500 s&w handi rifle

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birddog2

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Just got one for a couple hundred bucks, don't know much about it. Any suggestions on favorite loads, scopes that will tolerate it, recoil pads ect. Mainly a deer and pig gun.
Thanks,
John
 
I can't help you a bit, but I did almost buy one some years back. I just thought that it would be cool to own one. I almost wish that they made one in 460. I haven't checked on the ballistics of the 500 through a rifle barrel, but I would be inclined to look into shotgun or slug gun scopes. I figure if a Nikon slug gun scope can live on top of my buddies 3.5" chambered slug gun, then it should handle a 500 with no problems.
 
A friend of mine has/had one. I never shot it. He seemed to like it but all he ever did was punch holes in cans. He moved and I don't know if he still owns it. All I know is...it was loud!

Mark
 
It's a fairly big cartridge in a light weight rifle, so fit, more than recoil absorption per se, will be the key part of recoil pad choice. I built a Handi in 454 Casull which is less stout than your 500 and made sure LOP was plenty long with a good Kickeez Magnum rifle pad. It is extremely comfortable. The 500 will be a great hog gun and factory loads will work well in that role. It's an awful lot of gun for the deer I hunt in the Northeast but the 500 has manageable trajectory out to 150 yards and will hit hard much longer once you master it. You have to think of it like a 45-70 Magnum. You probably won't toss big 500 grs cast bombs with it like some do with the 45-70 but instead use jacketed 300 grs stuff that you are sending out at @ 2200 fps from a rifle barrel. For pigs I'd want to back off the heat and shoot 350 -400 grs lynotype lead at 1400 - 1500 fps. It's not like you need expansion!

This not a precision rifle. It's just short of artillery. You're not going to the range with it to shoot tiny groups. As per above a "shotgun" scope will do you fine and frankly, I'd be very tempted to get just a Simmons or Tasco fixed 4x. It will do what you need and leave you more money to feed that beast.

Enjoy!

Sent from my KFOT using Tapatalk 2
 
Can`t tell you much, I have a half dozen Handi-rifles, no .500 S&W almost though but I opted for the .45-70 a little bit more power...............
 
A low power scope rated for use with slugs from a shotgun SHOULD manage to survive.

I haven't shot a Handi in .500 but for a few years I had a TC Encore with the 15inch barrel in .500S&W. Shooting near max power loads of H110 and a 350gn JHP bullet felt pretty much like someone hit the end of the barrel with a good swing from a 5 lb sledge. So a good recoil pad and a tough scope are certainly justified. I'd suggest something like a Limbsaver or equivalent.

If you know that most of your shots will be taken at less than 100 yards you might even consider a nice set of iron sights in terms of a peep or ghost ring rear. Keeps the rifle clean, light and simple and you aren't worried about which round is going to turn your scope into a kids kaleidoscope. And trust me, I tried a cheap and moderate scope on my TC and it ruined both of them. A shotgun scope was next on the list but a shooting buddy made me an offer I couldn't pass up. So now the scope issue is HIS problem... :D
 
I appreciate everyones input, not familiar with the Federal 338 recoil. But I have a Cabela's lever gun mounted on my 50cal muzzleloader I was thinking about test driving, just didn't want to gut it? Any thought's? Not recoil shy, but this little rascal put's a thumpin on ya!
Thank's
John
 
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