S&W500 Tifecta

[69daytona]

Just picked up my new S&W 500 in 6.5", I love these guns. So I now have 5 total
A 4", 6.5" and 10.5" along with a Handi Rifle in S&W500 and a TC Encore in 500 15".
These just cant be beat for the selection of bullets and speed and power.
I have shot everything from a 275gr at over 2200fps to a 700gr at 1200fps.
Will soon have a MiHec Cramer mold for a 383grHP and 405gr FP.

[Frank]

That looks great. You definitely have my interest. I'd like to see more of those TC's and big Smiths with the long barrels. Great job.

[lamina1982]

I have a 500 encore pistol with 15" barrel and it is defintely great. With the pachamyr grip its a breeze to shoot. Just got some 535 gr ranger rick bullets cant wait to get loaded up. I'll see if can post up some pics.

[500MAGdaddy]

I'm definitely jealous! Wish I had a 500 in the 6.5" My 4" is a helluva shooter and I bet the 6.5 is just an awesome piece of machinery! Also like the idea of having the muzzle break built into the barrel and not as an attatchment.

[69daytona]

I acnt wait to take my new 6.5" out and shoot it, im hoping for this weekend.
The 4" is a great shooting gun and the 10.5" is fantastic for long range.
You will enjoy Ranger Ricks bullets, Ive shot everything he makes for the 500 and they all shoot very good groups. the 600gr shoots verry well out of my 4" but the 700 wont stabilize beyond about 20 yards, leave that one for the longer barrels.
The big selling point on the 6.5" was the lack of a heavy underlug and lack of the detachable muzzle break, a true Dirty Harry gun, going to have to get Make My Day engraved on the crown of the barrel.

[Frank]

I have a 500 encore pistol with 15" barrel and it is defintely great. With the pachamyr grip its a breeze to shoot. Just got some 535 gr ranger rick bullets cant wait to get loaded up. I'll see if can post up some pics.
So what's an encore? I'm kind of confused about the difference between a Contender and an Encore. What are they like? And how do they compare with other handcannons?

[TDC]

I've been shooting my 6 1/2 for about 5 months and I love it. For me it's just about the optimum length for comfortable shoulder holster or hip carry. Without the under lug the weight comes in at about half way between the 4" and the 8 3/8's.

Many of us are waiting for the fabulous new MiHec HPGC .502 mould that's just about to be in production. It will open an exciting new range of options sure to enhance the versatility of this caliber for self defense and hunting.

69daytona is the honcho. Thanks for doing it, Jack!!:drinks:

[69daytona]

Not a problem, im working on a new HP design for Miha to make for us, I will bring it up after we all have our molds, but looking at 475-500gr HP/FP.
I will open it for discussion in a few months.
Miha just wrote me and the 503 molds are done and being mailed so ours should be pretty soon.

[lamina1982]

An encore is the beefier big brother of the contender and has more "larger" caliber options I guess you could say. Some people say its a larger handful than the contender-I find it fits my hand well and I am average size, and enjoy shooting it. Depending on barrel length and such its definitely more of a stand gun-I have a red dot on mine so i have some versatility. The only other handguns i shoot are a 44mag and a 22. The 500 definitely has more kick than the 44. i also have a 15" 308 barrel and that kicks almost as hard as the 500 but its a different sort of recoil. Once you get one though its like a virus-so many barrel options you just keep wanting more. Only downside to the 500 is last time I shot a deer I shot twice in woods and my ears rang for a few days.

[Frank]

I can see it's a little beefier. The "action" looks longer over the trigger guard, and it's heavier, and as you say, the caliber list is good. What is the biggest Encore round you have heard of?

[softpoint]

I had an Encore 15 incher in .375 H&H Ackley improved.:coffee:

[lamina1982]

I know there was a you tube of some big fat guy shooting some huge nitro round and gun flew out of his hand. Im pretty new to handgunhunting-about 3-4 yrs now so dont know too much as far as that goes

[Frank]

I mention it because some guy said he had a .338 Win Mag TC. So there are other calibers than what is listed from the factory.

