I just scored a used 500 magnum for what i think is a good price. this is my first revolver and so far it is awesome!! i thought it would have way more recoil than it does.

I was wondering if someone could help me find out when it was made? i have been looking with no success. #CHV8xxx

and another question. how much cylinder rotation is normal? It rotates the same cocked or not cocked. i tried to measure the rotation by rotating it to the far left and putting a line with a mechanical pencil at the top of the frame and then then i rotated it the right and made another line. my calipers say they are about .46 mm apart. some of this could be a slight angle change on the pencil lead.
I never payed attention to this when i shot my friends 45 long colt so i have no idea how much play is normal. maybe i am just looking into it to much.... i was just concerned because i have no idea how many times it has been fired, although it looks new

iI would appreciate any information.

http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/4387/dscf5476a.jpg
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Congrats!

360 rotation is normal (sorry, couldn't resist).

I'm guessing you mean how much does the cylinder move side to side with the hammer down or back? Some movement is normal. On revolvers with very strong cylinder stop springs, bringing the hammer back will tighten it up side to side. On others, it moves the same either way.

ahahaha yea i was asking for that one. I should have explained better

but yes that is what i mean, thank you i am very relieved.
its probably not necessary, but could a tighter cylinder lock spring stiffen it up a bit? I am not very concerned with it marring the cylinder at the contact point.

A stronger spring would help a little, but reading the post again, I think what you really need to get it absolutely tight is an oversized cylinder stop for an x-frame revolver. I'm pretty sure Midway has them, if not a net search will locate one quickly. Larry Potterfield has a video on youtube that shows how to do the installation. If I find a link I'll post it here.

My google-fu is weak tonight, I could not find an x-frame oversize cylinder stop.

I did find this Smith & Wesson’s New .500 Magnum Revolver which addresses issues with the cylinder stop that some of the early 500s had.

Congrats. They tend to increase recoil with barrel length. Check out ballistic supply , I tried to get the link on, no luck. Just google ballistic supply, they have a sampler pack and are nice people. Enjoy.

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that sounds like what i need thanks. but i cant find one that fits either, there are several for the K, L, and N frame. i will keep looking maybe i can get lucky.

vipermd I will check out ballistic supply, thanks for the recommendation.

Awesome Good score! That .500 must make a .44 Mag feel like a pop gun. The 4" .500 is probably my favorite, and those 5 huge holes in the cylinder just look mean......

Feeling the power of a .500 is something I need to experience at some point soon.I have been more into the "hand cannons" lately, a .500 is just a super neat gun.

I have wanted a .500 for a long time, I am just weighing the "cost vs. need" right now for it. Then again, I have lots of guns I don't "need"

I know it's "apples and oranges" but my like-new 10-14 came with a good bit of sideplay in the cylinder on lockup and that gun drives tacks. It has the same movement with the trigger back and when the gun is "relaxed". If I tilt the gun side to side quickly I can feel the cylinder moving. I'm not worried about it, the gun works flawlessly, doesn't spit and has no signs of off center primer strikes. Some revolvers just leave the factory a little tighter than others but it usually doesn't affect performance. If the .500 shoots good, works safely and the cylinder stays locked, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I have lots of revolvers from the "other" current US gun manufacturer that makes wheelguns and they have varying degrees of sideplay and all of them shoot fine.

I have read about the issue of early .500's having cylinders that will unlock from recoil when shooting very heavy weight bullet loadings. It's not so much a safety issue, the bullet makes it into the bore but a split second afterwards the cylinder over-rides the stop sring from the severe recoil.

Sideplay also depends on how tight the hand is fitted to the ratchet teeth. If the hand is fitted tighter, it will bear against the ratchet tooth on full lockup and "tighten" the lockup. When the gun is at "rest" the hand is down in the slot and does not bear on the ratchet. I have some Smiths that are bank vault tight because the hand makes the cylinder that way on lockup. It's not really good or bad, in some ways I like a little sideplay on my Smiths because it helps the bullet "center" in the forcing cone on firing. If the hand tightens lockup, after several thousands of cycles it will wear in and lockup will loosen to a certain point.

thank you for all the info, sounds like i shouldn't be concerned.

so far I have only shot some 300 grain and 440 grain loads. the 440 definitely has some pop but its manageable. my buddy is going to load me up some 500 grain jacketed rounds and some 700 grain hard cast loads. I am a little scared of the 700 that's enormous!!!! so I will see how it handles the really large loads next weekend.

you definitely need to shoot one one day !!!! I got mine for $700 even so the cost was well in line with the need

and i will save even more money since my buddy already reloads this round

For those that like to launch large pieces of cast metal-

.502 600gr HP/FP cramer mold - Cast Boolits

I wanted a way to feed the big monster and a heavy cast lower velocity slug is what the 500 really needs. I really enjoy mine but the 400 gr. Sierra JHP's get a little pricey.