Sw 500

[napoleon solo]

I am new to the board here and I am sure this has been asked. Anyways I am thinking of purchasing a S&W 500. From what I have read it is a hell of a gun. Depending on the load the kick is supposedly akin to a 44. Comments?

Thanks

 

[RWK]

Have not fired a Smith X Frame 500, but -- based on several reports I have read -- I suspect the recoil is a good deal more substantial than a .44 magnum's.

 

[Black Snowman]

I've handled several. Very large, very heavy, but still not enough to make up for the fact that they produce the same muzzle energy as some .308 Win loads but with a heavier bullet. Recoil will be substantial. Big, wide, soft backstrap of the X-frame's grip will soften the blow a bit, and it might not be quite as "snappy" but don't expect it to be tame

 

[dairycreek]

I recently shot a 500!

It was not a pleasant thing. Both the recoil and the noise were absolutely fierce!

Depending on the load the kick is supposedly akin to a 44.

You got the absolutely wrong idea. It is nowhere akin to a 44 mag. it is much, much, much stronger. I am usually not recoil sensitive but the 500 sure made me that way - quick.

Actually despite the recoil and the noise the gun shot where I pointed it. Accuracy was surprising. I have taken both deer and elk with my 44 mag here in Oregon. Works just fine for my purposes. I won't be buying a 500 ever! Good shooting

 

[Standing Wolf]

Depending on the load the kick is supposedly akin to a 44.

As long as you understand that both house cats and elephants are mammals, yes, they're akin.

 

[Tom C.]

While recoil with full power factory loads, or equivalent handloads are, by all reports, breathtaking, it can be loaded down such that it still has more power than the .44 mag, and recoil that may actually be less (mostly due to the high weight of most of the .500 S&W revolvers).

 

[John Ross]

The .500 is in a whole 'nother league.

Consider: The .44 Magnum has triple the muzzle energy of a stout-loaded (+P) .38 Special. Top loads in the 500 have triple the muzzle energy of the .44 Magnum.

The .500 can throw bullets up to 725 grains at supersonic velocities. It can also be loaded to .44 magnum levels of recoil.

The Sorbothane grip makes it tolerable with all loads, but full loads *will* wear you out after a while. I shoot 510s at 1350 as a matter of course, but top loads go 1700 with this bullet at 60,000PSI.

If you cast and handload, and like accurate, powerful, long-range revolvers (as I do) and dislike the feel of SA grip frames (ditto), there is no finer gun in the world. My 500 Smiths all shoot 3 MOA with good ammo when scoped. They shoot twice as flat as my 44s and blow rocks apart like nothing this side of a .458 rifle.

Get a 500 if the above appeals to you and you're already very good with a .44. You'll love it.

JR

 

[napoleon solo]

thank you all for your comments. Especially John Ross. That is sort of what I was hoping to hear. I know it is an elephant gun but figured hey, why not try it!

 

[mburnickas]

I also got one! I just had to have it for "home protection"..

Here is some pix when compared to my model 629 6" &

http://home.comcast.net/~burnickas_guns/model500.html

 

[PBIR]

Who makes a 725 grain round for it? The biggest we have is a 440grain hard cast.

 

[44Caliber]

S&W 500

Several months ago I purchased the Performance Center S&W 500. I am using handloads Rainier 335 copper bullet on top of Hodgdon 110 powder 42 gr. Recoil is quite tolerable (but certainly much heavier than 44 magnum 240 gr bullet on top of 22.8 gr Winchester 296 powder).
If I use a 400- 450- gr 50 caliber bullet on top of a reduced Hodgdon 110 charge ie 34-39 gr the recoil really bites the hand and can be unpleasant therby limiting the number of shots per visit to the range.
I must admit that I love the heavy magnums and would not give the S&W 500 for anything. In fact I am thinking about buying a second S&W 500 in 7.5 inch barrel the standard issue
44caliber
ps I should change my moniker to 50caliber

 

[Myself]

I like mine.

It is a lot more than a 44.

My 15 year old son shot it and survived, had a BIG grin on his face.
Course He is 5'10" and about 200 lbs. If I hadn't been standing close behind him the first round may have knocked him off his feet. After that he was better braced.

 

[blue86buick]

I've shot one, thanks to our area's S&W rep and a local shop. I shot both 440gr hard cast, and a 325'ish grain HP Corbon load. I tried it 2-handed, right handed, and left handed. No matter how I did it, I didn't break any bones, and every shot was pure fun. A .50/.500 caliber pistol is definitly on my "must have eventally" list.

 

[Warren]

I just had to have it for "home protection"

You mean for protection if you are ever attacked by a home?

 

[John Ross]

"Who makes a 725 grain round for it? The biggest we have is a 440grain hard cast."

I designed over a dozen different cast bullets for the 500 and had molds made.

My designs all have noses .700" long for maximum net case capacity in weights of 400 to 725 grains. The 400s can be driven over 2000 FPS at safe pressures, the 725s almost 1200.

Go to www.mountainmolds.com and use their online design page.

Here are the specs you want for a VERY accurate bullet that will give you more power than you'll ever need:

Bore riding design

.700" nose length

.100" Front band length

.200" Bore ride length

70% meplat

Weight in wheelweights your choice anything from 425 to 650 grains.

Choose the version with the most number of lube grooves.

You will be able to get the most energy from lighter slugs (like the 425 grain) as they put less shank in the case and allow more case capacity.

Every .100" increase in shank length reduces achievable muzzle energy by about 250 foot-pounds in the 500 at 60K PSI. A 425 as described above has only .200" shank in the case and can be driven over 1900 fps safely with WC680 powder in an 8 3/8" gun for 3500 foot-pounds of energy. A 650 grain bullet with the same nose has a shank .625" long and will thus reduce case capacity about 35%. A top load with this 650 will be about 1325 FPS for a bit less than 2300 foot-pounds.

These are top loads. My preference is 500-550 grain bullets at 1350-1400 fps for general blasting as the recoil and concussion are less taxing.

When I'm too lazy to cast I shoot uncannelured Speer 325 grain HPs designed for the .50 AE. Crimping straight into the jacket with .200" shank in the case I'm getting 2100 fps in 8" barrels with not-quite-max loads. VERY accurate and flat shooting, with not too much recoil. When you touch off one of these thunderbolts you will get the attention of everyone on the range. Shooting these out of the new 4" version feels like someone flicked on a heat lamp for 3/4 second.

Enjoy.

JR

P.S. I haven't measured the new Taurus 500 but its cylinder is definitely shorter than the S&W (about .200" shorter) and bullets with .700" long noses WILL NOT WORK in that gun.

 

[Onmilo]

A 12 guage pistol grip shotgun loaded with buckshot recoils far harder than a .500 Smith.
So, if you can tolerate that, you can tolerate the big Smith.
I felt the recoil from a Ruger Redhawk .454 loaded with Hornaday factory cartridges was more unpleasant than the .500 Smith using 400 grain CorBons, but that was me.