My opinion is that the 50.cal is more uniform in the wear than the PH; from seeing the PH jackets at Duxford on the ELC stand there seems to be quite a variety of wear, a few years ago I was able to select one that had incredible finish to the hide and really did look like a 60 year old jacket, others didn't look the same. The 50.Cal although having a 'vintage' finish does seem very similar between each jacket. Of course the 50.Cal also is based on the Aero contract so has the berry coloured knits and lighter lining. Another alternative is to choose any other A-2 and go for the 'Time Worn' finish, you can when ordering choose how much wear you want to the hide, I believe it is the same finish as the PH but spread across all jackets. So which is best? That's a matter of personal choice I guess.