I have finally met my match. 500 S&W Magnum

[Big Boomer]

Finally got to take out the 500 S&W Magnum in my BFR 10" that I have never fired before. Now mind you that I also own a 460 S&W Mag as well.

Ok for those of you who said that the 500 was a pussy or that it had less recoil than the 460 are smoking some serious crack. Now it might be because my 460 is made by S&W and my 500 by Magnum Research but boy howdy I'm going to have to sleep with a freakin icepack on both my hands tonight.

The weird part was that my left hand was the one that got hurt the worst. I only made it through 8 rounds, 5 at first waited 30 minutes loaded 5 more, only made it through 2, then lastly one more.

All together I fired

5 325 gr Barnes
1 370 gr Hardcast
1 385 gr Nosler I think
1 500 gr Hornady

The worst were the lighter loads and I never did get to shoot my 440 grain hardcast.

I simply could NOT shoot it anymore without needing medical attention (I am NOT joking) I could barely hold onto the gun long enough to carry it back to the truck.

Most were medium loads about a full grain or more off maximum. My palms are heavily bruised, my wrists are not bad though. Was a massive push in the lower grip as the gun rotated and recoiled downward into my left palm. Was quite a sight to behold. The guy that was with me just shoot his head and when I asked him...ok, begged him, to shoot it he said no F'in way.

I am still glad I bought it but am curious as to why anyone in their right mind would make a gun that recoils so bad it almost had me in tears!

I am still just in awe of what I have experienced. The recoil difference between my 460 mag and the 500 is at LEAST 3 fold. YES 3 times more recoil, and I would have to say it might be as high as 4X the recoil of the other beast. Was not nearly as loud though. I took a video of the last shot, I'll have to see how high the muzzle flip was.

Oh and for what it's worth I vaporized a water jug and spewed it about 30-40 feet across with my 460 and some 240 grainers moving at about 2200 fps.

I'd like to hear from some others that may have had another eye opening experience. Hence the name Big Boomer...I like recoil but OMG.

Does anyone else have a 500 in a BFR that might be able to shed some light or have similar experiences?

Shots of the day:

Before...
During...
After...
Reflection...

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I haven't had a chance to shoot one yet but have wondered how the recoil would be. I had the opportunity years ago to shot one of the old 45/70s and that was a monster.

In 1979 Bill Davis, of Cake-Davis in Sacramento, built a full length 308 on a XP-100 action that I had the opportunity to shot it in a silhouette match. That was another handful. The recoil split the stock!!

 

[98C5]

Did you have wood or rubber grips?

 

[davepool]

Smith & Wesson makes a nice padded shooters glove with open trigger finger, definately a must have. I been shooting a S&W .500 for a long time and never shoot without the glove ( i also have a .460). I've never fired the BFR but have checked them out at the gun shop, i do not like the grip i can tell just by the way it's designed it's going to hurt even with a glove, the stock Hogue grips on the big S&Ws are far superior. The ergonomics on the big smiths are better also, figure out a way to change the grip on that monster BFR and it might not be so painful

 

[mossberg]

And yet you still tough it out to post. You're a real trooper

 

[Norton]

I did 12 rounds of CorBon 350 grain, 500 SW Specials out of the FIL's X-Frame this week.

These are called the "light target loads" but are noticeably more pleasant to shoot than the full power 500 grain magnums we shot out of it the last time.

It was fun enough blasting some half inch holes at 25 yards with it, but I don't think I'll be rushing out to buy one anytime soon.

 

[Big Boomer]

And yet you still tough it out to post. You're a real trooper

It hurts, but actually after a hot shower and some soaking I am better. I just can't push in between the two pads on my palm, ouch! Still stings like a mother.

for above...the grips are rubber but seemingly harder rubber than the hogues, anyone know if they make a hogue for the BFR's?

Here is a pic before the range session, now I need to add some scenes from the 9th layer of hell in the background with some soul wracking torture going on and that would be just about right.



I really like the BFR for the price but should I have bought the S&W??? I bought it for it being stout, but had no idea it was going to be just friggin mean! Anyone make a robotic grip? I could just attach that to my arm and let the dummy hand take the beating

I am seriously not making this up as far as the pain level goes. I am completely astounded.

