View Full Version : S & W 500
I was at the outdoor range yesterday and a fellow to my right had a S & W 6" 500. We got to talking about it a bit and he let me try a couple of rounds (expensive). The first was a full power 440 gr, the second a full power 385 gr. Man, talk about recoil. Does recoil in a revolver get anymore fierce. I was holding it pretty tight, just before trembling. Didn't feel like I was going to drop it or anything. The web of my firing hand took it pretty well, the rubber Hogue grips had a pretty generous amount of rubber in the backstrap right where my web was. Where I felt it the most was in my finger tips. Stung them pretty good. Made my full power .44 Mag Smith seem light by comparison.
I have inherited my fathers 10.5” PC version. It’s a beautiful gun and has a fantastic trigger; best out of all my wheel guns which are other smiths, Rogers and a Rossi. Especially in pre-cocked SA mode. It’s a handgun that can ride on my shoulder via a sling. With its 6” of pic rail space I’ve entertained the idea of mounting a silver handgun scope on it and try hunting with it. But as you mentioned, the recoil is nothing short of impressive. Might be a little lighter than a 6” barrel though. Either way the recoil is sharp enough that I don’t shoot it often and it’s actually for sale.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?225246-S-amp-W-500-Magnum-10-5%94-PC-revolver&highlight=
My Dad still has his big horn(?) 500 lever action that I also want to inherit one day as a bear gun for when we hunt in Alaska. It also has a humongous recoil. I have a 338/378 wby (bigger than the lapua) and that rifle recoils is harsh, but sharp. The unbraked 500 lever action is just as heavy of a push on the shoulder, but I swear it lasts for a full half second. Four or five times longer than what the 338/378 rifle feels like. Hence the 500 recoil definitely feels worse. YMMV
That Big Horn is a beautiful lever, what a price! Most I've shot out of a lever was .45/70. I wouldn't say the recoil was harsh, but it was quite stout. Seemed to recoil more than my 7mm Rem Mag bolt gun.
Several guys at the local range have 500s.
The club requested a plate rack for the plinking area. Apparently skeptical, the very first thing a member of the board did was blast it with his 500. It survived! so they deemed it OK for general use. Trial by fire can be taken quite literally at the range.
One guy has an Emergency Survival model. If the grip is considered normal size, the rest of the gun looks cartoonishly large.
He found an outfit who sells 700gr cast bullets. One of those bullets (just the bullet) is larger than a loaded 45 ACP cartridge.
titsonritz
03-29-21, 03:19
I will preface by stating I am comfortable with my manhood stopping at 44 mag, but I would bet a souped up .45-70 wheel gun would buck right there and maybe more than a .500. If I were going to cross the insanity line, I would probably lean toward the .460 for the ability to run 45LC and .454 thru it.
Agree with that Tits.
Anything with that level of power needs to be a long gun for me, thank you.
There’s nothing in my AOO that requires a .500 handgun.
gunnerblue
03-29-21, 07:06
I've had the 4" and 6.5" S&W .500's and still have the 5" PC model as well as a 16" Bighorn 89. The revolver has a 1-10" twist necessary to shoot up to 700 gr. bullets (which I have not) and has Herrett's Jordan Trooper stocks fitted to my palm. Recoil is severe, but more comfortable than the stock rubber grips, IMO. It actually carries well in a chest-holster but is simply too big to take hunting in a back-up role.
I carry the BHA when packing out elk (I live in grizzly country) or when bear hunting in thick timber.
I have a 450 gr. cast load that recoils about as hard as a 12 gauge slug but usually carry the 400 gr. Lehigh solid copper.
I guess I could treat my 500 like a baseball batter treats a weighted bat. Use it as warm up. Shoot my first five rounds of the day from the big smith. Then my 9mm carry gun will feel like a pea shooter.
The snubby can be a flame thrower:
65498
I shot a 500 years back. I remember the recoil to be impressive but not painful. I actually found to to be more comfortable than my friends 6 inch S&W 629. It definitely recoiled more but was less painful to the palm of my hand.
Ive heard that the 460 has worse recoil.
I shot a 460 years ago, but it was much longer (10"??) with a more substantial brake. It definitely had some serious recoil also. Easily as much as the 500. Lighter but faster bullets.
gunnerblue
03-30-21, 09:19
I shot a 500 years back. I remember the recoil to be impressive but not painful. I actually found to to be more comfortable than my friends 6 inch S&W 629. It definitely recoiled more but was less painful to the palm of my hand.
Ive heard that the 460 has worse recoil.
I briefly owned a 460V (5" bbl). Recoil with 335 grain Ruger Only loads was not nearly as bad as full power 440ish grain .500 rounds. The 460V did have a full length underlug barrel, though, so it wasn't exactly a lightweight. I'd expect light 350 grain .500 loads to be more comparable to the .460.
