500 S&w

[303carbine]

I have shot the 500 S&W on a couple of occasions and its very powerful with the big 500 grain cast boolits with fullhouse loads.:Fire:
It is a two hander for sure and ear plugs and shooting glasses are a must as there is a lot of spitting from this giant.:drinks:
Now I hear there is a 700 grainer for the big 500 now.......gotta try them.:Fire:
I have read reports of the 500 being used for buffalo with great success in Africa and after firing one I believe that its true.:) I wish it was legal to hunt in Canada with a handgun as I would sell all but one big rifle and hunt exclusively with the 500.:Fire:

[Jack Stanley]

After hunting with the "N" frame Smith long enough to smack a whitetail deer with it . I have learned at the least to have ear plugs in before the shot ..... twenty two grains of twenty-four hundred being lit off at dusk will deafen and blind a fella for a while ... Not that I would ever do such a thing [smilie=1:

I got a chance to light off a 454 a few times and I think I found the upper limit of my fun , I am gonna leave the bigger stuff to those who enjoy them and use them much better than I .
That's a lotta lead to throw and when it's controlled it can do to job for sure .

Jack

[Buckshot]

...............Me and a couple buddies watched a guy doing some shooting with one at the range one day. Shoot it full house, just for fun? Naw-uh, not this chile'.

................Buckshot

[9.3X62AL]

Same here. I cranked off a few rounds from the 10mm this weekend while Marie was digging up geodes and "cool rocks" (her term) out in the desert. The shooting reminded me that The Ten is about all I want in bark and back-push from a bottom-feeder, and that an N-frame Smith with Keith-level 44's (250's at 1200 FPS) is about enough of that for me.

[dk17hmr]

I have a friend that cast the 700 grain bullets for his 500's. He has 2 of them the 8 3/8" and the 4". MV is around 1100fps if I remember correct.

I own a NEF handi and was considering getting the 500 barrel just to shoot that 700 grain bullet at deer , but am opting for the 45-70 32" barrel because we have the dies for 45-70 already.

dk17hmr

[6pt-sika]

I got one of the NEF rifles in 500 .

You know it when you touch off one of the 500 grain Hornady's.

Anyway when I got the rifle I had my dealer get me one of Lyman's #501680 molds as well . This mold is supposed to throw a 375 grain PB bullet. Cast up about 50 of these but I've not lubed or sized yet.

Since then I've acquired two other molds. One is the RCBS 50-400SWC . This is also a PB design. And I've not used it yet. The other mold is the Lee C501-440-RF, got this one mainly because of the GC. But like the RCBS I've not had a chance to try it yet.

I have all intentions of trying all three of these bullets in the Handi Rifle and possibly taking deer with one or more of them. I also have thoughts of getting another of the Lee molds and making a HP out of it , but thats down the road a bit :coffee:

[twoworms]

303Carbine,

I have a 4" S&W 500 and its a blast to shoot. I hand load 450gr cast boolits with 11.3 gr Unique and get 800fps. Just a plinking load. My hot load is 35 grains of Littlegun and cast preformance 440 castgascheck bullet they go 1380fps from the 4" barrel. You don't have to check an see if the round fired with that load.

Tim

[lar45]

I picked up one of the 4" 500's last fall and I like it. I've shot the factory 400 gn Magtech's and they are doing around 1200 fps from the 3" bbl. They really are not too bad to shoot.
I've cast a bunch of the Lee 440's and I load them to around 900fps. That is a real pleasant plinker load. I haven't had time to do much else.

Ranger Rick casts some 700gn 500 bullets, he also has a huge SWC and a couple others. He has these for sale. rgibson38@hotmail.com He provides the bullets for ballistic supply's 500 ammo.
http://www.ballisticsupply.net/Default.aspx?tabid=252105
I've got some of each and hope to pencil in some time to try them out.

That 700gn has got to be fun. Even if it was only loaded to 1000 fps, it should be a real killer.

