The Barrett Rifles M50 folding knife is a collaboration between the iconic manufacturer of .50 BMG-caliber rifles and Emerson Knives, which designed the M50 for Barrett exclusively. This aggressive-looking and typically Emerson tactical knife shipped to me in a Barrett collector tin, complete with a pewter lapel pin in the shape of the Barrett Model 82A1. This is one of those little packages that just makes a knife collector or accumulator smile in pleasure — a great knife in a fun package that includes a little show-your-support bling (and forgive me for using the term “bling”).
The knife itself (mine was made in 2003) is a fairly typical Emerson tactical folder. The plain, 3.5 inch coated blade is of 154CM and bears the Emerson and Barrett logos (one on each side).
A thumb disk is provided for ambidextrous one-hand opening. The knife opens smoothly and locks securely with no blade play. The liner lock engages the blade tang at the extreme left of the tang, leaving plenty of room for wear. The cutting edge was hair-popping sharp out of the box… er, tin. It has a great curved elly and plenty of straight edge length, while tapering to a nicely sharp tip.
The pocket clip has typically rough Emerson appearance. It had good tension out of the tin and is configured for right-hand, tip-up use only.
The knife’s liners are titanium. The G10 handles have a good texture and provide a firm grip (especially given the ergonomic curves to the grip itself). There are some slots cut in the handle that serve no purpose; they are evocative of the Barrett rifle for which the knife is named. There is an integral guard just ahead of a deep index finger scoop, with thoughtfully placed thumb grooves on the blade spine behind the opening disk (not to mention on the back of the handle contiguous to the blade’s grooves). The result is a knife that feels very secure in my grip. For those who wish to be absolutely certain not to lose their knife, a lanyard hole has been drilled through the handle at the tip.
If you like Emerson knives and you are fond of the Barrett rifles — most of us will only ever dream of owning one of these, but I certainly count myself a fan — this is the perfect knife for you. While it is presented as a collectible, it could just as easily be a daily carry blade. It is comfortable, functional, and very businesslike in both its execution and its aesthetics.