Somewhere in America, somebody is using a .500 for EDC urban concealed carry.
I'd fire one for the experience but a Redhawk firing standard factory .44 mag 240 gr and trying to get good hits is challenge enough for me.
If I wanted to hunt with a handgun and wanted more power than a hot .357 mag or 10mm a scoped .44 mag is probably what I'd go with.
When my son was about 10 yrs old I took him to the range to shoot for his birthday, when we got there he saw an MP5. He blurts out "nothing says happy birthday like a full auto MP5". So I rented it and proceeded to go bang bang. There was a group of bikers right next to us salivating at the MP5, so I sad, give it a whirl.
He repaid the favor with a short barrel 500, maybe 4 inches. I shot a full house load that when I shot it, I busted out laughing as I rocked backward. It pushed my entire body backward, amazing. But I think the 44 mag featherweight hurt my hands more. That bear gun felt like getting a hammer to the hands. Just brutal, I ran a mag and sat there thinking WTF just happened. Maybe I was more prepared for the 500 but that 44 was crazy. If you even get a chance to shoot that scandium frame, do it just grins and the experince.
PB
Somewhere in America, somebody is using a .500 for EDC urban concealed carry.
Obviously, if one is going to carry a short barreled 500 they're going to need a couple of these for a reload.
https://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/products/speed-loaders
titsonritz
04-06-21, 13:30
Obviously, if one is going to carry a short barreled 500 they're going to need a couple of these for a reload.
https://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/products/speed-loaders
I wonder what Miculek's reloads and splits would look like with that beast.
titsonritz
04-06-21, 13:31
Obviously, if one is going to carry a short barreled 500 they're going to need a couple of these for a reload.
https://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/products/speed-loaders
I wonder what Miculek's reloads and splits would look like with that beast.
I wonder what Miculek's reloads and splits would look like with that beast.
I don't know if even the mighty Jerry would want to fast double action and then reload and to it again with a 500, but then it would definitely be cool if he went for it.
Maybe Jerry's 500 would be cut for moonclips.....
Here is a match conducted with the Emergency Model 500. There are quite a few of rings of fire caught in the footage:
https://youtu.be/JMjDzMZY2Yw
I was at the local indoor range awhile back testing published max 9mm Para. reloads on the LabRadar.
Guy walks up and asks what the orange thing is. I explain. He asks if I can chrono his loads. Sure. He comes back with the 500.
The first two shots didn't register because the LabRadar had to be on the high speed setting. The next four measured fine.
Six shots is about all I need in this lifetime.
Wow, that was cool. The man must have hands of steel. Did you see all the speed loaders on his belt? Must be $200 worth. And the ammo cost!!!
If I was doing that more regularly I might look into the moon clips.
https://tkcustom.com/services/machining-sw
When i was looking at a "woods gun", i shot a few revolvers in .500 S&W and 464 Casull. The massive recoil made for long split times, and I found myself starting to 'anticipate the recoil' which made for worse trigger pulls. I'm sure all that could be overcome with frequent training, but I determined pretty quickly that the large caliber revolvers aren't for me.
I settled on a Glock 20 in 10mm, for my woods gun, and I've been very happy with the choice. I like that i have 15 rounds instead of 5, in a pistol that can hold a weapon light and has much more manageable recoil. And I feel very confident that 10mm 200 gr hardcast solids will do the job on anything i'll encounter in Utah.
When i was looking at a "woods gun", i shot a few revolvers in .500 S&W and 464 Casull. The massive recoil made for long split times, and I found myself starting to 'anticipate the recoil' which made for worse trigger pulls. I'm sure all that could be overcome with frequent training, but I determined pretty quickly that the large caliber revolvers aren't for me.
I settled on a Glock 20 in 10mm, for my woods gun, and I've been very happy with the choice. I like that i have 15 rounds instead of 5, in a pistol that can hold a weapon light and has much more manageable recoil. And I feel very confident that 10mm 200 gr hardcast solids will do the job on anything i'll encounter in Utah.
That, right there.
I hate Glocks. I absolutely LOVE my Glock 20 through. It will drop any mammal in North America. I do not feel unsafe with 15+1 of Underwood heavy cast 220 grain loaded up. IMHO, the perfect woods gun for "me". It also makes a good truck gun in town with 200 grain Speer GD.
Here's Jerry and the 500. Cool slow mo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOzyqiT1FFA
Here's Jerry and the 500. Cool slow mo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOzyqiT1FFA
Funny to hear even Jerry talk about how brutal that was to shoot haha. That gun is a beast.
Double post.
I'm not sure why, but this site seems to be doubling posts almost every time lately. Getting annoying
titsonritz
04-09-21, 14:35
Here's Jerry and the 500. Cool slow mo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOzyqiT1FFA
Check out the waves of meat on his arms in the slow mo shots, brutal.
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