[44man]

I never see any difference to killing power on deer whether I use my .44, .45, 45-70 or .475 revolvers. When I go out, I use a different gun for each deer because they all work so well.
I would love to have the .500 but can't afford one. I am sure it would not kill any better then what I have, but you never know when the mastodons will re-appear.
Then again, the blast might creat food plots!

[lar45]

I picked mine up used on Gunbroker. The guy said that he sold it in the morning with a full box of ammo and got it back that afternoon with 5 rounds gone from the box. It was less than my 45-70 BFR.
I've shot a box of full house factory loads, just because you have to, but always intended to use it as a 50 special.

A friend showed me on the S&W site where you can send your gun in for some Laser engraving type stuff. It looks good and affordable.

[44man]

Lucky dog, you!

[Bucks Owin]

That X-frame Smith is one BIG hunk of ordinance! Definately not a candidate for belt holster wear!

My lusted after choice in the .50 cal arena is the new .500 Wyoming Express from Freedom Arms. It has 85% of the energy of the .500 S&W but the gun itself is comparable to a Super Blackhawk in "packability"....

Besides, 85% of the big Smith is more than enough for me! (And would no doubt take quite a "period of adjustment" before I'd want to fire full tilt loads in either one!) [smilie=1:

FWIW,

Dennis

[lar45]

Magnum research makes the BFR in 50AE. You can send the gun to their custom shop and have another cylinder fit to it for 500 S&Wx1.4 or 500 JRH no2 ?
That is another option for a 50 something. I almost went that route until I happened across my 4" 500. I carried it last year through Elk season in a belt holster. The first few days weren't bad, but towards the end everything was heavier than when I started.
Taurus is supposed to be bringing out a 500 S&W 5 shot double action. But they are going to have the cylinder be just long enough for the 500 round and not with the extra long cylinder.
My 454 Raging bull is a really accurate gun. I wonder if the 500 will be?
I think that for a light big bore carry gun, I may need to find a Ruger Alaskan in 480.

[Newtire]

Last weekend at the range, I was looking around for ejected .30 carbine & .44 mag. brass from both carbines and found one of those cases in the brass bucket.
That would make a great rifle round I would think (like in a little carbine) to carry in Alaska or other places where bears are walking around but anyone who shoots one of those in a pistol just deserves what they get! I think that would really be the ticket for a kind of gun with interchangeable barrels. A separate barrel could be about a 28 ga. shotgun. I have a fondness for the .410 but here's a gun that will shoot some big bullets and also will be just a bit more "humane" at killing than a .410. I think it is a cool idea. A deer or pig can only take so much killing after all. Funny how the .30-30 in a rifle is such a pip-squeak anymore but put that thing in a pistol at less velocity and Mama-Hoochey! Rambling rambling....
Anyhow, put that thing in a carbine where it belongs.

[Scrounger]

I can't concieve handling that much recoil in a pistol, but as several people pointed out to me, rounds like this are actually easier to shoot in a pistol than in a rifle. In a rifle, all the recoil comes back against your shoulder; in a pistol, a lot of it is 'lost', in lifting the gun into the air. The recoil is just 'wasted' if you get what I mean, whereas in a rifle, all the recoil is 'captured' and directed against your shoulder. I suppose it's a mental conditioning thing, getting used to it, but while I certainly notice the rifle recoil, the pistol recoil has me flinching before I even pull the trigger.

[Bucks Owin]

I can't concieve handling that much recoil in a pistol, but as several people pointed out to me, rounds like this are actually easier to shoot in a pistol than in a rifle. In a rifle, all the recoil comes back against your shoulder; in a pistol, a lot of it is 'lost', in lifting the gun into the air. The recoil is just 'wasted' if you get what I mean, whereas in a rifle, all the recoil is 'captured' and directed against your shoulder. I suppose it's a mental conditioning thing, getting used to it, but while I certainly notice the rifle recoil, the pistol recoil has me flinching before I even pull the trigger.

