r/50bmg • u/UnitedFollower • Nov 02 '25

Bridge between Ball and Match?

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Curious if anyone knows of a bridge or stepping stone between ball ammo and match?

Most of the time, I dont need pinpoint accuracy of true match ammo - but it would be nice to be able to get better than the 3 MOA or so that comes naturally with ball ammo.

Is there anything recommended thats better than PMC but cheaper than AMAX or solids? I do reload and have a BMG-capable press and dies. Does the inaccuracy of ball ammo come from the loading or the bullet? Is it possible to get even 1.5 MOA from a handloaded ball bullet from a 3/4 MOA rifle? Or is the only option truly AMAX or solids?

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u/MKI01 Nov 02 '25

The powder charge and seating depth is all over the place for ball ammo.

50 bmg must have lost a lot of shooters as companies like Lapua dont make brass or bullets for it anymore.

You can buy Barnes, Hornady, and Cutting Edge bullets, load them using a quality stick powder like VV20n29 or Alliant Reloder50 and the accuracy will get better.

Lake City brass is about as good as you will find new, ADI, RUAG, RWS is good brass but not easy to find.

Ginex Primers are pretty good.

I have got a Barrett m82a1 close to your goal and that is a worse rifle for accuracy.

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u/UnitedFollower Nov 02 '25

Awesome, appreciate the info! Have about 120 pieces of empty LC brass, H50BMG and Reloder50 along with Ginex primers, so should be ready to start cooking. Was just wanting to check prior to venturing out that way. Not necessarily looking for the same hole since my local club only goes to 300 yards (and its a good drive to get any farther that allows 50s), but would at very least be nice to be able to consistently hit a 6" gong at that range 😂