If you have actually fired one you’d understand why the weight is not such a bad thing. It’s designed for defensive fire and mounting on vehicles. The recoil of the .50 is extremely stout, to say the least. I’m not sure I would want to fire a lightened version.
I learned that in college when I was on the rifle team, smallbore 22's. IIRC, the weight of the rifle was 17 pounds, which presented a challenge in the standing/offhand position.
The M16 felt like a feather at 8 pounds.
Titanium isn’t just lighter.
I can handle much higher temperatures.
And browning .50 calibers get hot.
Yep. The thing can practically cause a nosebleed from the pressure wave. No way it’ll ever be anything more portable than a crew-served bipod/tripod weapon.
And titanium might be harder than steel, but it’s far more brittle too. Not sure they can make it GI-proof. An accidental drop here and there and you might end up with an expensive paperweight just when you need its firepower.
I served on WWII submarines in the early '50s. One day while we were at sea, one of the gunners mates broke out the Big 50, mounted it on a deck stanchion and gave us a chance to light it off.
I stepped up and hit the spade with my thumb and the damn thing walked up and down for the 20 rounds I was allowed. Never could control that thing, and it gave me a better respect for those I later saw in the newsreels who fired away with no problem.