On BFR's site they have a listing of recoil on all their models. The 454 tops the recoil charts. I am calling a big BS on that! Any more recoil and my hand would have split in two!

Unrelated but my right shoulder is black and blue, with blood blisters. It's achy but nothing that I am going to complain about I enjoyed getting those!

Anyway to tame the mighty beast? BTW for the last 3 shots I was wearing some heavy leather gloves but that did not help one iota.

 

[bensdad]

I remember reading something by Willy Clapp one time... he said that any padding (rubber grips, gloves, etc.) just seemed to give some guns a running start into your hand.

 

[Matt-J2]

Well, I have never fired anything that heavy, heaviest was a .44 mag in a Ruger New Vaquero, but I think the gloves would have done a little better if you had tried them before your hands were already hurting.

That would be my next course of action then. If that doesnt work, the robot hand sounds like a good idea.

 

[22-rimfire]

Some people like pain.... the knuckle on little finger in my right hand keeps jumping out of the socket. Sucks really.

 

[Tom C.]

I fired my 5" John Ross Performance Center .500 again today. I was using the usual cheap, light loads I like: a 325 Speer with 30 gr. of H4227. It is very mild and very accurate. I haven't chronoed it, but I estimate the velocity at around 1100 fps. I can shoot it without ending the sesson feeling punch drunk.

 

[RecoilRob]

I looked at those in 45-70 several times.....and passed because I figured it would do to me what yours did to you!

The only person I have ever seen shoot one (one handed!) without pain allowed it to move and didn't even seem to hold it all that firmly. It looked like all he did was try (successfully) to keep it from smacking him in the face and it ended up pointing rearward over his shoulder. Not for me as I always hold things a bit tight when shooting. 454 SRH is enough, thankyou!

 

[Tribal]

Maybe this is the sort of gun which calls for the addition of a stock. I'm thinking what you have here isn't so much a large-caliber handgun as 90% of a powerful carbine.

 

[Remmi]

While I've never fired a .500 (and thank god, with my thin frame, it'd likely blow me to Kentucky) I can speculate why you were treated to such a rough time with your BFR.

There's some distinct design differences in the Model .500 and the BFR which could lead to heavier recoil, one like you mentioned, could be the grips, as the Model .500 had a specially designed rubber grip that's molded to the hand more then the 'Old West' shape of the BFR, that for one could make for heavier shooting, especially with the weight of the BFR being forced back hard into the palm of your hand, which you claimed was hurting; but considering the BFR's been around in 45-70 before the .500 cart was in production, this may or may not be true; your mileage may very with hand-size and arm strength/length.

Another is the barrel design; the BFR has a sleek, again 'Old West' barrel, while most of the full-sized Model 500's have a fairly heavier barrel and a gas-release ported compensator, both of which could serve to balance out the recoil a bit.

I assume you're riding the recoil appropriately, I wouldn't dream of trying to stiff-arm a big-bore revolver like that the same way I'd do a larger-caliber automatic; sounds like a quick trip to a broken wrist to me.

 

[2Ais4U]

Thats a helluva gun. I shot my uncles Desert eagle .50 cal. a few years ago, thats got a little bit of recoil to it.

 

[Molasses]

I looked at those in 45-70 several times.....and passed because I figured it would do to me what yours did to you!

The only person I have ever seen shoot one (one handed!) without pain allowed it to move and didn't even seem to hold it all that firmly. It looked like all he did was try (successfully) to keep it from smacking him in the face and it ended up pointing rearward over his shoulder.

FWIW, firing factory loads over the chronograph out of my .45-70 BFR turned in disappointing results; like 1,200-1,300 fps with the 300gr loadings. I'm guessing the rifle powders like IMR 3031 that they're likely using just don't perform in a 10" bbl with a cylinder gap, to boot. Recoil's definitely stouter with the same ammo from my Contender with 16" barrel, even though that's got a brake.

Getting back to the OP. I also think it's a combination of the difference between the BFR and S&W grip designs, weight distribution and lack of a brake on the BFR. If you look at the photo below, the .45-70 BFR (left hand) is rotated up a LOT more vs the S&W .500 (right hand). Might be the difference in strength (left hand of right handed shooter), but it also feels like it rotates a lot more fired in the right hand than the Smith.

