The Barrett M107A1 is a recoil operated, semi-auto .50 BMG rifle with a 20 or 29 inch barrel. Over two days and about 90 rounds, mine felt like a long, pushy 12 gauge, hit steel from 100 to 1,265 yards, and printed a 1.04 MOA 4 shot group at 100 yards with PPU 725 grain match in 25 to 50 mph crosswinds. Most loads grouped 2 to 4 MOA, the trigger is heavy, and fine dust caused failures to feed until I cleaned and oiled it.
Results, specs and the verdict come first, then the full review.
Table of contents
Barrett M107A1 Test Results
- Best group: 1.04 MOA for 4 shots at 100 yards, PPU 725 gr match (fifth shot pulled).
- Other loads: mostly 2 to 4 MOA in 25 to 50 mph crosswinds.
- Steel: hits from 100 to 1,265 yards.
- Trigger: about 5 lb, no defined wall (not gauged).
- Malfunctions: failures to feed in fine dust late in the day; ran again after cleaning and oil.
Barrett M107A1 Specs
| Barrett M107A1 | |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 50 BMG |
| Operation | Recoil operated, semi-auto |
| Barrel | 29 in or 20 in, 1:15 twist |
| Overall length | 57 in or 48 in |
| Weight | 28.7 lb or 27.4 lb |
| Magazine | 10 round |
| Rail | 23 in, 27 MOA |
| MSRP when tested | $13,275 |
M107 vs M107A1
Barrett says the M107A1 is about 4 pounds lighter than the M82A1 and was built to run suppressed, with a suppressor ready bolt carrier and a cylindrical brake that also serves as the QDL suppressor mount.
Verdict
- Good: recoil far milder than its cartridge suggests, reliable magazines, useful pop up irons, bipod included, 27 MOA rail.
- Know this: heavy, expensive, a vague 5 lb trigger, accuracy that depends on ammo, and it needed cleaning in heavy dust.
See other options in our .50 BMG rifle rankings.
Earlier range time: a day with the M107A1 and MRAD.
🛒 Check Current Price for Barrett M107A1 on GunsAmerica
The Barrett M107A1® has been available and fielded for over a decade. In 2023, I had the chance to fulfill a dream by putting it to the test. Over the course of two days, I shot approximately 90 rounds between target shooting, hunting, and stretching this 50 BMG out to 1265 yards. I also put the rifle through its paces with various drills, hiked five miles in the dark, and experienced an unforgettable weekend. While I normally run rifles longer before writing a review, we had an action-packed weekend and a good variety of situations to test the rifle with.
Barrett says every component of the M107A1® was engineered to be lighter and stronger than its predecessors. In addition to a 4-pound weight reduction over the M82A1®, the M107A1® is optimized for use with a sound suppressor, providing a much-needed signature reduction capability.
Recoil System
When people think of shooting a 50 cal, they immediately anticipate a ridiculous amount of recoil. Luckily for anyone who has the opportunity to shoot the Barrett M107A1 that is not the case. Using a massive muzzle brake, dual barrel recoil springs, a large buffer spring, and weighing around 28 lbs, this rifle kicks about like a 12 gauge shooting 3″ shells. It is not quite as sharp as a 12 gauge, but the recoil impulse is much longer due to the distance the bolt carrier assembly has to move to eject and chamber another round. Shooting close to 100 rounds spread between two days, I never even ended up with a bruised shoulder. Kudos to Barrett for designing a rifle to tame the felt recoil of the renowned 50 BMG.
Bolt Carrier Assembly
The M107A1® features a bolt carrier assembly that is suppressor-ready. It comes with a Nickel Teflon® coated bolt which requires less maintenance when shooting with a suppressor. This rifle is designed to shoot both suppressed and unsuppressed without the need to change any components. This carrier is the largest and heaviest I have seen. However, it is built to take a beating.
Stock
One of the upgrades for the M107A1® is the “thermal cheek guard” featured on the top of the stock. This functions as a low-profile cheek riser that is comfortable and more temperature stable. The stock also uses a rear hand module which is mounted on an M1913 rail, helping shave some weight while providing a good resting point and shot control for the shooter’s off-hand.
