HOW THE 50 CAL CHANGED MARKSMANSHIP FOREVER

[rangerrebew]

HOW THE 50 CAL CHANGED MARKSMANSHIP FOREVER
May 11, 2023Matt Fratus

 
From shooting an enemy sniper through his scope to having a bounty placed on his head, Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock II earned quite a reputation during his two tours in Vietnam. The legendary sniper — nicknamed “White Feather” for the accessory that adorned his bush hat — had 93 confirmed kills during the Vietnam War.

But it was in February 1967 that Hathcock took a record-making shot: the longest “confirmed” sniper kill in the Vietnam War.

While most of his confirmed kills were completed with bolt action rifles, this time Hathcock was behind a 50 BMG.
 
Positioned on a mountain ridge, Hatchcock squinted through the eight-power Unertl scope on his M2 50 caliber machine gun, alongside his spotter from the 1st Marine Division’s sniper platoon. Then he spotted a blurry figure below.

https://coffeeordie.com/50-cal

[PeteS in CA]

When developed, the .50 BMG would have penetrated the armor of WW1 tanks. By WW2, it might have penetrated the armor of a Panzer I, which was not in use by the time the US entered the war. It also might have penetrated the armor of a Japanese Type 95 light tank. But against unarmored vehicles and enemy infantry ...

The .50 BMG was also probably the best compromise between ammo carried and hitting power for fighter aircraft. The .30, .303, or 7.7 mm allowed more ammunition, but its hitting power was not great. The 20 mm cannon had great hitting power, but the amount of shells carried was not great. Too hot, too cold, but the .50 BMG was just right, for WW2.