500 S&W Lever Gun

[MajorJim]

I was looking through some older posts on this, and it does not sound like there has been much news in the last several months.

I read a lot about the Big Horn Armory Model 89 - the prototype got some great reviews on GunBlast, but that was in 2010. So far, none I can find listed for sale anywhere. In doing a Google search, I found some banter on other boards indicating that Big Horn was in the process of filling backlogged orders, and would not have any available for purchase outright until the spring of this year, at the earliest.

Nice looking rifle:

http://bighornarmory.com/products/carbine.php


I also read elsewhere that Big Horn decided to re-engineer things a bit, going from a cast to a milled receiver. My guess would be that the price would bump a bit.

I also heard that Wild West Guns was going to roll a 500 S&W version, but most of that talk was around 2009, and so far no offering on their site.


It appears that David Clay is jumping in with an offering in 2012:

http://drcfirearmsoutdoors.businesscatalyst.com/_webapp_1238650/DRC_Lever_Action_Rifle

But with a base price of $2500, definitely more of a wish list candidate than a scabbard filler.

I get the pressure issues with a rifle in 500 S&W, but it seems like the cartridge is the ideal candidate for a pistol/rifle caliber round. Some states like Indiana limit deer hunting to pistol calibers. And if you are looking for an ideal Alaskan Brown Bear thumper, the 500 would seem to be a good first choice.

Other than single shot versions, anyone know of a rifle out there that is chambered for the 500 S&W?

Thanks

Jim

[starmac]

Bighorn is the only one that I have heard of, apparently there is no feasible conversion to make it work with existing levers. I would be curious to know how many bighorn actually sold, as I think it would be a niche market, so any builder will have to get top dollar to make it work for them.

[stubshaft]

It'd be hard to justify a 500 S&W when you can get a 50 AK for the same price or even less.

[starmac]

The only advantage I could see, is if you shoot a 500 handgun, and the same loads work well.

[foxtrapper]

Here's another that may or may not exist:bigsmyl2: http://drcfirearmsoutdoors.businesscatalyst.com/_webapp_1238650/DRC_Lever_Action_Rifle

[starmac]

Here's another that may or may not exist:bigsmyl2: http://drcfirearmsoutdoors.businesscatalyst.com/_webapp_1238650/DRC_Lever_Action_Rifle

Same one that is in the op's post.

[olafhardt]

I love lever guns, I do and I have a 500 s&w handy rifle which is a real hoot. That said I don't think the two mix very well. I know that there have been huge levers but they don't appeal to me and apparently not to many others either. Marlin seems to have discovered and defined the upper limit of lever happiness. I still haven't found flies on my Winchester 94 30-30 from the 70's.

[GBBHA]

We are finally shipping rifles. Sorry about all the delays. It took more time then we thought, but wanted to get it correct. We are slowly filling backorders and hope to be caught up by the end of the year.

[Aaron]

Honestly, here's my opinion for what little it is worth. To me, carrying a combination of rifle and handgun 500 Smith and Wesson caliber is an exercise in futility, at least here in the mountains of Colorado. Other than a custom revolver there are no factory revolvers that I would want to carry in conjunction with a rifle. To me, it is a 1 or the other situation, simply because the revolvers are too big and heavy. Jack Huntington is currently building me a 500 J R H on 1894 Marlin rifle. I will carry this along with a 4 inch barreled revolver in like caliber. I know both of these propositions her high dollar but since were talking about the high dollar rifle in the original post I don't think this would be out of line in this discussion.

Aaron

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yes the proposition of carrying a 5lb pistol and a 8 lb rifle along with some heavy ammo is kind of pointless.

Infact a .50 anything is kind of pointless for a sporting rifle unless there are Hippos and such in the area. I know many will balk at this comment, but I see no need for a .50AK as the idea of launching a 685 gr boolit is kind of rediculous to me, as I could problably stand to pull the trigger exactly once.

