What does it mean when a cylinder goes out? That truck had life left in it. Used trucks are always valuable.
Well, if the .50 cal hit the cylinder, then the cylinder has a huge hole where one doesn't belong. But scrapping the whole truck for a damaged engine is bunk. Depending on the damage, I could tear it all down, get a new block, and put it all back together with a rebuild kit, or I could just get a whole new engine. Yeah, both may be worth more than the original truck, but both options are also much lower in cost than a new truck.
Ah, never mind my first response, I didn't read the article. A cylinder going out means it's losing compression for some reason. Most likely bad rings on the piston, could be a bad head gasket, or the cylinder could be scratched/worn to the point it won't hold compression.
If the guy had basic mechanical skills, a complete rebuild, with block refurbishing work (boring/honing balancing the crank, etc...) done by a reputable company would cost some money, but wouldn't be as expensive as having all the work done by someone else.
Or, you could simply buy a new engine. Either way, it's much cheaper than a new truck, but probably not cheaper than scrapping that one for parts and buying a comparable used truck in better condition. I'd rebuild/replace before buying new.