H&R 500 S&W magnum Handi Rifle

[303hunter]

Recently bought this Handi rifle in 500 S&W magnum. It’s been fired very little, and I’m looking for some load data. Have some Acme 400 grain coated bullets. Any experience with these bullets? It’s hard to find anything right now, but I scored 200 of these.

[Edward]

You shoot it and learn why it was shot very little , how"s your dental plan and does it cover loss? :bigsmyl2:

[Thundarstick]

I've got a TC Encore in the. 500 S&W. Word to the wise, shot it like a shotgun! CFEBLK don't recoil as bad as H110 at the same velocity. It's a true T-Rex thumper!

[Mk42gunner]

When they were still being made, I always thought it should be loaded with FFg. It probably wouldn't hurt too much to shoot then.

I have a 3½" chambered 12 guage H&R, so I know about light guns and vicious recoil.

Robert

[Intel6]

I picked up a 20" Khatadin barrel in .500 S&W for my Encore rifle frame. I cast and load 450 gr. bullets up to the big 700 gr. bullets. Full power loads really thump in the carbines. I load the Lee 440 gr. for a lite load and heavy load and then a 640 gr. (HP version of the 700 gr.) and the 700 gr. bullet at full power

Here is the T/C Encore with the 20" Katahdin barrel. I have a 2x7 scope which is a perfect power for it.


290039


In the pic L to R:

Lee 450 gr. bullet PC'd/GC'd and loaded to the shorter crimp groove to signify it is the milder Unique loading

Lee 450 gr. bullet loaded to the longer OAL to signify it is a full power loading

NOE 640 gr. "bigmouth" HP bullet PC'd

NOE 700 gr. Solid PC'd



290040

[Wayne Smith]

I have that Katadin Encore too - first and only scope cut I ever got was due to that and a large boolit. Shoot standing!

[303hunter]

290161Loaded a few of the 400 grain bullets with 38 grains H110, CCI 250 primers, and Starline cases. The first shot was an eye opener! After three more shots I installed a slip on recoil pad that made it feel more like a 20 gauge shotgun. Also installed a Talley scope base and rings, along with a Redfield Revenge 2-7 scope. Made sure the scope had plenty of eye relief to go with this cartridge.

[303hunter]

I've got a TC Encore in the. 500 S&W. Word to the wise, shot it like a shotgun! CFEBLK don't recoil as bad as H110 at the same velocity. It's a true T-Rex thumper!
I’ve got a couple pounds CFE BLK, and I’ll try it next.

[DougGuy]

I can't wait until they start making derringers in 500 S&W magnum! You KNOW someone is bound to do it! They will have to put the front sight on the bottom of the barrels so you aim at the ground 6' in front of the intended "target" to hit somewhere in the torso.

[303hunter]

I can't wait until they start making derringers in 500 S&W magnum! You KNOW someone is bound to do it! They will have to put the front sight on the bottom of the barrels so you aim at the ground 6' in front of the intended "target" to hit somewhere in the torso.
I wouldn’t want to shoot that derringer!

[303hunter]

Took the Handi rifle to the range today, and if it weren’t for the horrible trigger, I believe it would be fairly accurate. It’s crisp, but breaks at around 9-10 pounds. Will have to look into a trigger job, because this rifle is not any fun to shoot after 5 rounds. My 450 Bushmaster is an absolute joy to shoot compared to this one.

[45DUDE]

My buddy had one a few years and I got to shoot it. He used a full charge of 296. It would explode a gallon jug of water into a 30 foot mist.

[OBXPilgrim]

Took the Handi rifle to the range today, and if it weren’t for the horrible trigger, I believe it would be fairly accurate. It’s crisp, but breaks at around 9-10 pounds. Will have to look into a trigger job, because this rifle is not any fun to shoot after 5 rounds. My 450 Bushmaster is an absolute joy to shoot compared to this one.

I bet it is quite memorable!

[JimB..]

Is there a decent trigger job to be done, or just put in a fired case and exercise it while watching TV?

[Nobade]

Used to be, the spring out of a ballpoint pen made a good trigger return spring. Don't know if that still applies or not.

In my own 500 S&W rifle I found IMR4227 to be the best if you have any to try.

[ericp]

My dad had one, treated it like a 50-70. 450gr bullets at 1200fps. If you load it up those rifles can become unpleasant quickly.


Eric

[303hunter]

My dad had one, treated it like a 50-70. 450gr bullets at 1200fps. If you load it up those rifles can become unpleasant quickly.


Eric

Recently got a Lyman cast bullet handbook, and it contains milder loads than the Hodgdon manual I’ve been using. I’m gonna try some of the milder loads next.

[Mk42gunner]

303hunter, Does your rifle still have the factory weight in the stock? I remember picking one up one time and the "recoil reducer" threw the balance off way too much for me to want it.

My 3½" 12 gauge had the same (I'm sure) weight. It didn't help enough with turkey loads, plus the plastic shells stuck in the chamber. My solution was to take the weight out and only use 2 3/4" loads for squirrel hunting. The gun works great for that.

Robert

[303hunter]

303hunter, Does your rifle still have the factory weight in the stock? I remember picking one up one time and the "recoil reducer" threw the balance off way too much for me to want it.

My 3½" 12 gauge had the same (I'm sure) weight. It didn't help enough with turkey loads, plus the plastic shells stuck in the chamber. My solution was to take the weight out and only use 2 3/4" loads for squirrel hunting. The gun works great for that.

Robert

Robert, thanks for the tip. I took the factory recoil pad off, and there’s nothing there but the hole for the stock bolt. I’d definitely like to find a better recoil pad, but can’t find anything for the wood stock, only the synthetic stock. I’ve never done a grind to fit before, but will likely try it now.

[Mk42gunner]

Grind to fit pads aren't that hard to do, as long as you realize you will be refinishing the stock unless you have a grinding jig.

I like the Pachmyar Decellerators (probably butchered the spelling on both names). They grind better when frozen. I have never done one of the Sorbathane pads.

Good Luck,

Robert

[303hunter]

Grind to fit pads aren't that hard to do, as long as you realize you will be refinishing the stock unless you have a grinding jig.

I like the Pachmyar Decellerators (probably butchered the spelling on both names). They grind better when frozen. I have never done one of the Sorbathane pads.

Good Luck,

Robert
Our local Academy Sports is out of grind to fit pads, and Gander Mountain has gone out of business. Gander had a huge supply before they went belly up

[444ttd]

My dad had one, treated it like a 50-70. 450gr bullets at 1200fps. If you load it up those rifles can become unpleasant quickly.


Eric


i have the tc encore in a 23" MGM barrel in 500 linebaugh. i shoot 450gr lfn gc and 16.5gr of hs-6 that goes 1235fps. that will be my deer/black bear load. i wanted a 50-70 barrel but MGM doesn't have them.

[Earl54]

Lee 440gr boolet and 10gr unique - will kill a deer out of NEF 500mag