The "fly in the ointment" here is that a rifle normally weighs 2 to 3 times as much as a handgun which helps soak up recoil. Big bore high velocity handguns do "back up", there's no getting around it.....

Best advice IMO, is to concentrate on "calling your shot" and let the handcannon surprise you when it fires. You won't have any time to flinch that way!

Dennis

[Halfbreed]

I have shot the 4" S$W 500 several times, with magtech loads, it was easy enough for silhouettes at 100 yards with open sights, I did not find the recoil to be much more than a good .44 mag load.
Then again I also hunt deer with a .458 winnie on occassion. [smilie=1:
Halfbreed

[Bucks Owin]

I have shot the 4" S$W 500 several times, with magtech loads, it was easy enough for silhouettes at 100 yards with open sights, I did not find the recoil to be much more than a good .44 mag load.
Then again I also hunt deer with a .458 winnie on occassion. [smilie=1:
Halfbreed

Hi and welcome Halfbreed!

That X-frame Smith is no lightweight which is a good thing...

.458 Win for deer?!? Uh...ok Must be big deer! [smilie=1:

Dennis :-D

[rugerman1]

Lyman 375 grain SWC :castmine:
http://www.atruscorp.com/images/upload_4421db6639bc9.jpg

[Explorer1]

I have a 4" 500 S&W, great carry gun. Use a Simply Rugged pancake style holster and it can be nearly forgotten till you need it. Not a concealment gun!

I do NOT try to hot rod this gun, its enough already. The gun is HUGE and "absorbs" recoil well, have shot 44s that were worse. Have not tried the 700gr bullets yet, have tried a few 600s.

See S&W now has a 2 3/4" version now in an emergency kit, marketing at its finest.

Mine came from someone who also decided it was way too much for his needs after a very small number of rounds so the price was moderate. Know of several that were sold for this reason.

The full size .460 (8-10") is probably a more practical hunting gun (also FUN to shoot) but I wanted a "smaller" big bore carry gun for berry picking, etc.:Fire:

[Bad luck Bill]

I shot that damn hand cannon also, too much for me and too much for any big game in America I suppose. To each his own I guess, recoil seemed worse than a .44 mag in my opinion but it was pretty accurate. Five shots at 25 yards gave me a 4" group. For nenver shooting it before I thought that was pretty good.

BLB

[500bfrman]

I am working on getting a 880 grain mold. Figured I might as well utilize this long cylinder on the BFR. Let's see what this thing is really capable of. QL said close to 1200 with my design.:twisted:

[twotrees]

The Chat Room my wife (RedFoxy) and I own has a get-to-geather shoot in Texas each may and one of our chatters worked for S&W for 20 years. If you look in the 500 Box that the 500 come in you'll find a slip signed by the guy that did the test firing.

Anyway, Rock got Ser.#1 off the line for his personal gun and has sent it to us each of the last 2 years for the folks to try. The first year my wife shot it 2 handed , from a bench and it came back and "Got her". At that time she was the first woman to fire that beast and the guys got her a 500 hat an T Shirt.

This past year we had 2 guys come over from Scotland and they want fire it too. We too it easy on everyone and bought 2 boxes of Hornady 350 gr loads (Yikes!!)

Everyone tried it Except the wife, as she said there are a lot of guys that need to try it first, before she has another go at it.

The sights are set for Rock and I tried a couple of shots, benched, at 300 meters. The first shot was left and directly behind the iron pig. Shot #2 was in the same place. So the gun and load shoots well, but the sights would need to be set for my old eyes , If I had it.

I shoot a lot of 44 mag and 454 and let me tell ya, after a few of those $2.00 each 500 loads my 454 feels like a 357 !!!! Nice gun, way big, way heavy, cost to much for me.

