500 Smith & Wesson Magnum?

[Lochi]

I checked it out on the S&W web site, looks awesome.
I have been hunting with my 44Mag and 303 British handgun now for years, but itching to get something new on board. What do you guys thing of this humungous gun for hunting?
Lochi.

[wrenchman]

i got to hild one a couple weeks ago the thing is a brute
if you were hand gun hunting only it would be the way to go

[buckhunter]

Had a conversation with someone who owns one. All he said was it hurts.

[Rocky Raab]

Since it's darn near as heavy as a rifle, but hurts more and is harder to shoot accurately, what's the point?

I love to handgun hunt. I enjoy shooting some pretty hefty loads out of some handguns. I do think there's a place for both things.

But the "Tim Allen Complex" in which more power is always better is a dumb idea, in my view. Let's face it, that kind of thing only appeals to a younger shooter - the kind of guy (and I think we're talking guy exclusively here) who drools over muscle cars, thousand-watt stereos and extreme sports. I'm sure it's a raging testosterone thing.

But the problem is that such guns should only be shot by a VERY experienced handgunner. That level of performance can seriously injure an unprepared, unknowing shooter. No amount of machismo, bravado or testosterone can prepare you for that level of recoil. Heck, I'd not only bet that most 500 S&W buyers are low experience handgunners, I'd wager that some are being bought by first-time handgun owners!

Hype sells, but it's a dangerous mistake to assume that absolutely anybody can handle every product that's sold. Put a first-time rider on whatever is today's most powerful motorcycle, with no training, and I think you know what the result would be: bike and rider imbedded in some immovable object within a very short distance.

It's not unreasonable to imagine that a 500 S&W in the hands of some low- or no-experience shooter could actually brain him. I have personal experience shooting full-house 45-70, 475 Linebaugh and 500 Linebaugh from modified Ruger Blackhawks. I was extensively coached before being allowed to do so, and I fired them with no injury (and those lightweight revolvers have INCREDIBLE recoil in those chamberings!) But I also know of one macho fellow who disregarded that instruction, fired a 45-70 (the LEAST recoil of the trio!) improperly, and imbedded the hammer spur in his forehead, right through the skull bone. It made a lasting impression on the emergency room staff, believe me.

My advice (which is free and worth every cent of that) is this: unless you already have fired thousands of rounds of some really heavy-recoiling handgun loads, avoid the 500 S&W.

[oldguy-2]

Anyone look at ammo prices for this cannon.

Latest Midway Flyer shows UltraMax 325 gr JHP @ $33.25 per 20!

That's almost as bad as Weatherby stuff !

Think I'll stick with my 29.

[FIJI]

have been considering something a step up from my 44 mag Redhawk (which I still love - and have no problem handling).

More than one gunshop owner mentioned that the .50 "hype" should soon be bringing down the cost of the 454 Casull
Think Ill wait just a bit longer !

[HPBTMTCH]

I like to hunt with big bore handguns also. My favorite is the super redhawk .454 casull. I practice at 200 yards. After i shoot more than 20 or so rounds though, my groups start to go away, and i have to take a break for a while. Off a rest, i can hit a deer sized target ALMOST everytime. That is with a scope. Which means that shooting at deer at that range is not something i would do, to much of a chance of wounding it. But if it was already hurt, i`d like to think i could make the shot if i had to. To use the extra range the big boomers allow for, you really need a scope. Where in lies the next problem, no scope i ever owned, leopold, and burris included, could take more than 2 or 300 rounds before it or the mounts decide to lay down, i have never had that problem with the .44 mag. So, that being said, Bring the target back to 100 yards and every round strikes about where i want it to. Now, i know there are guys out there who can shoot 200 yards with a revolver stoked with full house .454 loads and hit it everytime, but i ain`t ever met him. So, limiting one`s self to 100 yards, a bullet from a .357 mag in the deer`s rib cage will kill it, no problem. I hunt with the .454, because i like it, and feel as if i shoot it well. Is there a need for anything more than the .44 mag? In my opinion no, not in the deer woods. Is there a place for the big bores? Sure, if the one pulling the trigger is competent with it, more power don`t hurt.

