John Ross .500

[wonderwolf]

Went and picked my new John Ross S&W .500 revolver earlier this week its meant as my graduation present but since its a while before I actually walk and only 250 of each the SS and black revolvers were made my sister fronted the monies along with my tax return for the beast. I would like to get the Black version he came out with but I also wanna wait and see what other versions he plans to come out with.

The John Ross 500 is a 5" dan wesson style barrel so gap is cut way down. No muzzle brake so it dosn't feel like a stick of TNT going off in front of your face. Comes out of the performance center with a fairly good trigger though DA could be improved as it sticks (from being new?) front sight is millet style so it can swap out with other heights of sights to shoot longer or shorter? ranges. I know at least one other person here on the board owns one. I got one around #160 :coffee:

[GSPKurt]

Pictures, dude, pictures...

[wonderwolf]

I'll work on that later...My girlfriend thinks its a pretty nice gun...she offered to pose with said revolver [smilie=1:

[Lloyd Smale]

cool gun. I saw picts of the prototype a while back

[jwp475]

Comes out of the performance center with a fairly good trigger though DA could be improved as it sticks (from being new?) :coffee:



I would be a little upset with a "Performance Center" revolver that sticks. Not acceptable IMHO


Also,

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/Sarge.jpg

[wonderwolf]

Sorry for the lag, girlfriend is busy studying tonight so we'll take those later :mrgreen: The one picture is the 500 next to a 1988 625 S&W


JR 500 pic 1 (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/wonderwolf223/JR%20500/DSC00499.jpg)


JR 500 pic 2 (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/wonderwolf223/JR%20500/DSC00497.jpg)

[Porterhouse]

Wonderwolf,

Don’t worry about the trigger pull. It definitely gets slicker as you shoot it. My PC 500 with 6.5” started its life with 4.5lb of single action and stucky (for me anyways) double action when I got it NIB. But after firing around 1,000 rounds of live ammunition on top of at least five times as much dry firing, it came out as 2.5lb SA with nice smooth DA and it’s been like that since. JR/PC 500 seems like going through the same process. When I got it, SA pull was again 4 plus pound, but after I put a few hundreds rounds through it, SA pull came down to 3.5lb and DA gets smoother each time, so I predict it’ll get as good as 6.5” as I shoot more. Besides, if you are in needs of ultra smooth double action for these JR/ PC 500, you’re in serious life or death situation, I guess.
On the other note; Be really careful working up the loads for JR 500s. As you know, these guns shine when you shoot 500gr or heavier loads with its tight 1-10” twist and are capable of producing unbelievable power level for handgun package. However, that doesn’t come for free and they generate nasty muzzle flip which beat the **** out of the web of your shooting hand. If your are not experienced with S&W M500, be careful. If your are experienced with S&W M500 with standard 8 3/8” , PC 6.5” or heavier versions, be even more careful as they act differently. Shooting a few londs at one session is not a big deal but problem shows up when you try to shoot a lot in one session, like testing several loads for velocity or accuracy with arms on the rest.
As of any shooting and handloading practice, walk, don’t run.
I learned this hard way…

[wonderwolf]

Thanks, I'm curious as to what other guns JR is planning on brining out in the coming years. As far as handloading goes I'll be sure to take baby steps with this as its def not .44 mag or .45ACP. I'm going to put back some surplus powder and maybe some lil'gun to mess with for when I can shoot it. I have some of the heavy 700gr bullets around here but I'm thinking my staple is going to be something in the 450 region that is shaped like a Keith. I have time to read and research and decide what molds to get. I don't think I'm going to get a lot of jacketed bullets but I'm wanting to have something to test and compare with when I get around to it.

[GaryM]

Here is mine... serial no. in the teens. It helps I live only a few miles away from Mr. Ross.

www.geocities.com/Aigtbootbp/500a1.jpg

[wonderwolf]

How do you like that finish? My friend is thinking about getting one but is worried about how that black finish will wear in the long run.

[Whitworth]

That's a really neat piece! Who cares how heavy it is in DA? When will you ever shoot it double action?!:mrgreen:

[snowwolfe]

Those revolvers sure are sweet. If I didnt already have a 4 in 500 I know one would of been added to the collection.

[wonderwolf]

What 4 do you have? I went to the NRA convention this past weekend and saw some of S&W's fixed comp offerings which I don't think I would care for much at least not until I get so shell shocked that I can't take the recoil anymore :Fire:

[Porterhouse]

Wonderwolf,
Can you tell us a bit about the new 500? I saw a pic on Gunblast.com but thats all I can find. Looks like 6.5" to me but is it?

[snowwolfe]

What 4 do you have? I went to the NRA convention this past weekend and saw some of S&W's fixed comp offerings which I don't think I would care for much at least not until I get so shell shocked that I can't take the recoil anymore :Fire:


I dont have four, I have the 4 inch model, lol. But I also have the PC Lew Horton version with the 6.5 inch barrel as well. I used to own the 10 and 12 inch models that I bought on a whim but never shot either one of them as I found them to difficult to carry.

[wonderwolf]

Its a 5" barrel actually which imho is the best all around barrel length for most if not all pistol calibers. John Ross believes that the 5" barrel is the best as well inspired by the rare 5" .44 mags that were made by S&W and are rather rare.

[Porterhouse]

So, that one looks like M629 6", but its actual barrel length is 5"and last inch or so is unrifled, ported section... I don't know if I like that. I'm going to stick with my JR500 for sure.

[wonderwolf]

No thats a 1988 625 with a 5" barrel same as the 500 above it. put it in there for comparison on frame size etc.

[scout34]

I got one of those right around the Shot Show in Feb. You're right that it's no .45. A whole new level of recoil to be sure, but not as bad as I thought. Baby steps.

[wonderwolf]

I've yet to shoot any loads out of a .500 that have made me want to stop shooting it due to pain. The grips are wonderful I think on this beast. Its all in how you handle the magnums. I'm a very light weight guy but I've seen big 300pound guys loose grip with a hand when touching these things off.

[bdutro]

Small world. I'm waiting for my John Ross 500 that I received for graduation as well.

Rather than a Keith bullet, take a look at this: http://www.wetinkpro.com/john/site/sw500.php

Using that as a guide, I bumped the bullet weight to 510 gr to get 3 bands/grooves on the shank. For the time being, I've ordered 100 rounds through Ballistic Supply in WA as well as the Ken Null holster.

Got 8lbs of H110 and ~250 lbs of wheel weights cast into ingots. Molds and dies are next...
Can't wait!

[twotrees]

I weigh 170 and I think the full sized 8+ incher kicks more. The 4" sure does send out a fire ball.

Have fun Y'All


TwoTrees

[No_1]

Gosh that sure sounds wrong. Good thing we are talking guns....


I weigh 170 and I think the full sized 8+ incher kickers more. The 4" sure does send out a fire ball.

Have fun Y'All


TwoTrees

[twotrees]

I guess I could have phrased that better.

The 8Inch S&W in 500 S&W with 350 gr bullets kicks more than the 4 Inch S&W with the same loads.

You'll have to ask the wife any other details.

She was the first woman that S&W knows of to shoot a S&W 500. She had it come out of her strong hand and hit her a grazing blow on the left side of the head. Slight concussion. She got the 500 S&W Hat and shirt from our friend that worked at S&W and had sent his gun for us to try at our Texas Shootout.

S&W ser. # XXXXXXX01 First production model off the line.

His job was to test fire all the 500's (and other guns that came down the line) he retired after a year of the 500 being in production.

Good Shooting,

TwoTrees and that sore head RedFoxy