SMITH AND WESSON 500 - WOW

[johnny blaze]

My cousin came to visit, and he brought his new Smith and Wesson 500 with him. We went to shoot, and we were firing 45's, 9 mm and 357's. We were consistant on the targets, doing really well.
My cousin brought out his 500, and said that this was the first time that he brought it out since he bought it. I had been wanting to shoot the 500 for a long time.
He fired the first round (after all it was his gun) and hit the center of the target just high and to the right about 4 inches. He fired again, and we could not find where it hit.
Then it was my turn. I fired the first round and it blew the center out of the target, I fired again and could not find where the bullet hit. When I fired, I had to take a step backwards, and my had had a really funny feeling. My favorite round is the 44 magnum, so I can handle recoil very good. This gun was another story completely. My cousin did not want to fire it again, and neither did I. We went back to shooting the other guns, but we could not hit anything. I hated to admit it, but I finally let myself except the fact that my hand was shaking really badly, and I had a dull pain in the palm of my hand.
The gun was just too much.
I have only fired one other gun that really bothered me and that was a 458 rifle.
I have fired M60's and a wide range of rifles and pistols, but this one really got too me. I am back to shooting pretty good again.
Any one else have this experience.
It sure made me a believer in test driving a gun before you buy it.

 

[Smith357]

I had roughly the same experience with the 500. After 3 shots I was done with it. I have no desire to ever shoot one again. I'm no recoil sissy, I love my T/C with the 14 inch .45-70 barrel, but the 500 is just too much for me.

 

[Iggy]

6 months from now there are gonna be a lot of those around cheap

 

[tc300mag1]

Thats what they said almost 2 years ago .. havent seen the market flooded with them

Besides i love my 500 4" fun plinker

 

[454c]

Considering most people find the 44 mag to be borderline or too much in recoil,I think we'll find very few shooters will honestly enjoy these big bores.If you like them,great but,don't be surprised that others don't.

I agree with Iggy.Right now the big bores are rideing on the "newness" factor.I predict most will go back to the old 44.

 

[Kramer Krazy]

I've never shot anything over a .44 mag with 240 gr magnum loads, so I have no idea what it is like to shoot the .500 S&W. Your story reminds me a little bit about when I bought my very first revolver, my Colt Anaconda....

I'd only shot 22LR and my Colt 1911 45ACP when, at the age of 24, I decided to buy a revolver. I wanted a Colt, but liked the "idea" of a 44 magnum, so the Anaconda was the gun for me....eventhough I'd never even held a 44 magnum in my hands before. I found a great deal on a new one and really liked the gun.....but really didn't care to shoot it. The recoil didn't really "hurt", but it was NOT a fun gun to shoot. I bet I didn't put 200 rounds through the gun the first 11 years I owned it.

About a year and a half ago, I pulled it out of the safe and shot it some more. I haven't fired it much since then, either, but I really like shooting it, now. It's actually a "fun" gun to shoot. The $17-$20 per box of 50 keeps me from shooting it much, these days.....until a couple of days ago.....when my dies and first box of 500, 240 gr L-SWC arrived in the mail. Looks like it's time to start cleaning some brass......I'll knock the price of ammo down to about $12 per 100 rounds. I'm expecting to shoot it quite a bit, now......my favorite caliber is still 45ACP, though.

 

[cmidkiff]

I've shot .500 from both a 6" and a 3" (yeah, it was cut down), both with the compensators removed. Ammo was loaded down somewhat from full power. The 3" 'er even has boot grips on it.

They are a handfull, but I like it

I wouldn't want to put 100 rounds through it in a session, but then again, who could afford to? The guns I shot were _very_ accurate.

Did the .500 you were shooting have the 'decelerator' grip on it, or did somebody put wood grips on the thing? That soft rubber around the frame helps a lot.

I can't wait for them to start showing up cheap... I'll take 2 Can't wait to show up at a bowling pin match with one

 

[johnny blaze]

The one that we were shooting had the rubber grips, so that did help somewhat.
I am glad that alot of you agreed with me, I thought that maybe I was getting soft.
I was at a gun show a couple of weeks ago, and there seemed to be alot of people carrying around the 500's for sale. The only thing that I saw more of being carried around for sale were 7mm rifles by any manufacturer, but that is another story.

 

[longhorngunman]

Think that's bad try the Ruger SRH .454 Casull with "hot" loads . Yeah, the 500 might have overall bigger ballistics but the S&W X-frame soaks up a lot of recoil, the Ruger, not very much. Of course there was that one guy who made a.600 Nitro Express pistol . I think he shot it once.

 

[Redhawk1]

Iggy, far from the truth. The 500 Mag has been out for over 2 years and you don't see a lot of them for sale on the used market. Sure there are a few guys that don't like the recoil and sell them, they do the same with there 44 Mags. I got a BFR in 500 Mag before S&W hit the market. I have well over 3000 rounds fired in both of my 500 Mags. I sit down to 50 to 100 rounds in one secession. I also shoot my 4 inch 500 Mag a lot. The 500 Mag is for the serious hand gunner that has had a lot of trigger time with big boomers.

