Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 737 mm
- Weight, empty
- 12.70 kg
- Introduced
- 2018
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor is a Canadian-made anti-materiel bolt-action rifle chambered in .50 BMG, designed for extreme long-range engagements and hard target interdiction. Built on Cadex's modular chassis system with an integrated hydraulic recoil mitigation system, the Tremor manages the punishing recoil of the .50 BMG cartridge while maintaining the accuracy expected from a precision bolt-action platform. The rifle is used by military and special operations forces for counter-sniper, EOD, and anti-materiel roles.
Cadex Defence emerged from the precision machining industry in Quebec, Canada, and quickly established itself as a premium manufacturer of precision rifle chassis and complete rifle systems. The CDX-50 Tremor represents their flagship anti-materiel offering, competing directly with established names like Barrett and McMillan in the .50 BMG market while offering uniquely Canadian engineering solutions like their hydraulic recoil mitigation system.
The CDX-50 Tremor features Cadex's proprietary DX2 Evo trigger system and their Dual Bidirectional Recoil Lug system for enhanced accuracy. The hydraulic buffer system reduces felt recoil by up to 70% compared to traditional .50 BMG rifles. The rifle can be disassembled into two main components for transport. The folding stock reduces overall length for vehicle and helicopter transport.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Cadex Defence
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- Canada
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2018
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 737 mm
- Overall length
- 1499 mm
- Weight, empty
- 12.70 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 13.20 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 18.0 N
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Chrome moly vanadium steel
- Stock
- Aluminum chassis
- Finish
- Cerakote
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 853 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 18000 J
- Effective range
- 1800 m
- Maximum range
- 6800 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Free floating barrel
Folding stock
Adjustable cheek piece
Adjustable length of pull
Hydraulic recoil system
Muzzle brake
Picatinny rail
Monopod
Bipod mount
Cdx chassis system
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 12.70 kg | 12.43 kg | Heavier than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 1499 mm | 1384 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 737 mm | 737 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 5 | 5 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor
How much does the Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor weigh?
The Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor weighs 12.70 kg (28.00 lb) empty and 13.20 kg (29.10 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor?
The Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor is chambered in .50 BMG.
How many rounds does the Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor hold?
The Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor holds 5 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor?
The Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor is 1499 mm (59.0 in) long overall, with a 737 mm (29.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor?
The Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor is made by Cadex Defence (Canada).
When was the Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor introduced?
The Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor was introduced in 2018.
How does the Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor operate?
The Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Canadian Armed Forces
- Canada
- Various NATO Special Operations
- Canada
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/cadex-defence-cdx-50-tremor' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "cadex-defence-cdx-50-tremor", "name": "Cadex Defence CDX-50 Tremor", "manufacturer": { "id": "cadex-defence", "name": "Cadex Defence", "countryCode": "CA", "foundedYear": 2005, "website": "https://www.cadexdefence.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "a0f6d592157fb199c8d3c6f919bf301bd617658caee8234fa43ddd20468cb1b4" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "CA", "year_introduced": 2018, "barrel_length_mm": 737, "weight_empty_g": 12700, "action_type": "bolt_action"}