 

[critter]

I have shot a BFR in 45/70 and a S&W in .50. They do make an impression and you won't need to ask if you had a squib or not!

However, remember that guns of that size, of that cost to shoot and with that recoil are not made to go out and blast through a couple of hundred rounds in a single range session. They need to be shot for familarity, be zeroed and then used for the purpose intended, that is defence against big, mean bighty thingies.

I kinda enjoy shooting such as them, but I get my fill quite quickly also. If you are one who can and want to shoot them for half a day at once, more power to you but I think that is a rare breed.

 

[Chuck Perry]

You definitely need to put a brake on that thing. I bet you could cut your recoil by half with the right model. Another thing to consider would be adding a Ruger Bisley grip frame. Brownell's sells them. I know the BFR's are based off the Ruger Blackhawks. You can swap a Bisley grip frame onto a Blackhawk with a little fitting, might be the same is possible with your gun? The Bisley grip is more conventional and might help you manage the recoil. I myself can't stand to fire 44's on the standard Blackhawk frame; just doesn't fit my hands for crap!

 

[Bear41mag]

Must be the grip configuration on the gun.

My buddy and I regularly shoot his 8" and 2.5" SW 500, and although the recoil is stout and does leave an impression, its not close to what you described with your BMF.

He even has a custom bullet mold for a 700 gr hard cast.

That one gets your attention.

 

[Smurfslayer]

I'm casting my vote for grip angle & configuration. While I don't launch boxes of full power loads downrange, I've shot 45 rounds in one session - 45 full power handloads of either 350 or 500 grain Hornady - out of my 4" 500. I think the BRF is way more difficult to shoot.

However, I would point out that no matter what shape I'm in, the gun tears my shooting hand up from movement. I fully admit that after 45 rounds I had a red streak on my shooting hand that clearly showed the backstrap of the 500's impression. The concussion from this thing is enormous.

However, for pure, unrepentent evil you need:


I regularly launch the Hornady 500 grain slugs from the 500, but 3" slugs out of the PMS-12 are brutal by comparison...

 

[Bendutro]

I'd agree with the grips. Shot a Ruger 44 mag and perceived recoil compared to my 629 was much less pleasant.

I don't believe a brake or compensator is worth much when the powder charge is small when compared to the bullet mass. In rifles, sure, the BMG is the poster child for a brake but the 500S&W? Nah. don't think so. JMHO.

 

[Big Boomer]

Just a follow up, it's now been about a week, and my palms are STILL bruised

Although it's much better, I still pain picking up the milk jug or sweeping the floor. Lifting my cast iron frying pan is just too much for me, the pressure in the palm just kills.

Any possibility I could have done some permanent damage? I mean seriously this is just ridiculous...

 

[RyanM]

I can only hope the Serbu Super Shorty I'm getting eventually (can't really say "soon," as it's not even in the state yet) doesn't treat me that badly!

I really think anything above mid-level .454 Casull is just too much for a handgun, for any kind of practical use. At that point, you may as well tote around a carbine. It'd be only slightly larger, and probably the same weight. Heck, an 8-3/8" barreled X-frame weighs 6.5 ounces more than the Serbu.

 

[TimboKhan]

It's not as if I needed more evidence that you Texans are crazy, but that knowledge was reinforced when I read this:

I simply could NOT shoot it anymore without needing medical attention (I am NOT joking) I could barely hold onto the gun long enough to carry it back to the truck.

followed shortly by this:

I am still glad I bought it but am curious as to why anyone in their right mind would make a gun that recoils so bad it almost had me in tears!

I knew it! I knew you Texans were crazy as cats on meth! Your glad, I say GLAD, that you bought a gun that almost made you cry.......

 

[Socrates]

Contact Jack Huntington at JRH Advanced Gunsmithing.
Custom grips are vital, that fit your hand. Try gloves, or any sort of wrap around the grip so you don't have to try and death grip it.

Jack also has his own cartridge, the 500 JRH, which is a shortened 500 S&W. This recoils a bit more then a 44 mag, which means it won't be anything in your BFR. He has buffalobore.com loaded ammo that puts a 440 a 950, and a 420 at 1350. If you need more then that, you need a rifle.

I suspect 500 S&W ammo is a real cash cow for the ammo makers. Use really cheap powders, cast bullets, and charge 10 times what it costs to make the stuff.