[Jack]

I'm not rich enough to own a 500 S&W.
I'd have to hire someone to lug that monster around in the field, and another guy to fire the thing- I certainly won't.
I'm kinda figuring that the guy I'd have to hire to lug it would be all wore out by the time shooting time came around- that's why 2 guys....
And, with all that payroll, don't think I could afford the ammo.

[HPBTMTCH]

There was a famous elephant hunter-writer, maybe Robert Ruark, Who carried a 4 bore pistol. He exclaimed after shooting it a few times, that he would be better off throwing it at the enraged bull elephant, hoping it would pick the pistol up and try to shoot it, meaning he thought one end of the gun would do as much damage as the other. I think we may be fast approaching that point. LOL.

[Catfish]

I hunted for years with a .44 mag. handgun. I`ve taken several deer with that round, but I used to shoot a handgun alot, a couple of 100`s rounds a week at least. I don`t shoot handgun near as much as I used to and don`t hunt with them as much for that reason. I`ll still carry one where there is no chance for shot much over 50 yrds. I have carried my .454 Rageing Bull acouple of times, but have neve got a shot with it. I also have a .454 Red Hawk, but it has far more recoil and I can not shot it nearly as well so I`ll probibly never hunt with it. As for the .500 S&W, if I find one at the right price I`ll definately buy it, but doubt that I would ever carry if in the field. There is nothing here in Ohio that a .357 won`t take.

[TheeBadOne]

Just read a review of the .500 mag. They said it kicks harder than a 44 Mag, but not as harsh as a .454 or .475
I guess 4 1/2 lbs empty, 5 lbs full soaks up recoil pretty well. What really blew my mind is that there is apparently plenty of case room left with current loads. They say there's enough case room to load/shoot 500 gr bullets!

[44 Canon]

I saw A BFR Maxine in .500S&W A couple weeks ago in person. It's identicle to the .45-70 BFR Maxine aside from the boar diamiter etc.
I am told that the .500 Magnum BFR and .45-70 BFR are almost the exact same in how they shoot.
I have fired the .45-70BFR Maxine. It's like A .50AE Desert Eagle but softer and more stable kick.
I belong to another forum who has someone their who fired the S&W. He says pretty much the same thing about the S&W compared to the .50AE Desert Eagle. Softer and more stable.
I have seen the bullets before to. Big but not what I expected. I was expecting something more like the .50 Alaska.
.500S&W isn't that expensive to shoot as long as you have the brass. .50AE bullets will fit so you can probibly reload them for as little as 35 cents A round.

[RANGERRICK]

Well I guess I am one of those guys that love to shoot big bore revolvers along with my big bore rifles . I did purchase the S&W 500 PC Hunter , this is the one with the sling . It does kick a bit harder than my buddies 454 but it is sweet to shoot . I do shoot cast bullets , my best load is 33.2 GR H110 with 575 gr gc , I have also 600 , 630 and soon 650 gc . All molds come from mountain moulds . I shot another buddies 500 linebaugh with an unported barrel , now that actually hurt to shoot . Very cheap to reload , pennies per round . Brass cost the most .

RR

[Classicvette63]

Rocky is spot on about getted beaned by one of these handcannons, and you don't have to be a novice either. Saw a show on the history channel a week or so ago about guns, magnums in particular. Jan Libourel, the famous writer shot a 454 and it dang near got away from him.

It's amazing how fast things change. I remember back in the day when the .44 magnum was some mysterious monster and how people would refuse to shoot it if offered the chance for fear of compound fractures to the extremities. Now, the .44 is almost mild compared to some of the stuff out there. Now the use to be lowly .45 Colt has even surpassed the .44. Nope, the .44 and .45 are plenty big enough for me. I still like muscle cars though Classic

[jojo]

I just bought a S&W .44 Mountain gun.

This here mechanical bull is kicking my butt.

No deer is gonna survive this baby.

I shot it three days ago and I still feel it.

The funny thing is the more I read what you distinguished gentlemen post, the more I want to go out and see what all the hoopla is about.