New Product Highlight: Auto-Ordnance Thompson TAO50 – Now With An 18-Inch Barrel!
Do you need a .50 BMG rifle with an 18-inch barrel? Probably not, but this is America, dammit. Come check out this compact giant!
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Do carbine-length battle rifles like the FN SCAR 17S and Sig Sauer MCX-Spear leave you underwhelmed? Is .308 Win a little too cute for your style of shooting?
I have great news for you: the new Thompson TAO50-18 from Auto-Ordnance now combines the power of .50 BMG with a more compact 18-inch barrel.
Let’s get into it!
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Thompson TAO50 Specs & Features
Specs
- Caliber: .50 BMG
- Action: Bolt action
- Capacity: 10+1
- Barrel Length: 18”
- Overall Length: 43.5”
- Weight: 23 lbs
- Country of Origin: USA
Features
- Proprietary, tuned muzzle brake
- Takes Barrett-pattern magazines
- Fully adjustable stock
- Ships with a soft case
If you’re familiar with Auto-Ordnance’s existing Thompson TAO50, the TAO50-18 is very similar.
The new rifle shares its predecessor’s machined steel action, M-LOK handguard, Magpul MOE+ pistol grip, and full-length Picatinny rail. Both ship with a bipod and feature a proprietary muzzle brake.
But this time, the barrel has been cut down from 29 inches for the standard TAO50 or 35 inches for the integrally suppressed TAO50 to just 18 inches.
That’s practically CQB territory.
Other changes include a different, but still fully adjustable buttstock, and a soft case instead of a locking hard case. This rifle is also only available in .50 BMG; sorry, no .416 Barrett this time.
It’s quite a bit smaller, but the TAO50-18 still weighs 23 pounds without a scope or ammo.
Auto-Ordance hasn’t released pricing for the Thompson TAO50-18, but full-length rifles are available for between $7,300 and $7,800. I’d expect pricing for the new rifle to land in the same ballpark.
Here’s some eye candy featuring the full-length TAO50.
What do you think of the new Thompson TAO50-18 from Auto-Ordnance? Let us know below. For more heavy hitters, check out our guide to the Best .50 BMG Rifles & Ammo!