Now you fo...errrrr Guys that are shooting 700 gr boolits in that thing are way more craz....errrr macho than I am. :-D :kidding:


Good Shootin ( pass the Flexsol Please)

TwoTrees

[largecaliberman]

I have shot the 500 S&W on a couple of occasions and its very powerful with the big 500 grain cast boolits with fullhouse loads.:Fire:
It is a two hander for sure and ear plugs and shooting glasses are a must as there is a lot of spitting from this giant.:drinks:
Now I hear there is a 700 grainer for the big 500 now.......gotta try them.:Fire:
I have read reports of the 500 being used for buffalo with great success in Africa and after firing one I believe that its true.:) I wish it was legal to hunt in Canada with a handgun as I would sell all but one big rifle and hunt exclusively with the 500.:Fire:

Spitting was mentioned. I have the 8-=38" model and it was spitting lead. Once, I used one of those copper jacketed ones and a shrapnel got me on the lip and bled. I called S&W and they rectified the problem.

The cylinder was changed because the timing was off and chamfered the barrel at NO CHARGE even the FEDEX was FREE. If you or anyone have this problem, have it fixes. S&W is good at this.

[50 Caliber]

S&W should get it right the first time for the blood money their chargeing!

[Bad luck Bill]

I imagine the shipping and labor was free...considering you could have sued the **** out of them! Though I'm glad you didn't, too many people looking for a free-be to begin with. A bloody lip would hardly get you a kiss from Mom when I was a kid. Now a days people sue for burning themseleves with hot coffee! Go figure. At least we all have front row seats...we get to watch the ship go down in first class!

BLB.

[Marlin Junky]

I like the looks of that 375 grain Lyman SWC. What is the width of its meplat? I'd never buy an X-frame Smith in .500 S&W but I am trying to locate a H-R chambered for the .500.

MJ

[lefty_red]

I bought my buddies NEF in 500 S&W this weekend. Still don't know why, maybe it was the $125 price tag! I don't think he even shot it.

Jerry

[rugerman1]

I like the looks of that 375 grain Lyman SWC. What is the width of its meplat? MJ
Roughly .300" and weigh about 380 grains with WW's & lube.:drinks:

[Marlin Junky]

Wow... a 60% meplat! Sounds like a heck of a long range boolit.

MJ

[Marlin Junky]

I can't figure out what the .500 S&W headspaces on... it doesn't look like is has a rim and I can't find any spec's for it.

Anybody dare to estimate what velocity a 375 to 440 grain boolit would leave a 22" barrel when launched by a max. load of WC820?

I wonder what kind of results we could get from PB boolits in the 400 to 500 grain range when launched to 1300 - 1400 fps by about 30 grains of WC820. I'm still looking for a Handi-Rifle in .500S&W so I can find out!

MJ

[rugerman1]

I can't figure out what the .500 S&W headspaces on... it doesn't look like is has a rim and I can't find any spec's for it.



The 500S&W is a true revolver round ,it headspaces on the rim like the 38 special,44 magnum,etc.

From Greg at thereloadbench.com
http://www.reloadbench.com/popup/cart/365.html

[rockrat]

You should be able to get a 375gr .501dia bullet out of the 500S&W in the NEF up slightly above 2000fps. You can get a 335 Ranier up to near 2200fps. Thumper on both ends, believe me!! I use Lil Gun in my NEF

[500bfrman]

I wonder what the barnes 275 or 325 would do? My shop has one of these on the shelf. I been thinking about getting it. go along nicely with the bfr. I'm guessing you would pick up close to 300 fps over a 10 inch barreled revolver.

[500bfrman]

anybodyknow the twist on the handi rifle

[500bfrman]

anybodyknow the twist on the handi rifle

1 in 18.75

[OBXPilgrim]

I wish someone would take a side-view photo in fire-breathing glory of somebody shooting said beast.

Gas blast from a ported barrel will gain bonus points!!

[Marlin Junky]

Wow, that's not much of a rim! Given machining tolerances and differences in brass I would think there's a possibility for problems to surface. Has anyone had issues with Winchester or Hornady brass either during the handloading process or while shooting?

MJ

[500bfrman]

All I use is starline. Haven't had any issues or heard of any. Looks like the rim is .030 bigger than the body. That's the same as the 454 as well.