impingement Gas, Semi-Automatic
Finish: Kyptek Highlander Camouflage
Capacity: 7+1
Length: 37.25 in. extended; 43.125 in. collapsed
Trigger: Alexander Arms Tactical Trigger (3 lbs., 15 oz. pull weight)
Stock: B5 System SOPMOD Bravo Collapsible
Barrel: 16.5 in., chrome moly, 1:20 twist
Muzzle: Millenium Compensator, 49/64-20 RH thread
MSRP: $1,750
(Source: By Dusty Gibson. gundigest.com)
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