 

[Redhawk1]

johnny blaze, where do you see a lot of them for sale. I go to gun shops and the range a lot, I hardly ever see a used 500 Mag. Sure you can find them, you can also find used 22's, 9mm, 45L/C's and 44 Mags.

 

[Iggy]

I've got no argument with the guys that shoot the big boomers. In fact, I have a lot of respect for them.. We have guys that come out to the ranch and hunt Antelope with them.. A well know grip maker shot his goat at 435 yards with a pistol, and the other guys with him, one a major pistol maker, and the other, one of the head honchos for a powder manufacturer made very similar shots.

Paint me duly impressed. These guys are some real fine pistoleros and that's no kidding.
After they all got their goats out of the way, they spent the rest of the week doing what they really came for, shooting prairie dogs.
They brought a Suburban full of guns, mostly pistols and a U-Haul trailer full of ammunition.
They spend the rest of the year collaborating on guns, grips, and ammo to play with during hunting season. I can tell you they had some spectacular guns and some awsome loads and ammunition.
Let's just say they killed more prairie dogs than the coyotes and eagles could clean up all summer.

I fired a few of those pistols, ranging from .17 to .338 ***. I had a good time, but I wouldn't want a steady diet of those things.

That said, I am like some of the other posters. I am seeing some of the big blasters showing up at gun shows and in the papers around here, usually accompanied by a partial box of shells.

These are the guys like me that can only stand so much fun at one time, and in small doses.

Until I can afford one of those .50 1911's, I reckon I'll just stick to my pipsqueak 10mm's and .41s.

 

[Helstrm]

Fired 2 rounds out of a 4" 500. I never want to do that again. I am not a little guy but it hurt.... I am 6'1" 200 lbs and it hurt.

 

[tc300mag1]

Longhorngunman Thats what i have been Saying Shooting my SRH 454 is worse with factory laod than the 500 4" with factory loads

 

[trbon8r]

I went to a gun store after having a few brewskies with the boys. Not loaded mind you but feeling good. I plopped down a hundred bucks to order one of the new S&W 500s.

After the brews wore off I realized I'd made a poor decision and never even went back to pick it up so I was out the hundred bucks. Dumb mistake I know, but I've had more costlier lapses in judgement than that.

Could be worse, one of my buddies bought a brand new motorcycle after a day at the bar!

 

[Black Majik]

1 shot from the 500 S&W Mag was good enough for me too. Especially at $3 per round!

I remember having to take a step back so that I wouldn't fall flat on my butt. It was a fun experience though.

 

[tc300mag1]

Were you guys shooting the original 500 with the crappy comp?

 

[454c]

Speaking of 500's on the used market,there's one on GB.Only fired 5 times.

 

[MountainPeak]

I'm starting to see some of them, very much like new, on the gun show circuit. It's a little early for some guys to unload their "safe queens". It's a little embarrassing for them! Sorry guys, but it is true! I have a buddy with one. Damn, he just keeps forgetting to bring it with him on our outings

 

[280PLUS]

I shot Cortez Kid's 500 x 8" a few times. The last time I did he filled it with 400 gr Corbons and MAN them things make a "CRACK!!" when they go off. I was duly imopressed. After I shot it two handed the first round, I shot the other 4 one handed. I thought it was quite tolerable, forget about a quick follow up though. Holding the gun up and on target with one hand was the difficult part. I'll wait for a nice used 4" to come my way.

 

[klover]

I'll never part with mine

The 8 3/8 barrel seemed to work the recoil just fine. Hit dead on center first shot, all others grouped as tight as any of the 44 magnums--hand sized at 25 yds. I'm only 175 #, and have come to love the Smith big bores. They were full house Cor Bons by the way.

 

[280PLUS]

They were full house Cor Bons by the way

Weren't them FUN!!

 

[Redhawk1]

MountainPeak, yea there might be some people that don't like the recoil and sell them, but I don't think that it would be embarrassing. I had 4 of them and sold two of them, I still have 2 of them. Not that I can't handle the recoil, but I did not need all 4 of them, and I replaced them with two 460 Mags.

I don't know why you would think it would be embarrassing for someone to sell there 500 Mag, if they can't handle it. People sell there 454 Casulls and 44 Mags because they don't like the recoil. I just don't understand the big deal. So what if someone can't handle the recoil, does it make you a big shot by posting your comments. It seems like you get off on seeing people sell there 500 mags because they can't handle the recoil.

280PLUS, I have a 4 inch 500 Mag and love the gun. It is my backup gun for my tent and hunting. I just ordered the compensator with no holes, to cut down on the noise. The recoil is not an issue, I shoot my BFR 500 Mag without a compensator.

 

[chipp]

one chance

Sounds like you blew your one chance to hit the bad guy.

 

[280PLUS]

Some day when the bills are all caught up...