The .50 BMG has been regarded as a great extreme long-range cartridge since pretty much forever. Big, intimidating, and with ridiculous stopping power, despite its high cost and relatively steep drop at range, the .50 BMG carries enough energy to dispatch both personnel and equipment at absurd ranges. 

But there are other ELR cartridges out there that, in some ways, outperform it. One of these is the .408 CheyTac, which is notably paired with the CheyTac M200 Intervention which has been, at times, been called the best extreme long-range rifle out there. 

So, let’s put these cartridges head to head, from a high level. 

.50 BMG

No matter how you draw this up, one thing is clear: the .50 BMG is a bigger, considerably more powerful cartridge. If your intent is to stop a truck or dispatch a target more than a mile away, it’s hard to put anything up against it.

Depending on bullet weight and barrel length, the .50 BMG is going to produce muzzle velocities between 2800 and 2950 FPS, and between 12,750 and more than 13,000 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. 

Owing to a high ballistic coefficient, the .50 BMG retains that energy well. Even 1000 yards away, the bullet will still carry 4500 to more than 6500 ft-lbs of energy to a target. 

Strictly speaking, the manufacturing processes associated with most .50 BMG rounds is different from .408 CheyTac. The former, though available in a wide range of different types of ammo, typically contains a lead bullet core and a jacket, whereas .408 CT is machined from solid copper. 

Therefore .50 BMG technically doesn’t offer the same degree of accuracy under most circumstances as .408 CT. That said, it does have an effective range pushing 2000 yards. 

It’s also worth noting that .50 BMG ammo and rifles are less expensive than .408 CT and associated platforms, though neither is affordable. Ultimately, if price and stopping power are the determining factors, the .50 BMG is better. So let’s take a closer look at where .408 CT shines. 

.408 CheyTac 

Now we can put the .408 CheyTac under the microscope and explore some of the ways in which it might even be argued to outperform the .50 BMG.

One is that, as mentioned, .408 CheyTac rounds are CNC-machined from solid copper. Since they do not contain a separate core and jacket, they are much more consistent in terms of density and radial symmetry. This feature makes .408 CheyTac one of the most inherently stable and accurate cartridges on the market, period. 

On top of that, rifles like the M200 Intervention, which are chambered in .408 CT, can produce sub-MOA performance.

Capable of producing muzzle velocities of 2700 and 2850 FPS and energies between 7300 and more than 7500 ft-lbs, the .408 CT can carry between 3500 and nearly 3800 ft-lbs at 1000 yards. 

As you can see, the .408 CheyTac will not carry as much energy to a target at extreme ranges as the .50 BMG will, but it will still carry more than enough to dispatch most targets - and, in terms of sheer accuracy and stability at extreme ranges, the .408 CheyTac takes the edge. 

Of course, it takes a highly-trained shooter to push these cartridges to the edges of their limits, but both can be excellent examples of ELR cartridges. 

The bottom line: if you need power and slightly lower cost, go fifty cal. If you need sheer accuracy and can stomach the cost, .408 CheyTac is hard to beat.

Explore ELR Rifles at B&B Firearms

Want to get yourself a .50 BMG or .408 CT rifle for extreme long-range shooting? Visit B&B Firearms. Not only do they carry some of the best platforms in the industry, but they also offer interest-free payment plans.

You can learn more on their website or get in touch with their customer service directly for more information. 

For more information about Cadex Defense and Best Long Range Rifle Please visit: B&B Firearms LLC.