Oops
The above video shows the muzzle blast of a .50BMG rifle blowing out the taillight of a truck. The bullet didn’t impact that taillight, contrary to what it looks like on the video. You can see a discussion of this actual shooting here which is a board for gun guys and the dude that actually shot the video is also a member. The fourth comment was really funny:
Guys-I know who that is.
Really.
So do y’all…..
Later the dude in the video (Jamz) shows up.
There’s a bit of a myth surrounding the .50BMG that it’ll vaporize guys if it even comes close to them. I heard this last repeated by my own father (not a gun dude) and he got that from a Marine Reservist that works for him. It’s not true, and it only took 10 seconds of explanation for him to understand the whole matter.
I can’t help but wonder if such videos contribute to the myth. It sure looks like that bullet vaporized the taillight when it passed by but what actually happens it the muzzle break directs gasses, at the muzzle, that would usually push back on the shooter, off to the sides at a backward angle. If the muzzle was 6″ behind the taillight nothing would have happened to it.
They’re tremendously powerful rifles, but they aren’t capable of transforming a .50 caliber projectile into a 3 foot cylinder of death.