.50 GI
Encyclopedia
The .50 GI pistol cartridge was developed by Vic Tibbets and Alex Zimmermann of Guncrafter Industries. The .50GI was introduced at the 2004 SHOT Show
alongside the Guncrafter Industries Model No. 1, a variation of the M1911
. The round has a rebated rim that is the same diameter as that of the .45 ACP
.
In 2006, Guncrafter Industries introduced its 1911 Model No. 2 which sports a full length light rail/dust cover and is chambered for the .50 GI cartridge. Both the M1 and the M2 can be fitted with Guncrafter Industries' .45 ACP conversion unit, the .45 ACP magazines hold 8 rounds.
Physically, the .50 GI round is slightly shorter than the .45 ACP but is wider. The M1 and M2 magazines can hold 7 rounds. The Glock conversion can hold 8 rounds in the standard magazine and 9 with the extended base pad.
The penetration in gelatin (but not necessarily the kinetic energy) of the .50GI is significantly different than the .45 ACP
. While it is one of the few examples of the largest caliber projectile (.50) in a semiauto handgun (or any firearm not considered a Destructive Device by the BATF, for that matter) it was purpose built to have a recoil impulse and kinetic energy substantially less than the magnum .50 caliber rounds such as the 50 Action Express
(semiautomatic) or .500 S&W Magnum
(revolver). Factory loaded ammunition has a kinetic energy
of around 500 ft·lb.
In one evaluation the following performance difference was noted between the .45 ACP and the .50GI: "It actually pounded my steel target with so much force that it knocked the entire 100-pound plate and stand combo hard enough to make it furrow the ground it stood upon.[...]Folks, these .50 calibers really do hit that hard. [The 300 grain TMJ] caused dings in steel targets that normally fracture .40 and .45 cal rounds into so much dust."
The cartridge is rarely used in law enforcement or for personal defense due to limited availability of ammunition and guns chambered for the cartridge. Currently, the only commercial handguns available in this caliber are Guncrafter Industries' own Colt 1911 handgun variants and its Glock 21 / Glock 20 conversion upper, and Magnum Research chambers their BFR revolver in this caliber on a custom basis.
SHOT Show
The ' is an annual tradeshow for the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry. It is the biggest event of this type in the world together with IWA & OutdoorClassics , also taking place annually. "SHOT", besides being a general reference to shooting, is an acronym for "Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor...
alongside the Guncrafter Industries Model No. 1, a variation of the M1911
M1911
The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. John M. Browning designed the firearm which was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to 1985. The M1911 is still carried by some U.S....
. The round has a rebated rim that is the same diameter as that of the .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
.
In 2006, Guncrafter Industries introduced its 1911 Model No. 2 which sports a full length light rail/dust cover and is chambered for the .50 GI cartridge. Both the M1 and the M2 can be fitted with Guncrafter Industries' .45 ACP conversion unit, the .45 ACP magazines hold 8 rounds.
Physically, the .50 GI round is slightly shorter than the .45 ACP but is wider. The M1 and M2 magazines can hold 7 rounds. The Glock conversion can hold 8 rounds in the standard magazine and 9 with the extended base pad.
Performance
The .50GI operates at pressures comparable to the .45 ACP, around 15,000 psi (100 MPa). Felt recoil is not unlike that of the .45 ACP. The .50GI has developed a reputation for accuracy, though this may be due to the high precision of the semi-custom and very expensive Guncrafter pistols themselves. In one test, the 300 grain (19 g) JFP (jacketed flatpoint) gave a 25-yard group of 2.24 inches, and the 300-grain JHP (jacketed hollowpoint) and 275-grain JHP gave a 25-yard group of 2.14 inches.The penetration in gelatin (but not necessarily the kinetic energy) of the .50GI is significantly different than the .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
. While it is one of the few examples of the largest caliber projectile (.50) in a semiauto handgun (or any firearm not considered a Destructive Device by the BATF, for that matter) it was purpose built to have a recoil impulse and kinetic energy substantially less than the magnum .50 caliber rounds such as the 50 Action Express
.50 Action Express
The .50 Action Express is a large caliber handgun cartridge. It was developed in 1988 by Evan Whildin of Action Arms. The .50 AE is one of the most powerful pistol cartridges in production.-Overview:...
(semiautomatic) or .500 S&W Magnum
.500 S&W Magnum
The .500 S&W Magnum is a fifty-caliber semi-rimmed handgun cartridge developed by Cor-Bon in partnership with the Smith & Wesson "X-Gun" engineering team for use in the Smith & Wesson Model 500 X-frame revolver and introduced in February 2003 at the SHOT trade show...
(revolver). Factory loaded ammunition has a kinetic energy
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
of around 500 ft·lb.
In one evaluation the following performance difference was noted between the .45 ACP and the .50GI: "It actually pounded my steel target with so much force that it knocked the entire 100-pound plate and stand combo hard enough to make it furrow the ground it stood upon.[...]Folks, these .50 calibers really do hit that hard. [The 300 grain TMJ] caused dings in steel targets that normally fracture .40 and .45 cal rounds into so much dust."
The cartridge is rarely used in law enforcement or for personal defense due to limited availability of ammunition and guns chambered for the cartridge. Currently, the only commercial handguns available in this caliber are Guncrafter Industries' own Colt 1911 handgun variants and its Glock 21 / Glock 20 conversion upper, and Magnum Research chambers their BFR revolver in this caliber on a custom basis.
Ballistics
- 185 gr (12 g) JHP, 1200 ft/s, 591 ft-lb
- 275 gr (18 g) JHP, 900 ft/s, 495 ft-lb
- 300 gr (19 g) JFP, 700 ft/s, 350 ft-lb
- 300 gr (19 g) JHP, 860 ft/s, 493 ft-lb
See also
- .45 ACP.45 ACPThe .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
- .50 Action Express.50 Action ExpressThe .50 Action Express is a large caliber handgun cartridge. It was developed in 1988 by Evan Whildin of Action Arms. The .50 AE is one of the most powerful pistol cartridges in production.-Overview:...
- .500 S&W Magnum.500 S&W MagnumThe .500 S&W Magnum is a fifty-caliber semi-rimmed handgun cartridge developed by Cor-Bon in partnership with the Smith & Wesson "X-Gun" engineering team for use in the Smith & Wesson Model 500 X-frame revolver and introduced in February 2003 at the SHOT trade show...
- .50 caliber handguns.50 caliber handgunsA .50 caliber handgun is a handgun firing a bullet measuring approximately .5 inches in diameter. Historically, many black powder pistols fire rounds with diameters well above ½ inch...
- List of firearms
- List of handgun cartridges
- 12 mm caliber12 mm caliberThis article lists firearm cartridges which have a bullet in the to caliber range.*Length refers to the cartridge case length.*OAL refers to the overall length of the cartridge.*Bullet refers to the diameter of the bullet....