Had a new S&W 500 in my hands...

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jspy

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2002
Messages
221
Location
Indy
Walked into a local shop today and a S&W sales rep. was showing off one of the new 500 revolvers. I had seen the pics in one of their brochures and there is an article in one of the recent American Riflemans as well. Still its hard to imagine the size of this thing until you get one in your hands ! I could only imagine trying to holster this monster. :banghead: Apparently there isn't much ammo available as well at this time, but the cost according to the rep, will be over the $1/ round mark. I left wondering how a guy could mount a bi-pod on the front. The ammo reminded my of the .50 Beuwolf fired out of an AR type rifle.
 
Just because you CAN make something,doesn't mean you should.....if I was hunting HUGE game,maybe I'd see the need for this gun...but all I do is IDPA and plinking.Different strokes I guess.$50/box is a bit steep.....still I'd shoot someone elses.:cool:
 
I saw an article, years ago, in G&A. It was a piece on the then new 50 AE in the Desert Eagle. The intro went something like this,

"If I had to make an emergency landing on the dreaded planet of the dinosaurs, this is the pistol to have,..."

This scenario comes to mind as one of the only truly fitting uses for the 500.
 
What better reason to buy one?

"Why do you need a car that goes faster than the speed limit?"

I'm sure S&W's marketing folks wouldn't have spent the capital to tool up and build that .50 revolver if they thought they couldn't sell them.

Myself, I've saved up a bunch of .50AE brass, in anticipation of my second Desert Eagle. :D
 
I saw my first one in person today. I was in my favorite local shop (Plainfield Shooting Supplies) and one of the topics was the cost of the CorBon ammo - $35 for 12 rounds! For the math-challenged, this equates to $58/20 rounds or $145/50 rounds. Shop owner also stated that he was promised 'dibs' on five of them over the rest of the year. Since basically none of us had any actual interest in the gun, the topic changed.

Anyway, I went next door to a major sporting goods shop (Galyans) and a guy happened to be picking up a special order which turned out to be the S&W 500. BIG box! BIG gun! Impressive! Anyway, the proud new owner was a bit shocked to find out that the ammo is not yet available and that the store didn't have a suitable holster in stock. I thought I noticed a bit of wry wit to the question, but he was serious. We got to talking about the ammo and the extremely knowledgable worker said Winchester was the only company that could make ammo for the gun and that the store had Winchester ammo on order but did not have a date of availablilty. The gun buyer said he figured ammo would be a bit more expensive than 44 Magnum ammo and the store guy stated that he believed it would be about one and a half times as expensive as 44 Mag ammo. The guy actually said he wanted to buy a case of it to keep him going for a year.

Then we started talking recoil. Both the store guy and the buyer seemed to think that the gun wouldn't have much more recoil than a non-ported 44 Magnum since the 500 is ported. Now admittedly, I haven't read much about the gun, again, because I have little to no interest in it but comparing 300 Gr @ 1,200 fps to a 400 Gr bullet @ 1,675 fps... We're talking roughly 25 ft/lbs to 70 ft/lbs. I just can't see how they'd be in the same ballpark, league or sport to paraprhase Jules. :p
 
Given the price of the ammo, Winchester should be passing out the guns for free. They'd break even on the price of the gun fairly quickly and then just rake in the $$$. Like many guns, the cost of feeding this animal a minimum diet far exceeds the cost of the gun.

But I still want one. :)
 
IIRC the articles I have seen on the 500 said the recoil was quite stout but was less than the new 629 airlite mountain gun:D 44 mag in a 27 ounce package sounds brutal to me.
 
Winchester has nothing to do with the S/W500. It is made by S/W and the ammo is made by Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore. Reloading is the way to go for this gun. It will save you a few bucks. But if you worry about the price to shoot the gun you don't need to buy one. :) :neener:
 
I was in my favorite local shop (Plainfield Shooting Supplies) and one of the topics was the cost of the CorBon ammo - $35 for 12 rounds! For the math-challenged, this equates to $58/20 rounds or $145/50 rounds.
Click to expand...
So you can buy a decent used single stage press and order dies for about the same price as 50 rounds.

Hmmm...

Brad
 
Factors of recoil......

Magnum Research on their web site discusses Recoil of their BFR

http://www.thehighroad.org/newreply.php?s=&action=newreply&threadid=23933

In summary,

RECOIL
The BFR in 45/70 recoils less than any .44 Magnum that weighs under 3-pounds.
Recoil is a factor of bullet weight, velocity and gun weight.
Remember recoil is not a factor of size, just because it is physically large does not mean that it recoils large. The BFR simply weighs a little more than other revolvers because of its heavy design for powerful ammunition. The added weight makes the gun balance better, makes it easier to hold steady and makes it recoil less…Period.
The 45/70 will produce the same velocity as the 454 Casull with 2/3 less pressure, and a lot less noise and muzzle flash. This is because the 45/70 case is longer so it allows for different types of gunpowder to be used and the case has more room for the burning and expanding gases to expand. The end result is less pressure, less wear and tear on the gun, less noise and less recoil......

Now you can translate the figures for the .500.........
 
I understand all that... but I've still got five bucks that says the 500 S&W kicks more than any traditionally weighted 44 Magnum. ;)
 
I will call BS on BFR's comments on The Maxine recoiling less than a 44 mag....as a long time shooter of Big Bores.......The BFR 45-70 I shot was with factory loads and some EVIL :evil: RELOADS.......

In order of recoil Ill put them like this......
44 Mag Factory ammo.....heavy gun
480 Ruger same.....
454 Casull Ragin Bull....padded grip and porting
4570 BFR Factory ammo
454 Casull s/a cowboy gun..EVIL RELOADS, hard grip and no porting
4570 BFR with EVIL RELOADS 425 gr........

Maybe with very anemic factory loads it would drop that much on the list.......

Shoot well
 
"If I had to make an emergency landing on the dreaded planet of the dinosaurs, this is the pistol to have,..."

This scenario comes to mind as one of the only truly fitting uses for the 500.
Click to expand...

Amen. I have visions of pulling the trigger and seeing springs, screws, metal shavings and fingers flying off.
 
april 2003 issue of Shooting Times has a several page article by Dick Metcalf. includes manufacturing and assembly techniques. overall, a good article including the shooting of it with various Corbon loads. the muzzle brake is removable, if you dare.
 
4" verson ?
Methinks some surgeons somewhere have an investment in this version?

I've shot a .480, it was ok, the skunk I nailed (misty) didn't like it. Just , In mind, .500, why?

.44 mag, .41, the right loads in a 45 colt, just work too well. Oops I'm sorry, its money....I forget...If you build it /they will buy it, dealie.
 
The gunsmith at the range where I am a member let me fire one round through a .500 S&W. I felt pretty privileged, to tell the truth. I own a Redhawk in .44 Mag. My perception was similar to some of the predictions on this thread - roughly the same recoil as an unported strong .44 load. Its definitely a two had grip - too darn heavy for a one handed grip.

JAF
 
I have no interest in the S&W .500, my .454 Casull is good enough for me, but I got to shoot a couple of rounds of .500 S&W. Huge gun. I didn't find it punishing at all due to the fact that it's so large and heavy, felt like a .44.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top