It also can be used to mount a lightweight monopod if one so desires, but I did not use it throughout my testing and just used rear bags instead. An interesting feature is the curved rubber butt pad. While I appreciate the dense rubber, I would have preferred a flat butt since the curved one seemed to draw my shoulder a little too low causing my neck to stretch a little to get a proper cheek weld when shooting laying down.
Sights
While this rifle is worthy of a high-end scope, Barrett includes a set of pop-up irons with this rifle. The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation with ticks marked out to 1500 meters. I guess better have and not need than to need and not have.
Throughout this review, I never did end up using the iron sights, but I did use a Vortex Razor 6-36 for target shooting out to 1265 yards, and a Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XP50 Pro for hunting wild pigs at night. Capable of shooting very heavy projectiles at very long distances, the M107A1 features a 27 MOA Picatinny rail machined into the upper receiver. This is nice as it allows for more elevation adjustment for any scope mounted to it.
Bipod
While shooting this rifle standing up is doable, Barrett includes a bipod for going prone when accurate shots matter. The bipod is lightweight and the whole thing features a quick-detach mount. The legs can be stowed either forward or backward by simply pulling down on the arm and rotating. Each side is independently adjustable to compensate for uneven terrain and accommodate various shooting positions.
Magazine
The M107A1® comes with standard 10-round steel magazines. For a 50 BMG, that is a lot of heat. Featuring witness indicators on the rear of the magazine, it is easy to see how many rounds are currently loaded. Throughout my shooting, I never had a single magazine-related issue. They fed well and rocked in solid.
Muzzle Brake
The M107A1® muzzle brake is a cylindrical muzzle brake that accepts the Barrett QDL Suppressor. One of the big perks to this weapon system is the fact that it was designed to run suppressed and the muzzle brake works as a great suppressor host. Also, due to the cylindrical muzzle brake, this is easier to shoot un-suppressed than the M82A1® muzzle brake which was known for a rather brutal muzzle blast. Even with the newer muzzle brake, the M107A1® still has plenty of blast. The gas-punching me in the face was not a pleasant experience, but the muzzle brake does a good job of reducing recoil and keeping the gun on target for quicker follow-up shots.
Barrel
The M107A1® is available in two barrel lengths: 20 inches and 29 inches. Both barrels have a chrome-lined chamber and bore, while being capable of pushing standard 660gr ammunition at speeds of 2500fps and 2750fps, respectively.
While the 29-inch barrel offers greater velocity and is well-suited for long-distance shooting, it adds an additional 1.3 lbs to the rifle and made maneuvering in and out of vehicles while hunting more difficult. The 20-inch barrel, on the other hand, sacrifices around 250fps in velocity but is much more maneuverable. However, I will say that even the 29″ version is still wieldable. I hiked roughly 5 miles through fields and pastures with night vision chasing wild hogs during this review. While the M107A1® is heavy, it is not unbearable.
Both versions of the rifle feature deep flutes that help to reduce weight and improve barrel cooling during extended shooting sessions. Overall, the choice between the two barrel lengths will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.
Trigger
For a rifle as expensive as the M107A1® I would have loved to see a better trigger. While it works, I don’t feel like I was as accurate as I could have been. I forgot to bring a gauge to measure the pull weight, but it was around 5 lbs. There was no real defined wall, and the slack was smooth yet springy as in the 5 lbs of pull was required throughout the whole trigger press. It got the job done but wasn’t the typical precision rifle trigger people may think of.
Accuracy
While I have heard mixed reviews about the accuracy of the Barrett M107A1®, I had to test things for myself. During this part of the review, I shot a cardboard target from a distance of 100 yards while battling intense crosswinds of 25-50mph. Due to the wind, the target was shaking, and I had to admit that I was only a 1MOA shooter at best. Oklahoma wind can be relentless, so it was anticipated to cause trouble.
Precision
Considering the circumstances, most of the ammunition I tested performed as expected, producing groups between 2-4MOA. However, I managed to achieve a 1.04 MOA 4-round group using match-grade PPU 725gr ammunition, discounting the fifth shot which I acknowledge I pulled. I have seen other people shoot sub-MOA groups using Hornady 750gr A-Max, which I believe is achievable after my testing. Unfortunately, I had ordered some, but it didn’t arrive in time for this review.