So how did it feel? Did it have a brake? Or did it make you take a break? [smilie=p:

Good idea. I"m going to go over to youtube and check it out. :Fire:

OK, I checked it out. The sky is the limit. One guy shoots a .600 Nitro out of an Encore. It flies right past his head.

[lamina1982]

Thats exactly the one! There are lots of custom barrel makers out there, mgm, sks or is it ssk-something like that anyways. Its a good versatile gun-I was leary at first and looked down upon them but once you have one theres no getting rid of it!!!

[69daytona]

I belive its SSK that makes any barrel you want for the Encore, they have a 50 whisper that shoots a 750gr bullet on what looks like a shortend 300 ultra mag case.
They are the one that make all the JDJ rounds.
The 600 Nitro in an Encore is just having to much money and not knowing what to do with it.
Great for bragging rights though.

[snowwolfe]

When you guys are sizing bullets for your S&W 500's what are you sizing them to?

[ebner glocken]

I'm sizing the Lee 440 GC to .501", still waiting for the 375 grain spire point group buy.

The .500 is really a handful and so far a great round. There is a downside though. Last time I shot my BFR I sheared the ejector rod screw even with the end of the barrel, found the rod, housing, and spring about twenty feet behind me fortunatly all together.......who knows where the rest of the screw went. The load was 38 grains of ww-296 behind the lee 440.

As far as I see it there isn't much reason to shoot the .500 much less than full throttle. If I want a smaller gun I will grab a smaller gun. So far I don't know of anyone that shoots a X frame that actually shoots it much (doesn't keep it around for a safe queen) that hasn't sheared parts, just one of those trade offs with having anything ultra high performance.

Ebner

[69daytona]

I size all of mine to .501. favorite load for everyday shooting is 42gr of H110 behind speers 325gr HP. I havent cronoed it yet but I can shoot it all day long. I am one of the exceptions to this as I take one of my 500s out every time I go out to shoot. Light loads in my 4" are still around 1300fps the hot stuff goes over 1600-2000.

[snowwolfe]

Thanks for the info. I also own the Lew Horton 6.5 inch model and a 4 incher as well. Have a mould that drops about a 400 grain slug but have yet to cast for it. Interesting comments about shearing parts. So far I had zero problems with either handgun and each gets used often. Still debating on scoping the 6.5 but just so handy without the scope.

[Frank]

ebner glockner said
The .500 is really a handful and so far a great round. There is a downside though. Last time I shot my BFR I sheared the ejector rod screw even with the end of the barrel, found the rod, housing, and spring about twenty feet behind me fourtunatly all together.......who knows where the rest of the screw went. The load was 38 grains of ww-296 behind the lee 440
Sounds like some pretty good action, Ebner. Hope you get it all fixed and back out there. :Fire:

[lamina1982]

I enjoy shooting my 500 encore much more than my 44 taurus. Dead on at 100 yds with red dot, just wish ammo wasn't so pricey-I know hwat am I thinking shooting factory ammo. Gramps reloads but i'm behind in giving him my brass and such

[stubshaft]

I love 500 S&W mags. I have 4 of them including a custom carbine barrel. I tend to feed them boolits from 460gr - 580gr.

[Frank]

There you go. That'll knock down those metal chickens. :shock: Probably blast'em right off the hinges. [smilie=l:

[stubshaft]

The 460 (440Lee) chrono's 1800 ahead of 32.5 Lil Gun out of the 15 incher. It moves the chickens about six feet behind the stand.

By the way great looking collection 69Daytona!

[snowwolfe]

I just ordered the Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold C501-440. Gonna break my cherry with this casting stuff!
Which top punch would you use with this boolit on the RCBS Lube Sizer?

Would like to purchase another mold to try as well. Any suggestions?

[Ben]

I took a 45 cal. top punch ( for which I didn't have the particular bullet mold for anymore) and made a flat punch.

Works 101% on the big flat meplat of the Lee .50 bullet.

[wilddog45]

[QUOTE=snowwolfe;698379]
Which top punch would you use with this boolit on the RCBS Lube Sizer?

QUOTE]

I used a 1/4" bolt cut down.