The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

meles meles wrote:Upset us Blu: tell us how little that lot would cost over on your side of the pond...

Without looking at prices I'd say a lot cheaper than you could get it for. What's it going to run you price wise? I've had my Grendel for around 5 years now, at he time the entire build minus scope cost me about $900 (£575) at today's rate of exchange.

Having a quick look on Gunbroker puts Alexander Arms rifles anywhere between 1 and 4K US. Some of the builds like the one mentioned here around 1800 US. Chuck in the ACOG on this one and the UK rifle is starting to look like a cracking deal. If it's still for sale that is.

It's on Gunstar for 2000 GB.

Sim G wrote:The irony being Bill Alexander is a Brit....

Top quality rifle and parts and that rarely comes cheap.

Simon, Bill is actually an ex REME Armourer, I met him a few years back in one of the bars down at Camp Perry. We pulled up a couple of sandbags and reminisced over a few beers. Not a bad lad for an ex hat.

Blu wrote:

meles meles wrote:We don't live in Hollywood, ooman, we have to reload all our guns...

I think Grant meant handload for them.

Silly mistake, I know.

However, I think Hollywood is closer to the world he inhabits, than the one the rest of us live in...

Hmm, that .50 beowulf seems a decent bargain then....

I wish I'd seen that when I was there the other week!

All the high speed video we have shows the bullet exiting the barrel before any rearward bolt carrier movement. High speed video is misleading though and movement is relative, as the carrier is still getting loaded with energy to get its mass going and slow movement is very very very slow in high speed video. The bolt carrier HAS to move in order for the bolt itself to rotate as its movement is driven by the cam pin track in the carrier, although there is play in the linkage before the bolt starts to rotate. Dwell time (the distance between the gas port and the end of the muzzle) is key to function as the bolt has to have pressure in order to work, as soon as the bullet exits, the barrel will return to normal pressure. If you capture gas closer to the chamber, say with a pistol length gas system then you are going to get a larger pressure spike and longer dwell time through the gas parts to the carrier, this will effect the bolts behavior, lock time and carrier velocity amongst other things. If you capture the gas from further down the barrel then the gas pressure is much flatter and dwell time is shorter.
Over gas a gun and it will tear case rims and beat itself apart trying to function. Increasing lock time is a most desirable thing on a semi as it gives the case time to contract a bit more, that why folk run Full Auto carriers (they weigh a bit more) and heavy buffers.

In some very closeup video we could actually see micro rearward movement of the rifle due to the bolt lugs loading into the extension as the gun was fired.

Sim G wrote:

meles meles wrote:The bolt moving is the issue, ooman.

On semi and full auto operating weapons, there are none that begin rearward movement of the bolt whilst the bullet is still in the barrel. All utilise some form of locking or another that keeps the bolt firmly closed until the bullet exits and pressure has dropped to a safe level before opening. Even the humble .22lr has the rearward movement of the simple blow back action retarded by the strength of the spring alone until pressure in the barrel is safe.

Modern guns with quality barrels, regardless their genre are generally capable of far, far greater accuracy than their owners can attain. My old SGC Speedmaster remains one of the most accurate rifles I've ever owned.

meles meles wrote:This is what we have our beady eye upon...

Nicer than an AR, cheaper to feed and a little bit of something different, a touch more exclusive if you will......but then I'm biased

meles meles wrote:Hmm, that .50 beowulf seems a decent bargain then....

I would say yes, as long as you can source a decent and continuous supply of appropriate bullets. That may very well explain its relative "cheapness".

Two grand is a lot of money and you can get a lot of gun for that budget, but if you can't feed it, the "value" of it will be far less than you pay.

Do some research before deciding...

There are many good 50 calibre moulds out there for the Beowulf and Alexander himself did some extensive testing on cast boolit loads for the round.

Cast boolits, you know they make sense.