Despite the average groups, I was still able to shoot a Ta Targets Goliath AR550 steel silhouette at distances ranging from 100 to 1265 yards. There aren’t many targets that can withstand the power of a 50 BMG, but the Goliath held up well. Even at a distance of 100 yards, the steel target remained unscathed on the front face, with not even a dimple to show for it. Although it’s a loud ringing target, we couldn’t hear anything due to the 30-50mph winds, but it was satisfying to see the target visibly swing when hit.
Hunting
During my review, I took the rifle out for hunting, but I was unsuccessful in catching any wild pigs. However, I did come across an armadillo, which is considered a varmint and tears up our farmland. I deemed it necessary to quickly dispatch it with the M107A1®. The image below is a screenshot taken from a Pulsar thermal scope mounted on the rifle. Let’s just say that it got the job done.
Performance
During my testing, the Barrett M107A1® performed admirably. While I didn’t have the chance to test it with Barrett’s QDL suppressor, others I talked to have reported that it works well.
The only problem I encountered was that by the end of the day, the rifle started to get gummed up with dirt. The combination of 30-50 mph winds and fine dust created a very dirty environment, which led to failures to feed. Fortunately, disassembling the rifle was easy thanks to the takedown pins, as illustrated in the user manual. After wiping down the chamber and applying more oil, the M107A1 was back up and running. In fact, it was able to cycle through 11 rounds in about 3 seconds without any issues, a mag dump to remember!
Summary
The Barrett M107A1® is a powerful and durable semi-automatic rifle chambered in 50 BMG. It has a solid construction and ergonomic design, that made it easy to shoot accurately and bearable to hike miles with. I was able to get hits on a silhouette out to 1,265 yards. My best was a 1.04 MOA 4 shot group with premium match ammunition. The M107A1® had an MSRP of $13,275 when I tested it, and this rifle provides a lot of capability when used in the right circumstances.
*** Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! ***
FAQ
How much does the Barrett M107A1 weigh?
Barrett lists 28.7 lb with the 29 inch barrel and 27.4 lb with the 20 inch barrel.
How accurate is the Barrett M107A1?
In heavy wind my best was a 1.04 MOA 4 shot group at 100 yards with PPU 725 grain match; most loads grouped 2 to 4 MOA.
How bad is the M107A1 recoil?
To me it felt like a long, pushy 12 gauge with 3 inch shells, and I finished two days without a bruised shoulder.
Mitchell Graf is a dedicated hunter, competitive shooter, and firearms enthusiast. As a former instructor and president of Oklahoma State’s Practical Shooting Team, he has a strong foundation in marksmanship and competition shooting. These days, he spends as much time as possible chasing pigs and coyotes with night vision and thermal optics.
When he’s not in the field or on the range, Mitchell works as a full-time Mechanical Engineer in the Aerospace and Defense industry and manages a part-time farming operation. Whether he’s behind a rifle, designing parts, or working the land, his drive for precision and performance remains the same.
Experience:– Mechanical Engineer – Full-time professional in the Aerospace/Defense industry.– Competitive Shooter & Instructor – Former President and Instructor of Oklahoma State’s Practical Shooting Team.– Night Vision & Thermal Hunter – Passionate about night time predator and hog hunting.– Part-Time Farmer – Working to provide for my family, and raise food for this great nation.
Communist dictators and the Great Restructuring Mafia are the most feared rifles in the hands of the people.
50s are now illegal in Illinois. Even the ammo is contraband. I have never heard of a crime being committed while using a 50 cal rifle. They must be scared of something. I guess that comes from corruption and a guilty conscience? Stay safe.
Is there not an editor working for the GunsAmerica Digest? Mitchell would be well served by taking a basic English Comp 101 course before he writes another article.
…and really!?! A .50 cal dispatch of an armadillo? Should have passed on this “opportunity”, Mitchell. What’s next? Perhaps, sledge-hammers and ground squirrels?
Love my Barrett, money well spent.
I know a guy who won a .50 cal. in a raffle. For some legal reason, he passed on the silencer but still owns the rifle. The raffle came down to 2 people and both were approached with a dollar figure. A 50/50 chance time win or both could take 25% each of the rifle value. The party offering the buyout could have got the rifle at a 50% discount if both semi-finalists agreed.
Last I heard, one round of .50 cal. goes for over $20. The state where I survive, would send a crew from the State Police, ATF, Postal Inspecter, IRS, EPA on a 3:00 AM raid to my house to disarm me if the had something like that.