SW 500 magnum vs the 500 special?

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BrokenWheel

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I just got a Magnum 500 and would love to shoot it- but I am waiting for some brass to arrive to make a light coyboy load to "ease " myself into the recoil of this beast. In the meantime, I saw and article in which they mentioned the SW 500 'special" . If I understood it correctly its a lighter load? Could someone clear this up 500 mag vs the 500 special?


Thanks
 
The 500 S&W Special is a shorter-cased version of the 500 S&W developed by Cor-Bon/Glaser (at Smith & Wesson's request).

It is no different in concept from a .38 Special fired in a .357 Magnum, or a .44 Special in a .44 Magnum. Two loads are currently available-a 350-grain JHP at 1,350 fps/1,417 ft.-lb., and a 350-grain full-metal-jacket "plinking/practice" round at 1,300 fps.

If you reload, they make no sense at all.
You can accomplish the same ballistics and reduced recoil using normal .500 S&W cases and jacketed bullet starting loads from any reloading manual. Or even lighter plinking loads using lead bullets.

(Without the nuisance & bother of the shorter cases fouling the chambers like .38 in a .357 requiring a lot of extra cleaning time before you can shoot full power loads again. Or the added expense of .500 Special cases.)

BTW: I think S&W may have had some ulterior motive in developing a short case instead of just loading a light practice load in standard cases. The .500 Special loads are still Magnum power by any stretch of the term Magnum.
I think at some point they may introduce a smaller .500 Special revolver that would not require quite the massive size & weight of the X-Frame .500 Magnum.

rc
 
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BTW: I think S&W may have had some ulterior motive in developing a short case instead of just loading a light practice load in standard cases. The .500 Special loads are still Magnum power by any stretch of the term Magnum.
I think at some point they may introduce a smaller .500 Special revolver that would not require quite the massive size & weight of the X-Frame .500 Magnum.

You're not alone in your thinking rc. I'm wondering what's coming down the pike from S&W...
 
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A smaller .50 Spl would be quite interesting.

Like rcmodel posted, you can download the .500 to whatever level you want. At real low levels the pressure will not be enough to expand the tough (made for .500 Mag pressures) brass enough to seal the chamber well, and will soot everything up.
 
Thanks for the information. My point was to try to shoot the 500 ASAP, with a factory "cowboy" load, while waiting for brass to come in! I mean its just sitting there, waiting to be shot, but my order of Hornady brass was, as usual, on backorder.

I just gave up on the wait and ordered some brass called starlite- hope its good.

EDIT : yes it was starline. my bad!
 
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