Yes, it can shoot down an airplane, punch through a really thick barrier, or kill a terrorist over 1,500 meters away, but the shockwave from a near miss won't kill you.

Can a human survive a 50 Cal shot?

This will basically liquefy the enemy it hits as the energy travels through the nearby muscles and the organs in the abdominal cavity. There's really no way to survive a . 50-cal. ... hits with so much energy that it would likely kill you even if your body armor could stop it.

Can a 50 cal rip your arm off?

50 cal. round creates such a “shockwave” as it moves through the air that it can kill a man, or rip a limb off, merely by passing by close enough.