The Barrett model 82A1 is almost Ten Grand. And I don’t know why. I can’t put my finger on any tangible reason the thing is so bloody expensive. The gun is a very simple design with no complicated machining, and it uses some very common parts. The gun is build of what looks like stamped sheet metal. Thick, but it’s still sheet metal that has some bends. Some of those bent metal parts are welded together with welds that… well… Let’s just say I’ve seen better welds in high school metal shop class. Just looking at the gun I’d say it’s a 600 dollar gun, with a 2,000 dollar barrel… so I’d price it at about 2600 bucks.
The simple design should allow Barrett to crank these things out faster than AK-47’s. So why in the hell is the 82 New Truck expensive? Simple. It’s stone cold coolness, forged in steel. It really is the coolest rifle out there – period. Guys pay a lot of money for Cool. Cool sells. A lot of other really good guns out there – more accurate than the Barrett 82, a lot cheaper than the 82… but they are not nearly as cool.
The problem is that a lot of guys want that 82, but they can’t afford the 82. Barrett needs to take that 82 design, and shrink it down to scale for a .308. Even at 3 grand, they would sell like crazy.
The 82’s are cool, but they do have their weaknesses. A few 7th Group guys have told me that when the receivers heat up from rapid/sustained fire and tend to warp making them very unsafe to fire. They aren’t also the most accurate BMG rifle but for some reason they have myths attached to them. There is even a CQB version…WHY??? I’ve owned 2 “big 50’s” (a Watson’s Weapons upper & a Serbu BFB 50 Carbine) and by far the Serbu was awesome. Built like a tank, free-floated 18″ barrel, very accurate and at the time was under 2 grand.
I think I’d rather have this:
http://www.serbu.com/50bmg/semi_auto.php
Uses M-82 magazines, gas instead of recoil operation so the barrel is fixed (and should be more accurate), and $2200 cheaper.
Of course, Duke Nukem Forever might be available sooner. The Serbu has been two weeks from shipping for three or four years now.
If you just want a .50 BMG rifle check out the one this guy is building
http://theredneckengineer.blogspot.com/
I admit his engineering skills are a bit past my own but he’s going to be finished at under about 1500 bucks (my own estimate from reading his build). Very cool.
Robocop used a Barrett and that is why they $10,000.
By keeping the cost sky high he keeeps the rifraf from buying the rifles and maybe using them for bad stuff. Its also a media ploy and cover showing how the average joe can’t afford one of his “airplaine destroying” rifles to keeps CNN off his back somewhat…
Seeing as Barrett told the state of California to go F themselves and refused to service or sell any weapons to California law enforcement after they banned .50 BMG for civilian sale in this state I kinda doubt it…
The ability to shoot down a 747 comes with a price…even more expensive if you use the heat seeking bullets 😛
Yeah, how much is a box of those shells? About a hundred grand?
But they’re handmade by Gene Simmons! You can’t put a price on that.
Gene or Richard?
The stupidity…..it burns!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRQqieimwLQ
That’s pretty funny… or it would be if it was in another country.
Oh, yeah! I’ve just gotta get me somma them thar “incendiary-tipped, heat-seeking” bullets.
No more wasting time skinnin’ and BBQin’ my deer.
One-stop shoppin’ at its best.