A .500 S&W would be more of the same, but with a sharper recoil impulse. .500 and .475 Linebaugh are slighly less offensive recoil wise, but only slightly. Ruger is making #1's in .475L now. It would be neat to have one, but for what is it good for?

Getting down to the .454, I could probably stand that for a few rounds. And since you could do this in an 1894 Marlin and carry a Linebaugh Custom Ruger SBH it might be a viable option. At $6500 for the revolver and $3500 for the rifle, I probably won't be doing this.

I see no need to go above a .44 mag rifle and revolver if I was going to carry both. I can also afford both, and actually have both.

The biggest problem I see is carrying 15 lbs of guns and ammo in addition to everything else you need on the back country.

If you're on horseback then the horse will be carrying the load. I can live with that. Then I can bring my .45-70 rifle too and be equiped to deal with anything up to and including Tyranasuaris Rex.

Now if I was really gearing up for Dino Battle then I guess I would have to get used to shooting that .50AK with 685gr boolits.

UNtil then I just sit this one out.

Good to see DRC is back up making guns. He got so swamped when Brian Pearce did the Article on the DRC .44 Marlin that he had to shut down his website. The only way to communicate with him was to leave your job in the trunk of an old oldsmobile on the edge of his property and hope for the best.

I was told the DRC Marlin .44 Takedown was $3800! Nice gun, but so's my stock one for $525.

Randy

[Omnivore]

I figure that with all the calibers available by (pick a date) 1950, or even 1920, the only real reason for another hunting caliber is;

Because it's cool, that's why! Because we can imagine that it will do something for us slightly better, in some rare circumstance, than the already perfectly good caliber we already have.

The minute I saw the Big Horn 50 S&W I wanted one. I wanted one for absolutely no practical reason. Same reason I own half the guns I already own. Face it; if you have a 270 rifle and some handgun or other, and a shotgun, you probably have all the guns you "need" for hunting and defense unless you're going to Africa. After you have three guns, if you chose the three wisely, need has nothing to do with getting another. I lost count at 15, but I know it's well over 20 now and I just ordered receivers for two more.

You buy it because you want it. If you can't afford it you don't need to rationalize the non-purchase by telling yourself you don't need it. You didn't "need" the last 10 guns you bought.

I love the boutique gunmakers. I can't afford them, but it's really good to know they’re there.

[Gunslinger1911]

I'm with Omnivore - don't have to have a reason, just want one !!

Why in the heck do I have an Olympic grade pellet gun ? Because I wanted one - German precision is amazing !!!!!!!!!!!!

I have 2 levers and 3 revolvers in 45 Colt. Because.

I have a JR 500 - a lever gun in the same caliber would be SWEET !!! Cause.

[starmac]

I reckon I had all the guns I truly needed by the time I was 9 years old. We moved to NM when I was 15 so I then needed and was given a rifle. Until I came to alaska I never needed a pistol, but owned a 44 for 25 years and a whole bunch of other firearms because I wanted them. After meeting Dan (bullshop) I eventually have to have a fifty alaskan.

I doubt if we would have any gun manufacturers left if everyone bought only what they truly needed.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Didn't mean to imply that I am in any way practical. I have the same weakness as bad or worse.

I was just trying to talk people who might want to get in line, out of it,,, in case I decided that I needed one.

Randy

[Gunslinger1911]

LOL - I like your thinking !!!!

But the flip side = If more people buy them, maybe more companys would make them ??

I'm still working on the justification, it's on the short list - but, damn thats expensive !!



Didn't mean to imply that I am in any way practical. I have the same weakness as bad or worse.

I was just trying to talk people who might want to get in line, out of it,,, in case I decided that I needed one.

Randy

[Aaron]

I would like to clarify my post too. by all means get the guns, I'm just saying I wouldn't want to carry them at the same time. Lord knows I've had hundreds of Guns passed through my hands I have not needed, and hope to have hundreds more!

Aaron