When you think of big calibers, you often think of the 50-caliber rounds. Among the largest are the 50 BMG and the 500 Nitro Express. Both of these rounds have their reputation as being among the most powerful in the world. However, even though they have the same caliber, they do have their own respective uses. So in this article, we will compare the two to see which is better and why.
Here is the short answer:
The 50 BMG is a long-range, anti-material cartridge primarily used for military and long-range shooting applications, while the 500 Nitro Express is a dangerous game cartridge designed for taking down large, dangerous game animals at close range.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look closer at each cartridge, their ballistics, and see how they compare in-depth.
In-depth look at the 50 BMG
The 50 BMG, or 50 Browning Machine Gun, was developed in the early 1900s for use in heavy machine guns. It has since found its way into the civilian shooting world as a long-range cartridge capable of hitting targets over 2 miles away.
The 50 BMG uses a .510 inch diameter bullet that weighs between 650 and 800 grains, depending on the specific load. The cartridge itself is a rimless, bottlenecked design with a case length of 99mm and an overall length of 146mm. The 50 BMG has a maximum effective range of over 2,000 yards and is commonly used in military sniper rifles, as well as for long-range target shooting.
The downsides to the 50 BMG are that rifles are extremely heavy, it is very expensive to shoot, and the recoil is often too much to shoot for more than a few rounds at a time.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 50 BMG with a 750-grain Hornady A-max bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2820 | 13242 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 2774 | 12810 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.4 | 2728 | 12389 |
| 150 | -1 | 0.8 | 2682 | 11980 |
| 200 | -3.2 | 1.4 | 2637 | 11582 |
| 250 | -6.6 | 2.1 | 2593 | 11194 |
| 300 | -11.4 | 3 | 2549 | 10816 |
| 350 | -17.4 | 4 | 2505 | 10448 |
| 400 | -24.8 | 5.3 | 2462 | 10091 |
| 450 | -33.6 | 6.7 | 2419 | 9742 |
| 500 | -44 | 8.3 | 2376 | 9403 |
In-depth look at the 500 Nitro Express
The 500 Nitro Express was developed in the early 20th century for hunting large, dangerous game in Africa. It uses a .510 inch diameter bullet that typically weighs between 570 and 570 grains, depending on the specific load. The cartridge itself is a rimmed design with a case length of 3.00 inches and an overall length of 3.90 inches.
The 500 Nitro Express is primarily used for taking down large game animals, such as elephants or cape buffalo, at close range. You will commonly find this round being used by dangerous game hunters in Africa or by hunting guides in Africa. Basically, It is an extremely powerful round made to take down big animals.
Much like the 50 BMG, shooters of the 500 Nitro Express will run into the issue of very heavy recoil and expensive ammo. However, you will not find rifle weight to be as much of an issue with this round.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 500 Nitro express with a 570-grain lead solid:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2100 | 5581 |
| 50 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1951 | 4818 |
| 100 | 0 | 1.8 | 1809 | 4143 |
| 150 | -3.1 | 4.6 | 1676 | 3555 |
| 200 | -9.3 | 8.4 | 1550 | 3041 |
| 250 | -19 | 13.4 | 1433 | 2598 |
| 300 | -33.1 | 20.1 | 1328 | 2232 |
| 350 | -52.1 | 28.1 | 1235 | 1929 |
| 400 | -76.9 | 37.7 | 1156 | 1691 |
| 450 | -108.3 | 48.6 | 1092 | 1509 |
| 500 | -146.9 | 60.8 | 1040 | 1369 |
In-depth comparison
The 50 BMG and the 500 Nitro Express are two vastly different cartridges with different intended uses.
While the 50 BMG is designed for long-range shooting and military applications, the 500 Nitro Express is a big-game cartridge designed for taking down large and dangerous animals at close range. The 50 BMG is capable of hitting targets at distances of over a mile, while the 500 Nitro Express is typically used at ranges of less than 100 yards.
The 50 BMG produces less recoil than the 500 Nitro Express. But the latter is designed to be fired from heavy, large caliber rifles that can handle the recoil while the 500 Nitro Express is generally used in lighter hunting rifles so it does not fatigue the shooter too much before the shot.
Regarding ballistics, the 50 BMG has a much flatter trajectory than the 500 Nitro Express. The 50 BMG is also much faster, with velocities ranging from 2,600 to 3,000 feet per second, compared to the 500 Nitro Express’s velocities of 2,000 to 2,200 feet per second. Both cartridges produce a significant amount of energy, with the 50 BMG producing between 10,000 and 15,000 foot-pounds of energy, while the 500 Nitro Express produces between 5,500 and 7,000 foot-pounds of energy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 50 BMG and the 500 Nitro Express are two very different cartridges designed for different purposes. The easiest way to think about it is that the 50 BMG is for long range shooting and uses an effectively designed case powered by a large case to launch a large bullet at high velocity. On the other hand, the 500 Nitro Express works because it is a large straight walled cartridge that just shoots a very heavy bullet carrying a lot of momentum.