Model 500 question.

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twoclones

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I think I want to buy a Smith and Wesson model 500 revolver. But which one? My only real reasons for owning one would be large predator defense when working or hunting. Then there is the irrational side of me willing to spend $1,000 to have such a cool/unique handgun to occasionally do some target shooting with friends.

So, if you have one and had to buy it all over again, which one would you buy this time?

Anyone in S.E. Washington State [Tri-Cities] willing to let me shoot a box of shells through their .500?
 
if your looking to carry it while working id say the 4 incher would be your best bet seeing as it can be "worn" a bit easier unless its staying in the truck then you can get the 8 inch hand cannon i dont own one yet but i shot a friends they arent too bad with the compensation they feel really close to a 44 mag maybe even lighter the one i shot was a 4 incher and it shocked me that it wasnt that harsh and yea the .500 is cool
 
the cost to shoot the gun prevents me from taking it to the range often.
Click to expand...

Is that your only beef with it or would you prefer the 4" barrel suggested above? In your video the recoil doesn't look bad at all.
 
I have a 10" BFR in 500 and like it a lot. I think this pistol almost requires a person to reload. Unless you have the money to feed it well enough to get good with it. The BFR has no comp, and can be a handful with hot loads. I think I would buy it again, even though it is kinda ridiculous for a target pistol.
 
Twoclones if I got another one or did it again I would get the 4". The recoil isn't bad at all, mostly because the gun weighs almost 8 pounds.
 
I'm a BFR guy. I have one in 500 S&W. and one in 450 Marlin. Both are extreamly accurate, and I pistol hunt with both. I find that the 500 S&W is managable in the recoil dept, and a real blast to shoot. However, they are not made for everyone.
 
I have a 4", a 5" JRS and a 6 1/2" PC Hunter. The 5" is probably the best carry gun. It doesn't have a comp, so it rolls more in the hand, but it isn't nearly as loud as the 4".

I reload for mine on my Dillon 550. I wouldn't be able to afford shooting without that.
 
I went to Sportsmans today and looked at a 8 3/8" barrel model 500. Very impressive hunk of steel... There was no 4" in stock but since they 'normally' stock it they've requested one from another store for me to see.

The ammo I looked at was about $2 per round. Is that typical?

I gave some thought to the possibility of firing the 50 caliber without hearing protection. As one would do to thwart an attacking bear for example. Would it be the last think I'd ever hear?
 
I am a 500 Mag nut, I have owned almost every 500 Mag S&W made. 4 inch, 6 1/2 inch 8 3/8 inch and the 10 inch. I also own a BFR in 500 Mag. And a few 500 Mag Encore barrels. I have been shooting the 500 Mag from the day it was released to the public. Actually Magnum Research beat S&W out with there version of the BFR in 500 Mag. I got it as the S&W were on hold for some problem. But as soon as the Smith & Wesson's were available I had one.

I have shot them all compensated and not. My BFR has ben cut down to 6 inches and is a blast to shoot. My 4 inch has a custom end cap, so it is not compensated. I shoot from 370 to 700 gr. bullets in my 4 inch 500 Mag.

What you described as the reason for looking at the 500 Mag, the 4 inch would be my recommendation to you. Very pack able and 25 yards is an easy shot with the 4 inch.

Now if you plan on hunting , the 6 1/2 inch is the perfect one. But only 500 of them were made.
Would I buy the 4 inch 500 mag all over a gain, I sure would.
 
I have a 4" and I wouldn't have it any different. I also have a very nice S&W Desantis holster for that 4". I could not imagine carrying around the long-barreled ones. If I'm going to do that, I might as well carry a rifle.

I did purchase lots of factory ammo, however I worked up a real accurate load using Barnes 275g XPB's.

I mainly use it to deer and black bear hunt. I have yet to shoot either, however I did blister a fat woodchuck one day at the beginning of black bear hunting in September.
 
Fate made me do it.

Well, I went to the range with the .357 I normally carry at work. This very nice TRR8 has recently been experiencing failure to fire {after more than 1,000 rounds} and it's been getting worse. Today, with Magtech ammo, it was even worse than it had been with Winchester ammo. Only 2 from a cylinder load of 8 fired and all total nearly a half box failed to fire. When all the duds fired just fine in another gun, I knew the TRR8 had to go back to the factory for repairs.

What to carry now? Last week I sold my XD-40 which was supposed to be my backup in case the TRR8 was stolen or lost... Just then, Sportsman's Warehouse phoned to tell me the 4" model 500 had come in...

It became clear that cosmic forces were pushing me to buy that very 50 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun. So I Did. :D Got ammo and a Galco holster too.

Is there a 500 club on here? ;)
 
I like my 4" 500 and the only thing I'd like changed is to have full 4" rifled barrel (no comp) and of course lose the IL.
 
My only real reasons for owning one would be large predator defense when working or hunting.
Click to expand...

It's a helluva big hunk o' iron to be toting around the country side for something like that.

What about a short (but not snub) barrel version of a strong body .44 Magnum like a Ruger KRH-444 Blackhawk with the 4 inch barrel. The weight comes in at 47 oz vs 56 oz for a 4 inch version of the 500. And with a stronger hitting .44 Mag or even a hotter than normal reload you've still got a hard hitter. Or the stock S&W 629 with a 4 inch barrel is only 41.5 oz. Not sure how it would handle a hot wildcat reload though. Of course the wildcat rounds would only be loaded for actual animal use so the odd one should be OK as long as it's not stupid hot, right?
 
It's a helluva big hunk o' iron to be toting around the country side for something like that.

What about a short (but not snub) barrel version of a strong body .44 Magnum like a Ruger KRH-444 Blackhawk with the 4 inch barrel. The weight comes in at 47 oz vs 56 oz for a 4 inch version of the 500. And with a stronger hitting .44 Mag or even a hotter than normal reload you've still got a hard hitter. Or the stock S&W 629 with a 4 inch barrel is only 41.5 oz. Not sure how it would handle a hot wildcat reload though. Of course the wildcat rounds would only be loaded for actual animal use so the odd one should be OK as long as it's not stupid hot, right?
Click to expand...

Because it is not a 500 MAG...
If you notice he got a 4 inch 500 Mag already. :)
 
I have a 4" 500 and I enjoy it. I can't imagine a range not allowing it:rolleyes:

Shooting it back to back with my .44 the recoil is not bad it's just a bit more "intense". Yes the ammo is expensive but you can buy bulk and save quite a bit of $$.
 
Any one shooting the 500 Mag should reload. No one can become proficient shooting the 500 Mag every once in a while. With all of my 500 mag's, I have shot well over 7000 rounds in just my 500 Mags.

I also shoot 308 Win, 375 H&H, 375 JDJ, 410 GNR, 44 Mag, 45 Win Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 460 Mag, 45-70 Gov't, 480 Ruger, 475 Linebaugh, 500 Mag, 510 GNR. All handgun's
 
Thanks for all the comments and info.

Why not 44 mag? Partly because I simply wanted the biggest whether practical or not. And a few extra ounces [compared to 44 mag] won't matter much. I'll carry one less bottle of water to compensate ;)

I am very interested in learning to reload and have been saving my .38 spl and .357 brass for the past year. This .50 is the perfect stimulus to get me doing that.

Joining an outdoor range about 15 miles for here where I can shoot this thing. My regular range is indoors.

When I showed the girlfriend by drawing from the holster and holding the .50 at arms length, she gave me her Hell Boy belt buckle "to complete the look."

Anxious to shoot...
Bulk ammo! Where?
 
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